Small bedrooms can offer a quaint and homey feel that big homes are sometimes lacking. If you live in a small house, it can sometimes feel like you’re bursting at the seams with wondering where to put the stuff that you collect or even need daily. It can sometimes even feel like your bedroom does not have enough room to put your clothes, much less your other things.
If you’ve got a small bedroom that you’re moving into or are looking to redecorate, don’t despair! The good thing about small houses and small rooms is that they are a lot easier to jazz up because, no matter how big or small your rooms are, you can always add that flavor or flare to reflect your personality.
Here are some amazing ideas to organize better, maximize the floor area, or even add some great-looking accents in your small bedroom:
1. Keep a simple layout
Sometimes, it’s tempting to sacrifice simplicity for a fancy look in your bedroom. You want your sleeping space to be liveable, yes, but you also want it to look nice. There’s no secret ingredient or magic trick to achieve this feat, but when you’re making decor choices, it’s best to keep things as uncomplicated as possible.
As the bed is the largest piece of furniture you’ll have for your bedroom, it’s the first thing you should think about when considering your bedroom layout. For medium to smaller-sized bedrooms, Overstock suggests placing your bed against the wall opposite to the door with the headboard touching the wall. That way, you get to see everything the moment you walk into your bedroom.
Max Humphrey, an interior designer, also supports the idea of simple styling for your bedroom. He suggests against getting too clever with placement (think of floating bed frames in the middle of the room and advocates simplicity by placing the bed in the center of the main wall instead of pushing it to a side: “Having room to walk on either side is key not only for room flow but also to give you space to make your bed.”
- Worth reading: Panel vs. Platform Bed – Differences, Pros & Cons
2. Create the illusion of space
When it comes to decorating your bedroom, a few tweaks to the layout, decor, and feel of your place can create the illusion that you have more space than you do. It’s as simple as changing the colors, getting furniture that serves a specific purpose or using lights and drapes strategically.
Here are some adjustments that you can make to your bedroom to help create the illusion of space:
3. Color
While color paints your world and makes it a brighter place, monochrome is the way to go if you want your space to look bigger. Color often makes your space appear smaller and overcrowded while monochrome blends your bed, furniture, windows, and walls so your eyes can rove around the room without being interrupted by different and sometimes even contrasting colors.
Some designers say that painting your room white or using neutral color palettes is the best way to create as much illusion as possible, while others say that using dark tones can also bring out a beautiful, unique element.
4. Light
Regardless of what shade you decide to apply to your bedroom, adding light is very important. It contributes to both the ambiance and the illusion and can do wonders for small bedrooms. Architectural Digest advises against table and floor lamps, though, as these take up space that could be used for something else. Instead, they recommend getting space-saving sconces with a swinging arm to hang on the wall above your bed so you can direct the light wherever you want it to go.
Because ceiling lights create large shadows which in turn can create the illusion of a much smaller space, make sure you get low-level lights instead. Where ceiling lights are needed, use pendant lights and suspend them as low as you can.
5. Furniture
When choosing furniture for your small space, regular-sized furniture is fine, but as much as possible, avoid getting extra-large, cumbersome pieces. Couches, sofas, chairs should be raised by the legs so they don’t block light from the floor. Furniture made of light-colored wood adds a lovely touch to your room as well as minimalist shelves and dressers.
Using mirrors can help your small bedroom look much bigger because they reflect light and give the illusion that your space is more airy and spacious than it is. Mirrors also add depth, and a strategically-placed mirror can work wonders for your room. As much as possible, place a mirror opposite a window to reflect natural light.
6. Curtains and drapes
Dark, heavy curtains make your room appear stuffy and over-crowded. Natural light will always make your room bigger so leave your windows open whenever possible and make sure that your view is unobstructed. Don’t put furniture where it might block the light coming in from your window.
If you do decide to get curtains, put them as close to the ceiling as much as possible, creating an illusion of a much larger window and room. Get curtains or drapes that also fit the monochromatic color scheme that you choose.
7. Use double-duty decor and multi-purpose furniture
Multi-purpose furniture and double-duty decor are amazing. From benches that not only let you sit but allow you to store items as well, to beds that come with built-in storage underneath them, you will be sure to have less clutter and more space in your bedroom.
When it comes to maximizing your sleeping space, it’s best to get furniture and decor that serve more than one purpose. Get multi-tiered tables so that you have more space to put your stuff, like books and magazines. Instead of a regular bed, you can opt for a convertible one that doubles as a sofa in the day time (check out this Novogratz Brittany Sofa Futon). Make the most of empty walls by adding overhead shelving. That way, it will free up a huge chunk of your floor space so you can use it for other things or it can make your small bedroom appear even bigger.
8. Remove clutter
It doesn’t take rocket science and an interior designer to tell you the key aspect of making a small bedroom appear bigger: removing clutter and keeping your things neat. You’ve probably heard it from your mother a million times while you were growing up. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done especially if you’ve got a job that keeps you out and about for long hours.
Keeping things neat and tidy, however, is the first step to organizing your space, according to The Spruce, a website dedicated to showcasing beautiful home design ideas. The best way to minimize clutter and maximize free space is by decluttering regularly. The more often you tidy up your space, the less time it will take.
The good thing is, there are so many ways you can go about storing things to make clearing your clutter a lot easier. If you’ve got space under the bed, you might want to consider getting drawers to help you store various kinds of items, from shoes to clothes to books, and more. Even if your bedroom is too small to accommodate a shelf or closet, there are creative ways to store your clothes that won’t look messy and even optimize the tiny area you have.
9. Make room for some plants
You don’t want to just have a neat space—you want it to be liveable and breathable too. A NASA study found that houseplants can “reduce indoor air pollutants…and more recent research says plants may make you feel less stressed and more creative.”
Seeing that splash of green against your monochrome palette of neutral shades can liven up your space and add a little bit of color and fun. You don’t have to get the huge ones that will eat up a lot of floor area. A lot of houseplants are smaller in size (such as lavender, rosemary) and can be placed on top of desks or your window sill. You can also choose to get some lush ferns or English ivy and hang them up instead.
10. Get accents that add color
Just because your bedroom is in a monochrome shade doesn’t mean that everything has to be drab and boring. Adding some color or pattern here and there can contribute to giving your room a bit of personality, and the good thing about it is they don’t take up that much space!
Some ways you can add a touch of your favorite color or a pattern you love could be in your accent pillows or rugs or even a throw blanket. You can add trimming to your walls so there is a bit of color in them instead of sticking to the monochromatic shade you chose.
Your chair can add a splash of color or your lights can make your room brighter, both functionally and because of the way they are designed. You can also hang up artworks that reflect your personality and complement your space.
Final thoughts
Bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to bedrooms. Sometimes, a small-sized space can be a lot easier to decorate and a lot easier to organize. If you think a tiny area won’t be enough to fit all your things or that it will limit you in terms of design, think again! There’s so much to do and experiment when it comes to arranging the layout, choosing the decor, and keeping up your things so your space remains neat. All it takes is a little research and a lot of creative imagination and the ideas will begin to flow!