Fun Ideas for a Cave Themed Bedroom

Walls

• Faux finish your cave dweller’s bedroom walls to resemble the stone walls of a cavern. You can create the illusion of texture by using several different shades of gray or tan. For an even more realistic look, add real texture to the walls with drywall joint compound and a trowel before you paint.

  Add additional interest to your catacomb walls with cave painting. Reproduce actual cave paintings, such as bison, horses and spear-toting hunters, or create your own designs in the primitive style of the originals.

Ceilings

• Paint your ceilings using the same method as your faux-finished cave walls, with or without the actual texture. Carve large stalactites out of craft or upholstery foam, and then paint them to match. Suspend the stalactites from the ceiling for a dramatic, cave-like effect.

Floors

• Few caves are softened by wall-to-wall carpet. If you do opt for wall-to-wall, select a neutral color that blends with your walls. If you’d planned to replace the flooring soon anyway, consider ripping up the current carpet. Then, stain and seal the concrete beneath. If you have hardwoods you don’t want to alter, lay a gray, tan or mossy green area rug on the floor and focus your efforts on other areas.

Furnishings

• Choose a simple bed frame that won’t compete with your cave-inspired elements, perhaps a low-slung platform bed or rustic, rough-hewn style in weathered wood. Top the bed with a thick, faux-fur throw to create the illusion of a real animal skin. Add a nightstand made from a chunk of wood topped with stone, perhaps a granite scrap from a kitchen renovation.

  Pile a corner of the bedroom with cushions that look like boulders. They’re frequently referred to as felted rocks or rock cushions by the textile artists who create them. For a more budget friendly solution, slipcover a couple of beanbags with stretchy cotton jersey in tan or gray. In addition to enhancing the cave theme, the cushions make a comfortable place to relax while reading, watching television or playing video games.

Lighting

• If the bedroom has recessed ceiling lights, position them to shine on your cave paintings, stalactites, bed throw and rock cushions. If it doesn’t, install a track lighting kit from the hardware store, or just place hidden uplights in the appropriate spots. By highlighting the cave-themed elements, the non-themed items in the room won’t seem as noticeable.

  For a theme-appropriate lighting element, place a large, salt crystal lamp in one corner of the room. Top the nightstand with a smaller version, or have a geode made into a table lamp.