12 Transformative Ideas for Small Bedroom Bliss

We retreat to the bedroom after a long, arduous day. Maybe someone was being obnoxious at work, maybe there were less than able drivers on the road or maybe your mother-in-law is coming to stay. 

Be it big or small, our bedroom is the place we take refuge away from the complex problems of our everyday lives. Some days we just want to cosy up and shut out the outside world to rest and recover. 

Coming home to a little pocket of joy to nest ourselves in can make us realise that life isn’t so bad, somewhere we can wind down and reset, ensuring that tomorrow is a better day. 

Our environment can improve our livelihood and it is important to take care of what we can control so we have a little pocket of peace to return to. 

Then what do we do when our precious haven is quite frankly rather small? I am here to offer you some small bedroom ideas that will have you feeling informed and ready for the challenge of transforming that tight, ominous room into a cosy tranquil oasis ready for you to recharge and revive. 

The bedroom’s main purpose is to be a place to recuperate. A place where we sleep and where every cell regenerates and renews, working hard to top up your health and vitality. 

A good night’s sleep is essential for good health and recent studies have discovered it is as important if not more so than diet and exercise. Ensuring the environment is designed to create the perfect sleeping spot is therefore the priority. Thankfully two interests align, since appearance is an important factor to ease the mind for your health and well-being and the bedroom will not only function as the perfect resting place but will also be the beautiful little room you were so dearly hoping for. 

Get bedroom inspiration with this 12-step guide so you not only slip away into the realm of dreams but you awaken into one, beginning the morning with grace.

1. Declutter

Remove clutter, including visual clutter. Having too much stuff filling your small bedroom will leave the room feeling overcrowded and you feeling claustrophobic. Only keep what you really need or what lights you up inside. This includes furniture, only keeping the items you need. You are more important than the items you own so create space for you, liberating your mind to wonder. This makes waking up a more pleasant experience. As you open your eyes to the unknown day ahead you will set the tone with a clear and organised space starting your mornings positive and with ease. 

Swap out decorative clutter for statement pieces. Avoid getting too frugal with the non-functional items. Keeping the joyful and the useful will allow you not only to have functional items but also the items that you truly love. Try to opt for statement pieces that complement the space rather than fill it up. 
Once you have spent time filtering through your belongings, be meticulous with how you store them. This will ensure things stay ordered.

2. Layout 

The bed is likely to be the largest piece of furniture in the room and therefore naturally becomes the focal point. The first consideration is the size, this will depend on whether you are sharing with a partner and who else might be joining you. 

Calculate the ideal size in accordance with the room. If you are a couple, avoid cornering the bed, if this is not possible opt for the person with the strongest bladder next to the wall. If space allows, have the bed in the centre of the room on the wall adjacent to the door, but not directly opposite the door, leaving 60-70cm of space around the bed. You may only be able to obtain good circulation space on one side and the foot of the bed but try to obtain at least some separation from the wall on the other side. 

Consider your specific needs, a night or bedside table is a visually pleasing and practical option if you have space. If you don’t have space for two, you can opt to have a smaller table, such a drink table on one side. Creating symmetry doesn’t always need identical items. Going for an a-symmetric look instead can open up your space and make it look larger. 

Giving furniture more than one purpose can help minimise items in a room; for example, using a small desk or dresser as a bedside table. Put desks and dressers in the smallest space. Opt for a wall mounted table with a mirror hanging above. 

3. Beds 

Consider your needs in regards to bed size. If you need bed inspo there are many aesthetic and practical options such as a canopy, loft bed or a storage bed.

Simple bed frames on slight legs raise the bed of the floor and are a more elegant option for a small room in contrast to a more bulky frame.

Perhaps go for a bed that has a bed base sunk into the bed frame so half the mattress tucks in nicely, hidden by the frame. 

However, the bulky Divan storage bed might be a good option if it was to replace a dresser and minimise furniture in the room.

A day bed can be a great option for a single sleeper and double as seating. 

4. Colour Scheme

Create a concept mood board to collect all your small bedroom inspiration in one visual spot. This will allow you to refer back as soon as you feel a bit lost so you can stay on track with your vision. Keep to a simple colour palette and consider, how would you like to feel in the room?

