SMALL BEDROOM IDEAS: 17 TIPS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR SPACE

Feeling like your bedroom is too cramped? These clever small room ideas will help you make the most of your space (and ease your frustration). We’ve got tons of tips for selecting the right storage solutions and decorating in ways that create the illusion of a larger room. From strategically placing mirrors to opting for a silky paint finish, there are endless tricks to make your space feel more open. Ready to transform your tiny bedroom into a more airy, livable space? Keep reading for all the design inspiration you need.

DO REGULAR DECLUTTERING SESSION

Every item in your bedroom should have a purpose—if it doesn’t, relocate it or donate it. Embracing a minimalist approach to your bedroom design will turn your small space into a peaceful and welcoming retreat. A clutter-free room is essential for creating a restful environment, ensuring you get a good night’s sleep.

Create a gallery wall

Utilize vertical space by creating your own gallery wall—filled with framed photos, artwork, or prints to infuse personality into the room. Your bedroom should reflect who you are and what you love, so adorn the walls with your favorite art, treasured memories, and anything that holds personal meaning.

Get creative with bedroom lighting

Utilize vertical space by creating your own gallery wall—filled with framed photos, artwork, or prints to infuse personality into the room. Your bedroom should reflect who you are and what you love, so adorn the walls with your favorite art, treasured memories, and anything that holds personal meaning.

Maximise natural daylight

Utilize vertical space by creating your own gallery wall—filled with framed photos, artwork, or prints to infuse personality into the room. Your bedroom should reflect who you are and what you love, so adorn the walls with your favorite art, treasured memories, and anything that holds personal meaning.

Create the illusion of space with mirrors

Rather than relying on a single ceiling light, incorporate a mix of table lamps, wall sconces, and decorative lighting elements. Hang a string of fairy lights above your bed or add a chic bedside lamp to your nightstand for extra ambiance. Experiment with various lightbulbs and shades to craft a warm, inviting atmosphere. Explore our collection of indoor lighting to bring a cozy touch to your small bedroom.

Don’t shy away from bold colours and patterns

You don’t need a large bedroom to incorporate bold patterns and colors. In fact, they can make your space feel more vibrant and lively. Use statement wall art, accessories, and soft furnishings to add personality and energy to your small bedroom décor. Just be mindful not to overcrowd the space with too many items—aim for a balanced look that’s stylish but not cluttered.

Choose a neutral colour scheme

Soft, neutral colors like beige, cream, and pastels can make your room feel more spacious and brighter. Consider using paint with a silk finish—once it dries, the reflective surface helps bounce light around the room, enhancing the sense of openness.

Use a headboard with built-in storage

A headboard with built-in storage shelves is a great way to store books, plants, or decorative pieces. It not only provides extra storage space but also serves as a stunning visual feature in your bedroom. Explore our range of headboard cabinets, or get creative and build your own to suit your style!

Choose bedroom furniture with visible legs

Want to make your space feel more open and less cramped? Choose furniture with visible legs. This simple design trick creates a sense of openness and helps your room feel more spacious!

Hang a wall-mounted bedside table

Maximize your floor space by swapping out freestanding bedside tables for floating options. You can use floating shelves or reclaimed wood to craft your own custom floating bedside table, giving your room a stylish and space-saving update.

Install a folding desk

If your bedroom also serves as an office, consider using a folding desk to save valuable floor space. We offer a selection of freestanding foldable desks, or you could get creative and build your own DIY folding desk, attaching it to the wall with hinges for a sleek and practical solution.

Hang it up

Install hooks on your walls to maximize storage without sacrificing valuable wardrobe or drawer space. Hooks are perfect for hanging coats, handbags, hats, or other items, keeping them easily accessible while saving space.

Don’t forget corner space!

Got an unused corner? Install a corner shelf unit to make the most of the space and add extra storage to your room.

