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Ask An Expert: Decorating Your Bedroom On A Budget

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In New York City, it can be hard to decorate any area of your tiny apartment since most of it will be cluttered with boxes of clothes, books and cleaning supplies that don't fit in your minuscule closets. Your bedroom is the most important room in the house. It's the coziest spot, where you relax and spend (hopefully) at least eight hours a day. We found an expert decorator to help you decorate your bedroom on a budget.

Cathy Hobbs
Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes
Brooklyn, NY
(800) 961-5202
www.cathyhobbs.com

Cathy Hobs is a five-time Emmy award-winning television personality. A finalist on season six of HGTV's "Design Star," Hobbs is a design expert who has been featured on "The Nate Berkus Show" and in Redbook, the Oprah Magazine and The Huffington Post. The founder of Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes, she provides design inspiration for high-end residential and commercial space alike.

Select Neutral Bedding

Choose a color you like - maybe a nice off-white, sky blue or pastel purple - and keep that color as the underlayer for your bedroom core color. A bed set with designs like zig zags or prominent stripes can make your space look smaller than it actually is. Use a neutral color and then accent your bedding with artwork on the walls or a colorful blanket at the edge of the bed. Simple bedding is also often cheaper than those with bigger designs.

Buy Affordable Toss Pillows

One of the best ways to update and brighten your bedroom is with throw pillows. Try Pier One, Home Goods or even Target for some fun pillows. Hobbs suggests even purchasing accents that are connected to the seasons so you can switch them out and not get bored with your bedroom. How many you have depends on the size of your bed - don't overload your mattress with too many pillows or you'll be right back to that teensy apartment feeling!

Invest in Great Sheets

If there's one thing you might want to splurge on when you're apartment shopping, it's on bedsheets. Hobbs prefers "cotton sateen with 400 thread count that include creative embroidery or decorative patterning." She suggests the patterns will be especially nice when the sheets are folded over after the bed is made. You won't even need all of that extra stuff on the bed if your sheets do all of the decorating for you.

Related: The 5 Best NYC Bed & Breakfast Hotels

Simple Is Best

Hobbs writes, "Just purchase the essentials" - a well-made bed, a featured artwork or decorative mirror on the wall and simple furniture will go far in making your space look tidy, clean and happy. When you have simple space, you'll feel so much calmer and more at home than you would in a bedroom that's overpowered by too much color or accenting. If you think you need a little something extra, try a single flower in a vase on the nightstand, a little glitter on the mirror or a few classic books with funky bookstands on the dresser. The less you buy, the less you spend!

Layer a Scent

Hobbs thinks one of the best ways to make a bedroom feel like the best space in the home is through accenting with candles and other pure-scents. "Soy-based candles and scents such as lavender can open your senses and refresh your mind." Potpourri packets and spice bags placed strategically throughout the bedroom will be great for lifting your mood on those Monday mornings. Hobbs suggests using "fresh lavender in tiny cheese cloth pouches." A little scent goes a long way!

Related: NYC's 5 Best Candle Shops

Jennifer is a writer, reader, crafter, traveler and New Yorker. She works in midtown New York City for non-profit organizations. Her degrees are in communication studies and art history.You can contact Jennifer at @egyptologist. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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