It is a common misconception that in order to have a room appear larger you are restricted to lighter colours; this is a complete myth. Embracing the dark moody room will create an ambience and a cosy place that draws you into its depth. You can play with dark tones and rich colours effectively along with atmospheric lighting. 

If light and airy rocks your world then explore neutral tones with a variation of textures. This will add more layers and interest to the room. 

Dark and moody colours absorb light and soften hard edges, paired with floors that are slightly lighter than the walls.

Light colours, with a light reflectance value above 50, will reflect the light making the room brighter. If you go for a light reflectance value below 50 you create a moody feel and avoid reflected light.

Soft whites, beiges and warm greys make for a restful retreat. Moodier greens and blues and neutral earthy tones are calming and add an organic appeal. You can also go very dark with shades of dark charcoal or navy tones to create a cocoon of colour and a more evocative feel. 

5. Storage 

Efficient storage solutions are vital for ensuring a clean and functional space and with clever solutions, you can create more space in the room.

Perhaps opting for a bed with storage to replace a dresser, minimising the furniture in the space. A Divan Storage bed with drawers could be ideal but if you’re limited for drawer opening space an Ottoman could be a more viable option. A singular multipurpose piece looks tidier than a cluster of smaller pieces. Floor-to-ceiling wardrobes make use of the whole wall and give the appearance of higher ceilings.

6. Minimalism 

Less is more; having carefully selected items, and a few of them, will make the visual flow harmonious. Keep furniture to a minimum, prioritising only the essentials. Overcrowding will only make your room feel smaller. Start with the bed and a place to put your clothes then only add items which improve the overall appeal of the room. 

7. Patterns

Select patterns proportionate to the size of the room. Opting for large patterns can disrupt the flow of the room. If patterns light up your world then try pattern panelling. This can offer an elegant and charming element to your room. 

8. Plants 

Plants are friends, not food and work in harmony with us for a small exchange of light and water. The feeling is mutual, we give them carbon dioxide and in return they purify our air, birthing a perfect place to sleep. The Snake plant is an expert at this job. It is at night time when plants emit oxygen, enhancing the quality of air while we sleep. Adding plants will bring life and freshness to the room and create calm. 

9. Visual Manipulations

Create the illusion of more space with mirrors, reflecting the space around, giving more depth and allure to the room. Hang your curtains from ceiling to floor to elevate the room, creating the grand appearance of higher ceilings. Avoid tall heavy bookshelves; instead have lower bookshelves continuing width ways across the floor. This will create more wall space for art and shelves. Furniture with legs gives a sense of openness. A clear glass or acrylic chair can deceive the eye into seeing more space. 

Engage all the senses; from smell, visuals and texture so what the room lacks in size, it does not lack in experience.

10. Lighting 

How we perceive the colour and mood of the room depends on the room’s lighting. Use lighting to strategically brighten up dark corners and create a cosy atmosphere. Layer lighting with lamps, instead of relying on the main overhead light that is usually placed in the centre of the room. Create mood lighting with warm light bulbs and table lights, or use strip lighting for a more contemporary look. What you select will depend on the amount of natural light and climate. Install a dimmer to adjust to your convenience, setting the tone for work or relaxation. Floor lighting can create a moodier feel and give the illusion of more space.

11. Off-the-floor furniture

Lift as much as you can off the floor. Lifting the eyeline will create visual interest towards other areas of the room creating a dynamic flow which will make the room feel larger. 

Instead of having a floor or desk lamp replace it with a hanging pendant or wall light. 

Create more floor space with a floating desk or bedside table. Mount shelves and other storage solutions on the walls. Perhaps cheat with built-in wall storage. 

12. Room Dividers

Room dividers are a tasteful way to separate different areas within a room and can allow feng shui to function in your room by adding an extra wall. In addition, they give the room structure and depth, creating aesthetic functional zones, such as a study to separate your sleeping and work space for better rest. Separating areas with a room divider can also create a private cosy snug and add more interest to a room. Dividers can range from see-through frames, keeping the space open, to hanging curtains, a display shelf or the classic bamboo stand-alone frame.

Create magic and experiment with your new small bedroom ideas and your tiny mundane room will become your favourite place to dwell. Find what works for you, forming the perfect place to renew while fashioning an environment that is the ideal refresh and reset zone.

Author: Esmee Herbert