5 Ways to Make a Small Bedroom Look Bigger

The Vivant

By Leah Bourne, The Vivant

Just because your bedroom is small, doesn't mean that you can't do a ton with your space. Follow along with these five tips (that work with any decor style and budget) and you'll create the illusion that you have a monster size bedroom. OK, maybe monster size is an overstatement, but your bedroom will definitely start to look a heck of a lot bigger than it really is.


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1. Add Built-In Shelving. So you probably don't have a lot of storage in your small bedroom. Shallow built-in shelving can help you gain storage and maintain floor space. Stick to shelving that's no more than 12 inches deep. If you go with built-ins in your small bedroom, try taking them all the way to the ceiling to make the ceiling look higher. And paint the back wall a contrasting color to create layering and depth.

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2. Think Light Colors. Dark colors may seem design-friendly, but they make rooms look smaller. The lighter the shade is, the more open your space will appear, so stick to pale blues, grays, greens, yellows, and creams.

3. Paint the Ceiling. While you've probably heard that a clean, white ceiling will open up a space, giving your ceiling texture with bright colors and fun fixtures draws your eye upward, creating the illusion of height in a room.

4. Invest In Mirrors. Remember the wall-to-wall mirrors that were in vogue in the 1970s? You probably don't want to go in that direction, but adding mirrors in a small room opens up the area and reflects light.

5. Go Big and Wide. Most people think small room, small furniture. Think again. Use long and wide furnishings wherever possible: long curtains, tall flowers, wide shelves.

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