Small bedroom decor ideas: 15 designs that work in a limited space
We share our favourite space-saving and stylish ideas and tips for small bedrooms.
Image credit: Studio Dean
We share our favourite space-saving and stylish ideas and tips for small bedrooms.
No matter how tiny your bedroom is, armed with some handy small bedroom decor ideas, your sleeping space can be made to be supremely beautiful and practical.
In fact, small bedrooms often have a unique cosy charm of their own that does not translate when there is more plentiful square footage.
There is something to be said for the cocooning appeal of a small space – perfectly petite bedrooms feel safe, warm and den-like.
Make a sumptuous and regal small bedroom scheme
Emeralds. Sapphires. Rubies. Imperial topaz. Combine colours inspired by these precious stones in a small bedroom and watch jaws drop at your luxurious jewel-box space. If you use lashings of velvet textiles infused with these rich hues, all the better.
This bedroom by John Lewis shows how a small bedroom can be anything but overlooked when these colours combine in a deeply pigmented palette.
Small rooms saturated in greens, blues, reds and oranges feel coordinated, rather than busy. They create a warmth that is particularly evocative when grounded with dark woods, as the styling of this room wonderfully demonstrates.
Step up the luxe factor by adding lighting and other accents with gold detailing.
Mirrors are a must-have for small bedrooms
When sifting through your small bedroom ideas, the one you absolutely can’t ignore is mirrors. Why? No decor accessory packs more of a visual punch, especially when a space is truly feeling tight.
And as small bedroom design masters Studio Dean shows, there is more than one great way to work a mirror into your space. Every bit of useable space accounted for down to the millimetre? Then wall mounting a mirror is the obvious choice.
But if there is a little more space, a floorstanding cheval mirror can majorly boost your decor credentials and make dressing for the day feel a little more special.
You can choose anything from antiqued to concave styles, in an impressive range of shapes and sizes.
We think the bigger the mirror you can get into your small bedroom, the better. Large mirrors might not actually double your bedroom’s square footage but they offer the next best thing – the illusion of more space.
If you are contemplating wardrobes for your bedroom, opting for a mirrored option might kill two birds with one stone. You’ll end up with practical storage and a lighter, brighter space for dressing in.
Another genius idea that is rarely used in home decor but can look great is using a large mirror as your headboard for an unexpected small bedroom touch.
Smaller mirrors have a place in small bedroom decor, too. They bounce light around when hung directly behind bedside lighting. Hung opposite a window, they double your view (ideally, make sure it is a pretty view you are doubling).
Build up to get the most out of small bedroom tall ceilings
Some people see a small bedroom and decide to exceed all expectations of what that space can do. Take master joiners Hux as an example.
They weren’t content to just place a very comfortable double bed into this small bedroom. Instead they had the mother of all small bedroom ideas and opted to use clever joinery to add another bed to the room.
We spoke to Felix Milns, founder of Hux London, about this project and Milns said: “The design for this bed comprises two colours of XyloCleaf decorative surfaces that create two different zones within the piece, which include a double bed below with single bed above.
“Wall lights compatible to the colour scheme have been seamlessly fitted onto the lower headboard with practical bedside storage added to the side, which also includes integrated LED lighting. By cleverly adding all details within the piece ensures it maximises on the available footprint within the room.”
Need a hardworking small bedroom and have higher than usual ceilings? This might be just the supremely stylish solution for you on days when your home is piled sky-high with houseguests needing to kip in comfort.
It’s a great spare-room idea if you often have the grandchildren to stay.
Invest in bespoke built-in joinery
If you need to squeeze every precious inch of storage juice out of your small bedroom, look no further than built-in storage.
This is the most premium small bedroom idea and for good reason. Bespoke joinery is built precisely around how your room will be used, so it’s a real luxury.
Have lots of shoes that need to be stashed? Or how about a collection of trousers and belts that need a tidy home? Options to create a storage system specific to your needs are abundant. Best of all, your joinery can be tailored to the finest detail.
Mike Shapland, head designer at Hammonds Fitted Furniture, explains: “Fitting all your possessions into a few square metres requires creative thinking and clever storage. Understanding how to use every bit of available space is essential.
"Built-in storage will make sure every corner is optimised; tiny alcoves, awkward eaves spaces and sloping ceilings can all be utilised in the design, providing perfect areas to store your clothes, shoes and accessories.
“By making the most of every bit of height, depth and width possible, you’d be surprised at how much storage you can gain from fitted wardrobes in a small bedroom. Sliding mirrored wardrobes are a good option, as they bounce light, accentuating the space.
"The reflection of natural light gives the illusion of a larger, brighter bedroom, as well as offering you the practicality of a full-length dressing area. Light colours make small spaces feel larger too, so choose white or neutral furniture.”
