Life’s not always fair. You find a decent house in a perfect location which is in your price range…but it has a teeny tiny master bedroom. Do you let the other-wise perfect house slip from your grasp? Or do you go all interior-designer-pro on that room and make it work.
The choice is yours, but after growing up in a small shared single bedroom with my sister, moving between cramped student houses at university, and moving into my first two-bedroom property – I have a few tips that might be able to help you.
Tip #1: Only Have What You Need
In a small bedroom, every single square inch of space is precious. You can’t afford to have anything in there that isn’t absolutely necessary, and used every day.
Of course, you’re going to need a bed. The bed is probably the largest piece of furniture you’ll find in any bedroom and, unfortunately, it will take up a lot of space.
You just need to sensible, and work to the scale of your room. There’s no point in having a king-size bed if that’s the only thing you can fit in the room! Ideally, you want enough space to walk around the bed with ease, and to place a couple of bedside tables either side of the bed.
MYTH BUSTER! No matter how small your bedroom is, never place the bed in a corner. Always have it in the centre of the room, as this creates a sense of balance and space, making the room look bigger.
Just ask yourself, do you really need that bookcase, ottoman, desk, chair etc. in your bedroom? Or can you place those items elsewhere around your home.
Tip #2: You Need Storage – And Lots of IT!
Storage is you new best friend, but instead of investing in bulky boxes and ‘clever’ storage solutions (you know what I mean) – just make the most of the storage you space you already have.
If you have a wardrobe, add more shelves to create more space for folded clothes/shoes, attach hooks to the inside of the door for scarves/jewellery/ties and insert another clothing rail if you can. Wardrobes are usually capable of holding a lot more, but are (in my opinion) poorly designed and don’t optimise the amount of space they use.
The top of the wardrobe is also a good place to store all of those ‘odd bits and bobs’ that you seem to accumulate over the years. Some people think this looks unsightly, but if you invest in a cute woven basket or decorated box, it needn’t be.
Think about how you can be utilise space. If you need/want a bedside table – use one with drawers so you can hide stuff away!
Tip #3: Fix shelves near the ceiling to draw the eye upward
Calling attention to the ceiling can make a room seem taller, and therefore bigger. It’s a simple yet effective optical illusion that works really well.
You’re also creating more valuable storage space, for files/books/shoes – whatever!
Tip #4: Use blinds instead of curtains
Blinds keep windows clutter-free and allow more light to flood the room. Light is any small room’s best friend, because it fills up the space and makes a place look much bigger and airier.
Tip #5: Keep furniture off the floor
Remember playing “the floor is lava” as a child? The same principal applies here. Keep the amount of surfaces that touch the floor to an absolute minimum!
Use furniture with legs to keep the bulk raised from the floor, use floating shelves (fixed to the wall) as alternative nightstands and use wall lamps instead of floor lamps.
Just being able to see the floor, makes a HUGE difference to the visual dynamics of a room.
Author Bio: Louise Dickens is an experienced blogger with a keen interest for interior design. Louise currently blogs for MyBedFrames.