7 Small Bedroom Design Tips to Make Your Room Look Bigger

Introduction – Small Bedroom Design Tips

Making a small bedroom practical and visually appealing requires thoughtful strategic design choices that balance form and function while maximizing use of available space. Compact bedrooms in particular can be made to feel more spacious and pleasant by using multifunctional furniture, smart storage solutions, and ample use of optical illusions. In this article, we will discuss the seven proven design techniques from interior designers and modern advancements in space design that will change the way you think about interior design.

Optical Illusions with Light and Color

Harnessing Light to Expand Visual Space

Perceptions of size dramatically change with a variation in lighting. Walls painted in lighter colors and pastels like soft creams and blue can make the room appear bigger by capturing and reflecting the available sunlight. To achieve a more harmonious effect, “Pattern drenching,” where walls, ceiling, and bedding are covered with a single tonal print, can be used to fuse the space.

Spatial illusion can be achieved in many ways and one of them is the use of mirrors. Natural light in a room is distributed through the windows and large mirrors facing them will double this. Having furniture made with mirrors or using mirrored wall panels will amplify this. Designer Samantha Ware utilized the reflection and repetition on a massive scale in a New York apartment – a patterned headboard was transformed to fully clad a wall in order to give the illusion of width.

Vertical Accents for Heightened Ceilings

Directing the gaze toward the ceiling makes a room seem larger. Vertical shiplap, striped wallpaper, or floor-to-ceiling drapes raise the eye level, which contributes to the illusion of taller ceilings6. This was accomplished by designer Noz Nozawa in her Lake Tahoe home when she combined a low bed frame with a pendant light which elevates the chin.

Space-Saving Furniture Solutions

Streamlined and Multifunctional Pieces

In contrast to bulky, overwhelming furniture that dominates space, slim profile wall-hung bedside tables, beds, and nesting tables help conserve floor space. Daybeds serve dual purposes: by day, they function as seating and by night, they transform into a sleeping area. Fold-down desks or Murphy beds are great for city apartments as they can be stored away when not in use.

Floating and Transparent Furniture

Acrylic chairs and glass-topped tables as well as furniture with exposed legs produce visual clearness, as they can be seen through. A floating desk mounted beneath a window served as a workspace in a London studio, providing a place to work without infringing on the limited bedroom space.

Furniture with exposed legs or glass elements, such as acrylic chairs or glass-top tables, creates a “see-through” effect that reduces visual clutter6. In a London studio, a floating desk mounted beneath a window provided workspace without encroaching on the bedroom’s footprint.

Strategic Storage Solutions

Hidden and Elevated Storage

Storage ottomans and beds with drawers are considered closed storage options, which keep clutter out of sight and serve a storage purpose. As a child, Liz Dutton’s designer installed high shelves above her head in her small bedroom, allowing her to store books and decor out of her way and preventing them from blocking pathways.

Repurposing Awkward Spaces

Unused niches may be improved or upgraded so that they become more useful. One project included a closet with an alcove that was transformed into a petite home office, complete with bold wallpaper and fun shelves to add character to the area. Such changes also remind us how Martha Mulholland’s bunk room with attic slopes turned him into an unconventional layout sleeping nooks, showing that less conventional layouts have benefits.

Vertical Design Elements

Tall Furniture and Architectural Features

Despite the numerous disadvantages posed by sloped ceilings and walls, Martha Mulholland Bunkroom has some advantages due to how the bookshelves stretch to the ceiling. These walls serve as a vertical garden, which helps to get rid of the need for horizontal floor space. Aesthetic arch doors are also helpful as they use zero horizontal space. Steve Greg Dutton used a slanted bookshelf to help place bedside blankets, which served as a headboard, illustrating the concept behind this bedroom. His, like many other petite bedrooms, has little room to spare, so storage is vertically needed. This employs the use of overhead space, which helped remove the feeling of cramped space.

Statement Lighting as a Focal Point

Pendants with differing heights can be used for overhead lighting, which helps create layering. Noz Nozawa pendant light that centered over the low bed is a perfect example. It served as both functional and sculptural – striking strong proportions in the room.

Minimalist Decor and Decluttering

Curating a Cohesive Aesthetic

Choose a few selected pieces that will give out an intended theme. Kobel + Co’s designs include small pieces of art that help to eliminate overwhelming wall spaces. Spaces are fused with an organized color scheme, while linen, wool, or rattan serve as warm neutral textures.

Closed Storage Over Open Shelving

Compared to cabinets and drawers, open shelves reveal clutter. A wardrobe placed parallel to the bed in a Singapore apartment acted as a concealed room divider, while closed storage beneath a platform bed concealed off-seasonal clothing.

Multipurpose Layouts

Zoning with Rugs and Furniture

Large rugs define areas within a room, such as separating a sleeping zone from a reading nook. Positioning the bed against the longest wall frees up floor space for movement, while a central furniture arrangement—rather than pushing items against walls—creates a balanced flow.

Integrating Workspaces

For WFH setups, compact desks tucked into corners or fold-down vanities maximize functionality. A Brooklyn loft featured a floating desk beneath a window, paired with a mirror to reflect light and enhance the room’s openness37.

Lighting Techniques for Depth and Warmth

Layered Lighting Schemes

Combine ambient, task, and accent lighting to eliminate shadows. Wall sconces save nightstand space, while LED strip lights under beds or shelves add a modern glow. In Ashley Maddox’s design, sconces with adjustable arms provided reading light without bulky lamps.

Natural Light Optimization

Sheer curtains preserve outdoor views and sunlight, while blackout liners can be added for privacy. A Melbourne apartment used sheer drapes wrapped around a bed frame to unify the design and amplify natural light.

Conclusion – Small Bedroom Design Tips