Utilise multipurpose storage

Opt for bedroom storage that serves multiple purposes. A storage ottoman can function as a footrest, coffee table, and extra blanket storage all in one. Similarly, a daybed can double as a sofa during the day and a comfortable sleeping space at night, maximizing both style and functionality.

Choose a narrow wardrobe

When selecting a wardrobe for your small bedroom, opt for a slim or narrow design to minimize floor space. Maximize the interior by using slim hangers and adding hanging organizers for smaller items like socks, scarves, and accessories, keeping everything tidy and easily accessible.

Store it up high

If you have high ceilings, take advantage of the vertical space by installing high shelves. These are perfect for storing items you don’t use frequently, keeping your floor area clear while maximizing storage.

Under bed storage boxes

Make the most of the space under your bed by using storage boxes. They’re ideal for storing seasonal clothes, extra bedding, and other items you need to keep out of sight but still easily accessible.

CONCLUSION

Small bedrooms don’t have to feel cramped or cluttered. With a little creativity and strategic planning, you can transform your compact space into a functional and stylish haven. Remember, it’s not just about the size of your bedroom, but how you utilize it. By incorporating these tips, you can maximize your space, optimize storage, and create a serene retreat that reflects your personal style. So, embrace the possibilities and turn your small bedroom into a big inspiration!

EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SOFT SUMMER

The “Soft Summer” is one of the twelve color seasons within the seasonal color analysis system, a tool used to determine which colors best harmonize with an individual’s natural coloring. It’s a palette of subtle, muted, and cool tones, designed to enhance the delicate beauty of those who fall within this category.  Unlike the vibrant hues of spring or the deep richness of winter, Soft Summer embraces a gentle, blended look.  If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by bright colors and found yourself drawn to dusty, diffused shades, you might just be a Soft Summer. This guide will delve into every aspect of this captivating season, from its defining characteristics and ideal color palette to makeup, hair, and wardrobe recommendations, helping you understand and embrace your natural Soft Summer beauty.  

CHARACTERISTICS

When determining if you are a Soft Summer, focus on your overall appearance rather than individual features. The key traits of this season are muted, cool-toned coloring with a soft, blended look.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A SOFT SUMMER

  • Primary Aspect: Muted – your coloring appears soft and toned down rather than bright or vibrant.
  • Secondary Aspect: Cool – cooler shades complement your complexion better than warm ones.
  • Overall Look: Your skin, eyes, and hair blend harmoniously, creating a low to medium contrast appearance.
  • Jewelry Preference: Silver flatters your skin more than gold.

SOFT SUMMER FEATURES

Eyes

Soft Summer eyes are always softly greyed, regardless of their color. They can be:

  • Grey, grey-blue, grey-green, or grey-hazel
  • Muted brown in deeper complexions
  • Often feature a crackled glass pattern typical of Summer eyes

Skin

Soft Summer skin has cool undertones with a soft, muted appearance. It may be:

  • Neutral, olive, or neutral-cool with ashy undertones
  • Fair to tan, always toned down rather than vibrant
  • Occasionally freckled

Hair

Soft Summer hair is muted and ashy, never bright or golden. It ranges from:

  • Medium ash blonde to light/medium ash brown
  • Often develops ash-blonde highlights in sunlight

CONTRAST LEVEL

Soft Summers have a low to medium contrast between their skin, eyes, and hair. The overall effect is blended and harmonious, without stark light or dark elements.

SOFT SUMMER VS. SOFT AUTUMN

Both Soft Summer and Soft Autumn are muted seasons, but the key difference lies in their undertones:

  • Soft Summer leans cool, with grey and olive tones.
  • Soft Autumn leans warm, with walnut and honey tones.

SIMPLE TEST

To determine whether you are a Soft Summer or Soft Autumn, hold a grey fabric near your face in natural light:

  • If your eyes appear more greyish (even if they contain hints of green or brown), you are likely a Soft Summer.
  • If your eyes remain green, hazel, or olive, you likely lean towards Soft Autumn.

