What room in you home was the last one you decorated? If you’re like most people, it’s probably a room in which you actually spend a ton of time: the master bedroom! Yes, while plenty of design magazines and tutorials feature all kinds of inspiration for turning our bedrooms into restful oases, in reality, by the time we’ve put thought, time, effort and – most of all – money into the other rooms of our home, there’s none left over for ourselves. After all, we worry much more about what guests will see than what only we will see. “Everything [can feel] like it was the last thought in this whole house,” says designer Trish Johnston, “and that can sometimes happen in the principal bedroom.” Don’t you think it’s time we expended a little designing flair on ourselves? Even with a small budget, we can take our bedrooms from afterthought to highlight! Just take inspiration from the room Johnston redoes in this video from House & Home.

First, take another look at what the room looked like before:

Feel pretty familiar? The lack of color and personality, the mismatched furniture— I think we’ve all slept in a room like this one, figuring we’ll get around to decorating it one day. Well, look what we can do TODAY! Johnston takes us on a tour of the redecorated room. Watch.

How absolutely gorgeous is that transformation! It’s so impressive, and even more so since we know it was done on a budget, with mostly projects from IKEA. First, we have to talk about that accent wall.

I could not believe that wasn’t wallpaper when I first watched this tour! That design is so intricate and classic, but because it’s on only one wall, it doesn’t feel overwhelming at all. The stenciling is such a smart way to get an interesting look, and the navy-and-white combo keeps it from feeling too staid or overbearing. And speaking of that color combination . . .

Loving that turquoise and navy! Johnston is so right that finding the balance between masculine and feminine can be difficult – I think a lot of the husbands and wives out there know what she means! – but this is such a good compromise that also capitalizes on a soothing palette perfect for the bedroom. Plus, it’s so easy to achieve with some paint and affordable bedding. Just one or two accent pillows, and the whole feel changes.

Of course, we can’t forget that other compromise so important to good relationships: closet space! It’s easy to forget that we can actually add wardrobes to our bedrooms, and Johnston uses the IKEA PAX system to keep it affordable. Plus, that beautiful block of white helps the other white and gold accents pop, and keeps the navy paint from being too overwhelming.

Johnston’s final tip? Keep things symmetrical! It helps the room look planned and balanced, adding style without adding anything expensive.

What do you think of this bedroom makeover? Did you leave your master bedroom as an afterthought, or did your prioritize your sleeping oasis? What would your dream bedroom look like?