How to design a boy-girl bedroom

Credit: Dreams x Whinnie Williams 

You’ve seen the #boygirlapartment TikToks, now it’s time to put the bedroom designs under the microscope, as we explore how to achieve a balanced boy-girl bedroom that’s cool, organised and most importantly: gender neutral.  

When you move in with a partner, it can sometimes be difficult to compromise on certain aspects of shared living, especially when you’re used to having things your way. Quite often, couples’ bedroom designs end up being more girly, because the girls take the lead.  

However, the recent boy-girl apartment TikTok trend has shown that this doesn’t need to be the case! In fact, it’s quite easy to strike the right balance between masculine and feminine, adding design touches that you both love.  

In this blog, we’ll show you how to take the best of both worlds into your couple bedroom design, with styling tips that perfectly blend your tastes. 

The “boy-girl apartment” trend, which has taken TikTok by storm, is a space for creators to show off how they’ve decorated their shared living spaces (whether they live with a partner or simply are boy-girl housemates). Like this…  

@eloisepreen

boy & girl apartment 🏡🌞 can’t wait to kit out the balcony #apartmentaesthetic #fyp #foryou #boygirlhome #boygirlapartment #londonapartment #loftdesign #boyandgirlapartment #apartmenttherapy #sundayreset #manchesterapartment #nycapartment #sundayaesthetic #sundayvibes #midcentury #midcenturymodern #loftapartment #livingroomdecor #livingroominspo #interiordesign #loftapartmentvibes #londonapartment #apartmenttour

♬ som original – 𝔰𝔞𝔡𝔟𝔬𝔶

The most important thing here is that none of the apartments are overly feminine or masculine. Instead, they have an even mix of girl-coded and boy-coded decor, creating a harmonious living space that’s now fondly known as “boy-girl apartments.” 

So now you’ve got the gist, how about applying this gender fusion to your next bedroom makeover? Here are some of our favourite boy-girl bedroom styling tips to get you (and your partner) started… 

1. Choose a design style that works for you both

First things first, you need to agree on a design style for your boy-girl bedroom. Maybe you’re both traditional and like a hotel-style feel for your sleeping space? Or, maybe you’re both minimalists? In which case, you’ll want to look for sleek, contemporary furniture with clean lines and modern finishes.

Many boy-girl apartments on TikTok, such as this one by @nessa.lasca, feature mid-century modern furniture. This design style features cool, low-rise shapes in deep shades of wood, appealing to both men and women.  

@nessa.lasca

Our little home 🫶🏽happy friday everyone! Wearing my beautiful set from @NOO ☁️ • • • • #creatorsearchinsights #creatorsearchinsight #furnituredesign #interiordesign #interiorstyling #homedecor #cornersofmyhome #architecture #slowliving #apartmenttherapy #livingroominspiration #inmyroom #howwelive #apartmentinterior #homevibes #spotlightonmyhome #interiorstyling #designfurniture #cozyhome #interiorstyling #interiorinspo #homedecorinspiration

♬ BUTTERFLIES – Isaiah Falls

2. Pick a gender-neutral colour scheme

Colours can totally transform a bedroom, so picking the right shades is essential. Obviously, it’s best to avoid anything too feminine (e.g. pinks, purples and pastel tones), or too dark for risk of turning your couple bedroom into a bachelor’s pad!  

Our favourite boy-girl bedroom colour palettes

Common boy-girl bedroom palettes tend to feature a blank canvas on your walls (think crisp white or a calming cream), and then dark, sophisticated shades like browns and greens. Don’t be afraid to add a pop of colour, either! Lots of boy-girl apartments feature orange accessories such as a vintage mushroom lamp or vibrant, cobalt blue, like the iconic Arket blanket, to add some visual interest.  

Check out our favourite trending bedroom colours for 2025 for even more options.  

3. Designing a couple’s bed

Arguably the most important part of the room: your bed. For your bed frame, it’s best to pick a neutral-toned bed, like our Jenkins Upholstered Ottoman Bed Frame in oatmeal. This makes for the perfect base shade to style.  

For your bedding, consider rich tones that are slightly on the masculine side, such as navy or rust, to add some depth and balance out with some frilly cushions for some feminine energy. You could also consider patterns like stripes and checks, which have a universal appeal – we love the checkered rug that’s styled with our Rosa bed.   

4. Make sure you both have room to input

Designing a room for two should be exactly that: a two-person job. So, just because you’re doing the one reading this blog post, don’t go racing into the bedroom and immediately start stripping the walls without consulting your partner.  

Make sure it’s a collaborative process from start to finish and allow for a 50/50 split on the decor to ensure that you both have a say in your boy-girl bedroom design. Those are the rules, okay?! 

5. Mixing masculine and feminine touches

The most distinctive part of a boy-girl bedroom is the fact that it must have an equal mix of both ‘boy’ and ‘girl’ touches. If you need a case study for how this is done, take a look at how TikTok creator, @andoej, does it in her flat:  

@andoej

this is just our main floor but TRULY the perfect balance of girly vibes & rodeo finance bro aesthetic 🤪✨ #boygirlapartment #boyapartment #boyandgirlapartment #apartmentinspo #greenkitchen

♬ original sound – Andie

To copy this style, we’d suggest opting for a boy-ish colour scheme (think about those deeper, muted tones from earlier) and counter it with a more feminine piece of art on the wall.  

You can also get away with having a slightly more feminine bed frame, such as our Jay Velvet-Finish Ottoman Bed Frame, so long as you style it with masculine bedding – that means no frills or florals! The key is to contrast each element in the room to ensure an overall balanced, gender-neutral look.  

6. Accessories that everyone loves

Don’t forget about the finishing touches! Accessories are the secret ingredient that can take a vanilla design into a space that’s full of character and homeyness.  

Start with accessories that everybody likes, like houseplants and books. Houseplants make for excellent bedroom decor because they are universally loved, are completely gender-neutral and can complement a whole host of different design styles. Likewise, a bookshelf filled with your favourite books can add a cosy feel to any bedroom. Plus, it’s super functional too!  

Next, think about any shared interests you and your partner have. Perhaps you both love music? Why not invest in a retro record player and place it on a mid-century modern dresser? Here, you could add some candles, picture frames, and display your most-cherished records from over the years.  

A picture wall is another easy way to incorporate a mix of both your and your partner’s interests. Think cowboy prints, football posters, Vogue covers, whisky artwork – all smashed together into one beautiful collage that tells your couple story.  

Now, it’s your turn! The key to designing a boy-girl bedroom that’s equally yours and your partner’s is all about playing around with contrast, balance and finding compromises to ensure both of your personal tastes are taken into account.