Small bedroom decorating ideas to help you utilise your space (2024)

When it comes to storage in a small bedroom, shelving and extra rails will always provide you with extra places to pop your belongings.

'Having a smaller bedroom doesn’t necessarily mean having fewer clothes. With clever storage compartments such as GIMSE, clothes can be sorted and stored away whilst keeping the room looking tidy,' explains Clotilde Passalacqua, interior design leader at IKEA UK and Ireland. 'Make the most of the wardrobe space by using SLÄKTING storage compartments to organise clothes in an efficient and smart way.'

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If your bed is the only thing you can fit in your small bedroom, you can make a real feature of it by choosing a four poster with a wonderful draped canopy. This can be fashioned easily from a length of material – a soft cotton or linen would be a good choice.

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This lovely tucked-away bedroom may be small, but it's filled with character and colour. Make use of every corner by installing reading lights above the bed or creating DIY-style bookshelves. Here, bedside essentials are just propped on top of the bed frame.

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READ MORE: 11 alcove ideas to help you maximise every inch of space

A white room will enhance space and brightness, so introduce colourful accents through accessories and furniture instead. This sweet design scheme relies on bright, chalky pastels to add colour without detracting from the airy and bright feel of the room.

READ MORE: 8 bedroom colour ideas to inspire a makeover

Using wall panelling to extend the silhouette of your bed is a common design device for small bedrooms. In fact this is often used in lieu of a headboard. The wall mounted lights are a clever addition to free up space on the bedside tables.

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READ MORE: How to panel a wall: DIY wall panelling in 8 simple steps

This super-small bedroom has utilised a tiny return to layer some simple frames and artwork, creating a makeshift mini gallery wall.

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'To create the feeling of more space in a small room, stick to one single colour, this will help create more space as with no point of reference and no contrasts, you’re less aware of where things stop and start,' explains Charlotte Cosby, head of creative at Farrow & Ball.

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'When looking to kit out a small bedroom, being able to move freely around the bedroom is key to making sure you don’t bump your shins on clutter left around the floor. Think about investing in a storage bed either with drawers or with an ottoman lift, or if your budget prevents this, consider separate wheeled drawers that you can slide under the existing bed – just make sure you check the height from floor to bed,' says Caitlin Price, head of buying, furniture & flooring at .

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When decorating small bedrooms, one of the best ways to maximise space is to use light and fresh colours. Hues such as soft sorbet pinks, greys or whites will help to ensure the room feels bigger. Boho styles lend themselves to small spaces owing to their soft colourways and an embrace of careful clutter.

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READ MORE: Rattan furniture to create a breezy bohemian scheme

Blocks of black will always draw the eye, so exercise caution with how and where you place them in a small bedroom. You may want to use them to draw attention to your best light source, or to direct the flow of your room to a focal point like your bed.

READ MORE: How to use black accents in every room in your home

The ultimate solution for small bedrooms, and particularly handy if you live in a studio flat. Sofa beds have come on in leaps and bounds in terms of comfort and the variety of styles available. We're partial to our very own Darcy sofa bed at DFS in this contemporary pink velvet.

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Fitted wardrobes are a must in small spaces, especially if they are configurable, like the House Beautiful Realm Fitted Wardrobe at Homebase. These space-savers can wrap around corners, provide floor-to-ceiling storage and accommodate the most awkward configurations in a small bedroom.

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The ideal solution if your small bedroom is short on floor space but generous in height – a loft bed can free up room for a sofa or a desk area. These work especially well in tiny guest bedrooms. Select something light and airy, like this pale-toned pine loft bed from IKEA, with a slim and unobtrusive frame.

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Go bold with a statement feature wall in your small bedroom. An all-over wallpaper can be a bit imposing in an already small room, but having just one standout wall will create a bright statement. Play around with Scandi-style wooden panelling or an innovative tile.

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This clever faux headboard has actually been fashioned from a simple MDF panel. It serves dual purpose as a shelf too, here used for some invigorating springtime blooms, but equally useful to hold books, lamps or bedside essentials.

READ MORE: 15 headboard ideas to transform your bedroom

Don't be afraid to add a large statement bed into a smaller room. Other furniture pieces can be worked around it, and there's always the option to add storage underneath. Whether you opt for a bed with drawers to pop additional belongings, or you only have room for a few boxes, under bed storage means you can still have that statement bed of your dreams.

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Overhead units are an excellent way to add extra storage when you are short on floor space. These IKEA storage units are just 42cm in depth, perfect for tidying away books, accessories, extra bedding or towels without taking up valuable inches in a small bedroom. We love the idea of adding a narrow desk underneath for the ultimate multifunctional space.

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A bedside table is super handy for keeping your phone, a book, or soft task lighting close by, so don't forgo one if you have a small bedroom. Opt for a small round bedside table to reduce the footprint of your furniture, or a a floating bedside unit to keep night-time essentials up and away from your bed.

• Shop the look: House Beautiful Gatsby Blue Pleated Blinds at Hillarys, and House Beautiful Grove Ottoman Bed at Dreams

Mood is just as important as clever storage or visual trickery in making a small bedroom appear bigger. Here, zesty and energising colours and springtime florals can inject some life into the most diminutive of rooms.

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