Designer Tricks to Transform Your Tiny Bedroom

Make your box room beautiful

Small bedrooms needn't feel cramped and claustrophobic. With a few clever furniture tricks and decorating know-how, a tiny box bedroom can be turned into a restful retreat that feels organized and spacious. Click or scroll to be inspired by these stylish small bedroom ideas to create your own dream scheme...

Use the picture rail

A neutral paneled feature wall behind the bed will give a small bedroom a focus and make it instantly refined. A professional finish is key so make sure to take time getting right if you're doing it yourself. Prep the wood properly and use a chalky paint with a matte or satin finish. Complete the look with a picture rail and use the ledge to display your favorite accessories.

Decide on a divan

A divan bed will benefit small bedrooms as it creates plenty of under-bed storage in the form of draws or ottoman space. It will also split in two so can be easily navigated and arranged in a small room. The shape of this tapered headboard draws the eye up and takes up less wall space, so it will feel less imposing in a tight space.

Wallpaper a new territory

Mural walls are having a moment and can be a clever choice for small bedrooms, using an illusion of depth to open up the space. This silhouette scene is a great choice as it is subtle and restful yet draws the eye back into the woodland. Notice how the wire bedside table doesn't interrupt the mural design; in fact, see-through furniture is a top choice for making a space feel bigger.

Coordinate the furniture

A reduced floor space means you should choose furniture wisely. Try a matching set of bedroom furniture to create a coherent look and opt for tall slim pieces for alcoves and awkward corners. This chalk white range has modern lines and simple curves that are less fussy which looks more streamlined, a perfect choice for small bedrooms.

Accessorize with metallics

Make your small bedroom look luxe by choosing accessories made from metal. The shiny surfaces will reflect light around the room creating a brighter feel. The gold desk lamp, vase and jewelry tray set on a matching bedside table look beautiful against a green backdrop and it picks up on the brass headboard studs.

Include a statement piece

Play on the fact that small bedrooms are cozy by adding a statement headboard that cocoons the sleeper. This beautiful fluted headboard has subtle wings that don't overextend into a tight space and the soft pink color lifts a dark bedroom color such as navy or black.

Streamline storage

Placing a floating shelf securely above a bed is practical in small bedrooms as it makes good use of empty space and draws the eye to focus on the bed. Make a style statement by painting the shelf the same hue as the walls behind and create your own display with vintage paperback books, photo frames and pretty ceramics.

Pick a theme

Tiny cabins in the woods prove that small can be beautiful. Channel this cozy hut chic with wood-paneled walls and decorative motifs such as woodland flowers and leaves. Keep furniture pale and choose soft furnishings in delicate pastel shades of blush pink and pale gray to balance the heavy backdrop. 

Elongate with stripes

Give your small bedroom a smart and orderly look by choosing a nautical theme. Combine barely-blue walls with a section of white-washed wood paneling to bring in a coastal vibe, using the vertical lines to make the room appear taller. This navy blue striped board and matching cushion add a strong pattern to the scheme while keeping things classic. Dress the bed with crisp white bed linen and boating accessories. 

Layer pale tones

Stop a country-style small bedroom from looking boxed in with a bright white scheme, dressed in touches of gray and green. Add comfort and a subtle pattern with an upholstered gingham headboard. A bedside table painted in pale sage green will continue the charm and pick out the secondary color.  

Install wall lights

Ditch the bedside tables to free up floor space in a small bedroom. Make the scheme sophisticated with a traditional backdrop layered with a deep elephant gray. White furniture and bed linen will lift the scheme and ambient wall-lighting such as these matching stylish silver wall sconces are a perfect alternative to bedsides lamps that would get in the way.

Add rustic charm

Keep a small bedroom pale and pretty with a soft white background and then choose bed linen and curtain fabrics in fresh lemon tones. The star of the show is this amazing upcycling project; a headboard made from a reclaimed door. Enhance the mood with pretty spring prints, ditsy florals and antique accessories.

Pull out a tray

Quirky extras will give a small bedroom an element of fun which can be invaluable if the room is also used when guests come to stay. This petite bedside table has an integrated, pull-out tea tray creating additional surface space if needed and a touch of practical hotel chic!

Create impact with paint

If your small bedroom is too tiny for a headboard or feature wall, inject a shot of personality with creative paint effects. Playful shapes in a selection of contrasting colors can add a designer touch and is easy to achieve by marking out the design first with masking tape. If you lack artistic skills, you can achieve the same effect with peel-off wall stickers.

