Make a tiny bedroom feel and work like a big bedroom

Is there anything to like about tiny bedrooms? Well, yes actually, they can be cosy and comfortable. Here’s how to get them there:

DESIGN AND DECOR

JANE USSHER

Too much clutter will make a small space feel smaller, use neutrals to visually expand the space.

It’s easy to think, “too much stuff and the space will look smaller.” And whilst this has an element of truth to it, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice personal style for it. 

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Julie Stuart of Clever Poppy, who has become something of a connoisseur of small bedroom decorating through her own efforts of trying to accommodate two kids into one small room, says “I think it’s easy for a room to look cluttered if you have a lot of stuff. But the alternative is to go all minimal, and that’s not really realistic.” 

But she does say she’s learnt to only keep things if they love them or need them. “There is absolutely no room for any extras to sit around and take up space.” Their beloved bunnies are exempt. 

For her kids’ room she decided to embrace the eclectic. To do this she installed a feature wallpaper on the main back wall. “I’ve found that it really anchors the room, draws your eye and gives instant character,” she says. “Which has almost made it more forgiving, the room is still quite full but you don’t really notice anymore.” 

Always allow at least space for the room to breathe, whether that’s a large window, a bare wall or a corner with minimal decor. Mirrors are a good option here, they will make a space feel bigger and bounce light around the room. 

Lighting wise, to reduce clutter (and cords) opt for pendant or wall mounted lights beside the bed instead of table lights. 

STORAGE

BELINDA MERRIE

Wall mounted lights will reduce floor clutter.

Those with small bedrooms will attest that the biggest bugbear is no storage. In an unlucky cycle, no storage leads to more clutter, and more clutter leads to the room looking and feeling smaller – it almost feels like there’s no way to win in this situation. 

So, storage solutions become a must. 

However handy a ‘wardrobe chair’ might be, this is not an ongoing solution for storing your clothes. If there’s no space in your tiny bedroom for a wardrobe, it might be time to get creative. 

This is exactly what Rachael Dickson from Made from Scratch did. With no built-in wardrobe and unable to find an alternative she liked, she took the opportunity whilst repainting her bedroom to build herself an open wardrobe. 

She bought a shelf bracket that had an extension on it to add a rod and a length of plywood, measured the space up, secured it to the wall and placed drawers underneath. “It took less than a day,” she says. 

“It was the fastest and easiest way to create a wardrobe, plus there’s something really lovely about having your favourite pieces on display.” 

SEE MORE:
* 12 cool kids’ bedrooms
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* Wallpaper’s central to kids’ room designs

JANE USSHER

Use bare walls for storage options and utilise open shelves.

With limited floor space, the best options for storage might be your walls. 

“It’s a space that is so under-utlisied for useful storage in most bedrooms,” says Stuart. She has invested in multiple hooks and handles for hanging baskets, bags and hats from. She also has three large book shelves that the kids’ books sit in front facing, “it’s really nice because we can see all the covers and it almost acts a bit like wall art.” 

Stuart also suggests investing in a decent pocket wall hanger that can hold accessories. “All these options free up floor space,” she says, which turns out to be a crucial element in tiny bedrooms because otherwise “they will bring all their toys out into the lounge to play with.”  

Of course the art to small bedroom storage is having places to put things that can also double as decor statements. Baskets are the obvious choice, place them in corners, under chairs and side tables. If you can contain the clutter, it will allow the space to feel more open. 

 – Homed