How to make a small bedroom look bigger

Whether space is at a premium or you have an extra small spare bedroom on your hands, making a petite room look a little bigger and more spacious is no easy feat. But don’t sweat it, that’s where we come in!

From colour palettes to minimalist furniture and having a good old decluttering session, there are plenty of techniques to accentuate the space you have if your room is on the smaller side. 

In this blog, we’ve collected some tried and tested methods to help you make your small boudoir appear larger than life.

Choose light colours

Soft neutrals, pastels and whites work really well in small rooms. Darker colours will make a room feel more cosy, and in some cases, cramped, but lighter colours will help create a more open and airy atmosphere. 

Lighter colours will create a bright aesthetic and help reflect any natural light back into your room, which is perfect if you are trying to make the most of your area in a snugger space!

Optimise natural light

If you want to avoid your small space feeling overly confined, accentuate any natural light you have to play with. Avoid having chunkier curtains and opt instead for blinds which can be fully rolled up to let in the maximum amount of natural light. 

A bit of sunshine will help the circadian rhythm of anyone sleeping in your small bedroom but also make the space feel more open and less limited.

Utilise mirrors

Carefully placed mirrors are a thing of beauty! Naturally helpful for those quick checks of your hair before you head out in the world, mirrors create an illusion of depth as they reflect light in space making it seem bigger. 

Whether it’s a statement mirror on one particular wall or incorporated within some furniture, mirrors can be a great choice if you are looking to make your small room feel larger and lighter.

Multifunctional furniture

Most of our rooms need some form of storage for clothes, keepsakes or the latest piece of tech on the market. And in smaller spaces, you can get really clever and creative with it!

Wall-mounted shelves and fold-out desks are great ways of preserving valuable floor space. You should also consider how much value you are getting from your bed in a small room. Our Modena High Sleeper Bed Frame for example, comes with a desk and a four-drawer chest, making it ideal for storage and for sleeping in a small child’s bedroom! You can also check out our blog on what are the best beds for small rooms if you are in the market for a new and effective sleep station.

Declutter and organise

A clear mind needs a clean space. You might find that tidying away those extra clothes or toys not only gives you an extra level of peace of mind which is more receptive to restful sleep, but your small space starts to appear like a bigger room. Huzzah!

Using a bed with built-in storage solutions like our Portofino Storage Spectre Grey Sofa Bed is a great way to make up for rooms tight on floor space. The Portofino is economical in a crowded spot, still provides a comfortable night of sleep and has hidden storage to help keep your room tidy. You could also invest in some organisers or baskets to help keep the clutter at bay. 

Vertical space

What you may lack in floor space, you may have in height! Making use of vertical space can help make any room feel taller, drawing eyes upwards rather than examining the potential square footage. Think shelving and tall cabinets and you’ll not only have extra storage spots, but your small room will feel a whole bunch bigger. 

Our range of high sleeper beds at Time4Sleep are perfect for pulling attention upwards while maximising available storage and freeing up valuable floor space.

Minimalist decor

It can be tempting in a small space to adorn the walls, floor and furniture with super bright colours and fancy decorations in an attempt to distract eyes away from the size of the space. But this approach could work against you and make your small room feel even smaller. 

Instead opting for a minimalist approach with a limited amount of decorative pieces can add tons of value and character to your space without it becoming overwhelming. In this respect, your new best friends are neutral colours, minimalist and chic pieces of furniture and a limited amount of prints or pictures which draw the eyes of visitors without being too much. 

Light-weight textiles

If you’ve invested in heavy fabrics, this is a surefire way to make your small room shrink even further in front of your very eyes. Choosing lightweight textiles for your curtains, rugs and even bedding, can make your small spot feel as open and breezy as any large bedroom. Soft linens might also be more agreeable to a good night's sleep, you never know until you try – let that space breathe!

Strategic furniture placement

When it comes to furniture, don’t just think about keeping the number of pieces to a minimum amount for your small room: consider whether you actually need them and how best to place each item in your room. Larger items belong against the walls to ensure there is a good amount of space left in the middle of your room, for instance. 

You will also want to consider the flow of your room to make it seem less overcrowded. Ensuring you have enough walking space around your bed and other big bits of furniture, will contribute to a good flow in your small space and naturally make it feel more open.

Keep it simple

When it’s small, keep it simple. Going overboard on the decorations or furniture will make your small bedroom an overwhelming and overstimulating space. Sticking to a simple colour scheme with minimalist decorations combined with a tidy space can make your small bedroom feel a lot larger than its dimensions. 

Searching for more ways to boost your sleep quality?

From neutral bedroom ideas to bedroom wall panelling inspiration and boho bedroom ideas, we’ve got all the inspiration you need when it comes to the bedroom! Browse our blog here.