Moroccan Bedroom Ideas: 12 Ways to Get the Look on a Budget

The most useful Moroccan bedroom ideas keep the room calm and add the style in layers: white bedding as the base, a striped or pom-pom blanket, a pierced lantern by the bed, one arch and a wool rug. Most of it is textiles, which makes this an easy style to do on a budget and in a rental.

Below are 12 ideas, three Moroccan color palettes for a bedroom, and where to spend and save.

What Makes a Bedroom Feel Moroccan

• Layered textiles in wool, cotton and linen, with stripes, tassels or pom-poms.
• Lantern light from pierced metal, low and warm.
• Arches, in a mirror, a headboard or a painted shape.
• Handmade materials: carved wood, brass, clay, glazed tile.
• Plain, pale walls that keep the room restful.

12 Moroccan Bedroom Ideas on a Budget

1Start with white bedding

White or cream bedding is the base that lets everything else show, and it keeps a patterned style calm enough to sleep in. Linen or washed cotton both suit it. If you already own white sheets, this step is free.

2Fold a striped or pom-pom blanket at the foot

A cotton or wool blanket with stripes and pom-pom or tassel trim is the textile most people picture in a Moroccan bedroom. Fold it across the bottom third of the bed. For how to build up the layers, see our guide to layering a bed on a budget.

3Add cushions in two accent colors

Pick two colors from your palette, such as terracotta and saffron or blue and white, and add two or three cushions. One can be patterned or embroidered; keep the others plain.

4Keep the bed low and simple

A low, plain wooden bed suits the style better than a tall upholstered one. If a new bed isn't in the budget, remove the bed skirt and let the textiles do the work.

5Light the bedside with a pierced lantern

Replace one bedside lamp with a pierced metal lantern: on the table with an LED candle or bulb, or hung as a plug-in pendant so the table stays clear. At night it throws soft patterns on the wall. Our guide to lighting without ceiling fixtures covers plug-in pendants.

6Bring in an arch with a mirror

An arched floor mirror leaning on the wall adds the key shape of Moroccan architecture, reflects light and needs no nails. If you're allowed to paint, an arch painted behind the bed makes a headboard for the price of a sample pot.

7Put a wool rug where your feet land

A small cream wool rug with dark diamond lines, or a flat-woven kilim, beside the bed is enough; it doesn't need to fill the room. Over carpet, a flat-weave lies better than a thick pile rug.

8Hang sheer curtains or a simple canopy

Sheer white curtains soften the light the way a shaded riad room does. A light canopy hung from one ceiling hook above the bed gives a similar effect. For a low-cost version of linen curtains, try our DIY drop cloth curtains.

9Place a pouf or bench at the foot of the bed

A leather pouf or a low bench gives you somewhere to sit and put on shoes, and it carries the low-seating idea into the bedroom.

10Swap one nightstand for a carved side table

A small carved or inlaid wooden table in place of a standard nightstand adds the handmade detail the style relies on. Secondhand is the place to look.

11Hang a textile instead of art

A woven blanket, a small rug or an embroidered cloth hung above the bed fills the wall with texture. Clip it to a slim rod, or use removable hooks if you rent.

12Use brass in small doses

A brass tray on the dresser, a brass-framed mirror or a small brass dish for jewelry ties the room to the lantern. Stay with one metal.

Moroccan Color Palette for a Bedroom: 3 Options

Moroccan colors come from its buildings and landscape: plaster, clay, spices, glazed tile and painted gardens. For a bedroom, use one of these three and keep the walls and bedding in the palest color.

1. Riad neutral

• Walls and bedding: warm white and cream.
• Textiles: sand, oatmeal, a little terracotta.
• Metal and wood: brass, mid-toned wood.
• Best for small bedrooms and anyone who wants calm first.

2. Majorelle blue

• Walls and bedding: white.
• Accent: cobalt blue, the color named after the Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, in one cushion, a vase or a painted arch.
• Second accent: a little yellow or terracotta.
• Fresh and bright; use the blue in small amounts so the room stays restful.

3. Spice

• Walls and bedding: cream.
• Textiles: terracotta, saffron, rust and deep red.
• Metal and wood: brass, dark wood.
• The warmest option; our cinnamon brown guide shows how to use warm browns without making a room dark.

Emerald green, the color of much glazed Moroccan tile, works as a small accent with any of the three.

Moroccan Bedroom on a Budget: Where to Spend and Save

Worth spending on:

• The blanket and cushion covers, since textiles do most of the work.
• One good lantern.

Easy to save on:

• Bedding: use the white sheets you have.
• Side tables, trays and mirrors from thrift stores.
• Wall decor: a textile you already own.
• The rug: a small one beside the bed costs far less than a room-size rug.

For the rest of the home, see our Moroccan living room ideas, and for the bathroom, our guide to tadelakt bathroom ideas.

FAQ

How do I make my bedroom look Moroccan?

Keep the bedding white, add a striped or pom-pom blanket and a few cushions, replace a bedside lamp with a pierced lantern, lean an arched mirror on the wall and put a wool rug beside the bed.

What are Moroccan colors?

Warm white, sand and cream, with terracotta, saffron yellow, rust, cobalt blue and emerald green as accents, and brass as the metal.

How do I create a Moroccan bedroom on a budget?

Spend on textiles first: one blanket and two or three cushion covers. Use white bedding you already own, and look for brass trays, carved wood tables and mirrors secondhand.

Can a small bedroom be Moroccan style?

Yes. Keep walls and bedding light, use the riad neutral palette and add pattern in only two or three places, such as the blanket, one cushion and the lantern.

What furniture suits a Moroccan bedroom?

A low wooden bed, a carved or inlaid side table, a leather pouf or low bench, and an arched mirror.