The short answer: to style a double bedroom, start with the layout and leave about 60-70 cm clear on each side of the bed and at the foot. Then dress the headboard wall with a single composition, place warm light on both sides of the bed, layer the textiles (bedding, a throw at the foot, cushions) and solve storage with a chest of drawers that does not block the way. The order matters: measurements first, then light, and objects last.
Step 1: the layout
A 160 × 200 cm double bed is a common size. Place the headboard on the clearest wall, away from the door and with no window right behind it, and measure before you buy anything. These figures are a guide, but they prevent the most common mistakes:
| What to measure | Guide | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Clear space on each side of the bed | About 60-70 cm | Getting in, making the bed and not bumping into the bedside table |
| Space at the foot | About 60-70 cm | Crossing the room without walking around the bed |
| Bedside table | 40 to 50 cm wide, at mattress height | Keeping your phone, a book and a light within reach |
| Headboard wall | About 250 cm at least for a 160 cm bed with two bedside tables | Letting the whole arrangement breathe instead of feeling squeezed |
If the bedroom is narrow, give up the chest of drawers before the walkway: a bedroom that is comfortable to walk through looks larger than one filled with furniture.
Step 2: the headboard wall
It is the wall you see as you walk in, so it deserves a single composition. Two identical pictures work because they bring order. The Pleamar wall art, 60 × 90 cm on beige and white canvas with a glitter finish, is sold individually and forms a vertical pair above the bed. With a gap of 5 to 10 cm between them, they take up around 125-130 cm in width, between two thirds and three quarters of a 160 cm bed. Hang them with the bottom edge about 20-25 cm above the headboard.
If the ceiling is low or the wall is narrow, the Marfil Wall Art, a set of two 60 × 60 cm square pieces with ivory relief, works hung horizontally and also above the chest of drawers. We have already covered the colour of that wall in our guide to colours for a double bedroom; here we focus on what goes on top of it.
Step 3: bedside tables and light
In a bedroom, light should be low, warm and spread around: no single ceiling light. There are two routes, and it is best to pick just one for both sides of the bed so it stays symmetrical.
| Option | Piece | Measurements and product details | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamp on the bedside table | Alabaster Table Lamp | 38 × 38 × 65 cm, light fabric shade, 3,500 K LED bulb included | If you have a bedside table at least 40 cm on each side |
| Pair of wall lights either side of the bed | Roma Wall Light | 13 × 12 × 50 cm, two 10 W G9 bulbs not included (2,700-3,000 K for warm light) | If the bedside table is small or you want to free up the surface |
Alabaster turns translucent when lit and shows its veining; switched off, it still decorates. Look after it with our guide to caring for an alabaster lamp. The Roma Wall Light, according to its product page, brings order to the wall as a pair on either side of the bed; as a guide, place its centre about 120-130 cm from the floor.
Step 4: layered textiles
The bed is the largest block of textile in the home and the quickest way to change the feel of the bedroom. According to Zaida Muñoz, interior designer at Zach & Decor, the advantage of working in layers is that you can renew them without redoing anything: in Nuevo Estilo she spoke of “cushions, upholstery or wallpapers that can be renewed over time without having to redo the whole home”.
Layer 1, the base. Sheets and duvet in a single plain tone, which keep the bed calm.
Layer 2, the throw at the foot. The Aveline Throw is a textured chenille knit with fringes, 130 × 170 cm and 360 g/m², in white and beige; folded in three at the foot, it marks out the bed without covering it entirely. The Siena Throw, a textured knit at 400 GSM, brings colour in powder pink or grey.
Layer 3, the cushions. Two or three are enough. The Noor Cushion, in mottled cotton in browns and measuring 50 × 50 cm, has a removable cover, handy for washing. More than five cushions means taking them off every night.
Step 5: storage
A chest of drawers replaces the wardrobe you are missing and, with a lamp on top, provides the second source of light. The Selva Chest of Drawers is built entirely in solid oak, with plain fronts and no handles, and is made to order: 160 cm or 180 cm wide and other sizes on request, in four finishes (dark oak, light oak, walnut and ash). Opposite the bed or on a side wall, always measure with the drawers open and check that you still have the 60-70 cm of clearance. Choose the finish to match the rest of the wood in the room: with a light floor, light oak or ash add a sense of space; with a dark floor, walnut or dark oak sit well alongside it.
On top of it, the Bellora Lamp, 76 cm tall, with a veined white marble base, gold metal and a rectangular fabric shade, acts as a second light if you prefer to keep the alabaster one for the bedside table.
An example
A 3.6 × 4 m bedroom. The 160 × 200 cm bed is centred on the 3.6 m wall, with about 100 cm clear on each side. Above the headboard, the Pleamar pair at 60 × 90 cm. On either side, one Roma Wall Light per side, which frees up the bedside tables. At the foot of the bed there are about 200 cm to the opposite wall, where the 180 cm Selva Chest of Drawers in light oak goes (the depth is confirmed on its product page). On top, the alabaster lamp and, on the wall, the Marfil set at 60 × 60 cm. On the bed, Aveline folded at the foot and two Noor cushions. That makes five decisions: wall, light, bed, chest of drawers and throw.
Limits
These measurements are a guide, not a rule: in a bedroom narrower than 2.8 m, push the bed to one side and give up a bedside table before giving up the walkway. The Roma Wall Light has a 10 cm cable, so the power socket needs to be close to the light point; check this with your electrician. Alabaster is sensitive to water: do not place it in a bathroom or near sources of humidity. And if the bedroom is small, stick to a single composition on the wall: a second one is usually too much.
Next step
Browse throws and cushions in Textiles. If you would like us to design your bedroom around its light and measurements, write to our interior design studio.
Frequently asked questions
How do I decorate a modern double bedroom?
With few, well-measured pieces: a headboard wall with a symmetrical composition, warm light on both sides of the bed and layered textiles in tones that repeat.
How much space should I leave around the bed?
As a guide, about 60-70 cm on each side and at the foot, so you can move around and make the bed without effort.
How do I decorate a main bedroom without it looking cluttered?
Limit the objects: one composition on the wall, one chest of drawers, three textiles on the bed and two points of light. Everything else is surplus.
What should I put on the headboard wall?
A pair of 60 × 90 cm pictures hung vertically, or a set of two 60 × 60 cm pieces, about 20-25 cm above the headboard.
Related questions
By Zaida Muñoz, interior designer at Zach & Decor · Updated 16/10/2026