7 Ways to Make a Small Bedroom Look Bigger and Work Better
Sometimes a small bedroom can feel more like a cave than a cozy
refuge. If a space lacks natural light, smart storage and the right
color palette, it can feel cramped and uncomfortable. But with the right
techniques, even the smallest bedrooms can be much more functional and
even look bigger.
Use these professional tips to turn a bedroom, office, storage room or attic into a comfy bedroom for friends, family — or you.
Use these professional tips to turn a bedroom, office, storage room or attic into a comfy bedroom for friends, family — or you.
The perfect example. This
little room has it all: The daybed (with extra storage underneath)
almost makes the space look like a sitting room instead of a bedroom but
doesn't take away from its cozy vibe. A wall-mounted nightstand and
light fixture maximize every inch of floor space. A classic acrylic
chair provides necessary seating but visually disappears.
by Jeanne Finnerty
»
1. Add built-in shelving.
Shallow built-in shelving can help you gain storage and maintain floor
space. Stick to shelving that's no more than 12 inches deep. The units
here act as bedside tables, eliminating the need for extra furniture.
Recessing the bed in the middle of the shelving prevents it from
encroaching on much-needed floor space.
If you go with built-ins in your small bedroom, try taking them all the way to the ceiling to make the ceiling look higher. And paint the back wall a contrasting color to create layering and depth.
If you go with built-ins in your small bedroom, try taking them all the way to the ceiling to make the ceiling look higher. And paint the back wall a contrasting color to create layering and depth.
|
by Shannon Malone
»
|
|
2. Let in natural light.
While you should avoid blocking natural light in a small room, sometimes
the only place that makes sense for a bed is right in front of the
window. If that's the case, try a see-through headboard (like the one on
this metal frame) to make the most of your sunlight.
|
3. Go for mirrored closet doors.
Using a mirror to double your room's visual square footage is a trick
that's been used for centuries. In small bedrooms this often means
replacing your closet doors with mirrored ones. The effect tends to work
best when you can take the mirrors from floor to ceiling and wall to
wall.
|
4. Use a daybed. A daybed
can help create the illusion that the room is more of a small sitting
area, instead of a small bedroom that's been taken over by a bed.
Daybeds often have storage built in underneath too — another bonus for a
small room.
|
|
5. Paint the ceiling.
Painting the ceiling the same hue as the walls can help to erase the
shadow lines that visually define a space. A white ceiling against a
darker wall immediately shrinks a space — your eye can sense the room's
size right away. When the walls and ceiling are the same color, it's
harder for your eye to tell where the room's parameters start and end,
so the room looks larger.
|
|
6. Install pendants. Don't
take up precious bedside table space with bulky lamps and oversize
shades; install pendant lighting instead. Hanging pendant lights from
the ceiling creates a focal point while providing task lighting on each
side of the bed. Just remember to measure carefully and hang them low
enough so you don't have to get out of bed to turn them off.
|
|
7. Put up wall shelves. A
nightstand can take up a lot of floor space in a small bedroom, and
using just one with a double- or queen-size bed means that someone won't
have a spot for an alarm clock, phone or beverage. A wall shelf on one
side of the bed — or on both — can give a small bedroom a more open
feeling and extra floor space, while giving you all the room you need
for nighttime essentials.
|
