When you have a small bedroom, or rather any small room, the space constraints are of course the main problems you run into. This leads to two problems. The practical issue of getting all your stuff into the your bedroom.
Arigna iron bed in a small bedroom
The second issue is the more personal matter of how you bring the space to life, represent who you are and feel comfortable in the space with the constraint of it being small. We need to So let’s see how it’s possible for you to overcome these problems with a small room and make a space that not only makes it easy for you to live in, but you also enjoy living in!
There are many tips, tricks and ideas that can be used for a small bedroom but essentially they do 2 things. Increase space for storage and create a feeling of more space than there is.
Choose your bed wisely
Choosing your bed smartly with storage and a small footprint for the size can really make your life a lot easier in a small bedroom. Stay away from bold frames as they can be too imposing in small bedrooms, making the rest of the space feel cramped, the opposite of what we want.
If you really want to make your bed a statement, it’s not the worst mistake you can make, but you’ll just have to work harder to make the most of your space.
Some tips on choosing a bed for your small bedroom are –
- Get a smaller bed like a double (135cm x 190cm) or maybe even a small double (120cm x 190cm) for a couple. Time to get cozy while you sleep! Twin beds work for kids rooms.
- Make sure the bed frame you choose has some type of storage, whether it be drawers, ottoman frames or just some space underneath your bed. If your bed has no space for storage, boost it with bed risers. This will give you much needed storage space. Most of our iron beds have ample space underneath which is vital for storage.
- Skip the headboard and get a simple bed frame. Take inspiration from Swedish or Japanese designs for these kinds of bed frames. Our Fuji wood range or Mortlake iron range are great examples.
- Try a metal bed. I’m a bit biased in my opinion, but I think an iron bed work really bed in small bedrooms. They’re petit and don’t have a solid chunk of material anywhere so a room with an iron bed feels more open.
- Murphy beds are a good way to save a chunk of space. This solution isn’t for everyone as you need to take down your bed and put it up every day (or at least try to!) which can be inconvenient.
- Like murphy beds, day beds or sofa beds work a treat to save space, but aren’t the most convenient.
- Mezzanine beds or high beds (especially for kids) are good solution for using space.
Fuji wood bed with a low profile headboard
When thinking of positioning your bed, placing it in a corner will maximise your usable space in your bedroom. The traditional setup of placing your bed in the centre makes moving around the room difficult to move around in and place other furniture like chest of drawers or a study desk.
Go vertical
Vertical surfaces aren’t usually used functionally, and are often reserved for art or other decorations. But when space is at a premium, you should look at every space as an opportunity. While most small bedrooms will use walls for storage or some other functionality, people often forget doors. Use your doors to store coats on hooks or add a small hanging rack for small knick knacks. Something like a spice rack works a treat for this!
Cover as much of your walls with shelves as you can without it getting too cramped. Wall mounted shelving is fairly low profile and can serve as a bookshelf and for other storage as well. You can put your art, statues, other knick knacks from your travels or anything that gives your space more of your personality.
Storage everywhere
You need to think of every nook and cranny of your bedroom as a place for storage. We’ve tried to incorporate storage in all our beds with our wooden and upholstered beds having storage in built as default and our innovative underbed storage solution for our metal beds.
Any flat space is a premium, use it to add personality or for vital storage. Any objects that can be moved off flat surfaces should be moved somewhere else. For example, any mirrors you have should be wall mounted or put behind your door rather than put on a flat surface. Another example is to use wall sconces instead of table or floor lamps.
Hamilton iron bed with a chest of drawers as bedside tables
Window sills are often overlooked as a place to use. Often, they’re not big enough to use for anything practical in modern flats. But if you lucky enough to have a deep window sill, it’s a great place to store little objects, books or even plants. They can also make a great alternative to a bedside table, if you can position your bed in a convenient location.
It’s also ok to use the floor for storage. Some consider storing things on the floor as out of the question. But if you’re ok with it, it can free up some much needed space in your small bedroom. Get some baskets or bins and keep them on the floor. Perfect, affordable storage for a small bedroom! It’s important to keep tidy, keep things organised and to make sure everything has it’s place. Keep enough room for movement through the room.
Think multi-purpose
It’s really important to think of double uses for element of your bedroom. Every surface, piece of furniture and even doors. Using a chest of drawers or study table as a bedside table is so easy and convenient. Doors can be fitted for storing coats, hats and clothes or be used for hanging artwork or even a full length mirror.
