Looking for some small bedroom interior design inspiration? Check out these simple tips and tricks for stylish boudoirs.
Small bedrooms can be a challenge when it comes to interior design styling. With limited floor space, you may feel you can’t experiment with the furniture or decor that you admire without overwhelming the room. If this sounds like a problem you’re having, then keep reading.
In this article, we’ve put together 19 small bedroom ideas to help you make the most of the space you have, from investing in multi-purpose furniture to embracing bold colors. By the end, you’ll realise how much you can achieve in a small bedroom with the right combination of practical interior design advice and stylistic inspiration.
Contents:
- 19 small bedroom ideas for making the most of your space
- Top tips for designing small bedrooms
- Conclusion
Let’s dive in!
19 ideas that are perfect for your small bedroom
Here are our small bedroom ideas to help you maximise the space you have without compromising on style.
1. Install a large scale wall mural
A large-scale wall mural such as a nature scene, cityscape, geometric design, floral explosion, or fantasy landscape, can create a vibrant focal point in a small bedroom, giving the illusion of more space, reflecting the inhabitant’s personal style and interests, and complementing the room’s existing color scheme or theme.
2. Keep the walls bare
If a mural isn’t in keeping with your personal style, you might want to experiment with keeping the walls of your small bedroom completely bare. This design choice creates a simple yet open environment, boosting the feeling of spaciousness and minimalism. With bare walls, you may feel you can be more bold with your bedroom furniture choices, accessories, and textiles as this blank canvas allows more expressive pieces to really shine.
3. Remove the bed’s headboard
A simple yet effective technique for making a room feel instantly larger is to remove the bed’s headboard. Wall space is freed up for things like framed photographs, prints, or shelving, while the absence of the headboard itself reveals a cleaner, more open look which can really help smaller bedrooms feel less cramped. Without a headboard, a bed can also be more easily positioned in different places within the room, enabling you to experiment more freely with the overall interior design.
4. Contrast colours
Contrast colors in interior design typically refers to the process of pairing softer hues with more striking or bold tones. An example of this might be a soft gray wall color that is accessorised with pops of mustard yellow for picture frames. While this interior design technique adds depth and visual interest to a small bedroom, it also supports the defining of different areas within the space, such as the sleeping area or study area.
5. Build custom storage
For those looking to increase the efficiency and organisation of a small bedroom, building custom storage solutions that are specifically tailored to the space is a highly effective way of doing this. Built-in shelving units and wall-mounted cabinets are typical examples of custom storage solutions that complement the space they are built in, but other options include multifunctional furniture such as bed frames with drawers or ottomans with hidden compartments, which are great for those who do not want to compromise on the look or feel of the room.
6. Create side tables from piles of books
A space-saving and colorful side-table solution, piles of books next to the bed provide a stylish nightstand that aligns with a bohemian aesthetic. Simple to make, this DIY design concept injects character into a bedroom and utilizes existing objects, maximizing the space. For best results, opt for books that have hard-back, durable covers and which come in a range of sises for visual variety and a stable structure.
7. Curtain off sections
Using curtains or drapes to separate and define areas of a small bedroom is the perfect way to create distinct areas for different activities such as sleeping, dressing, or working without the need for permanent walls or heavy furniture. The solution is not just flexible, but also creates an open feel that still allows for privacy when needed. To avoid giving the bedroom a cramped or overstuffed feel, select curtains in soft colors or transparent fabrics to enable lots of light to flow through the room.
8. Embrace color
Whether you choose accent walls, colorful rugs and throws, bright lampshades, or vibrant bedding, embracing color in a small bedroom enables you to create an inviting yet dynamic feel in your space. To ensure a cohesive look that doesn’t overwhelm the eye or make the space feel claustrophobic, consider balancing more dramatic shades against a backdrop of neutral tones.
9. Get a storable bed
Whether you choose a Murphy bed that folds out from the wall or a sofa that extends into a bed, storable beds are an effective way for small bedroom owners to maximise their space without sacrificing style or comfort. These types of beds can be tucked away during the day or when not in use, freeing up valuable floor space for other activities.
10. Mix different patterns together
With the right amount of careful coordination, experimentation, and planning, mixing different patterns together in a room such as florals, geometric prints, dots, and stripes can create a dynamic, visually eclectic, and highly personalised bedroom interior. Be sure to keep in mind proportion and distribution, varying the scale of patterns for balance and harmony. It’s also worth using blocks of solid color, particularly neutrals, as a buffer between patterned areas to avoid making the room feel too busy.
11. Experiment with bold wallpaper
If you’re looking to inject some energy and personality into your small bedroom but are lacking the floor space to make a statement with furniture or decorative items, incorporating bold wallpaper into your small bedroom’s interior design is an effective way of creating an engaging focal point without taking up floor space. For a cohesive look, try to choose a wall paper design that not only reflects your personal style and favorite colors but also complements and works with the existing decor in the room.
