10 Small Bedroom Ideas That Will Make Your Room Way More Functional

As much as we love a good lamp-and-bedside-table situation, there isn’t always space to fit anything beside a bed. That doesn’t mean you should sacrifice your bedroom lighting! As Scott McGillivray shows with this Scott’s Vacation House Rules bedroom, swing-arm wall-mounted sconces bring versatile light and style to the room without requiring a side table. Plus, even if you have bedside tables, wall-mounted (or even pendant) lighting can free up precious tabletop real estate for other decor or essential bedtime items.

Want to bring some personality into your sleep space, but don’t have a lot of room to place decorative items? The bedroom decor idea showcased in this eco-friendly Montreal home seems simple, but it’s so stylish. A narrow wooden ledge shelf creates visual interest around the room, while offering a place to put a mix of practical and pretty items. The minimalist shelf lets you curate a decor moment now, while making it easy to change things up seasonally (or as the mood hits).

When you’re working with a smaller space, it’s important to put every nook and cranny to good use. Turn tight corners or alcoves that are too small for furniture into functional hidden storage. Take the primary bedroom in this dreamy Montreal bungalow: Instead of forgoing the petite area beside the cabinets, they added shelves in the same hue as the wall colour. The result is sophisticated, smart and storage friendly.

When it comes to small bedroom ideas, choosing furniture that has multiple uses is a total must. Adding seating via a bedroom bench, for example, may not intuitively seem like a practical use of floor space in a more compact floor plan. You can, however, make it more functional if you choose a bench with built-in storage features (as the chic wooden bench with a shelf underneath stylishly shows in this bold Montreal home). Want to create something custom? This storage bench DIY from Sebastian Clovis can be adapted to make a super-practical bedroom bench.

Having trouble drifting off into dreamland? Adding some green via a few houseplants is a tried-and-true way to bring some air-purifying, natural elements to your room – but it’s not always easy to find spots for them in a smaller bedroom. If that sounds like your situation, try this space-saving solution: hang plants from the wall, ceiling or (as this plant-filled boho bedroom demonstrates) a sturdy curtain rod.

There are also times when a bedroom needs to be more than just a bedroom. Get creative and design a multi-functional space. Take this office-turned-bedroom from Samantha Pynn and Sebastian Clovis on Save My Reno. Using a variety of stylish school-age and teenage girl bedroom ideas like soft blue paint and a distinctive light fixture, the duo made the former office a dreamy sleep space. They also turned the awkward nook into a dedicated home workspace with a petite desk and a pop of contrast wallpaper.

It’s hard to destress for bed when you’re faced with a lot of clutter in your space, but the solution can be stylish and simple. A sliding closet door — like this DIY wood-slat barn door that hides a closet — saves overall space while keeping any closet clutter out of sight and mind.

If clutter is making it hard to really relax in your bedroom — but you don’t have a ton of space for dressers or closets — get creative with under-the-bed storage, as shown in this minimal bedroom space. Under-bed storage bins are ideal for keeping out-of-season clothing or less-used items neatly packed away, yet accessible when you need them.

Does your bedroom lack floor space, but has high ceilings and bare walls? Lean in to the possibilities of going vertical. Installing a floor-to-ceiling row of small square shelves is majorly stylish (just take the shelving situation in this bright Toronto home) and space saving. Alternatively, adding hooks to the wall makes it easy to stay organized and display items without taking up a lot of space.

In any bedroom, storage and functionality are synonymous. Yet many small bedrooms lack adequate closet capacity to keep your clothes stowed and organized. If the closet is tiny (or non-existent), see if you can fashion your own by adding a floor-to-ceiling cabinet a la designer DIY Danie. While a cabinet does take up some square footage in the room, the ability to make use of vertical space and close the door on any clutter can often offset that lost stepping space.