Emily’s Friend Dee Murphy’s Bedroom Blew Up On Instagram – Here’s Why It’s SO Good…

Do you ever look at a room design and wonder what exactly makes it work SO well? It can be difficult to pinpoint why some rooms catch our eyes so vehemently, so here at EHD we like to break it down for you (and ourselves). Pulling together a cohesive and beautiful space is an art (duh), but we think it’s doable when you have the right knowledge and grit to get it done.

When Dee Murphy pitched us her latest bedroom reveal, she mentioned it received a lot of attention on her Instagram. None of us were surprised, of course, and we realized it is a perfect example of a bedroom that hits all the marks. So today, we thought we’d share her gorgeous bedroom and walk you through all the steps that can help you create a dream bedroom of your own.

1. Calm But Not Boring Color Palette

Bed | Quilt | Sconces | Curtain Fabric| Nightstands | Frames

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know that we love to stress the importance of a cohesive color palette because folks, it is so important. When you keep a clear color palette in mind when choosing textiles, decor, and art, your life will be 10x easier and you’re guaranteed to have a room that brings you joy. SO, if you are starting a room design, 100% begin with a color palette. Here’s how:

1. Start with one color you love most
2. Vary the tones of this color in various decor pieces
3. Combine both cool and warm tones for a balanced look
4. Chose an accent color (one that is almost the opposite of your main color)

In this bedroom, the dark blue walls set the tone and you see different hues of blue in the rugs and textiles. The burnt orange accent color comes in through the bedding and decor and a mixture of natural wood tones and brass accents completely round out the space. If you want to do a deep dive on choosing a color palette Emily wrote all about it here.

2. Floral Mixing

Floral patterns can be intimating to work with but when done right they make a huge impact. When mixing florals, again, you want to keep in mind your color palette and vary the pattern scales. Here, the floral curtains are the obvious show stopper but if you look closely, you can see the quilt has a floral pattern as well. Also, the curtain pattern is a much larger scale than the quilt pattern. The two work extremely well together because the color of the quilt pulls from one of the main colors on the curtains. Again, another example of how sticking to your color palette does wonders.

Dee also complements her floral patterns with natural floral arrangements that highlight the accent colors she wants represented throughout the room.

3. The Art Of Collections

Collections are often personal so they are a great way to bring a unique flair to a space. You might even have a collection in your possession already and you don’t even realize it. Think about things that you have multiple of i.e. hats, small lidded boxes, figurines, or even variations of the same genre of art. These collections can be highlighted in your design by placing them close together, and in doing so you create an interesting focal point that feels special to YOU.

When you think about a collection, make sure that it is a collection of similar items that are not uniform. You don’t want a collection of the same exact thing, but you do want them to be in the same category. So if you have a collection of vessels and you want to display them together, make sure they vary in size, height, shape, and even color.

Dee’s collection of figure drawings is a perfect example of this. She arranged them around the focal point of the room (the bed frame) so they immediately catch your eye and they are similar enough to feel like a collection but they each have a uniqueness to them.

4. Mix Of High And Low

A classic EHD rule of thumb is: pretty looks good with pretty. You can have a high-end nightstand and style it with a $10 vase and thrifted candlesticks. In reality, you also WANT a mix of high and low so your room doesn’t end up being too stuffy or predictable. High-end pieces often make your affordable pieces appear high-end, so you save money and end up with a room that is much more exciting. Cheap finds are fun and often a price point doesn’t even matter when everything looks well together.

5. Mix Of Vintage And Modern

When you mix both vintage and modern pieces, you won’t ever run the risk of your room feeling too “catalogue-y”. Vintage and thrifted pieces will make your room feel eclectic and different and the newer products can elevate or complement your more exciting/unique pieces.

Much of the decor Dee has sprinkled throughout this room are vintage or thrifted, and the main pieces are modern. The bed, nightstands, curtains, sconces, and quilt are new while the rest are found pieces. This mix of both new and old makes the room feel special and highly curated.

And there you have it. Our 5 quick and easy steps to think about when designing your own room. Now that you’ve made it this far, you deserve a furry surprise:

HOW CUTE. Now, because I am nosy and curious I’d love to know what is your favorite part of this room?? Mine are those floral curtains of course. Tell me everything below and have a lovely Thursday! xx

*Design by Dee Murphy
**Photos by Zeke Ruelas