Skip to Content

These Are the 17 Dreamiest Bedrooms of 2021

They may elicit z’s, but these stylish sleeping quarters are anything but a snooze.

By
guest bedroom
Mikhail Loskutov

You remember that line by Nas in “N.Y. State of Mind” that goes “I never sleep, ’cause sleep is the cousin of death”? For many, during our teen years into our 20s, it was a credo that kept us out of the house until the wee hours. As we get older, however, and become unbeset by FOMO, we tend to run head down and full speed like an offensive tackle into Morpheus’s warm embrace. It’s with that in mind that we’re taking stock of the best bedrooms published in ELLE DECOR in 2021. There will be dramatic lighting...there will be blue-chip art...and there will be headlines with heavy alliteration.

1

Somnambular Sass

primary bedroom
Pierrick Verny

It’s sometimes hard to remember dreams, but after waking up in this wild bedroom in Lyon, France, designed by Marie-Lise Féry—Lewis Carroll by way of Pierre Frey—why bother trying?

2

Petrograd Pomps

guest bedroom
Mikhail Loskutov

Like a Mariinsky-level pas de deux, the bold cobalt of the carpet in this St. Petersburg apartment by Tim Veresnovsky contrasts beautifully with the wall’s creamy faux leather and beechwood.

3

Tyrolean Tension

primary bedroom
Helenio Barbetta/Living Inside

Who wouldn’t want a black leather–upholstered bed frame? Well, probably a lot of people. But this bedroom in a Milan apartment by Hannes Peer makes a very good argument to consider.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4

Menorca Madness

primary bedroom
Ricardo Labougle

Look up maximalist in the dictionary and you know what you’ll find? Well, you’d find the definition of the word maximalist, which Spanish designer Lorenzo Castillo definitely is. What more could he have added to this stunning bedroom in Menorca, Spain? Feel free to email him suggestions.

5

Wilding Wonder

primary bedroom
Amy Neunsinger

If Alexa Wilding woke up in 2021, the Dante Rossetti muse would probably feel right at home among the competing Arts and Crafts–style patterns in this bedroom by Nickey Kehoe.

6

Built-in Bed and Beanbag Bonanza

dorothy berwin house tour
Douglas Friedman

A well-made bed is always de rigueur, but making one like this—a custom encasement built against a window—can be a challenge. Dorothy Berwin has the secret.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7

Full-Throttle Throw

louis fernandez  elle decor
Trevor Tondro

The Jasper Morrison–designed bed in this room by Luis Fernandez is cocooned in pattern, from the Rug Company rug to the Pierre Frey wallcovering. And yet, where does the eye focus its attention?

8

Chandelier Shocker

bradley stephens  upper east side apartment
Thomas Loof

In this kid’s bedroom on the Upper East Side by Bradley Stephens, the hulking Murano fixture might be distracting while trying to study for midterms. But while your GPA suffers, this chandelier will turn that frown upside down.

9

Captivating Catnap

elle decor  best duvet covers
Maureen M. Evans

In the bedroom of his Mexico City apartment, designer Mark Grattan uses whites and creams, from the Élitis wallcovering to stone pedestals, to give the feeling of waking up in a cloud. His cat, Amiga, and his anonymous guajillo tree, know that heaven is a place on earth.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10

North-Sea Nonchalance

olivier dwek  knokke
Philippe Garcia

For a couple of art collectors, Olivier Dwek brings white-box gallery vibes into the bedroom of their vacation home in Knokke, Belgium. In a room with works by Tracey Emin, Francis Alÿs, Raymond Pettibon, Michaël Borremans, Willem Cole, Wolfgang Laib, and Tom Molloy, sleeping clearly isn’t a priority.

11

Photo-Editor Energy

david murphy  austerlitz house
William Waldron

It must be written somewhere that when an ELLE DECOR editor designs a bedroom, it has to look really good. David Murphy knew the stakes were high when he created the main bedroom of his COVID retreat in the Berkshires. Suffice to say, he brought his A game.

12

Noguchi Knockout

kevin dumais upper west side apt
Joshua McHugh

Another glorious four poster for the ol’ swipe file in a bedroom designed by Kevin Dumais. This time, a gargantuan pendant designed by Isamu Noguchi provides the occupant something large and bulbous to stare at while passing out from a long day.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13

Boca Raton Badassery

bedroom with white cover with muted color stripes next to the bed is a round three tier night stand in wood and beyond are seen the green vertical tiles from the back of the bathroom wall
Kris Tamburello

When designing in a South Florida city whose name in English means rat’s mouth, earnest and subdued are not the way to go. Fawn Galli held little back in this color-pattern explosion with a custom terrazzo floor to boot.

14

Rattan Revolution

bedroom with canopy type bed with bamboo frame and patterned wallpaper
Douglas Friedman

In a 1920s villa in Palm Beach, Mark D. Sikes posits a show-stopping rattan bed in a guest room awash in Quadrille and Matouk patterns. Even in a tropical state like Florida, blue can be the warmest color.

15

Word of Whimsy

guest bedroom
Douglas Friedman

The artwork above the bed by Rob Wynne in the home of fabric titans Andrea and John Stark is certainly a conversation starter. We guess it could be seen as a reminder after a long day to ignore drama and just go to sleep. And if that doesn’t work, try a sound machine and a few melatonin capsules.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
16

Rounded Richesse

husband wife  manhattan
Nicole Franzen

Who said a bed must have two sets of parallel lines? For those of us who sleep curled up in a fetal position, a circular mattress, like this one in a bedroom by Husband Wife, might actually be a more accommodating shape.

17

Vital Volume

bedroom with several pieces of artwork on the white walls and high ceilings
William Abranowicz

For some, to sleep in a bedroom large enough to have a sitting area with a Danish midcentury sofa, sheepskin chairs, and a Philip Artander cocktail table is the ultimate home aspiration. Looking at this one designed by Cliff Fong is making us consider tearing down some walls to expand ours. The landlord won’t mind, right?

Headshot of Charles Curkin
Charles Curkin
Articles Editor, ELLE Decor

Charles Curkin is ELLE Decor's Articles Editor, covering everything related to luxury watches, design, and travel, and has previously written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Paris Review.

Watch Next
 
preview for ELLE Decor - T&C, EDC, VER, HBU
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

ELLE DECOR All Access

iron settee and chair with red cushions and brick floors and a small round table on a enclosed terrace like room with red curtains

Tour the Dreamiest Garden on the French Riviera

rustic room with a daybed and a desk and an art easal and french doors in rustic wood

From the Archive: A Dream Artist’s Loft in Mexico

the sisters beauty is lit by the candles

Tour a Mysterious Villa Designed by Axel Vervoordt

manor house with dormers and larger windows on first floor set on a base of stone with steps leading to a grassy area with potted shrubs and a standing sculpture, a pool at one end and dining table at other

A Former Stable Gets a New Artful Purpose

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below