Know your audience, know your budget. Design for longevity with the big, expensive items—a bed and bed frame are very personal and specific. The stuff you can have more fun with are smaller items like pillows and throws, which are also likely to be changed more with trends and usage. Prioritize your big items to be well-made, high quality, and specific to your needs, and experiment with smaller items.

You want to be thinking about how you use the space. What are the circumstances you have to live with? For instance, if you’re someone who gets up at 6 a.m., maybe you don’t put those black-out curtains in. You should have goals for your routine and life, and determine whether you're happy with them. Then work off of those to make thoughtful design decisions. It's solving for how you live, whom you live with, and what you have in terms of resources for the project.

Painting is an easy, relatively cost-effective way to dramatically change a space. A rug is another big opportunity for texture and color. Window treatments are unusually necessary—and set a particular mood. They define the characteristics of a space and take up a lot of real estate. For bedding, choose something easy to wash, and play with textures on top of that with other layers.

Dwell’s Picks: Bedside Mannerism

The right accent can turn a minimalist bedroom into a personalized sanctuary. Here are a few ideas for adding some character to your sleeping space.

Talon Chair by Coil+Drift

Cortadow Pillow from The Citizenry

Puck Table Lamp by In Common With

Carter Nightstand from Croft House

Linen Duvet Cover Set from Parachute

Slope Rug by Hella Jongerius for Maharam

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Give Your Home a Quick Refresh With This Room-by-Room Guide