7 Things That Always Make Your Bedroom Feel Empty, According to Designers

You’ve decorated your bedroom with all the essentials like a bed, wardrobe, and nightstands and added some decorative touches too, but somehow it still feels like it’s lacking something. It looks, well, empty. Sound familiar?

Adding more furniture to fill the blank space might seem like the obvious answer but turns out it’s not, at least not according to the pros. We tapped three interior experts to find out what exactly could be making your bedroom look empty and their answers might surprise you.

Choosing Furniture That Is Too Small

The smaller a bedroom, the smaller the furniture should be—makes sense, right? As counterintuitive as it sounds, the opposite is actually true according to the decorating pros.

"By picking smaller furniture, although it may feel as though it will create more space in your bedroom, it can actually make the room look a lot emptier due to incorrect fitting and lack of fluidity throughout the space”, says Kebbson.

Bigger but fewer pieces, even in small rooms work better according to Kebbson who recommends "choosing substantial pieces that fill the space and make it usable."

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Not Paying Attention to Bedding

For most of us, our bedding typically includes a comforter or duvet and a few pillows. While the bed looks finished, it could be contributing to making your bedroom look unfinished.

Karlsson adds that it’s not about loading up your bed with pillows and blankets but instead, it’s about adding some interest to this large surface area.

"This could be with a throw, pillows, or some beautiful linen bedding in a subtle color with some texture”, says Karlsson.

Sparse Wall Decorations

A well-laid-out bedroom with the right amount of furniture and accessories can still end up looking empty if the walls are left bare.

“Empty walls contribute to an unfulfilled sense of space. If there are no wall decorations, a bedroom can seem stark and uninviting”, says Floros.

"By adding art and accents on the walls you instantly infuse character and personality into a room making it feel lived-in and vibrant rather than bare and abandoned", says Floros.

Too Many Hard Surfaces

When a bedroom feels empty, we naturally think it could be missing something physical like furniture or decorations. Sometimes though, it can have to do with sound according to Karlsson, particularly if your bedroom has a lot of hard surfaces.

“If you have lots of things like wooden floors, stone accents, lacquered finishes on wardrobes, and Venetian blinds then sound tends to bounce around making the space feel empty”, says Karlsson.

If that ‘sounds’ like your bedroom, Karlsson recommends adding softness where you can, perhaps with a rug, window treatments, and upholstery.

Not Considering Symmetry

Thinking about a bedroom as a whole and considering how each element within it works together — whether that’s free-standing furniture or architectural features—is a big part of making a room feel complete according to Kebbson.

“Many people don’t think about the symmetry of their room which can make the space feel empty or incomplete”, says Kebbson.

One example is thinking about the focal point of the room and decorating with that in mind.

"Consider the focal point of a room such as a fireplace, a large window, or a statement piece of furniture, and think about how you can arrange your accessories to mirror this," Kebbson says. "Small adjustments like these can create balance in your space and ensure it doesn’t feel empty."

Not Having Enough Light Sources

Overhead lighting and maybe a couple of bedside lamps are the norm in most bedrooms. But Floros says that this isn’t enough because it can create a harsh and clinical ambiance that instantly makes a room feel empty and unwelcoming.

Floros explains that every bedroom should have several light sources like bedside lamps or wall sconces, floor lamps, and table lamps to create warmth and depth.

“This is the key to enhancing a room and transforming it into a cozy environment that invites you in rather than leaving you with a sense of emptiness”, adds Floros.

Fearing Color

While our decor styles are personal, the one thing we all share is the desire for a calm bedroom that feels welcoming.

According to Karlsson, many people fear adding color to their bedrooms because they feel it will take away from a feeling of calm and instead opt for whites or pale neutrals which can lead to a look of emptiness.

Karlsson recommends exploring different calming color palettes and interesting ways to introduce color into a bedroom.

Instead of painting the entire room in one color, Karlsson suggests painting the ceiling in something other than white, trying color drenching the room, or considering wallpapers and other wall finishes.