Christmas bedroom decorating ideas to create a Yuletide retreat

We spend approximately a third of our lives in bed, so if that isn't a good reason to decorate our boudoirs for the holidays then what is?! Using one of these Christmas bedroom decorating ideas means that you'll be filled with festive joy from the moment you open your eyes in the morning, to when you nestle all snug in your bed. We can't guarantee visions of sugarplums, but it's more than possible.

Experiment with your Christmas ideas this year and lavish seasonal decor in your bedrooms, playing with a different scheme in each. Perhaps you need a restful master, a fun-filled kid's room and a welcoming guest room for friends and family.

Christmas bedroom decorating ideas

From the simple addition of a stylish wreath to a full blown Santa's Grotto, read on to discover our absolute favourite ways to play with Christmas bedroom decor this December...

1. Take inspiration from the country

The cosiest of festive styles - country Christmas decorating ideas are the perfect place to take inspiration from for your bedroom.

Stick to a fairly neutral palette, using colours inspired by nature - warm tans, creamy whites and energising ochres. A simple garland or festive bunting in cohesive shades will add a sophisticated but subtle touch of Noël style.

Make sure you layer up textiles to the hilt, too. Comfort is King here. Pile on cushions and pillows, and a couple of chunky throws to keep you warm no matter how chilly it gets outdoors.

2. Add seasonal foliage

A little foliage can go a long way in celebrating the season in a bedroom. Attach a wreath above your bed to set the scene as soon as you walk in the room. Stick to a faux option, as the last thing you want to be doing is replacing dried up sprigs while trying to keep your sheets clear of any mess.

A simple vase beside the bed is the perfect place to use real foliage. Mix and match seasonal pieces - fire, eucalyptus, pussy willow, winter berries....- and switch out regularly to keep things fresh. A thin wire of battery powered Christmas lights, or a few tiny baubles will finish the festive look.

3. Create Santa's Grotto

Whether it's for a child, or someone who's just a child at heart, a full-blown Santa's Grotto is a lovely Christmas bedroom decorating idea to explore.

Keep red as the dominant colour in the room, and layer up wreaths and garlands wherever you can. The headboard, above the bed, the window sill - all fair game. Even if it's not Christmas Eve, get that stocking out to get that Christmas countdown anticipation building. If people can be trusted to keep their hands to themselves, a few presents can even be kept in the room, too.

4. Indulge in a winter wonderland

A frosty, winter inspired scheme is a wonderfully evocative way to dress a bedroom for Christmas. Whites, greys and icy blues should by far become your primary colour choices.

The thing you do need to keep an eye on here is the look becoming cold - not what you want when trying to snuggle down in the evening. Prevent this by keeping an eye on your texture choices. Tufted pillows, furry cushions, velvet throws will all bring that sense of welcoming warmth even when in the iciest of shades.

Finally, remember that candlelight always warms up a room's appearance. Keep away from textiles or switch to a LED version if you're concerned about falling asleep with candles aglow.

5. Choose a traditional scheme

Traditional Christmas decorating ideas can be used right the way through the home, and the bedroom is no exception.

Get those reds and whites going aplenty. For a slightly more folky take on traditional, switch out the typical green for a deep blue.

6. Set the scene with a mural

If you're willing to make a bigger change to your bedroom for your holidays, then consider using a mural wall. There are as many versions of these as you can imagine, but a snowy woodland scene is an especially elegant option.

Many of these types of murals can be applied and then taken down, but make sure you find one which serves your purposes - if you don't want a festive wall year round, it's best to speak to your supplier before you buy.

7. Display an advent calendar

With alternative advent calendar ideas taking over our feeds, we're constantly looking for new places to display them. While many of these become part of Christmas living room decor, the bedroom is an under-utilised zone. After all, what could be better than waking up to a touch of chocolate? It is Christmas, after all...

8. Create a restful retreat

Not every bedroom needs to hammer home the Christmas theme. Sometimes, what you need to create instead is a place to step back and rest and relax from the madness of the season.

Layers of cushions and blankets will keep the scheme warm and cosy for the winter, but you don't need to add in any seasonal bedding. For just the perfect touch of Christmas, hang an empty frame on the wall and weave foliage through to create a perfectly simple decorative detail.

9. Dress a cabin bed

If you're lucky enough to have a bedroom tucked away in a nook in the eaves of a home, you have a wealth of opportunities to decorate come Christmas.

A pretty garland or string of bunting can be strung from the ceiling - but make sure to bear in mind where the cabin bed's curtain is, if it's in active use. For a bigger change, you can even switch out the curtain for winter with a heavier material in a festive print or colour.

