How to Make a Small Bedrooom Appear Larger
Small bedrooms aren’t all that bad.
It’s a common misconception that small bedrooms are just not worth having but when you think about it, every bedroom is small, unless you have one that is 30ft by 30ft because – let’s be honest – the more room you have, the more things you feel you ought to have in it. I’m here to tell you that’s the worst thing we can do but we still do it. Why? Because its human nature and we often feel some urge to feel cozy in spaces that feel cavernous. We don’t know this part of our human nature exists until we suddenly find ourselves in a big house with high ceilings and lots of square footage. But what about when you have normal height ceilings and a small bedroom? I bet you’re wondering how we can make it appear larger. Well, read on and learn a few techniques that I use to help solve this design dilemma!
Hi, there! It’s me, Caroline – AKA Carolina – and I’m about to tell you what you can do to make a small bedroom appear larger: First thing’s first, take a good look around and notice all the things you have. Make a mental note of everything you really like and need to keep versus something you’ve settled for and can do without.
Step 1: Choose the Right Wall Color
It’s no secret that using the right wall color for a room is the foreground to making it feel amazing. Using a lite color is usually an option but don’t be afraid to use a color with a recessive tone: that’s a tone that can make the walls feel like they are moving away from you instead of closing in on you. We all see color differently so find the right color with the right undertones for you.
Step 2: Watch the Scale of Your Furniture
In a small bedroom, the key is to use the right sized furniture. That means making sure your bed isn’t too big and limiting the size and quantity of other key pieces. You may want two night stands but they may not both fit. You may have to give up one of those night stands in order to have a dresser that provides more storage which is often much more valuable. Watch the scale on every piece so that you have enough room to walk around the room comfortably and without feeling crowded by what you’ve added.
Step 3: Choose Leggy Furniture
One thing people often do is buy pieces that are grounded – this means the bottom of the pieces are enclosed and you can’t see the floor, nor can you clean it. 🙁 Choose furniture that is at least 4 to 6 inches above the floor to create the illusion that it’s floating. From dressers to night stands, this is a great technique to keep the room from feeling heavy because being able to see the floor under the furniture makes us think the room is larger than it really is.
Steven Spassov
Step 4: Pay attention to Where You Place Things
This is called Space-Planning in our office. It’s a strategy to make sure we don’t have to move furniture often because we’ve already made sure we love where it’s going to fit but one of the things we also do is make sure the furniture doesn’t touch the walls. What this does is create the illusion that there is more space in the room than there really is. Now, I know that with floating headboards being all the rage, this may not apply to this one piece but do use this technique for all the other pieces and see what a difference it makes. Oh, and by the way of the bed in a small bedroom, you may want to consider giving up the footboard to reclaim that valuable square footage for being able to walk freely through the room. Whatever you do, don’t do this: Do Not line up your furniture side by side.
Step 5: Use Mirrors
We mentioned creating illusions and what better way to do that than using mirrors? Using mirrors doesn’t only add interest to the wall, it also reflects natural light as well as artificial light which helps make the room appear bigger. You may not want wall to wall mirrors but you can use a beautiful piece that adds style and luxury to your small bedroom.
Step 6: Ditch Window Treatments? Maybe Not!
If your windows are big and let in a lot of natural daylight, you may want to consider ditching the window treatments. If you need to add some, then you can definitely opt for a light, gauzy drapery that will filter but not block the natural lighting but offer a sense of privacy. Skip the room-darkening drapery so that your small bedroom will still have depth and allow the natural scenery outdoors to come inside.
Step 7: Cut the Clutter and Stay Organized
I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to let go of things you aren’t using and are taking up valuable real-estate in the room. It’s simply not necessary to have too many things in a small bedroom. Doing away with things that you aren’t wearing or using is good for the soul. It puts a skip in your step and relieves you of the inability to feel fully rested. It also reveals space which is the foundation for making any room appear larger. One of my techniques is “If it doesn’t speak or contribute to the space, if it doesn’t have a purpose, it’s clutter so let’s choose each piece to help make a statement and keep the space enjoyable.”
Step 8: Say No to Small Patterns and Go Big With Color
Try to avoid too many fussy prints in a small scale. Go big with solid colors, or washed colors on larger pieces like your bedding. This applies to your color pallet so whatever color story you are using, keep it in order and don’t forget this one designer tip that I always implement to keep things interesting: don’t be afraid of throwing in at least one piece that really stands out – maybe in the form of a pillow to draw attention to the bed- if you need a bit of variety, although… my reason behind it is that it will make people do a double-take and smile, making the room memorable and defining it’s ultimate style and a hint of personality.
Have you tried decorating a small room? Have you tried a good purge of clutter? Share your thoughts in the comments below! I’m curious to hear how it turned out and how you felt about it in the end!
*Feature Image by
Pietro Tebaldi
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