How to Make a Compact Bedroom Seem Bigger
Colors, storage and more can help bring airiness to a room of any size
tidgboutique
October 12, 2016
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Whether you’ve got a big-city apartment or a multibedroom home, the market demand to squeeze more people into less square footage often leaves us with compact bedrooms in which to fit a bed, our clothing, hopefully a table or two, and — oh, right — maybe a little personality? Your definition of a “small space” may vary, but anyone can benefit from considering these tips to help a bedroom feel as spacious as possible without sacrificing style.
Pale Colors
To help a compact bedroom feel airy but not boring, try mixing lots of white with other soft, pale tones, such as taupe-y neutrals or pale pinks or blues. Add some interesting textures and a little plant life to help the space feel lively even if the walls are tight.
To help a compact bedroom feel airy but not boring, try mixing lots of white with other soft, pale tones, such as taupe-y neutrals or pale pinks or blues. Add some interesting textures and a little plant life to help the space feel lively even if the walls are tight.
Breezy white curtains and linens will help create an open and romantic feeling even if the walls aren’t strictly white. Don’t be scared to use a dark headboard, especially if you layer it with pillows. Playing with heights will keep the eye moving, making the space feel larger and less stuffy.
Dark Colors
In fact, you shouldn’t be scared of using a dark wall either. A dark feature wall can visually recede, making the room actually feel a little larger. You don’t need to otherwise stick solely to pale colors; just be sure to layer in some white or off-white to keep the darker colors from shrinking the room.
In fact, you shouldn’t be scared of using a dark wall either. A dark feature wall can visually recede, making the room actually feel a little larger. You don’t need to otherwise stick solely to pale colors; just be sure to layer in some white or off-white to keep the darker colors from shrinking the room.
Another option is to take the opposite approach: using lots of dark hues to embrace the size of the room and create a cozy atmosphere. Even in this case, though, it’s still effective to add texture and to use some lighter accents to break up the darkness.
8 Beautiful Black Bedrooms
8 Beautiful Black Bedrooms
Graphics
Ultimately you should feel free to be creative and dramatic, even in a small space, as a room that makes a personal statement will feel more like home than a plain white box, and that can make it feel grander. A bold paint effect or wallpaper anchoring one wall can make the room feel interesting even if the other walls are very simple and unobtrusive.
Side note: Notice the creative way the designer addressed this room’s awkward bulkhead. Genius!
Ultimately you should feel free to be creative and dramatic, even in a small space, as a room that makes a personal statement will feel more like home than a plain white box, and that can make it feel grander. A bold paint effect or wallpaper anchoring one wall can make the room feel interesting even if the other walls are very simple and unobtrusive.
Side note: Notice the creative way the designer addressed this room’s awkward bulkhead. Genius!
th2designs.co.uk
Asymmetry
If you don’t have room for tables on both sides of the bed, try an asymmetrical approach with a table on one side and just a slim floor lamp or clamp lamp on the other. This will give you some essential storage with reading lights for two. Choose simple black or white lamps with a cone-shaped shade, like the ones here, and they can be visually balanced even without being a perfect mirror image.
Also notice how the floor lamp on the right is angled toward the bed rather than standing straight up, making it better positioned to cast light on a page while having its base on the ground.
If you don’t have room for tables on both sides of the bed, try an asymmetrical approach with a table on one side and just a slim floor lamp or clamp lamp on the other. This will give you some essential storage with reading lights for two. Choose simple black or white lamps with a cone-shaped shade, like the ones here, and they can be visually balanced even without being a perfect mirror image.
Also notice how the floor lamp on the right is angled toward the bed rather than standing straight up, making it better positioned to cast light on a page while having its base on the ground.
Even if you do technically have room for two tables, going asymmetrical can give you more practical storage. Here a wide chest of drawers can house clothing and other sizable items, while the smaller chest on the right is useful for socks and odds and ends.
Balanced Asymmetry
To help make a distinctly asymmetrical bed placement feel centered, use other pieces to reinforce the centerline, such as art, hanging light fixtures, a rug, or a bench or chest at the foot of the bed.
To help make a distinctly asymmetrical bed placement feel centered, use other pieces to reinforce the centerline, such as art, hanging light fixtures, a rug, or a bench or chest at the foot of the bed.
Large Art
Don’t be scared to use large-scale art centered over the bed to make a strong statement. Large art pieces or collections can help a room actually feel larger with their commanding scale. If you want the look to be as breezy as possible, choose art and frames with a lot of white and pale colors so the pieces feel sizable but not aggressive.
