The 21 Small Bedroom Ideas To Make The Most Of Your Space

These small bedroom ideas will help you make the absolute most of your space.

Whether you live in an apartment or a smaller home, it can be tricky to make the most of your home when you're limited in space. Fortunately, if you have a small bedroom, you don't have to sacrifice your design style.

After moving in to a new apartment, my husband and I wanted to put the time and effort into designing a home that felt large, open, and welcoming. We started with our small living room, and then moved on to the bedroom.

We planned out our furniture, storage, and wall decor options to curate a room that wasn't as cluttered as our last. Our small bedroom is now one of my favourite rooms and it feels so much bigger than when we first started. 

While designing a small bedroom can be challenging, there is an abundance of ways to open up the room to create the illusion of a spacious bedroom.

These small bedroom ideas will guide you in curating a beautiful bedroom that looks and feels bigger than it is.

1. Use shelf space as storage

Shelves are a must-have in small bedrooms because they can double as storage and a decorative unit. Add a few frames and plants to your shelves to curate a cozy corner that opens up the space in your bedroom

2. Use practical & stylish storage units

To get the most out of your space, use storage units that fit you layout and are practical. You don't have to sacrifice your decor style just to make space for storage.

3. Add curtains

Curtains are often an underrated way to make your room look bigger. By hanging up your curtains high, you'll help to make your ceilings look higher. This will also make your windows appear bigger and give your room a light, airy look.

4. Incorporate a full length mirror

Not only is a full length mirror a stylish addition to a room, it can make a small bedroom look much more open than it is. The light reflecting off of the mirror enhances the feeling of openness of the room, while the long mirror gives the illusion of a high ceiling.

5. Open up space with wallpaper

Adding wallpaper to a room not only adds a distinct and personal style to it, but it can also help make a room look bigger. Certain wallpaper patterns are better than others—stripes, larger patterns, chevron, and textured wallpaper work best for creating a larger looking room.

6. Hang up wall art

When choosing the perfect wall art to decorate your bedroom, lean in to lighter colours. Lighter colours, whether it be wallpaper, paint, or wall art, will make a room look larger while darker colours make it appear smaller. 

7. Use a rug

If you're looking for a rug to complete your bedroom, bigger is better. A large, lighter coloured rug will create a cozy flow to your room while also adding openness. Avoid small rugs with dark or bold patterns, as they'll close up the space in the room.

8. Add pops of colour

Adding pops of colour to a room that go well together will create a cohesive space. Lightweight accents like this wall art and bed sheets are the perfect way to tie your space together while curating a sense of openness.

9. Use a larger night stand

This may sound counterintuitive, but hear me out! If you have the layout and space for it, using a larger nightstand will give you extra storage space that will help keep other spaces free. 

10. Lighting

Consider the lighting in your bedroom. Does the lampshade add to the definition and style of the room? Is your lighting even and warm? Avoid dark lampshades and lighting that can create a heavy and closed off look.

11. Stagger wall shelves

To get the most out of your wall shelves, stagger them around the walls of the room for a stylish but practical look. By staggering wall shelves, you can easily hang three shelves above your bed for that much-needed storage space.

12. Plants

Plants are the genius decorative hack you didn't know you needed. Not only do they add warmth and airiness to a room, but depending on the plant, you they can also make any room look bigger.

Hanging plants up high or placing them on a higher shelf will add height and depth. Have a look at these helpful tips to use houseplants to make your bedroom look bigger.

13. Wall panelling

Wall panelling has become an explosive home design trend, and I've definitely jumped on the bandwagon myself. By adding wall panelling vertically to a section of your bedroom, you'll create the illusion of height and a more free space.

14. Keep things minimal

Adapting a minimalist style when it comes to a smaller bedroom can do wonders for the space. Rather than adding heavy, dark pieces of furniture, stick to slim and simpler staples.

15. Mix & match patterns and colours

Every bedroom needs a bit of definition. Mixing and matching different patterns, colours, and textures—when done right, can make all the difference. You don't have to opt for a completely uniform bedroom where all of the furniture is from one set if you don't want to.

The wicker element of this nightstand, along with the gold lamp and wall frames go seamlessly with the bed frame, even though they each have very unique elements.

16. Use every corner

If you need to create a work from home space in your bedroom, you can still make your room look open and stylish. Place the desk against a wall and use a few of these tips to create the illusion of an open space.

To recreate this cozy wfh space, add plants, hanging shelves, and a desk mirror to your home office.

17. Headboard

A tall headboard draws the eye upwards and creates the appearance of higher ceilings and larger spaces. It's also a great way to add a warm and personal look to your room!

18. Layer

Layering the design elements in your bedroom adds warmth, depth, and an openness that will have your room feeling thoughtfully put together. To layer, you can add items on top of one another, like trays and books on a shelf for a curated look.

19. Use a soft wall colour

Lean into soft, light colours for your bedroom to give it that large, open feel to it. Using dark and bold colours will close off your space and give you the opposite effect you're going for.

20. Work with your layout

One of the most important things you can do to curate a large-looking bedroom is to work with the layout. Place furniture in spaces so that it doesn't look overcrowded or tight. This dresser works perfectly beside the mirror and bed, but it may not work for all room layouts.

Be mindful of how you layout your bedroom, as this can make or break your space.

21. Cozy bed

Since your bed is one of the first thing guests see when walking in to your bedroom, make it a staple furniture piece in the room. Use the layering technique to add bed sheets, blankets, and throw pillows to the bed to create a cozy corner in your room that keeps the space open while showing off your style.