How to Make the Most of a Small Bedroom - Making it Work for you

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Most homes will have a "smaller" bedroom, especially in homes with 3 or more bedrooms. These are often turned into nurseries or office spaces, but what happens when you need that space for a proper bedroom? Small bedrooms may work great for young children, but teenagers and adults often want and need more space. But fear not, just because a room may be on the small side it doesn't mean it can't still make a great bedroom, its just about thinking more carefully how you plan things out. 

Sadly, we can’t make a bedroom more significant without knocking through walls and extending, but we can measure up furniture correctly and boost storage giving the feel and look of more space whilst the room remains practical. 

With that being said, here are some tips on how to make the most out of a small bedroom:

Ottoman Beds for the Win

Standard beds let you slip boxes underneath for storage, while divans are available with built-in drawers. However Ottomans are even better – they use the whole mattress base as storage with a lift-up hydraulic strut for convenience and ease of access.

An ottoman bed unlocks enormous storage space with a plastic storage tub attached to the underside of the bed frame. When you lift the mattress platform, you can access that storage for shoes, bedding, etc. The possibilities for storage are endless and best of all is that when the mattress s brought back down it is all hidden away! 

Ottoman beds are available in single, double, and king sizes, so they are ideal for every size of bedroom. Additionally, you can get end lift and side lift ottomans to suit the size and shape of your small bedroom.

Pictured: Milan Bed Company End Lift Leather Ottoman, Available from Bedstar The Online Bed Superstore.

Watch Out for the Headboard Depth

When buying a bed, make sure the headboard isn’t too thick – a thick headboard will only push out the bed and eat into precious inches of floor space. We have all seen beautiful focal headboards that look amazing, but in a small room/space these take up precious space and there are alternative (space saving) options to consider instead. 

Ottomans and divans are better than standard bed frames because they don’t have a protruding structure, but you still need to make sure the length of the bed is suitable for your bedroom. Remember – every centimetre counts! So if you purchase a divan and choose to add a headboard as an addition, remember to include the measurements of the headboard too when measuring up the space. 

Bring the Eyeline Down with a Low Bed Frame

Whether you get an ottoman or standard bed frame, make sure it’s a low one. Low beds take up less visual space and draw the eye line down. Tall, bulky bed frames will make your bedroom look and feel even smaller and crowded, they can often block windows or natural light too. 

This rule also applies to chairs and bedside tables to keep them in line with your bed. The lower furniture is, the more visual space (wall space) you retain.

Buy Slimmer Furniture to Free up Space

When fitting out small bedrooms, people make a big mistake by choosing deep furniture that pushes out from the wall and eats into floor space.

For example, with a chest of drawers, a taller, narrower five-drawer chest will take up less floor space than a fat four-drawer chest while giving you an extra drawer. The space savings soon add up across wardrobes, chests, and dressers. If you need the storage think height rather than width and remember to consider the floor space in the room. 

Make a Smart Dressing Space

If you need somewhere in your small bedroom to do make-up and get ready or just somewhere to check yourself before you head out the door, stick a free-standing mirror on your chest of drawers or the wall above it. This makeshift dresser will save space and give you a place to get ready.

If space on top of your chest of drawers is taken, install a mirror on your walls with a shelf underneath to hold all your cosmetics. This will not only provide you with a mirror, but extra storage space too. 

Another top tip is to use a mirrored bathroom cabinet – this will hold all your cosmetics and won’t look out of place if you choose the right style.

Save Space with Proper Lighting

Flush ceiling lights take up less visual space than hanging ceiling lights, and they also tend to scatter light in more exciting ways. Wall-mounted lights take up less floor space than floor-standing lamps, and they also free up space on desks and bedside tables but don't always distribute light across the whole room.

Window blinds take up less space than curtains, and they let you tilt light into your bedroom to increase light levels during the daytime without compromising on privacy. 

Keep it Light

We have all heard the saying of darker decoration such as paint or wallpaper can make a room feel small and dark. Whereas light colours are your best friend when decorating small bedrooms. An elegant option is pure brilliant white on all your walls, which will let your bed, furniture, art, and décor take centre stage without any distractions.

If you want a splash of colour, create a feature wall behind your bed to draw attention to your bed. Pastel shades are a classy option for subtle colours, or you can choose a neutral grey or beige colour scheme for a monotone look. You could even just go for some bright or stand out accessories or a favourite soft toy to help children settle in to a new feeing bedroom. 

Do you have a small bedroom in your house? Is so what tricks did you use to transform the room and make it work for you? I would love to hear about your tricks and ideas in the comments below. 

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