My Victorian house is on the narrow side and has small bedrooms. It’s always a challenge to maximise these spaces and utilise every nook and cranny. Here are my 3 Top ideas to maximise small bedrooms.
Here’s what I did to maximise the space in this small blue Victorian bedroom.
3 Top ideas to maximise small bedrooms
1. Loft Bed
We changed the old single bed to a loft bed. A loft bed allows for the space underneath it to be used as a study area. I chose a really simple loft bed that doesn’t have any extra furniture underneath. It’s literally a bed that has tall legs. We bolted it on the wall on one side and I got a carpenter to move the ladder from the long side to the short side so it doesn’t stick out and is part of the bed. Tidy and neat.
My daughter decided how to organise the space underneath based on how she uses the space. She has a very low table, a lovely wooden corner table and a trolley for her art stuff. She sits on a floor cushion. The round corner table and velvet cushions here are from Next by Clarke and Clarke.
2. Built-in bookshelves in the alcoves
I built some shelves in one of the alcoves to house her books and used the bottom shelf as a reading nook. I used foam flutes to install a banquette-type backrest and seating to give it a decadent cosy vibe. The seating and shelves are made of timber and the flutes are made of mdf with foam stuck on them and covered in Alvar fabric from Clarke and Clarke. I am super proud to say that I built all this myself with my own bare hands! For peace of mind, I used the longest screws and know they are solid and secure for use.
This alcove is just to the left of the fireplace which is the centrepiece of the room. A set of fairy lights illumine the disused fireplace for a lovely ambience all day. There used to be a huge mirror here which my daughter never liked (she covered it with her Avengers poster!) so I replaced it with a beautiful linen picture hanging from Clarke and Clarke and got a matching cushion for it.
I also got a stool to go on the right side of the fireplace because let’s face it, stools are always so useful to have in a space! I love this design and the tassel fringing! To the right of this fireplace is a built-in wardrobe which was already there when we moved in. A handy use of the alcove.
3. A bench / footstool instead of a sofa
I had a brainwave and thought that instead of a little sofa which can be useful for when her friends come to visit, a footstool big enough to double as a mini-bench or even a coffee table would fit the space perfectly. I chose the matching footstool to the linen picture and cushion so the overall design is cohesive and pulled together by this bold and wild pattern.
For the floor, I didn’t want to add any more patterns to the existing ones so I kept it simple and let the warmth of the wooden floor shine.
This space now feels so much more roomy, welcoming and warm compared to what it was before. I am thrilled with the outcome.
Bonus
I also decided to colour-drench the entire room in Braze Blue by Craig and Rose from top to bottom. The ceiling, walls, trims, radiator and woodwork including the loft bed were painted in the same colour. This enabled me to have a unified base and a solid background for the nature patterns that I have chosen in this bedroom. It helped pull everything together and create this cohesive design in this small space.
I hope these ideas have helped and inspired you to maximise small bedroom spaces! This blogpost is not sponsored but the products featured here are from a collaboration with Next and Clarke and Clarke on Instagram last year.
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