10. Dress the headboard

You don't have to go crazy with the tinsel and toys to make a bedroom feel festive. A fresh garland of foliage will do the trick – and will give off a fragrance that will soothe you to sleep. Just be sure to secure it properly.

No one wants to wake up to a face full of pine needles! Be sure to use faux mistletoe if you have young children or animals as the berries are poisonous. Enhance the grown-up, woodland style with stylish and simple Stag print bedlinen.

11. Say it with words

Another subtle way to decorate is with some festive typography. However, for a tasteful take, steer clear of the obvious 'Merry Christmas' and instead choose a word or phrase that references the season subtly. That way, you can leave it hanging all year round.

The same goes for your colour scheme – green, red and white are Christmassy colours but country classics out of season too.

12. Conjure up a rustic Christmas

Ensure a warm welcome to a guest bedroom by dressing wood panelled walls with rustic Christmas decorations. Start by making an inexpensive garland by hanging salt-dough stars to a simple length of twine-look string lights. Then add simple vases of real fur foliage to the night-stand. Include vintage-style extras like a brass candle stick and a stack of well-love books.

Ensure the best Christmas Eve night’s sleep with brushed chambray cotton bed linen that is printed with a fun family of forest bears and that is as snuggly as fur.

13. Style a festive display of candles

Why not decorate windowsills with a few festive candles to help set the Christmas mood? Arrange cream pillar candles and tea lights at different heights in rustic votives and candle holders. Tie the display together and enhance the glow by twisting Led micro lights in and out the candles along the surface.

Finish by popping a trio of matching candles on the nightstand. If fire-safety is a concern, replace naked flames with realistic, flickering flame, LED versions.

14. Give your bedroom chic chalet style

A wintery white and grey scheme is easy to update when December comes. A few artfully draped garlands of  real greenery and some layered-up cosy throws are all you need.

For a minimalist alternative to a traditional Christmas tree, hang baubles and decorations from a large potted house plant instead.

15. Introduce homely touches

Make sure your guests feel part of the celebrations on Christmas Eve and pop a stocking by their beds that matches the bedroom scheme. Fill with a few small gifts for them to open on Christmas morning, such as chocolates or a magazine.

16. Wake up to twinkling Christmas bedroom lights

Create a sumptuous setting with a luxurious four-poster bed set against a winter grey panelled backdrop. Pile up with faux fur throws, cushions and textured linens and frame the bedposts with pre-lit garlands.

17. Keep it sweet and simple

Revel in the romance of dressing your bedroom come Christmas-time with a dramatic mix of sumptuous velvet and twinkly sequins in blush pink and pewter. Embellished cushions up the glamour stakes and can be used all year round.

For extra wow, plump for sequin and velvet cushions and throws that have extra little details, such as an ornate border or pom-pom edging.

18. Make it magical with sugar and spice

Give a girl's bedroom a touch of Christmas glamour with sweet, candy canes printed on pink bedlinen. Layer up the sugary looks with plush throws and cushions in rosy tones. Add to the opulence with shimmering Christmas decorations displayed on the bedside table. Finish the fanciful looks with a sequinned stocking encrusted with sparkling spangles.

19. Wind down for a winter night

Who says you can only have a Christmas tree in the living room. A petite version enhances this Christmas bedroom's winter solstice style. Encapsulate the woodland charm with a forest green feature wall and bedlinen printed with friendly wild-creatures of the night.

20. Make a children's room special

Add a little Christmas spirit to children's' room ideas. A handful of colourful accessories can make a huge difference to little ones. Hang a string of pom pom lights above the bed - they will make a magical alternative to a table lamp. Take care where you secure them as you don't want them to fall down. Look for battery-powered designs that won't rely on a socket being nearby.

Use the shelves as a display space for Christmas toys. Here a knitted Christmas stocking has been pinned to the home-work desk, while a matching paper festoon garland picks out the bright bedding. How will you be decorating your Christmas bedroom?

How can I make my bedroom feel Christmassy?

There are so many ways you can decorate your bedroom for Christmas to create the perfect festive space. One way is to use seasonal foliage, either with a wreath hung above the bed or a garland on shelving, headboard or windowsill. Festive bedding is a fun touch, too, so either look for full-blown duvet sets or just sub in a few cushions and a throw in a Christmas colourway. Piles of presents, stockings, fairy lights and advent calendars all help set the festive scene.

Can I put a Christmas tree in a bedroom?

If anything, you're practically expected to put Christmas trees in bedrooms these days! Don't worry about going for a large real Christmas tree, and instead choose an artificial Christmas tree or a mini version. Use these trees to really show off individual personalities, keeping the main tree in the living room as a more tailored, considered tree for all the family to enjoy together.