Embarrassed, I tell them I don’t exactly have a bed. Rather, I live in a mattress surrounded by, at any given time, an assortment of books, magazines, and clothes. I like to think of it as my homeless person’s futon, but the real story behind it is that my indecision has left me frustrated. I simply refuse to style my bed, and now my mattress lies there – unmade and uninspiring.

I’d say it was due to a lack of time, but what I actually lack is direction. You see, there are far too many things that I want my bed to look like, and it would be a modest assumption to say that I can’t have them all. When you are exposed to too many trends and styles, you would, apparently (at least in my case), want to make use of each one without discerning if they are appropriate for your personality and lifestyle.

Ultimately, the use of the bed has evolved from being a functional piece to a tangible commentary on your persona. Does your bed still have ruffles, ribbons, and every little stuffed toy from your grade school years? Is it filled with monogrammed pillows with your initials on them? Or perhaps weirdly shaped oriental-inspired silk pillows in bright colors? Is your headboard a shelf for books, or is it full of items of clothing extending to your footboard? While it isn’t a reason to stop seeing someone, it would probably be safe to assume you can tell a lot about a lover by the kind of bed that they have.

So what does your bed say about you? And more importantly, what mood does it evoke? This is where decorating comes in; we have control of what our bed conveys, and what aura it should project. Here are a few decorating ideas to help you improve your personal sanctum.

Visualization

Before anything else, you should have an idea of what you want your bed to look like, and that, of course, depends on the existing bedroom.

Consider the space. If your room looks fairly modern – with sharp edges and lines devoid of unnecessary motifs – then your bed must also follow in this style. Doing the opposite could either make the styles clash or produce an interesting mix that will illuminate the focus of the room.

Look through magazines and the Internet for similarly themed rooms, and try to see how the bed is used as a functional piece and as innovative decor. How you want your bed to feel, what kind of textures you associate with comfort, and possibly, what specific things you like and dislike about your bed are all vital considerations in determining the look you want. Only then will you be able to take control and change the way you sleep.

Headboards

There are a lot of fun things you can do with headboards and footboards. If you’re a bit short on cash, you could just modify your existing set-up and a nice touch here and there.

For example, you could fit your headboard with a slip fabric cover to change the look completely. Afterwards, you could use other elements such as ribbons, quilts, velvet, silk, old tapestries, and decorative rugs as cover. The beauty of creating this slipcase is that you can instantly update the theme of your room – be it rustic, Asian modern, Mediterranean, French provincial, or country.

However, you will not be limited to using fabrics for the headboard. You may also use excess wood, leather, and other interesting textures either to modify or create an entirely new headboard. Several other techniques include laying out laminates or tiles against the wall, nailing antique wood planks together, or using architectural detail such as old windows, classic finials, door toppers, mantels, and others, to be placed above the bed as a hanging headboard.

Storage

Another interesting method to try is adding a storage area about your head; either as a headboard or shelving for small items such as books, cell phones, and reading glasses. This is perfect if you do a lot of reading or sewing in bed, and even more useful if you’re so cramped for space that you can’t have side tables. Use wood as the material, and just paint over the finish; this can enhance the overall look of your room.

However, storage is not limited to the head area; you may also utilize the space under your bed. This change may be made to the actual structure of the bed itself, or it may be merely temporary such as in the case of small baskets.

Lighting

From all these examples, lighting would perhaps be the most work- and budget-intensive of them all, owing, perhaps, to the fact that it might require reconfiguration of your present electrical system with the addition of ceiling lights.

If you don’t want to go this far, though, adding lamps would be the best way around it. These lamps can either be wall-mounted, free-standing, table lamps, or they may be attached to the headboard you’re working on. Usually, there should be outlets available for at least two lights near the headboard. The lights can also be placed behind the headboard or the shelves as a wall accent.