Creative Ideas for Small Bedrooms

Our bedrooms are our sanctuaries – a space to rest and relax, plan and prioritise and dream and deliberate when the world around us is changing so quickly. But how do you make a small bedroom feel cosy instead of cramped? How do you transform it into a tranquil space? With a little bit of strategic styling and creative organisation, we’ll show you how to pack plenty of style into your compact bedroom so that it feels comfortable and cohesive – a place where you love to spend time.

Begin each day afresh

When you wake up each day, make it your morning ritual to first make your bed and then throw open the windows and draw the curtains and blinds. Natural light is not only an excellent mood booster, it’s great for airing out the room. If your bedroom feels dark and claustrophobic, add lamps or even fairy lights to add a touch of whimsy. White bed linen and a well placed mirror or two (whether floor length or decorative) can also help bounce off light, making the room feel brighter.

Choose functional furniture that fits

If you can only fit a few pieces of furniture in your bedroom, make sure they are multi-functional and can adapt to your needs. Pay attention to scale. Stay clear of bulky pieces that overwhelm your bedroom and opt for slimline furniture instead. Our Anya and Jolanda beds are high enough for you to be able to keep items underneath in storage boxes – think shoes, handbags, seasonal clothing.

Or how about the Bruno bed? It has a narrow frame and comes in a range of sizes from Single to King and everything in between. Make use of every corner in your bedroom, even those awkward blank spaces like that alcove behind the door, and choose furniture that does double duty. How about using your dresser as your bedside table or a slim console table as a compact workspace?

If your wardrobe is overflowing, choose from our Bruno or Jolanda chests for storage solutions that are compact yet unbelievably spacious. Don’t forget to be creative with what you already have.

Bruno Chest of Drawers.

If you live in a studio apartment and need to separate your bedroom and living areas, our Jonas bookshelves can be stacked side by side to act as a room divider as well as provide much-needed storage.

solid oak bookshelves

Storage keeps clutter at bay

It’s ultra-important to clear out clutter so that your bedroom looks neat and spacious. Play mix and match with the furniture and accessories you have and adapt your furniture to free up space. Shelving and storage provide you with extra places to pop those books, photo frames and beautiful keepsakes. The Arne range has Tallboys and Lowboys that are elevated off the floor, giving the illusion of space while storing anything from your winter woolies to summer sheet sets. When it comes to bedside tables, the Bruno 1-drawer and the Anya are both practical, petite and perfect for a small bedroom.

oak bed and drawers with blue wall
solid oak 2 drawer bedside table
queen bed and solid oak 2 drawer side table

Choose accents wisely

Be picky when it comes to your accessories and accent pieces so that your bedroom looks pulled together. While light colours brighten a space, don’t be afraid to inject a pop of colour through artwork, rugs, a statement armchair and scatter cushions, remembering that cool tones are calming. Bring the outdoors in with a pot plant or two hung from hooks fixed to the ceiling or wall, freeing up space elsewhere. They are wonderful air purifiers and make the room feel fresh. Create a “shelfie” – a shelf that holds a few of your favourite things that will brighten your day.

oak bedroom furniture with pillows
mute orange bedroom aesthetic

Create the illusion of space

A nifty trick to make your room look more spacious is to hang your curtains as close to the ceiling as possible – not on or below the window frame. It draws your eye up and makes your ceiling look higher and your space bigger. Make sure your curtains are not too short – they need to kiss the floor. Choose breezy fabrics over heavy drapes in colours that match your wall colour so that your eye is not distracted by contrasting patterns and hues. Lastly, don’t forget to declutter, declutter and declutter some more to free up space.

We hope our tips on how to best utilise your bedroom space can help create a snug sanctuary. It doesn’t matter if your bedroom is small; what matters is what you make of it – how it makes you feel and how it functions as a practical and peaceful space in your home.

To view our curated collection of furniture for small bedrooms click here.

solid walnut bed head
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