There’s nothing quite like having a vast bedroom space to luxuriate and rest in. However, most of us have at least one, if not more, bedrooms in our homes that are more compact. We have to make do with such spaces unless we have the opportunity to knock down walls or extend the footprints of our houses.
Before you invest a heap of money into this kind of project, it’s better to see if you can refresh the design of a smaller bedroom to make it feel bigger, brighter, and more comfortable.
Declutter
Firstly, you’ll find it makes a big difference if you declutter your bedroom to eliminate as much “stuff” as possible. After all, the more you try to fit in a tiny space, the smaller it will seem. See if you can move numerous knick-knacks and other personal belongings that aren’t essential to the bedroom to another part of your home.
Alternatively, you may want to sell, donate, or recycle some things that you no longer need or use or that are broken or otherwise damaged. Look for ways to store all your clothing and accessories out of sight in closets rather than taking up visual space in the room, too.
Pare Back Furniture
Next, think about ways to pare back your furniture options in the compact bedroom. It’s much better to select a few lovely pieces to utilize in the space than to have too many individual ones that end up giving the area a too-cramped look and feel. In a compact bedroom, you’ll generally want to make the bed the one key furniture item in the room.
Try to fit as large a size bed as makes sense for the room, such as a queen-size product, if possible. Don’t skimp on the mattress you use on the bed, either. Depending on your preferences, you’ll want a quality hybrid mattress or memory foam, innerspring, latex, or other design. Let this bed be the room’s focus by fitting it out in beautiful, striking bed linen.
For a small bedroom, avoid adding a bulky bedhead, however, even if this is the central piece in the room. You’re better off picking a bed base with simple, clean lines that won’t make the area look any tighter than it already does. Steer clear of four-poster beds or any other style that takes up a lot of visual room.
Plus, you’ll likely need to do away with bedside tables if the room is tiny or only have one on a single side of the bed if necessary. You’ll also probably have to say goodbye to a big reading chair and a large bench or trunk at the foot of your bed, as these, will be too much for the space. Another furnishing tip is to pick multifunctional furnishings that can pull double duty. For example, you could invest in a bed base that also features built-in drawers for storage or build a desk or dressing table bench into a bookshelf, among other ideas.
Alternatively, look at ways to build in storage units, so you have plenty of storage space without needing to use hulking wardrobes. You might be able to take advantage of under-window spaces, niches, the space above doorways, and awkward corners to add more storage room. Keep these built-ins the same color as your walls, though, so the room looks bigger.
Use Techniques To Create The Illusion Of More Space
Lastly, keep in mind that there are clever decorating techniques you can use to create the illusion of more space in a not-so-large bedroom. For instance, furniture made of glass or lucite suits a small bedroom as such pieces help reflect light and don’t take up excessive visual space. Similarly, mirrors reflect both natural and artificial light and can help make a bedroom seem brighter, more open, and less need for an additional window or something.
You might also like to hang curtains or other drapery up higher than usual. Place them above windows, close to the ceiling, to help draw the eye up and make the room appear bigger. You can also go vertical and create an illusion of space with an art-based gallery wall or a wall of greenery. A wall of vertically-striped wallpaper can achieve something similar.
Plus, see if you can attach some lighting to the walls rather than putting lamps on the floor that will add to visual clutter. Paying attention to scale also assists. Everything you use to decorate your cozy bedroom should reflect the space’s proportions rather than overwhelming it.
Having to make the best of a compact bedroom can seem like a headache and cause more stress, but as the above tips show, there are ways to combat this limitation. Adjust your expectations and work with what you have to achieve a pleasing result this summer.
