1. Think Smart
Max out function and comfort with numerous ideas, such as built-ins, decorating tricks, and wall mounts that fool the eye and allow your bedroom to feel more like a cozy refuge than a cave! Take the bedroom in the photo, for example. This little room has nothing that a larger bedroom doesn’t; the bed, with additional storage underneath, the nightstand mounted on the wall, and the light fixture that almost make the space look more like a sitting room rather than anything else, infused with an extra cozy vibe. See how every inch of the space has been carefully used? Did you notice that the acrylic chair is there but is not, at the same time? Meaning, it provides the required seating, but you can’t actually see much of it in the space, which gives a more relaxing, not-cramped feeling.
2. Add Built-in Shelves
You can’t even imagine how much shallow (no more than 12 inches in depth) built-in shelves can help you keep your floor space and gain storage. Take the bedroom in the pic. The units not only eliminate the need for some additional space, but also act as bedside tables! Plus, the bed frame is so unique and fabulous that leaves much of the so needed floor space open, making the room look much bigger than it really is!
- Tip 1: If you want to add a more traditional touch to your room or if the room feels too empty you can always add stylish and/or authentic area rugs.
- Tip 2: If you want to give the room a high celling effect, you can go with the built-ins all the way to the ceiling, and then create depth and layering (a must in interior design) paint the back wall a nice contrasting color.
3. Use Natural Light to your Advantage
Make the absolutely most of your room’s sunlight. For more reasons that one, natural light should not be blocked in any way. However, many times, in small bedrooms, the only available spot to place your daybed is right in front of the existing window. So, in order to allow as much sunlight as possible into the room, a good idea is to have a see-through headboard. See the photo, how the metal frame of this bed lets natural light come right in? Also blackout curtains are a great idea for bedrooms as this provides full protection from sunlight and allows you to sleep comfortably. If you do not want curtains, then you can go with blinds or shades with blackout light options, all available at Prestige Decor Inc.
4. Use Mirrors
A mirror can create the perfect illusion for your small bedroom and make the room look twice as big if placed correctly. It’s no secret. You can put mirrors on the closet doors (yes, you may need to replace your existing ones). Alternatively, you can choose a large statement wall to wall mirror (or floor to ceiling) can do wonders and maximise the overall effect.
5. Opt for a Daybed
This would create another much-desired illusion that your bedroom is actually not a sleeping space, rather than a small sitting area, where the bed is not the dominant piece in the room. You can find amazing daybeds with extra storage place underneath, to take advantage of every inch you use in your petit, yet cozy and warm, relaxation area.
6. Use Colours to Open up the Space
Having your ceiling white instantly defines the space and visually shrinks a room. It is suggested you paint it the same hues as the ones you used on the walls to make the bedroom look lighter and bigger. What we are doing here is playing with the eye’s perception and stall its concept of the room’s size. Why? Because, when the ceiling is the same color as the walls, the eye cannot define where the room’s parameters begin and end, and needs some extra time to clear things out. In the meanwhile, the room looks already larger!
7. Prefer Pendant Lamps
Avoid huge shades and bulky lamps. The only thing they do is simply take up much of your precious bedside table space. Instead, you can install pendants and avoid making the room look packed full. Hanging pendant lights are functional as they provide you with the necessary task lighting on both sides of your bed and also create a welcoming focal point. If you adjust them at the right height, so you can turn them on and off without having to get out of bed, you’ll have created a handy and comfy resting area for you and your loved ones!
8. Install Wall Shelves
As already mentioned, the secret to making a small bedroom look bigger is to take advantage of the floor space and leave lots of it open; with no furniture or decorative elements whatsoever. With that in mind, a nightstand is exactly the opposite of what we want, because it takes up way too much floor space. However, you do need to have something to place your alarm clock, your night book/magazine, your cell phone, a glass of water, etc., depending on your habits. For these cases, putting up a wall shelf, either on both sides of the bed or just one, can give you the required space for your night-time essentials and permeate the room a feeling of extra floor space and open space overall.
General Tips to Make a Room Look Bigger:
- Wallpaper the ceiling (or the walls!) – it will make your room look taller, just like anything else the draws the eye upwards (e.g. shelves hanging near the ceiling)!
- Paint the walls with light colors and keep your flooring light colored as well to give an airy feeling to the room.
- Create an illusion of spaciousness by pulling your furniture away from the walls, even by a few inches.
- Choose multi-purpose items to avoid having a look of clutter in the room.
- Select a few statement furniture to place in the room (e.g. a large couch, rather than many small pieces).
- Use stripes going the length of the room.
- Give the room more depth with the help of the natural light entering the windows, by leaving them uncovered. If you want more privacy, blinds of Roman shades are perfect.
- Prefer a clear shower curtain if your bathroom is really petite.
- Choose bold and large art pieces, as well as Lucite and glass items, to make the room feel more expansive.
- Avoid overhead lights and use smaller lamps that spread the light around and allow the eye to wander.
- If you live in a studio apartment, you can easily create smaller sections of space with rugs.
- Stick to shades of the same color and furniture with exposed legs.