Best Small Bedroom Design Ideas

Is your bedroom on the petite side? It’s a very common conundrum; especially in city apartments which seem to get smaller and smaller. But, if there’s something we’ve learned over the years, it’s that you shouldn’t let a small room limit your imagination. In fact, small bedrooms can look grand, when given the right styling and lighting treatment. Yes, it’s true, and we’ll show you how. Here are our best bedroom ideas for small rooms to help your little boudoir make a big impact.

Don’t think of your bedroom as small

First things first, you need to get rid of the idea that your bedroom is this itsy-bitsy thing that isn’t worthy of grand pieces of furniture and art. That’s right, banish it, get it out of your head. One of the biggest mistakes we see home decorators make when it comes to small bedroom layouts is simply thinking of their room as small. If you do this, you start to treat the room like a small space, which then limits your imagination and limits the kind of furniture and decor to consider.

We’ll let you in on a little secret – sometimes bigger pieces of art and furniture will actually make a smaller space feel more spacious. So don’t fall for the small bedroom decor trap.

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Source | @myscandinavianhome

Source | Instagram: @justinehughjones

Source | Milray Park Designer Kate Leabeater

Be bold, be brave

Okay, so you’ve stopped thinking of your bedroom as small, and now you’re really opening your mind to the possibilities. Over the years we’ve learned a trick or two about creating bedrooms with impact, and often it means throwing rules out the window.

A lot of the time homeowners will paint a room white and install a few mirrors to try and reflect light around the room, which can go a long way in making a room feel light and airy. But what if you’re a fan of bold, dark colours? Like deep blues and soft deep greens? Does that mean you need to leave your real desires by the wayside? No, we say you can still go for it. A deep colour can look amazing in small spaces and will make for a cocooned and cosy bedroom. And don’t worry, you can bring that feeling of space and grandeur by adorning the walls with a piece of large scale art and using tall lamps.

In a smaller room, it’s all about bringing the eye up and thinking about the space vertically to make a room feel bigger. So go ahead and install that chandelier, paint your walls in a darker hue, there are no rules.

Mind over matter

If you’re the owner of a small bedroom, you may accumulate a lot of small furniture items. Here’s the thing, when you do this, you’re not doing your bedroom any favours, you’re actually making the space feel more cluttered. Instead, a few pieces of bigger moderately-sized furniture will work well together to make for a more functional and uncluttered floor plan.

Did you have your eye on a grand dresser? Did you want a bigger bed without sacrificing space? Then get a bed that’s higher with storage cleverly placed underneath. Not only is it functional, but it makes a statement. Trust us, larger furniture items can work.

Source | Milray Park Designer Jessi Eve

Source | Instagram: @kotablue_studio

Source | Milray Park Designer Caine Hodder

Use that space under the window

In smaller bedrooms, the space underneath windows is often overlooked, especially in apartments. This little pocket of gold is prime real estate and should be worthy of note when compiling your house or apartment bedroom decorating ideas.

To make the most out of your bedroom’s space, you can utilise this area to create a little study or reading nook. Opt for a low bookcase or a console desk to make the space functional. You can even have a desk fitted to the walls to make for a more streamlined look.

Pick the right soft furnishings

In a smaller room, it can be helpful to blur the edges a little. If you have roller blinds or venetians, soften the window frame with some flowy curtains, or create the illusion of a bigger window by bringing your curtain rail up higher towards the ceiling.

When it comes to choosing bed linen, ditch the complicated patterns and opt for block colours and stripes in soft linens. And if you’re choosing a rug for your bedroom, go large. The last thing you want is a small ‘post-it-sized’ rug in a little room – it will only make the room feel even smaller. When it comes to floorspace, go big and use a rug to push out the parameters of the space.

Source | Instagram: @_nectaar

Source | Milray Park Designer Charlotte Camilleri

Use your walls wisely

We mentioned large-scale art before, but what if you’re thinking about function before adornment? Do you need extra lighting? Do you need extra storage? Do you want to put keepsakes on display and away from prying toddler hands? There’s a way.

To display photos and decor in a small bedroom, you can install floating shelves. If you’re running out of space for a table lamp or a floor lamp, you can install wall lighting. Not only does it bring a beautiful ambiance into a bedroom, if you have an electrician install a new switch by your bed, you can avoid stumbling around in the depths of the night.

Slow down… an interior designer can help

If we’re honest, we know that the most beautiful interiors evolve over time; it can take years to really feel like a room is ‘finished.’ If you’ve no idea where to start, it can be really helpful to consult a third party. Hire an experienced interior designer to pull together a mood board and proposal to help you furnish and style your space – they will be able to help you make the most out of a smaller bedroom in no time.

Looking for more design and small bedroom inspiration? Check us out on Pinterest.

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