Decorate in period petite

A small bedroom can still be packed with personality without overwhelming the space. This tiny boudoir uses a bold palette yet still looks spacious thanks to the balanced use of color. Rich navy cladding is offset with neutral cream walls, jewel-tone curtains are sumptuous and rich, and the bed is dressed unexpectedly in plain tonal fabrics. It's a look that shouldn't work but does!

Add drama with shutters

Don't drown a small bedroom with heavy curtains. Instead, solid shutters can create a smart feature that won't engulf the space. Colorful shutters are bang on trend and create a focal point in the room. The solid wood finish will also create a blackout scenario to offer an undisturbed night's sleep.

Build a window seat

Make use of awkward alcoves by building multipurpose, bespoke furniture. A window seat with storage underneath will inject unique and functional charm into a small bedroom. Teamed with a smart red, gray and white color scheme, the striking look is studious and preppy; perfect for a teen. 

Make it modern

A small bedroom will appear larger when flooded with natural light so will benefit from large windows and contemporary glazed walls. The bright canvas is the perfect place to experiment with color. Combine petrol blue or fashionable teal with the other end of the spectrum – think burnt orange, mustard yellow and bright red – for a failsafe color combination. 

Limit the look

Pairing back furniture to the absolute essentials only will make a small bedroom feel bigger and brighter. Take inspiration from Scandinavian schemes with a pale palette and neutral furniture that is simple yet chic. Cushions with a subtle pattern in muted tones will add a touch of comfort and color. 

Spin homely charm

Dress up a small bedroom with plenty of coordinated soft furnishings to give the compact space an inviting elegance. Botanical prints are so versatile and smaller motifs can be used freely on blinds, cushions and bed linen. Rustic-painted furniture in traditional shapes will complement the timeless look perfectly. Frame up a few pressed flowers and plants to complete the look.

Lay a light floor

Create the appearance of a larger floorplan by choosing a covering in a super pale finish; cream carpets, ash or whitewashed wood and laminate floorboards could all work here. It's a smart complement to a blush pink color scheme and will make the room seem brighter. Here, a modern low sideboard makes for a clever bedside table if you only have room for one piece of furniture. 

Rethink storage

A built-in wardrobe is an asset to a small space. This cupboard has had its doors removed in order to house two chests of drawers as well as an extra railing installed at the top of the space. Ample storage like this would not be possible otherwise in such a tiny room. Dark gray woodwork frames the design making it a stylish focal feature. 

Soothe with green

Make your small bedroom restful and airy with a soothing palette of uplifting green. Arguably green is the best color choice for bedrooms as it is calming yet invigorating and when teamed with chalky white the combination appears uncluttered in a compact space. Include the real thing by accessorizing with hanging houseplants to give the room natural character. 

Lose conventional wardrobes

Placing a bed centrally can make a small bedroom practical and interesting. Use the space behind it for a wardrobe with sliding doors or better still choose retail style rails and white garment covers for a contemporary vibe. Here, a funky red wall divider creates a luxurious dressing area; who'd have thought a compact space could accommodate such a bonus feature?

Mount a mirror

Enhance your small bedroom's illusion of space by including a mirror in your decorating scheme. Go large for the full effect or place an ornamental style close to a window to attract and bounce plenty of light around the room. An oval rattan framed version makes a fabulous finishing touch to this tropical bedroom scheme. 

Shrink fit accessories

Finishing touches bring small bedrooms to life so choose well to liven up the petite space. Look for smaller versions of everyday objects to make the room appear larger while freeing up much-needed surfaces. This mini table lamp is quaint set on the dainty bedside table and its white lampshade means its size will not compromise on the amount of light it throws out. 

Multifunctional furniture

When space is tight, make a chair work harder by using it as a bedside side table when not in use. An organic rattan chair with slim legs will squeeze into a narrow spot and suits the earthy tones of this global-style scheme. 

Use pattern wisely

Don't shy away from pattern: if you love it then use it. A delicate single motif is displayed perfectly in this small yellow and gray bedroom. Wallpaper on one wall behind the bed creates a focal point that is then continued with matching bed linen to create a perfectly balanced and inviting retreat. 

Pull out a sofa bed

If your small bedroom is truly tiny, replacing the bed for a sofa bed will be a wise swap. Lay down a rug and choose lightweight furniture that can be easily moved when in use and an ottoman or storage trunk will hide bedlinen when the bed is in day mode. If making a bed every night seems a chore look for a wardrobe wall-bed that can be pulled out ready to sleep in instead. 

Invest in a metal bed

A traditional metal bed with posts you can see through is a stylish space saver that will not date. A shiny material such as reflective nickel not only looks opulent but helps bounce light in a compact room. Finish the period look with plenty of symmetry such as matching wooden nightstands and vintage-style wall lights. 

Loved this? Follow us on Facebook for more interior ideas