Fitted wardrobe suppliers like Hammonds Fitted Furniture, Sharps, and John Lewis of Hungerford will run through your bedroom design with you and refine it to fit your personal needs.
Use small scale light pairings to create impact
The one thing that no small bedroom should be short of is lighting. After all, it is at least one bedroom feature that takes up very little space. When in a small-bedroom-ideas pinch, piling on the lights can be a perfect way to add features when there is limited space to add other accents.
Rohan Blacker, founder of Pooky, says: “Layering your lighting is the key to creating the perfect balance of warmth, cosiness and function in your home. This is particularly important in a bedroom, as you will need a combination of task and ambient lighting solutions for relaxation, reading or getting dressed.”
In this bijoux bedroom by Yellow London, a pair of slim and tall bedside lamps are layered with classic reading wall-mounted lights. The bedside lamps add visual height and the flexible wall lights give practicality.
The overall impression is of a lovely small bedroom that you can happily retire to with a good book in quiet and comfort.
We love the extra decor touch of the bedside table lamp shades matching the fabric on the headboard. It is this level of attention to detail that turns even the smallest bedroom into an event.
Do you have a small bedroom to design and wondering how to make the most of your lighting?
Check out these brilliant and bright small bedroom lighting ideas.
Well-appointed bed linen lifts a small bedroom
Limited square footage in your small bedroom means that you may have a much shorter shopping list than you usually would. This is a great opportunity to pore over the latest bed linen collections and to invest in textiles to get excited about.
Even if you squeeze in only a single bed, what you put on it can make a huge difference when it comes to creating a quality small bedroom experience.
We spoke to Rhiannon Johns, head of brand at Piglet in Bed, who says: “While you'll need to be careful to not fill a small bedroom with too much furniture, you can unleash your creativity via soft furnishings, for example your bedding.
“Patterned and printed bedding is having a huge revival at the moment, with ginghams and florals being very in this season and beyond. They can make a small bedroom feel instantly cosy, especially when mixed and matched with clashing patterns or with plain complementary colours.
“Linen bedding is a wonderful all-year-round option, as its thermoregulating abilities will keep you cool during the summer and warm in the winter. It's also breathable and soft, getting softer with each wash."
We like the playful charm of Piglet in Bed’s Botanical Green linen, as it is timeless and would appeal to a wide range of houseguest tastes.
Create drama overhead when floor space is tight
A lick of paint in the right place is always a good idea. And when it comes to small bedroom ideas, painting the ceiling is right up there.
Here’s why. Yes, you might opt to follow conventional wisdom for small spaces and keep walls white and bright. But in a small room you will need creative distractions to counter the limited dimensions.
Unexpected ceiling colour drama certainly offers up a distraction. Plus, if you go dark on your fifth wall, you get the all the colour impact but lose none of the airiness, if you choose a contrasting light colour for vertical walls.
This olive ceiling, lavished in Mylands Serpentine No.192, makes for a showstopping yet soothing ceiling statement in this small bedroom. The hue draws the eyes upward and makes the room a far more interesting proposition compared to what it would be with an ordinary white ceiling.
Small bedrooms call for clever and hardworking furniture
The bed you choose for your small bedroom should be a real workhorse. It’s the biggest piece of furniture you’ll have in your room, and, with limited space, it needs earn its keep.
One of the biggest potential problems for a small bedroom is it becoming easily cluttered. So a bed that doubles up as storage would be very practical. Stash extra pillows and bedding and even clothing that needs to be out of sight.
Finding attractive storage beds that suit your bedroom scheme has never been easier. Suppliers like Furl offer them in a wide range of materials, from leather to fabric.
If you like a blue bedroom scheme, we like the polished look of Happy Bed Sandy Blue Velvet Ottoman Storage Bed. We think it would look great in a range of bedroom styles.
Just be sure to choose a storage bed that is easy to operate, as you wouldn’t want to sacrifice comfort for storage.
Choose clever alternatives to bulky wardrobes
Don’t let your small bedroom’s limited dimensions stand in the way of your dream of quality clothing storage. The perfect solution may be at hand with some more off-the-wall options, like a wall-mounted rack or a slender clothes rail.
Studio Dean shows, with its bespoke metal ladder for hanging, that a little imagination goes a long way when making a beautiful and yet practical small bedroom space.
The secret to ditching the wardrobe and going down a more compact storage route is to make sure that your alternative storage is well constructed enough to take the weight of your hanging, day after day.
Granted, a lot of low-quality designs aren’t only eyesores but can sway and topple over when you try to hang your bulky jackets and coats. Who needs the frustration?
