How to decorate the bedroom in a furnished apartment
Von Christine Kandler
The bedroom should be a sanctuary, so keep this in mind when furnishing a temporary apartment.
Below we have compiled our decorating tips for landlords of furnished apartments, on how best to create a harmonious, and homely overall impression. Find out what you should bear in mind when buying beds, mattresses, and other living accessories.
The best bed for temporary living
Even if you are looking to spend as little money as possible, avoid scrimping on the bed, which is ultimately the most important piece of furniture in the room. As a landlord, it should be your priority that your tenant feels comfortable in your apartment, and sleeps well at night. Investing an extra hundred euros is well worth it in the long-term, as a mattress has a lifespan of at least 10 years, and a good bed will last much longer.
Frame
- Sturdy frame
- Hard-wearing material: With cheap beds, the veneer splinters quickly by, for example, knocking it off with a vacuum cleaner etc. A new purchase after a few years is not eco-friendly, and more expensive and time-consuming than the purchase of a quality product.
- If possible, the bed should have a headboard. This will prevent the wall from getting dirty. Here are some examples: a simple metal frame and a Hans Hansen model. These metal beds are certainly not suitable for every furnishing style, but they are very discreet and durable.
- The bed in a temporary flat should be at least 160x200cm, if the space allows for this. Studio apartments and one-room apartments often lack the space for a large bed. Here a smaller size of 140x200cm is sufficient. Even if you only want to rent out to one person, you should definitely decide on a double bed, as partners and other guests often come to visit over the weekend.
Tenants prefer real beds. Less suitable for temporary rentals are:
- Futons
- Sofa beds as the only option for sleeping. Sofa beds are suitable for guests, but tenants prefer a real bed as a longer-term sleeping arrangement. If a second bedroom is designed to be multi-purpose, a single bed that can be turned into a daybed during the day, a stack, or a pull-out bed is the better choice
- Mattresses on the floor
Slatted frame
Make sure to buy a slatted frame that is spring-loaded. It does not have to be electrically adjustable - a standard model will do.
The mattress
We've all experienced it: standard hotel beds where the mattress is either too hard or too soft. Even one night's lack of sleep can ruin the relaxed feel of the room for the tenant, and their stay.
In an even longer renting period, a bad mattress can be an even worse problem. Do your tenant a favour and choose a mattress that provides restful sleep. You can find a good (and reasonably cheap) mattress from the test winner of the Stiftung Warentest Bett 1. It is harder on one side than on the other, so the tenant can determine the hardness of the mattress at their own discretion. This mattress can be pre-ordered and delivered free of charge, conveniently rolled up, another advantage of this if you don't have a lot of time.
Duvets and pillows
We recommend washable duvets and pillows with synthetic filling (these are also suitable for allergy sufferers). Flatter duvets look better, and more modern with a bedspread than bulging duvets. Ideally select a four-season blanket, or a light blanket for spring/summer, and an additional blanket for the cooler seasons. Sufficiently warm blankets also save on heating costs.
Don't forget to pay attention to the size of the duvet, as well as where you buy them from. For a double bed, it is better to choose two single duvets in a standard size than one single oversized duvet.
Ikea duvets do not quite match the standard dimensions (140x200 instead of 135x200). With standard duvets, the duvet is then stowed on the sides. We recommend the standard size to be 135x200.
Bed linen
Good bed linen doesn't have to be expensive. Choose non-iron or easy-iron bed linen that matches the colour of the room. Combine them with a matching bedspread and pillow. For cheap, design-oriented, and high-quality bed linen in almost all sizes (no more ill-fitting dimensions) and often on discount, check out Zara Home.
Hygiene
Protect your mattress from wetness and stains with a mattress protector. Pillows become naturally discoloured over time by sweat, which cannot be completely removed with washing, and do not look very inviting for new tenants. The solution: protect your pillows with a range of cushion protectors.
After the tenants have moved out, only the pillow protectors have to be washed, and the pillow remains white and attractive for longer.
Wardrobe and chests of drawers: Storage area
Lockable wardrobe in the right size
The bedroom should have as large a wardrobe as possible. Clothes rails and open shelves are far less suitable. The advantage of wardrobes is that everything is packed away, the room looks tidy, and clothes don't get dusty.
Commode with drawers
If there is enough space, you should also equip the bedroom with a chest of drawers. A good amount of storage space is must for many tenants when choosing an apartment.
Curtains or blinds: blackout
A properly dark room ensures a quiet sleep, so make sure that the bedroom can be darkened as much as possible.
Whether you choose blinds, special darkening curtains, or roller blinds depends on your home, and the windows. A crucial one to remember when setting up your home!
Carpet
Carpets also contribute to the cosy atmosphere in the bedroom. With this in mind, there should always be a small carpet on each side of the bed. Anyone getting up in the morning would rather step on a soft, fluffy carpet than on cold parquet flooring. Be aware: a carpet is overwhelmingly more popular than real animal fur.
Bedside table
Space permitting, don't forget the bedside table. In case of space issues, a basket, mini table, stool etc. is fine for storing books, glasses, an alarm clock and a reading lamp.
Lighting
There should also be several good light sources in the bedroom. In the bedroom you do not need expensive, powerful lights - simply an attractive ceiling light, that creates a more gentle, atmospheric light. It is also important to have a reading lamp next to the bed - either on the wall, on the bedside table, or as a floor lamp.
Other furniture
If more space is available, there is no reason not to add more furniture to the bedroom.
Armchair
With an cosy and spacious armchair you can create a space for some daytime rest and relaxation. This can be an advantage in family apartments, or apartments with a small living room or living area.
Bench at the foot of the bed
A bench at the foot of the bed usually looks much better than the frame on its own. Watch out, of course, that the heights are matching. The bench can be used as a seat or storage surface, or even for a (very few) selected decorative elements.
Desk
As mentioned earlier, the bedroom is supposed to be a place where one can relax and recover from work. Therefore it is recommended to ban electrical appliances, eg., televisions, etc. from the bedroom - additions that are not essential for everyone.
For many tenants, however, a desk is highly important. If you don't have room for a desk anywhere else in the apartment, put it in the bedroom. You should make sure that working materials and laptops can be stowed away in this space.
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