I asked 5 interior designers if bedroom cushions and curtains should match – they all shared the same *very* strong opinion

If, like me, you’re planning on giving your bedroom a refresh this year, then you might be weighing up the pros and cons of various design decisions.

There are lots of brilliant bedroom design ideas out there, but any good interior designer will tell you that the key to a well-styled bedroom is in the details.

That’s why I asked five interior designers to spill the beans on one of the most common bedroom decor dilemmas: should bedroom curtains and cushions match?

Now, this may not be the biggest decision we need to make in the bedroom. Arguably, choosing the best mattress is going to make the biggest impact on our sleep quality, and pondering where to buy a bed or where to buy bedding is probably also high on our agenda.

But when it comes to styling a bedroom? All the interior designers I asked had *strong* opinions on the to-match-or-not-to-match curtain-and-cushion debate. So without further ado, this is what they unanimously voted that we should, and should definitely *not* do with our bedroom fabric choices.

Should bedroom curtains and cushions match?

Should bedroom curtains and cushions match? 'Not at all! ' says Lara Clarke, founder of interior architecture and design studio Lara Clarke Interiors, 'matching curtains and scatter cushions can often feel a bit forced, unless you’re deliberately going for a bold, coordinated look.'

'No!' seconds Rhian Barker, group design director at interior design studio Accouter, 'it looks much more curated and interesting when they don’t match.'

'For me, curtains and cushions don’t need to match in a bedroom,' agrees Katerina Tchevytchalova, director and interior designer at K’Arte Design. 'Doing so can often make the space feel overly styled. When fabrics are too coordinated, the room can lose its sense of ease and end up feeling flat rather than inviting.'

How to style bedroom cushions and curtains

It's beginning to become clear that a well-styled bedroom rarely features matching cushions and curtains. But if we're not matching scatter cushions to our curtains, how do we make sure they don't feel out of place?

'Bedroom, curtains and scatter cushions don’t need to match,' says Lucy Van der Gucht, interior designer and founder of decorative design studio Lucy Van der Gucht. 'Instead, they tend to work best when they feel as though they’re in conversation rather than strict coordination.'

'The most successful schemes create a subtle relationship between fabrics through shared tones, complementary colours, texture or scale, allowing each element to play its own role while still feeling connected to the wider scheme.'

'It’s better to let curtains and cushions relate to one another rather than replicate each other,' agrees Katerina. 'Working within the same colour family but varying tone, texture or pattern creates a softer, more layered look. Approaching them differently helps the bedroom feel more considered, contemporary and relaxed.'

Instead of matching cushions and curtains too closely, Rhian suggests 'working within a shared colour palette. Let one cushion quietly reflect a tone from the curtains, while allowing the others to bring contrast.

'Layer up the textures too, says Rhian, 'linen pairs beautifully with velvet, bouclé or even subtle embroidery.'

'Cushions are a great way to pull out a colour from the curtains and add texture or contrast, creating a bedroom that feels more layered, relaxed and thoughtfully styled,' agrees Lara.

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And this mix-and-match rather than matchy-matchy approach doesn't just help a bedroom feel better styled, it also makes for a more flexible decorating scheme that you can tweak and adjust throughout the seasons to add interest.

'You don't want the space to feel too matchy-matchy,' agrees Emma Deterding, founder and creative director of interior design company Kelling Designs. 'This can lead to a monotonous design and limit your flexibility to change and refresh your bedroom seasonally.'

'If you're looking to coordinate your curtains and cushions, start by choosing one key colour to anchor your design scheme, and use other elements as subtle compliments,' advises Emma.

After all, 'cushions are your seasonal styling secret,' sums up Rhian, 'a simple way to bring bolder tones and fresh energy into the room without changing everything'.