Have you ever walked into a hotel room and just loved it? The lighting is good, the bedsheets are crisp but comfortable, there’s a place to put your phone besides the floor. I wanted that feeling for my bedroom.
Problem was, my bedroom is probably the size of most people’s walk-in closets. The first thing I noticed when I moved into this house two years ago was that the master bedroom was maybe ten feet by twelve feet, if that. The previous owners had jammed a king-size bed into the room (oops), along with two poorly matched nightstands and a dresser that sat in front of half the window.
Every time I used the bedroom I felt cramped, like it was a game of Twister to get into the bathroom. But after experimenting with my space over the years, I’d learned that sometimes less truly is more when decorating a small space.
I started with removing the king-size bed.
I know what you’re thinking: how do you not have a king-size bed in your master bedroom? Hear me out. Sure, it would probably fit, but it wouldn’t fit well.
Besides, who needs all that extra fabric when you can lie in bed without bumping your elbows? I bought this beautiful queen-size platform bed with built-in drawers underneath, making it a total game changer. Platform beds don’t require box springs so it sits closer to the ground and make the ceiling appear taller, plus I gained some much needed storage space underneath for extra blankets and off-season clothing.
Instead of matching nightstands flanking the bed like every magazine says I should, I got creative. On one side of the bed I installed a thin floating shelf that’s just wide enough to hold my phone, water glass, and current read. The other side got this cute little vintage chair that I stumbled across at an estate sale.
It’s low enough to function as a bedside table, but way more visually appealing. And hey, if I want to sit and put my shoes on while I brush my teeth I can! Finding the right bedside lighting took me three attempts.
My old lamps were yellow and created this yellow hue that aged the whole space. I switched the bulbs out for extra-bright whites and everything looked like an ICU patient’s bedside. Eventually I switched the old lamp outlets to dimmer switches and hung these pretty wall mounted sconces that swing out from the wall when I need light and fold neatly against it when I don’t.
Another perk? They don’t take up any room on my “nightstands.” I splurged on bedding. Honestly, you can’t skimp on good sheets.
They can transform any room and I chose a linen/cotton blend that gets softer and smoother with every wash. I kept the duvet cover simple with white but layered on a sage green throw and some cream pillows that match the undertones in my walls. Trust me, it looks like I threw them together but I probably went to all three stores in that color just to get it right.
Paint color was by far my riskiest move. I painted my walls a dusty blue-gray hue that I wasn’t sure about until after the fact. Thank goodness I went with it because from some angles the room looks lavender-ish and from others it’s more of a blue-gray.
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No matter how you look at it though, it makes the room feel twice as big and twice as serene. My guess? Blue reflects more light than dark colors, which helps small spaces feel more airy.
I hung a rail along one wall and hung some of my nicer wooden hangers from it, creating a closet-esque system that allows me to see everything I own at a glance. Underneath are two skinny drawers on wheels that pull out whenever I need them but otherwise stay tucked away. I struggled for a while with the mirror.
I wanted a full-length mirror in my bedroom, but had no floor space to accomodate it. Then I realized I could hang a vintage standing mirror in the corner diagonally opposite my window, creating the illusion of more depth. Bonus?
It reflects light around the room, making it feel twice as big. Full disclosure: sometimes I trick myself into thinking it’s another room at the end of the hallway. Window treatments were another exercise in trial and error.
I originally bought blackout curtains because I thought I’d like to sleep in total darkness. Spoiler alert: they made my room feel like a cave during daylight hours. Enter linen curtains that soften the light instead of shutting it out but still allow the room to air out.
Behind those I hung a cord-less roller shade that I can pull down when I’m really craving darkness but leave rolled up for softer lighting most of the time. If you had asked me last week what the final touch was that made my room feel luxurious, I would’ve said something along the lines of “the soft glow of my nightlights.” Spoiler alert: it’s the small area rug beside my bed. It doesn’t have to be huge, just something soft for your toes when you first hop out of bed.
I went with a cream and sage pattern to bring all the colors together without being TOO matchy. This may seem like an weird thing to mention but pay attention to smell.
I bought a little reed diffuser that has a crisp, woodsy scent.
It’s not overpowering at all, but simply…the smell is there. It reminds me of how hotels rooms always smell like detergent but you can’t quite place it. Same thing.
It adds a level of coziness that you just can’t get from looking sources. All this cost me less than what most people spend on a sofa, yet every time I walk into my bedroom I feel relaxed and like I have so much space. When people come over they always comment on how serene it feels.
I laugh because it’s literally the smallest room in my house. But good design has nothing to do with how much square footage you’re working with. It’s about how you use that space.
I love waking up in there every morning and feeling happy to be inside my own home. Plus, that everyday little moment of “this is so nice” feels way more luxurious than any status-symbol furniture piece ever could.
