7 Ideas to Borrow From Small Well-Designed Bedrooms
Take inspiration from these clever small-space layouts and genius design tricks in seven UK and USA bedrooms
Amanda Pollard
18 February 2020
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
You may only really need a bed, lamp, side table and clothes storage in your bedroom, but some spaces are so petite that even those essentials are a tight fit. There are plenty of design tricks you can use, however, to squeeze these in and make your room cosy, comfy and practical.
1. Create partitions
At first glance, you might assume the bed would go along the flat wall in this tiny bedroom in Kent, UK, but the team at Whitstable Island Interiors had other ideas.
Instead, the designers tucked the bed beneath the sloping roof and built some nifty storage around it. Each section has been measured out to accommodate essential items, and the partition between the bed and ‘wardrobe’ is the perfect spot for a wall light.
By creating one multi-functional area, the designers have freed up space in the rest of the room for other items.
Struggling to fit everything in your small bedroom or floor plan? Find an interior designer near you on Houzz for some smart storage solutions
At first glance, you might assume the bed would go along the flat wall in this tiny bedroom in Kent, UK, but the team at Whitstable Island Interiors had other ideas.
Instead, the designers tucked the bed beneath the sloping roof and built some nifty storage around it. Each section has been measured out to accommodate essential items, and the partition between the bed and ‘wardrobe’ is the perfect spot for a wall light.
By creating one multi-functional area, the designers have freed up space in the rest of the room for other items.
Struggling to fit everything in your small bedroom or floor plan? Find an interior designer near you on Houzz for some smart storage solutions
2. Slim down
Squeeze small-scale pieces into your mini space in order to leave enough room for the bed. This scheme in Seattle, USA, created by Kimberlee Marie Interiors, features tiny shelves with drawers for bedtime essentials.
Above are hanging wall lights with slimline fittings and simple bulbs. These provide illumination without taking up space on the limited bedside surfaces.
Squeeze small-scale pieces into your mini space in order to leave enough room for the bed. This scheme in Seattle, USA, created by Kimberlee Marie Interiors, features tiny shelves with drawers for bedtime essentials.
Above are hanging wall lights with slimline fittings and simple bulbs. These provide illumination without taking up space on the limited bedside surfaces.
3. Side step
If you don’t have space next to your bed for tables, utilise the side walls instead. In this bedroom in London, UK, the bed fills the area along the back wall, leaving little room for anything else.
The designers at Wickenden Hutley fitted an overhanging wall light and a narrow shelf with curved corners to avoid painful bumps. The shallow surface is just big enough to hold a glass of water and a book for bedtime reading.
If you don’t have space next to your bed for tables, utilise the side walls instead. In this bedroom in London, UK, the bed fills the area along the back wall, leaving little room for anything else.
The designers at Wickenden Hutley fitted an overhanging wall light and a narrow shelf with curved corners to avoid painful bumps. The shallow surface is just big enough to hold a glass of water and a book for bedtime reading.
4. Cosy up
When your room is too small to feel airy and spacious, embrace its tiny proportions to create a snug sanctuary. In this miniature London bedroom, the team at Zephyr Interiors chose a colour scheme of cosy, earthy tones to provide an intimate feel.
The mirrored back wall adds light and visual space, but its antique finish continues the snuggly, textured look.
When your room is too small to feel airy and spacious, embrace its tiny proportions to create a snug sanctuary. In this miniature London bedroom, the team at Zephyr Interiors chose a colour scheme of cosy, earthy tones to provide an intimate feel.
The mirrored back wall adds light and visual space, but its antique finish continues the snuggly, textured look.
5. Play with pattern
Plain surfaces are often used to create an uncluttered feel, but it’s the pattern in this room that makes it look harmonious. Joy Flanagan Design used matching wallpaper and blind fabric to bring a repetitive element into the London bedroom and draw attention away from the asymmetrical architecture.
The offset window and sloping walls are disguised by the cohesive pattern that covers the room, making the space appear less ‘cluttered’.
Plain surfaces are often used to create an uncluttered feel, but it’s the pattern in this room that makes it look harmonious. Joy Flanagan Design used matching wallpaper and blind fabric to bring a repetitive element into the London bedroom and draw attention away from the asymmetrical architecture.
The offset window and sloping walls are disguised by the cohesive pattern that covers the room, making the space appear less ‘cluttered’.
6. Be balanced
Another way to create an uncluttered, spacious feel in your bedroom is through symmetry.
In this London bedroom, Burbeck Interiors has mirrored both sides of the bed with lamps, tables, wall lights an even artwork. This balance gives the space a calm look and visually widens its dimensions.
20 Small Bedrooms With Super-Sized Storage
Another way to create an uncluttered, spacious feel in your bedroom is through symmetry.
In this London bedroom, Burbeck Interiors has mirrored both sides of the bed with lamps, tables, wall lights an even artwork. This balance gives the space a calm look and visually widens its dimensions.
20 Small Bedrooms With Super-Sized Storage
th2designs.co.uk
7. Go offside
If you can do without a surface on either side of the bed, it could be worth using one larger bedside table instead. It will give you a more substantial storage area and the opportunity to have larger drawers. It can also look great, too, as this London bedroom by th2designs shows.
A full-size unit in the sleeping area beneath the eaves provides a practical place for essentials, and also adds a quirky design element to the room. The offset furniture layout is accentuated by the monochrome scheme, as the black shapes are silhouetted against the white backdrop.
Your turn
Do you have a small bedroom? In the Comments below, tell us how you’ve stylishly squeezed everything in. And while you’re at it, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Need more small-space inspiration? You’ll love 7 Ideas to Inspire From Well-Planned Small Kitchens
If you can do without a surface on either side of the bed, it could be worth using one larger bedside table instead. It will give you a more substantial storage area and the opportunity to have larger drawers. It can also look great, too, as this London bedroom by th2designs shows.
A full-size unit in the sleeping area beneath the eaves provides a practical place for essentials, and also adds a quirky design element to the room. The offset furniture layout is accentuated by the monochrome scheme, as the black shapes are silhouetted against the white backdrop.
Your turn
Do you have a small bedroom? In the Comments below, tell us how you’ve stylishly squeezed everything in. And while you’re at it, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Need more small-space inspiration? You’ll love 7 Ideas to Inspire From Well-Planned Small Kitchens
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What a super post... and genuinely small bedrooms!
Lynn (Dickinson) I'd come and stay in your guest bedroom any day! What a gorgeous space and what looks like a beautiful reno. Add 'sea views' and it sounds idyllic! I love the tongue & groove and your 'fishy' door handle pendants!
Hmm, none of these spaces appear to have any wardrobes. I have a small bedroom that I need to get done including clothes storage.
Well Matt, I lived in a new build once where the kiddies' bedrooms were just that, BED rooms... Apart from the major reno of knocking down walls and clawing space from an adjacent room, you may have to use your landing as storage. Or get some bespoke storage built behind around it from floor to ceiling so it kinda frames the bed. There have been some excellent Houzz posts on such subjects...