Don’t be scared to use large-scale art centered over the bed to make a strong statement. Large art pieces or collections can help a room actually feel larger with their commanding scale. If you want the look to be as breezy as possible, choose art and frames with a lot of white and pale colors so the pieces feel sizable but not aggressive.
Off-Center Windows
If an off-center window takes up most of one wall, center the bed to the window instead of centering it to the whole wall. This will look more balanced and structured than having the bed just a little off the window.
If an off-center window takes up most of one wall, center the bed to the window instead of centering it to the whole wall. This will look more balanced and structured than having the bed just a little off the window.
Alternately, you can simply use wall-to-wall curtains to visually erase the centerline of the window and place the bed to whichever side you prefer.
Tables like these can be tucked over the mattress slightly to give you a little extra surface space. Try an Eileen Gray-style midcentury modern classic or a contemporary C-shaped table.
Tables like these can be tucked over the mattress slightly to give you a little extra surface space. Try an Eileen Gray-style midcentury modern classic or a contemporary C-shaped table.
Sconces
When table space is at a premium (or nonexistent), wall-mounted lights are your friend, giving you reading lights without stealing space from the table surface or floor, and giving you one less thing to bump into.
When table space is at a premium (or nonexistent), wall-mounted lights are your friend, giving you reading lights without stealing space from the table surface or floor, and giving you one less thing to bump into.
Swing-arm plug-in sconces work well over a bed, as you can either let the cord drape down behind the headboard to disappear, or place it off to one side and create an interesting visual detail.
Find swing-arm plug-in wall lights
Find swing-arm plug-in wall lights
Storage
If you need to add a lot of storage to a small bedroom (especially a room without a closet), try framing the bed with two tall cabinets, either built-ins or free-standing cabinets anchored to the wall.
You can then add floating shelves to the sides of the cabinets to create slim bedside tables for a sharp hotel-chic look.
If you need to add a lot of storage to a small bedroom (especially a room without a closet), try framing the bed with two tall cabinets, either built-ins or free-standing cabinets anchored to the wall.
You can then add floating shelves to the sides of the cabinets to create slim bedside tables for a sharp hotel-chic look.
If your storage is already sufficient, choose leggy side tables to create a more open and airier feel. Being able to see more of the back wall will make the space feel deeper.
Mirrors
Speaking of adding depth, mirrors are always effective at opening up a space, and adding a mirror above the headboard can make the room appear twice as long. A custom wall-to-wall mirror will have the most dramatic impact, but simply hanging a framed mirror will work the same type of magic.
Leaning a skinny mirror on a side table or on the floor also adds subtle depth. Just be sure to attach it to the wall or the table so it doesn’t slide down and surprise you in the night.
Find skinny floor mirrors
Speaking of adding depth, mirrors are always effective at opening up a space, and adding a mirror above the headboard can make the room appear twice as long. A custom wall-to-wall mirror will have the most dramatic impact, but simply hanging a framed mirror will work the same type of magic.
Leaning a skinny mirror on a side table or on the floor also adds subtle depth. Just be sure to attach it to the wall or the table so it doesn’t slide down and surprise you in the night.
Find skinny floor mirrors
Downsizing
Sometimes when designing a bedroom, you have to decide between having more space in bed and more space around the bed, and it’s worth considering downsizing from that coveted California-king size to a more compact mattress.
Pairing a smaller bed with some sophisticated artwork (especially with a lot of classic black and white) will create a Parisian appeal that will make the small bed feel hip and cosmopolitan, while giving you all the sleeping space you need.
Sometimes less really is more.
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Sometimes when designing a bedroom, you have to decide between having more space in bed and more space around the bed, and it’s worth considering downsizing from that coveted California-king size to a more compact mattress.
Pairing a smaller bed with some sophisticated artwork (especially with a lot of classic black and white) will create a Parisian appeal that will make the small bed feel hip and cosmopolitan, while giving you all the sleeping space you need.
Sometimes less really is more.
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I think these small spaces are wonderful. It’s just a place too sleep. I find them far more cozy, than huge spaces, that include living rooms, as if I want more than one of those.
I'm anxious to try a few of the suggestions presented. I'm moving from the guest room, sleeping in a twin bed to a larger bedroom. Ideally, I really need to face the door as I sleep because I live alone. This will require placing the full size bed, w/o headboard, in front of the window. Viewing these suggestions has left me thinking positive about making the transition. I'll have plenty of space on either side of the window for nightstands, lamps and wall mirrors. Thanks for sharing these ideas and saving me the cost of hiring an interior designer.
PS: I'm sure I'll be referring back to the showcases in the future.