How to Make a Small Bedroom Look Bigger [9 Great Ideas!]

Do you have a small bedroom in your home? Has it got you feeling gloomy and claustrophobic? Maybe you're wondering if there are ways to make it look and feel bigger. Well, fortunately, there are, and we've done all the research work for you and have some tips on how to make that small space look bigger. 

There are several ways you make a small bedroom look bigger:

  1. Use mirrors
  2. Add shelves
  3. Choose light colors of paint.
  4. Use a monochromatic color scheme.
  5. Furnish with thin-framed furniture
  6. Consider your bed placement.
  7. Use light fabrics for curtains and ditch the drapes and rugs.
  8. Consider your lighting placement.
  9. Think like a minimalist

We've given you lots of things to think about, and it might seem a little overwhelming, but don't fret, keep reading as we go into detail about how to use each way to make your small bedroom look bigger.

Small table next to design basket with gray fur in pastel bedroom, How to Make a Small Bedroom Look Bigger [9 Great Ideas!]

Mirrors

The trick to making your room look bigger is to trick the eye. Mirrors are a great way to make a room feel bigger! They give the illusion of depth and help spread light around the room. There are a few ways to use your mirrors to optimize the space-creating illusion. 

Tall and Long

Teenage bedroom with wooden floor, white wall, brown bed and white cabinet

Using a mirror that is tall and long helps make a room seem taller. It draws the eye upward toward the ceiling.

Create A Window

Using a mirror that gives the illusion of a window will also help make the room look bigger. Get creative! If you can't find a mirror that looks like a window, consider framing one yourself or consider the placement of several smaller mirrors to give them a window look.

Big And Wide Mirrors

King-size bed with gray square headboard, large rustic wooden mirror and textured wall in trendy minimalist apartment

Oversized mirrors will help reflect the entire space making it feel much bigger than it really is. 

Shelves

Loft room with cozy design

Shelves help free up floor space, and opening up the floor space can make your room look bigger. Also, like with mirrors, if you choose narrow shelving, it'll help draw the eye upward, making the ceiling seem higher than it is. 

Click here to see Homfa Industrial Ladder Shelf on Amazon

Breakfast tray standing on the floor beside a big comfortable bed with linen, blanket and pillows in a white bedroom interior

In the previous image, the designer used free-standing shelving. Another option is to mount shelves to the wall. Notice how the small shelves leading up to the ceiling help draw your eyes upward, making the wall seem longer. 

Choose Light Colors Of Paint

Classical bedroom wiith wooden floors and gray walls, decorated with white and gold furniture

Light colors help reflect the light and make a room feel bigger. Similarly, dark colors will make the room feel smaller. Using whites or light neutral-colored paint will help your room feel airy and open, giving the illusion that it's bigger.

Monochromatic Color Scheme

Cozy cream colored woolen blanket on king size bed in bright bedroom

A monochromatic color scheme uses one color and only shades of that color to decorate a space. Choosing a light monochromatic color scheme will make the room feel bigger because it will stop the eye from looking at individual items or areas, opening the space up.

What Colors Make A Small Room Look Bigger?

As mentioned above, using light colors of paint, decor, and bedding will help the room look bigger. It'll make the room feel open and airy by reflecting light. Stick to a light or neutral color palette throughout for the optimum effect.

Use Thin Framed Furniture

Flowers in vase on small table next to design basket with gray fur in pastel bedroom

Using thin-framed, leggy furniture instead of thick, heavy pieces will give you more space and look less cluttered, helping to trick the eye. Furniture with a thin frame allows more light and air to pass throughout the room, creating a sense of openness. Steer clear of large, bulky nightstands or big dominating headboards. 

What Is The Best Bed For A Small Room?

Consider using beds that have dual purposes. Loft beds, day beds, and futons will really help maximize the function of your small room. 

Daybed

Kids room in coastal style with wooden frame on the wall

This cute daybed doubles as a seating area during the day!

Loft Beds & Bunk Beds

Contemporary industrial loft interior

Loft beds and bunk beds are great for creating more floor space and opening the room up. You can add seating or a desk area underneath the bed to get the most out of your small space!

Futons

Living room with gray sofa, decorated with plants and lanterns

Futons, like day beds, can convert a small room from an extra seating area to a bedroom.

Bed Placement

Moving your bed around can help a small bedroom look bigger. Experiment with different placements to see which one works for you. Typically placing the bed in the middle of the wall and creating symmetrical space on either side will make the room look the biggest, but if you want more floor space, try pushing it against a wall or window. 

Middle Placement

Bedroom with red and gray decorations

Having enough space to enter the bed from either side will give the illusion that the room is spacious.

Side Placement

Scandinavian style bedroom interior

If your room doesn't allow you to place your bed in the middle, try pushing it up against a wall. This will help your room feel less cramped and create more space for other furniture.

Ditch The Headboard

Ditching the headboard can also make a room look bigger because it will make the wall seem higher. Minimalism is important when designing your room because the more open space there is, the bigger it will feel! 

Bedroom with corkboard

Drapes and Rugs

Dark, modern wicker chair in a white living room interior with a wooden bench and decorations made from natural materials

Drapes and rugs, especially darker-colored ones, will crowd your room and make it feel even smaller. Choosing lighter, flowy fabrics for curtains, or not having curtains will make the room look much more spacious. If you don't want to go without curtains, hang them high! Hanging them higher will make the ceilings feel higher than they are. 

Light Placement

Minimalist, framed poster mock-up on a white wall of an artistic bedroom interior with elegant decor and gray textiles

There are a couple of ways you can use lighting to make a room feel bigger. Create more space around the side of your bed by mounting lights on either side, freeing up space on your bedside tables, or eliminating the need for them.

You can also opt for a larger light fixture in the middle of your ceiling to create a high central focal point. This draws the eyes away from the walls of the room and out into the open! 

Think Like A Minimalist

Interior of a Scandinavian style attic bedroom

One thing we've mentioned a lot is tricking the eye into seeing more space, but the best way to achieve this is to leave more space physically. Limiting the number of items you have in your room creates more visual space and makes it seem more open and light. Clutter takes up already limited space, making it feel tighter and more enclosed. 

How Do I Declutter My Small Bedroom?

An old retro room interior with a lot of various retro technology equipment and personal things

Decluttering your room is a great first step to making a small bedroom feel bigger. The first step is to put items away that already have a place to go. The next step is to decide whether you have any items that do not need to be in your room. Find alternative locations in your home for these items if you can.

Keep nightstands clear of stuff and opt for nightstands with drawers for more storage space. Get creative with space you might have in other storage areas such as your closet. Consider adding over the door hooks or vertical closet space savers. 

Click here to see Space Saver Hangers on Amazon.

Clearing the floor of as many items as you can will make your room feel bigger and less cluttered. If your bed is off the ground enough to store items underneath, take advantage! Under the bed is a great place to store items out of view. You can also use shelves to free up floor space.

Shoes

Shoes will add to your clutter quickly, so choose a single place for them to go and keep them there.  Consider buying a shoe rack or hanging shoe storage for your closet to keep them out of view. 

Click here to see Whitmor Hanging Shoe Shelves on Amazon.

Final Thoughts

We've given you lots of ways to help make your small bedroom look bigger. Have fun trying one or any combination of them to really open up your space, and hopefully, you'll feel and notice a big difference!

For more reading on utilizing a small bedroom, check out How To Make The Most Of A Small Bedroom, or if blankets are cluttering your room, check out How To Store Blankets [5 Easy Methods!]

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