Bedroom design ideas for smaller homes

If your bedroom feels more like a cosy cupboard than a restful retreat, you’re far from alone.

According to Census 2021 data from the Office for National Statistics, 38.5% of households in England and Wales have just one or two bedrooms. That’s around 9.5 million homes where space is at a premium.

But a smaller bedroom doesn’t mean smaller dreams. With a bit of clever thinking (and the right furniture), you can create a space that feels open, organised, and genuinely lovely to wake up in.

1. Choose a bed that earns its keep

In a compact bedroom, your bed isn’t just somewhere to sleep. It’s prime real estate. Census data shows that 1.1 million households are officially overcrowded, with fewer bedrooms than they actually need. When you can’t add a room, making the most of every centimetre becomes essential.

Ottoman beds

Ottomans are a lifesaver when floor space is tight. The entire base lifts up to reveal generous storage underneath, perfect for spare bedding, out-of-season clothes, or anything too bulky for your wardrobe. Browse our range of ottoman beds to see how much space you could reclaim.

Divan beds with drawers

If lifting a mattress isn’t your thing, divan beds with built-in drawers give you easy-access storage without losing a centimetre of floor space. Two drawers, four drawers, even continental drawers that slide out from the side. Whatever works for your room.

Consider the right size

It’s tempting to squeeze in the biggest bed possible, but sometimes a small double (120 cm wide) gives you all the comfort you need while leaving room to actually walk around. Check out our mattress size guide if you’re not sure which size will fit.

2. Use every inch, including the ones above your head

When floor space is limited, look up! Census 2021 found that 2.7 million households have just one or two rooms in total (not including kitchens, bathrooms, conservatories, or utility rooms). When you’re working with that bit of space, walls aren’t just for decoration. They’re storage waiting to happen.

Floating shelves above the bed or along unused walls can hold books, plants, and bits and pieces that would otherwise clutter up surfaces. Wall-mounted bedside lights free up your bedside table completely, giving you more room for the essentials (phone charger, glass of water, that book you’re definitely going to finish).

And if you’re short on wardrobe space, a tall, slim chest of drawers uses height rather than width to pack in more storage.

3. Rethink the kids’ room

Small children’s bedrooms come with their own set of challenges. Toys, books, school bags, and the mysterious collection of random objects they insist on keeping. With 2.8 million households managing with just one bedroom and another 6.7 million with two, plenty of families are finding creative ways to make shared spaces work.

Cabin beds and mid sleepers

A cabin bed raises the mattress just enough to create storage or play space underneath. Some come with built-in desks, drawers, or even wardrobes. It’s essentially a bedroom within a bed.

High sleepers for older kids

For teenagers or older children, a high sleeper takes things further, leaving room for a full desk setup, a comfy chair, or even a sofa underneath. Perfect for homework, gaming, or pretending to do homework while gaming.

Bunk beds for siblings

When two (or more) children share a room, bunk beds are the obvious solution. Look for designs with built-in storage steps or under-bed drawers to squeeze in even more space for their ever-growing collection of stuff.

4. Get more from your spare room

Ah, the mythical spare room. Part guest bedroom, part home office, part storage dumping ground. In a smaller home, this room needs to be a master of multitasking.

A good sofa bed transforms a home office or living space into a proper guest room in seconds. Look for one with a real mattress inside, not just a thin layer of foam. Your guests will thank you. (And so will your back if you end up using it yourself.)

Somewhere between a sofa and a single bed, a day bed works brilliantly in a small study or box room. Use it as a reading nook during the day, a guest bed at night. Some even come with a pull-out trundle underneath for when you’ve got two visitors.

If guests are rare but you still want to be ready for them, a folding guest bed tucks away in a cupboard until needed. Comfort when guests arrive, invisible when they leave.

5. Open up the room with clever choices

Sometimes, making a room feel bigger is less about the furniture and more about how everything looks together.

• Keep colours light: Pale walls, soft neutrals, and white bedding reflect light and make spaces feel airier. That doesn’t mean everything has to be beige, though. You can add pops of colour in your cushions, throw, or artwork.
• Let mirrors do the trick: A large mirror opposite the window bounces light around and tricks the eye into thinking the room is bigger than it is. Clever, right?
• Declutter ruthlessly: This is the hard one. But a clear floor, tidy surfaces, and belongings that actually have a home make any room feel calmer and more spacious. If you haven’t used it in a year, maybe it’s time to say goodbye.

6. Tackle the challenges of flat living

Apartment living is on the rise. Census figures show the number of households in flats, maisonettes, and apartments grew from 4.9 million in 2011 to 5.4 million in 2021. That’s half a million more homes where every square metre counts.

Low-profile beds can make ceilings feel higher, which helps in rooms that already feel boxy. Platform beds sit close to the ground and often have clean, minimal lines that suit modern flats.

For studio flats where the bedroom is the living room, a sofa bed or day bed becomes essential. Look for styles that actually look like furniture you’d want to sit on during the day.

Small bedroom, big comfort

Here’s the thing about smaller bedrooms: they can actually be cosier, more intimate, and easier to keep warm than cavernous master suites. The key is making sure everything in the room is there because it deserves to be.

Whatever the size of your room, a great mattress makes all the difference. Take our Sleepmatch quiz to find one that’s right for you. Layer up with quality pillows and a duvet that suits your sleep temperature. And invest in mattress protectors to keep everything fresh for longer.

Because at the end of the day (quite literally), it doesn’t matter how many square metres you’ve got. What matters is that when you climb into bed, it feels like exactly where you want to be.