How to Decorate an Audrey Hepburn Bedroom

Audrey Hepburn was the embodiment of elegance. Sophisticated and glamorous, she dazzled movie goers for years. She displayed her grace and poise from her fantastic debut in Roman Holiday to the iconic Breakfast at Tiffany's and the timeless My Fair Lady.

Its no wonder that young ladies today remain enamored with this legendary actress.

She was (and still is) a fashion icon, showing that clean lines, bold accessories and a simple color palette is great for understated elegance.

Beyond her glamorous silver screen career, she was a devoted much of her later years to charitable work with UNICEF, culminating with her being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. What a truly remarkable accomplishment for a truly remarkable lady!

Following her very simple recipe for elegance, it is not too difficult to decorate a young girl's bedroom with the Audrey Hepburn flair.

Keep the color palette simple. Ecrus and creams will do wonderful on the walls. I always think of her with truly understated elegance. She was gorgeous and refined, but did not go overboard with bling! Another idea to add some interest while maintaining the understated elegance is to paint the focus wall with wide (18 inches +) black vertical stripes. It will be a bold, yet sophisticated pattern to showcase this decor.

With the bold wall treatment, it is time for a splash of red. Look at Audrey in the picture at the right and see what the hint of red lipstick does to her exquisite dress!

Think about adding a rich red lamp to the end table, or a throw pillow in plush, tufted velour. A small shag rug at the foot of the bed or even a few red picture frames on the wall will add that little splash of elegance.

A word of warning: Don't overdo it. This is a perfect example where "less is more." Too much red and your room will lose the 1950's elegance.

One of my favorite treats for other surfaces in the room is the rub-on wall decals. Don't choose just any decal! Find one with a special quote from this fair lady!

They come in all different sizes and fonts, but you will usually find them in black - which is great because it matches the look and feel of the room.

Where to place them? For these, I like to use the subtle spots, the unpredictable corners or the surprise areas. Think about areas like behind the door, on the transom above the closet, on the back of the door itself, or even in the adjoining bathroom if you are continuing the décor to other rooms.

I love to mix the textures on the walls. I have pictures of family and friends on the wall, but find it fun to add a wall quote into the mix. I guarantee your friends and loved ones will comment on the addition.

What are some of her best quotes?

I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and... I believe in miracles.

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls.

I get tired of my old, beat up dresser. It's not fun. It's not pretty, and it sure doesn't seem to fit into this 1950s elegant bedroom.

But, there are a few things you can do. My favorite idea is also the cheapest! Simply replace the knobs on the dresser with exquisite glass knobs. This adds a classic feel to the furniture and brings a level of sophistication to the room.

Every time I look at mine, I am reminded of the beautiful jewelry that she wore. It's not much. It's not gaudy. But it sure does shine! It's an easy and very inexpensive way to add a subtle piece of glamor to your room!

Another idea for a large wall is to add one of the giant wall stickers. There are a few huge classic wall decals that you can add above a sitting area, or even a headboard.

The reason that these may be fun for you is the fact that they are large and wild and make a dramatic statement about your room style. You don't need to add anything else to that wall to make it look complete. The sticker by itself will be the elegant décor that you want!

If you liked the decorating ideas here, please make sure you check out How to Decorate a Marilyn Monroe Bedroom for other elegant tips.

I love the old movie posters. They are fun and classic and transport you back to Audrey Hepburn's heyday. You can choose one from your favorite movie, or look for one that complements the colors nearby.

I highly recommend buying a reprint of the poster, as the originals are way too expensive for my tastes.

Because the frame for the poster is so large, you should consider staying with the base colors of white or black. Adding a color to this large of a frame may take it over the edge and become a distraction.