Making a Small Bedroom Work

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Making a Small Bedroom Work

Layout, the bed, storage and light

A small bedroom is a layout problem, and the constraints are the door, the window and the space each side of the bed.

Start with the bed

It is the largest object and everything else follows. A bed against a wall on one side frees floor and makes one side awkward to get into, which suits one sleeper and not two.

Leave at least sixty centimetres to walk past, and measure the swing of the door and the wardrobe before deciding.

Bed height and storage

A low frame makes a room feel taller. A divan with drawers or an ottoman base holds a great deal without taking floor space, which is usually the better trade in a small room.

Check drawer clearance against the wall and the carpet, and check the gas struts on an ottoman are rated for your mattress.

Vertical space

Shelving above the door line, wall-mounted lights instead of bedside lamps, and hooks on the back of the door. Anything that frees a surface makes a small room work better.

Anchor tall furniture to the wall.

What to leave out

A small room with less in it feels larger than the same room with clever compact furniture. Storing out-of-season clothes elsewhere is usually the single biggest gain.

Light and colour

Lighter walls, consistent flooring into the hall, and a mirror opposite the window. Several small light sources at different heights beat one ceiling light.

Children sharing a room

Bunk beds save floor and are unsuitable for children under six on the upper bunk. A trundle or stacking bed gives two beds in one footprint and puts both children at floor level.

Give each child a defined space, however small, since that matters more than the furniture.

Guest space

A folding bed or a good airbed stored in a cupboard suits occasional visitors far better than a permanent sofa bed in a small room.

Storage that works

Under the bed, above the door line and on the back of the door. Reduce before you store, since containers organise a problem rather than reducing it, and label anything opaque.

A chair that collects clothes is a signal that there is nowhere convenient to put them.

Renting

Removable hooks, freestanding shelving and rugs change a room without touching the walls, and everything comes with you. Check the tenancy before drilling or painting.

Photograph the room on the day you move in.

Measure the mattress and the frame before ordering bedding, since sizes vary.

Sleep

Cool, dark and quiet. Blackout blinds and keeping work out of the room matter more than any furniture.

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