12. Invest in multi-purpose furniture
To maximize functionality without sacrificing the style of your bedroom, invest in multi-purpose furniture that is designed to optimize space and provide storage solutions. Examples of multi-purpose furniture include beds with built-in drawers, nesting tables that stack inside each other, folding tables or desks, Murphy beds, and modular shelving units. These inventive items help you to maximise every square inch of your bedroom, while ensuring a versatile, efficient, and stylish overall design.
13. Celebrate under-bed storage
Another space-saving solution for owners of small bedrooms is under-bed storage. Although this may not be the most glamorous-sounding addition to your room’s interior, this practical piece of furniture will be of huge assistance in keeping your space organised and clutter free and provides you with more space to experiment with the rest of the interior design. Your under-bed storage can be used for seasonal clothing, bed linens, shoes, or any other items that are not regularly utilised.
14. Consider a single bed
If you are living alone, a single bed can be a practical option for maximising your bedroom’s space, giving you more freedom to arrange furniture and creating a more visually spacious feel. Single beds are more affordable than double beds and come in a range of styles and designs for every preference and need.
15. Buy foldable furniture
While you may associate foldable furniture with camping or other outdoor activities, this sort of furniture can be a versatile, practical, and stylish addition to a small bedroom, too. Folding chairs, tables, and desks enable you to adapt the layout to suit your changing needs, preferences, and activities as well as helping you retain more floor space when necessary.
16. Use vertical space
Referring to the area above floor level up to the ceiling, “vertical space” can be used to maximise the functionality and aesthetic appeal of a room. There are numerous ways you can do this, with popular options including the incorporation of tall furniture like bookcases, wall-mounted or floating shelves, loft or bunk beds, or even vertical gardens made of hanging planters if you’re hoping to inject some greenery into the space.
17. Utilise mirrors
Boosting a room’s sense of light and space, mirrors are a handy tool for tricking the eye into perceiving a larger area, enhancing natural brightness, and providing stylish accent pieces. Experiment with different types of mirrors, such as vanity mirrors, floor mirrors, over-the-door mirrors, and frameless mirrors to see which best suits your personal style and the room’s existing aesthetic.
18. Don’t be afraid of dark tones
While it might be tempting to avoid darker hues in a small bedroom out of fear of making the space feel smaller than it is, dark tones in a bedroom can help to create a cosy, intimate, and sophisticated atmosphere when implemented correctly. To add depth, consider painting the walls in navy or deep green and consider pairing them with lighter furnishings or decor to create a striking visual contrast and prevent the room from feeling too enclosed.
19. Use window sills for bookshelves
If you’re lacking the space in your bedroom for bookshelves, window sills can make a stylish and practical substitute. This often underutilised surface enables you to keep your favorite books within easy reach while freeing up valuable floor and wall space for other items. Pot plants can make stylish bookends on a window sill as can DIY creations such as painted bricks or sculpted clay.
Top 3 tips for designing a small bedroom
Now that you’ve gotten some ideas, here are the top tips to bear in mind when you’re considering changing up or refining the interior design of your small bedroom.
1. Maximise space with functional furniture
As we have seen, the space in a small bedroom can be better utilised with functional and multi-purpose furniture. From foldable tables, chairs, and desks, to storable or fold-away beds, there are lots of options out there that enable you to make the most of your space irrespective of the size.
2. Create the illusion of space with colors and mirrors
From embracing a neutral color palette for walls and textiles to collecting mirrors of every shape and sise, there are lots of options open to owners of smaller bedrooms when it comes to creating the illusion of more space. Neutral tones such as beige, white, and magnolia naturally reflect light creating a more spacious and open impression, while mirrors create an optical illusion that gives visitors the impression of depth in a room.
3. Adopt a minimalist approach
A minimalist approach involves reducing and simplifying what you include in your bedroom, retaining only essential items such as key furniture pieces and a streamlined decor. A minimalist approach enables you to still make a striking style statement within a smaller space while helping to keep the space uncluttered and harmonious.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve run you through some unique ideas to try out in your small bedroom. Perhaps you’ll be inclined to try out a minimalist look in your room, experiment with some bold wallpaper or even a mural, or try out curtaining off different sections for different activities to create some definition within the space. In small spaces, it’s always worth investing in good storage solutions so you can maximize the space you have and use the vertical space as much as possible for decor, shelving, or even plants.
If you’d like to learn more about interior design or you’re looking for some more style, furniture, or accessory inspiration, make sure you check out the AND Academy blog for more articles like this one!
Next Steps
With that, we come to the end of our small bedroom interior design article and hope we’ve inspired you enough to take a deep-dive into this design field. In case you need further assistance, here are some resources to consider:
- Watch this session by Snehanshu Mukherjee, Founding Partner at T.E.A.M and Mansi Almadi, an Interior Designer at Studio Lotus
- Talk to a course advisor to discuss how you can transform your career with one of our courses.
- Check out our Interior Design courses - all courses are taught through live, interactive classes by industry experts.
- Take advantage of our scholarship and funding options to overcome any financial hurdle on the path of your career transformation.
Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.
