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Some people stare at the ceiling when they’re tossing and turning at night, but my gaze is focused on the empty pace above my dresser. It’s one of the last undecorated surfaces of my new apartment and it’s been throwing me for a real loop. Unsure of what to plop on top of it or hang above it, I contemplated just leaving that whole corner of the bedroom blank. Then I realized many of the pros follow the same formula for dressing up the area around a dresser: mirror + table lamp + art object. You can get creative with the last part—it could be a vase, a bust, a tray, or just a stack of books.
I couldn’t believe it was that simple, but the more I looked around, the more I saw this arrangement at play. Take designer Justin Dipiero’s zen New York City bedroom, where he topped a mid-century dresser with a mod white lamp, small glass sculpture, and bud vase in front of an irregularly-shaped mirror.
I also love Alfredo Paredes’ super-relaxed approach of layering a lamp in front of a mirror and leaning a small painting against the frame. McGee & Co. has even used this basic grouping for its photo shoots (pictured above), proving the quick fix is catalog-worthy.
Now that I know what steps to take, here are the fail-proof setups I’m plotting for my dresser.
The British Countryside Crowd
2. Rebekah Miles Ceramic Table Lamp, Nickey Kehoe, $1,300
3. Pierce & Ward Marquetry Wood Decorative Box, West Elm, $149
I am always looking to the Brits for bedroom inspiration because they just get cozy. Attempting to channel my inner Lucy Williams, I’d go heavy on texture (bobbins!) and pattern (marquetry!). The lamp is hand-painted by a California-based artist, but there’s something about having florals in a bedroom that feels so Cotswolds.
The Wabi-sabi Scene
2. Ceramic Mini Table Lamp, Zara Home, $80
3. Furl Art Object, Virginia Sin, $90
My bedroom is bound to look more alive if all the decor has some movement, right? Claude Home’s Minho mirror is made out of wood but looks like it’s melting, which also goes for Sin’s Furl art object—the perfect topper for a single coffee table book.
The Space Age Set
2. Ball Tripod Lamp by Herman Miller, Lumens, $436
3. Yves Cast Metal Catch All, Schoolhouse, $69
I find a lot of chic mirrors hiding out in the kids’ section of stores, probably because they use playful materials and silhouettes. This tubular option calls for other accessories with exaggerated shapes, like a lantern-esque lamp and a chunky jewelry catchall in Yves Klein blue.
The Brass Club
2. Allegra Rattan and Linen Dome Table Lamp, Jake Arnold x Crate & Barrel, $ 299
3. Spencer Brass and Leather Bookends, Lostine, $395
Another place I love to find bedroom inspiration? Hotels. This cohesive group is themed around brass, which bring a little va-va-voom to the bedroom. For that lived-in feel, I’d prioritize items with unique details, like bookends with hand-stitching and a light with a linen dome shade.
The Boho Bundle
2. Inizio Ceramic Table Lamp, Anthropologie, $180
3. Howell Tray, Lulu and Georgia, $138
The vibe here is eternal summer, preferably in the Portuguese countryside surrounded by a heavy dose of rattan and sunbaked ceramics. Because I’m not totally in love with the look of our dresser to begin with, I’d gravitate toward items that take up more tabletop space than less.
The Crafty Crew
2. Valle Table Lamp, Ben Soleimani, $740
3. Komo Mini Vases Set, Ferm Living, $45
Some days I like to pretend our builder-grade apartment is actually a Craftsman bungalow, and decorate it in my mind accordingly. Chubby bud vases, a lamp with parchment overlay, and a burl wood mirror make me feel warm and cozy inside, which is what I’m after when I’m winding down for the night.