The size of your stuff matters
Get smaller versions of all your furniture. A low profile bed, bedside tables and chest of drawers can really free up a lot of space in your room and make your space not feel as cramped. Of course storage is an important consideration in all these purchases so this mileage of this tip may vary for you. You can also find smaller objects lamps and plants so that they look more in proportion with your other furniture. This lets you fit “more” into your room.
Of course, you could just have less furniture the room but keep the furniture you have large. If you do, you’re forced to remain minimal with your room, but it can definitely work. I’ve seen many a small room with a four poster bed look amazing and work really well. It’s just important to realise the compromise you make if you do choose larger statement pieces. Large and lots will definitely make the space looked cramped and be cumbersome to live in.
While you want to shrink the furniture in your room, you want to make your windows as large as possible. This opens out the room. Your room will feel larger than it is and it won’t feel as cramped. The extra light is also really important. In hotter climates you would need either blinds or curtains to prevent the room from heating up.
Colour & pattern: a way to give your bedroom character
Virginia iron bed in a blue bedroom
The simplest way to go about adding colour and pattern to your bed room is to stick to white walls and add colour through accessories. This is especially true when you’re not sure of what you want or you’re in a temporary situation, which a lot of us with smaller bedrooms are. However, if you’d like to experiment we have some tips to help you with adding colour and pattern to you small bedroom.
- Use a single colour throughout your bedroom. A constant colour helps create an illusion of space. If you must, you can try colour blocking. But avoid too many colour blocks. Some contrasting blocks of colour can absolutely make your room come alive but keeping your colour pallete limited is better for smaller spaces.
- A feature wall with a bright colour or some bold patterned wallpaper can help draw attention away from the lack of space in your bedroom.
- Similarly, pattern is important to add some interest to a small bedroom. If you don’t have have some pattern on your walls, try to add some pattern with some art or through your linens.
- Linens are a way to add colour and pattern to your space, but also texture. You have limited space to play with colours in a small bedroom, but by properly layering the linens and fabric in your room you can make your room homely and comfy.
Distractions with colours, patterns and features can help draw your attention from the size of the room and that’s what our tips are trying to get you to explore.
Lighting in your small bedroom
Light is so important in a bedroom. As with everything else, more so in a small bedroom. Even dark coloured rooms can look open and fresh when brightly lit. You should utilise both natural and artificial light to brighten up your room.
Make sure you design your bedroom so that the windows are strategically placed so that you get most light where you spend time.
If you have small windows (or god forbid no windows), then you of course can’t rely on natural light. New LED bulbs are really energy efficient and you can choose the “warmth” of the light you like.
Liberal lighting will help you feel comfortable in your small bedroom and will prevent it feeling drab and dreary.
Mirrors bounce light around and can enhance your lighting to make your small bedroom look brighter. If you have a fitted wardrobe, fit mirrored doors and you can “double” your space. Mirrors make your small bedroom feel open even if it’s not and keeps at bay the feeling of a cramped space.
How to utilise your bedroom ceilings
An often overlooked part of a bedroom is the ceiling, but it’s a great place to experiment. Putting some pattern on your ceiling as art/wallpaper can be just as effective as a feature wall. Some mirrors on the ceiling will also open up your space further and also brighten your room. Hanging lights on ceilings instead of on your walls will help free up essential wall space for storage.
Funky hanging lights or even hanging some other small objects is a unique way to display some art or trinkets of yours. Just make sure they’re not heavy so that they’re not a hazard if something falls!
Minimalism vs maximalism? What’s best for a small bedroom?
Do I have to be minimalist if I have a small bedroom? What if I’m a maximalist? I’ve seen a lot of people recommend keeping your bedroom clean and minimalist, but is it worth it if you’re not going to be happy with your own bedroom? I don’t think it’s wise to go against your grain. Your bedroom should reflect who you are so you like to be there.
Yes, it’s easier to decorate a small bedroom if you’re a minimalist, but it’s not impossible to have a well designed and practical bedroom while still being maximalist. You just have to plan better and decorate smarter. With a maximalist small bedroom it’s recommended to try and plan as much as you can upfront. Knowing where you’re going to put your little bits and bobs helps a lot but it’s important to also remember that your bedroom is a process so things are going to evolve as you go forward and you’re going to find you don’t like certain things. Small changes and time will lead you to a maximalist small bedroom which you really love.
For you minimalists out there things are easier. Keep it simple and embrace the simplicity.
Small bedroom design bliss
In the end, when you’re designing any bedroom the fundamentals remain the same. For smaller bedrooms, you just have to plan better as they’re less forgiving. The aim is the same, to create a space which you enjoy spending time in. Your bedroom should be a reflection of your personality and should be your safe space. It should make you happy.