This high concentration of grey pigments is what gives Soft Summers their signature cool and muted look.

The Colour Palette

Soft Summer is a season of soft, misty hues, reminiscent of cool summer rains and the gentle transition into autumn. Its colours are delicate and layered, blending both cool and warm tones into a harmonious, almost chameleon-like effect.

SOFT SUMMER COLOURS

True to its muted and cool nature, Soft Summer’s palette consists of desaturated, low-contrast shades that align with the season’s natural softness. The dominant colours are greys, pinks, purples, blues, and greens—each subtle and complex rather than bright or clear. Sitting on the border between Summer and Autumn, this palette is the deepest of the Summer family, with a slight brownish depth from Autumn’s influence.

COLOUR DIMENSIONS

  • Hue: Slightly cool—while not as icy as True Summer, Soft Summer’s colours contain more blue than yellow undertones, resulting in cooler pinks, blues, and greys with minimal yellow shades.
  • Value: Medium—neither overly light nor dark, the palette consists mostly of mid-range tones.
  • Chroma: Low—the colours are highly desaturated and muted, with a distinctive greyed-out softness.

SISTER PALETTES

Soft Summer is positioned between True Summer and Soft Autumn on the seasonal spectrum. While all three share a muted quality, the differences lie in temperature and depth:

  • Compared to True Summer, Soft Summer’s colours are warmer, slightly darker, and more subdued.
  • Compared to Soft Autumn, Soft Summer’s colours are cooler and more grey-toned, while both remain medium in value and muted.
  • Compared to Light Summer, the colours are deeper and more toned down, though both share a cool-neutral balance.

If you lean towards True Summer, you may borrow its softer shades, like Moonlite Mauve or Lichen Blue. If you have hints of Soft Autumn, you can incorporate its cooler hues, such as English Manor or Dusk Blue.

Styling for Soft Summer

NEUTRALS

Soft Summer’s muted and desaturated nature makes traditional black and white too harsh. Instead, opt for dark greyish browns as your dark neutrals and soft greys, muted sand tones, and gentle browns as light neutrals. These shades complement your natural softness without overpowering your features.

COLOURS TO AVOID

Since Soft Summer thrives on cool, muted tones, avoid bright and overly warm colours. Vibrant pinks, blues, and rich earthy hues, such as orange-based reds and warm browns, will clash with your soft colouring. Highly saturated shades can overwhelm your delicate balance.

COLOUR COMBINATIONS

Soft Summer is best suited to low-contrast, blended colour pairings that mirror its naturally soft appearance. The most flattering combinations include:

  • Monochromatic looks – Pairing different shades of the same hue, such as light and dark green, creates a cohesive and seamless effect.
  • Analogous hues – Colours close to each other on the spectrum, like lavender and soft blue, maintain a harmonious and balanced look.
  • Soft neutrals with accents – Combining a muted beige with a similarly toned soft yellow ensures a gentle, natural flow.

Avoid high-contrast combinations, especially complementary colours like blue and orange, as they create too much visual tension.

PATTERNS & PRINTS

Soft, delicate patterns best suit this season’s understated elegance. Consider:

✔ Watercolour textures, delicate floral prints, and natural elements like feathers and birds.
✔ Small, loosely arranged designs that blend rather than stand out.

✖ Avoid large, bold patterns, geometric shapes, and high-contrast prints, as they will feel too harsh and structured.

METALS & ACCESSORIES

Soft Summer can wear both warm and cool metals, but silver is the most flattering. If choosing gold, opt for soft, muted versions like light rose gold or brushed gold rather than deep, rich yellows.

The best finishes are matte, brushed, satin, or lightly hammered to complement Soft Summer’s subtlety. Bright and shiny metals can appear too stark. Pearls are a great choice, especially those with layered, soft colouring rather than stark white.