As the lowest priced clothes rail might be a false economy, it makes better sense to buy the highest quality you can afford.
Styling options range from industrial to wooden, with wood being a great DIY pick if you decide to add a lick of paint in a colour that suits your bedroom decor.
We like the wooden Boscombe Clothes Rail available through Garden Trading. Made with natural ash, it offers hanging and triple shelving in one compact unit.
As with all furniture for tight space, be sure to get out your measuring tape to make sure you can close doors and so on when the furniture is in the room.
Keep details simple and consistent for a harmonious small bedroom
A small bedroom can quickly become overwhelmed if too many ideas are stuffed into it. Choosing just one theme and executing it well throughout is a great way to create a polished and peaceful small bedroom.
An excellent example of this small bedroom design idea comes to us from Yellow London. In this well-executed respite, a gentle green and cream motif is carried out not only on the walls, but on the headboard, cushion and even on the lamp shades.
The colour palette is carried through to framed artwork and the bed linen, where a dark green throw underlines the nature inspired scheme.
The result is a small bedroom that feels peaceful, because much of the detail, like the bedside lamps, gently whispers. No one feature is vying for attention.
We love the inventive use of narrow mirrored built-in joinery that serves as both storage and a bedside table.
Sunshine is the best accent for a small bedroom
Nothing transforms a poky little bedroom like natural sunlight. It gives the smallest space an airy and welcoming feel, no matter how limited the size.
Sunlight is also critical for helping us to balance our sleep cycle. Waking up to sunlight in the morning can help you or your guest enjoy restful sleep.
If you would like to add sunlight to your small attic bedroom without sacrificing privacy, skylights might be the perfect solution.
To make your skylights both practical and beautiful, add blinds and shades that complement your bedroom’s decor and block out the bright sunlight when it isn’t wanted.
Make the wallpaper design the star of the show
When the first thing someone is to bound to notice when they step into your small bedroom is the tight squeeze, it may be time to go bold on your walls. Who is thinking about the lack of space when their attention is grabbed by striking wallpaper instead?
Just remember to keep the pattern scale big. If you use a small-scale pattern you will have the reverse effect, and your already-small bedroom will look smaller. Instead, choose a gutsy pattern and spread it across all your walls. If you paper only behind the bed, this too could have the unintended consequence of making the room appear smaller.
It is best to resist the urge to play it safe – instead, spread the pattern everywhere. If you extend the paper to the ceiling you can create an even more glamorous and dramatic effect.
Sources like Rebel Wall and Wallpaper Direct are great places to find a selection of wallpapers that are perfect for giving a pop of life to your small bedroom.
Use the wall behind your bed for extra storage
Is your bedroom so size challenged that there is no space for bedside tables? Wall-mounted shelving above your bed may be just the small bedroom idea that helps you to have all you need to hand.
And with shelving coming in a vast array of styles, you are bound to find a look that works for you and your needs.
Unlike bedside tables, which have limited surface areas, shelves are great places to put your personality on display. Add plants, books, lighting and your favourite objects to add a unique decorative display in your small bedroom.
Open shelving is great for keeping that clean uncluttered look that can help a small space feel bigger. Just be sure no objects will fall off while someone is lying in bed.
Floating bedside tables are made for small bedrooms
In a small bedroom, anything that can be kept off the floor will add to the illusion of more space, and every inch of storage is precious.
That’s why small wall-mounted bedside table ideas are the top-drawer pick for balancing the need for storage with a desire to keep the floor light, breezy and clutter-free.
The best options for the job will feature a drawer that will let you or your guests discreetly stash away books or any items you don’t want on display. A display shelf lets you make the most of creating a charming display, even with your limited space.
In particularly tight rooms, we recommend a half-moon shaped design to further avoid the risk of you or your guest connecting with sharp edges.
Explore the range of finishes available from suppliers such as La Redoute, Swoon and Wayfair.
Install clever clothes rails to use an awkward space
Small bedrooms can call for clever storage solutions, especially when an awkward ceiling is involved. Once upon a time, all that could be done to make use of the otherwise dead space was to add some bespoke joinery – an elegant, if potentially pricey solution.
A unique rail that works at any angle opens the world of opportunity for the small bedroom lacking wardrobe space. These rails, created by Zebedee Any Angle rails, come in five lengths, giving handy sizing flexibility for small spaces.
Another upside is that the manufacturers say that these angled rails are no more challenging to hang than curtain rails. You could make your small bedroom more practical in just an afternoon.
Long weekend coming up? You can install your own Any Angles rails and enjoy clothes storage in your small bedroom in a jiffy. The basic steps are listed in our easy DIY projects guide.
The best advice on preparing and painting your ceiling from a professional.
