50 Small Bedroom Ideas That Are Big on Style (and Storage)
From space-saving furniture to expansive prints and paint colors.
Cramped quarters are no one’s ideal situation, but sometimes we have no say in the size of our bedroom. Unless you’re building your dream home from the ground up, you have to work with the architecture you’ve been given—lack of closets, awkward angles, low ceilings, and all. You do, however, get a say in how you decorate it, and looking to designers for small bedroom ideas can help make it look nice. With a little strategic styling and creative organization, your small space can feel comfortable, cool, and as close to palatial as you can get without a king-sized bed.
You don’t have to sacrifice style or comfort when you have a small bedroom, even if it’s just 10-by-10 square feet. The trick is to use closed storage and multipurpose furniture (like an end-of-bed bench that doubles as extra clothing storage). In general, the less clutter you have, the bigger your space will look and feel. But before you throw out all your stuff, we have a few other small bedroom ideas for you to consider.
Think about your small bedroom as being intimate and cozy instead of cramped. Embrace the square footage with a moody paint color, ambient lighting, or low-slung furniture. Plan a layout that allows you and your guests to move freely (that might choosing a smaller bed or a daybed). If your priority is displaying your shoe collection, opt for floating shelving or an over-the-door rack. Are you focused more on comfort? Choose a tonal color palette and luxe bedding. Regardless of size or features, a small bedroom can feel like a calming oasis and be stylish enough to show off. Keep reading to see 50 small bedroom ideas from designers that’ll spark your inspiration.
More bedroom design inspiration:
Try a Large-Scale Mural
Murals can sometimes overwhelm a space, but in the case of this small bedroom designed by Breeze Giannasio, the jungle-esque bamboo scene cocoons it in color. She carried its hues over to the bedding for a cohesive look.
Use a High-Contrast Palette
Blue and red are about as oppositional as it gets on the color wheel, but when paired in graphic patterns, they can breathe boldness into a small space. The trick is to incorporate tones of the colors in other elements of the room (as the Novogratz family did here with the locker-style nightstand) so they don’t feel jarring.
Choose Airy Furniture
Furniture that has plenty of negative space—think floating pieces or items with tall, narrow legs—is excellent for small spaces because it takes up less visual space. Take a note from this bedroom by Lauren Nelson, and use open side tables and a bed frame that sits off the floor if you can.
Make Symmetry Work for You
Mirroring design elements on either side of a room can help make it appear larger because there’s less going on visually. Designer Liz Bonesio achieved this to perfection in this Nashville home’s guest bedroom, where a space-saving shared nightstand by Made Goods separates the two beds.
Related: 24 Creative Bedside Table Ideas
Wallpaper the Ceiling
To draw eyes up and add personality without taking up valuable floor space, look to your ceiling. In this children’s bedroom by Jasmine Crockett of Joy Meets Home, a small-scale floral adorns the ceiling and makes the room feel that much larger.
Related: The Best Ceiling Design Ideas
Leave the Walls Bare
Other than a mini wall sconce, designer Liz Bonesio kept the gray walls of this bedroom bare for a serene, calming atmosphere. The eclectic headboard and bedding bring all the pattern it needs. Pro tip: If you don’t have space on your nightstand for a table lamp, a wall sconce is a great alternative.
Pile Books on the Floor
Stack up some coffee table books to use as a skinny side table. All you need to fit is a stylish nightlight and mood-setting candle, as shown in this small bedroom designed by Nicholas Obeid.
Related: 15 Black and White Bedrooms That Are Anything But Stark
Opt for a Trundle
Designer David Kaihoi transformed this one-bedroom apartment into a family home. This little trundle bed tucks right back under the bed when it isn't in use, "first thing in the morning," says Kaihoi. And they use that windowsill as a bedside table.
Duck Into Corners
A corner seating nook for lounging, reading, and chatting is a bonus in any bedroom, especially in a tiny one! Here, designer Andrew Flesher recovered a pair of vintage Ward Bennett Scissor chairs in a Marimekko print for a fun pop of color. The low silhouette makes them perfect for a sloped ceiling corner.
Practice Restraint
Sometimes all it takes is a modern light fixture and offbeat paint color to perfect a small bedroom. An old bedside table, jute rug, and color-block linen bedding turn this bedroom into a moody, earthy sanctuary by Fiona Lynch.
Related: The Best Neutral Paint Colors, According to Designers
Use Lucite
Lucite is your best friend in small spaces. This bedroom in designer Kristin Fine’s Connecticut farmhouse is another gorgeous example of simple but transformative styling. Fine opted for a Lucite side table for a hint of modernity that doesn't make the room feel too cramped.
Build Narrow Custom Storage
If you don't have a closet but you do have a clothing collection, stay organized and polished with custom wall built-ins that store everything behind closed doors. In this bedroom designed by Corinne Mathern, the built-ins provide extensive storage and accommodate the irregular ceiling structure. They're also less deep than your typical dresser and armoire—a win for small bedrooms.
Squeeze In a Desk
In a small bedroom, there is no wall space to spare, so don't be afraid to put your bed beneath the window. Vern Vip opted for bold curtains to ensure style and sleep-ins. A Cambria quartz desktop suits the sophisticated mood, but “doesn’t ever require resealing, reconditioning, or polishing,” says Yip. Plus, it doubles the bedroom's use-case as a home office.
Pay Attention to Scale
Take note of this bedroom designed by Heidi Caillier, where great big windows and high ceilings are maxed out by hanging the long curtains all the way at the top. In a small bedroom, have fun with color, shape, and prints, but pay close attention to scale.
Repurpose an Unexpected "Room"
If you're looking for out-of-the-box ideas on how to carve out a small guest room out of basically nothing, look no further than this bedroom design by Leanne Ford Interiors. Contemporary striped linens match the beige-painted walls and the paper pendant brings adds just a touch of intrigue to this small sleeping nook, which looks like it was once a sunroom.
Get Matchy-Matchy
As far as high-impact decorating ideas go for small bedrooms, it doesn't get cooler than this: Ashe Leandro used the same print for the wallpaper (which extends up to the ceiling), curtains, bedding, and even the lampshade.
Paint Exposed Materials White
To center a headboard on the wall, designer Shawn Henderson closed up a decorative fireplace in this pint-sized but perfect NYC bedroom. A coat of white paint helps the exposed brick wall blend in and feel much less heavy.
Opt for High-Contrast Colors
Make it a riot of colors and patterns. This striking red nailhead-trimmed bed frame can be tame paired with classic neutrals, or it can be dressed up with fun accessories and contrasting painting colors, as designer Ariene Bethea proves here.
Use All Available Surface Space
One of the biggest challenges in a small bedroom is finding places to put all your stuff since the bed takes up most of the room. Be resourceful! Even a windowsill can provide extra storage space for decor, lighting, and other essentials when there's no room for an extra table.
Install Sconces
This pint-sized bedroom designed by J. P. Horton is flexing a few small space design secrets. First, the sconces, which don't take up any surface space since they're wall mounted, and second, the side chair, which can be pulled up as a bedside table when need be.
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