11 Flexible Features to Maximise Space in Your Bedroom
Check out these clever, multi-functional solutions to make the most of your small sleep space
Very few of us have cavernous bedrooms, yet we demand a lot of storage – hanging space and drawers for clothes, a spot for bedside items, shelves for books, not to mention the bed itself. What we really need are some nifty, multi-functional solutions that are small on floor space and big on usefulness, like these creative examples.
Evict the monsters from under the bed
Storage boxes and bags fit well beneath a bed, but if you really want to maximise the space, it’s best to get some proper drawers fitted.
Ask a joiner to fix your drawers on casters or suspend them from runner mechanisms to reduce scratches on the floor. Don’t forget to make sure you have enough floor space alongside your drawers to pull them out to their full extent.
Storage boxes and bags fit well beneath a bed, but if you really want to maximise the space, it’s best to get some proper drawers fitted.
Ask a joiner to fix your drawers on casters or suspend them from runner mechanisms to reduce scratches on the floor. Don’t forget to make sure you have enough floor space alongside your drawers to pull them out to their full extent.
Create a headboard partition wall
In a very small room with minimal space, a bespoke piece of furniture can fulfil multiple uses. This long, slim room doesn’t have much floor space, but the cleverly designed partition manages to work as a headboard, shelving and a small table.
A good joiner will be able to help you design an item of furniture like this, perhaps incorporating clothes storage or extra lighting as well. You might even be able to add a couple of charging ports for mobile phones and other electricals.
Want to make your headboard work harder? Tap into its multi-functional possibilities
In a very small room with minimal space, a bespoke piece of furniture can fulfil multiple uses. This long, slim room doesn’t have much floor space, but the cleverly designed partition manages to work as a headboard, shelving and a small table.
A good joiner will be able to help you design an item of furniture like this, perhaps incorporating clothes storage or extra lighting as well. You might even be able to add a couple of charging ports for mobile phones and other electricals.
Want to make your headboard work harder? Tap into its multi-functional possibilities
Elevate the bed
If your ceiling height is more impressive than your floor space, it’s definitely worth considering raising your bed. While bunk beds aren’t really appropriate for a grown-up vibe, lifting the bed onto a mezzanine most certainly is.
Filling the space below with drawers and cupboards is the ultimate in sensible space-saving. Just make sure the platform is strong enough – you’ll probably need some sort of steel framework to create a sturdy base.
If your ceiling height is more impressive than your floor space, it’s definitely worth considering raising your bed. While bunk beds aren’t really appropriate for a grown-up vibe, lifting the bed onto a mezzanine most certainly is.
Filling the space below with drawers and cupboards is the ultimate in sensible space-saving. Just make sure the platform is strong enough – you’ll probably need some sort of steel framework to create a sturdy base.
Use a cupboard as a divider
This room has been divided into a sleeping area and an en suite. A full wall would have broken up the space too much, but this wardrobe acts as a less imposing screen and provides ample clothes storage as well.
This room has been divided into a sleeping area and an en suite. A full wall would have broken up the space too much, but this wardrobe acts as a less imposing screen and provides ample clothes storage as well.
Combine your wardrobe and bedside table
Consider positioning your clothes cupboards next to your bed to create a cosy nook. These tall wardrobes either side of the bed have been cinched in at the waist to provide a sliver of bedside storage as well, making them neat in design and highly useful.
Keen to see more compact sleep spaces? Take a look at these brilliant bijou bedrooms
Consider positioning your clothes cupboards next to your bed to create a cosy nook. These tall wardrobes either side of the bed have been cinched in at the waist to provide a sliver of bedside storage as well, making them neat in design and highly useful.
Keen to see more compact sleep spaces? Take a look at these brilliant bijou bedrooms
Work with sloping ceilings to carve out storage
In bedrooms at the top of a house, it’s quite normal to have sloping ceilings. Carving out a little niche where the slope hits the wall is a simple but effective way of making some handy shelf space for displaying pictures or keeping books.
In bedrooms at the top of a house, it’s quite normal to have sloping ceilings. Carving out a little niche where the slope hits the wall is a simple but effective way of making some handy shelf space for displaying pictures or keeping books.
Hang, store and display
The slopes and bulkheads in this room might have initially presented a challenge, but this has been effectively overcome. The bed slots in neatly to the lower section of the slope, with clothes shelving above, and a tall space for hanging to the side of the bed.
The slopes and different levels are echoed elsewhere in the other shelving units around the room to create a neatly cohesive whole.
The slopes and bulkheads in this room might have initially presented a challenge, but this has been effectively overcome. The bed slots in neatly to the lower section of the slope, with clothes shelving above, and a tall space for hanging to the side of the bed.
The slopes and different levels are echoed elsewhere in the other shelving units around the room to create a neatly cohesive whole.
Build in a ledge circuit
A neat little ledge running around the room can be a great feature to build in. At the window, it provides a sill, and elsewhere it’s a surface for lamps, cups or even watches and jewellery.
A neat little ledge running around the room can be a great feature to build in. At the window, it provides a sill, and elsewhere it’s a surface for lamps, cups or even watches and jewellery.
Fit shelving into alcoves
Often, structural features will provide you with as many answers as problems, if you know where to look. In this space, a chimney breast wall serves as a headboard for the bed and the alcoves either side as floor-to-ceiling shelving.
At bed level, these shelves can be used to store bedtime drinks, books and maybe even a small desk lamp. The bare brick sets off the wall in striking fashion, while the warm glow of lighting around the shelves creates a dramatic focal point.
Often, structural features will provide you with as many answers as problems, if you know where to look. In this space, a chimney breast wall serves as a headboard for the bed and the alcoves either side as floor-to-ceiling shelving.
At bed level, these shelves can be used to store bedtime drinks, books and maybe even a small desk lamp. The bare brick sets off the wall in striking fashion, while the warm glow of lighting around the shelves creates a dramatic focal point.
Reclaim space above the radiator
A simple shelf above a radiator is useful in two ways. Firstly, it provides a handy display surface (probably not for your night-time water glass though, unless you like it tepid). Secondly, it stops hot air from the radiator escaping immediately upwards and pushes it into the room instead, making the space more cosy.
What do you think of these flexible bedroom ideas? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
A simple shelf above a radiator is useful in two ways. Firstly, it provides a handy display surface (probably not for your night-time water glass though, unless you like it tepid). Secondly, it stops hot air from the radiator escaping immediately upwards and pushes it into the room instead, making the space more cosy.
What do you think of these flexible bedroom ideas? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
A place at the end of the bed to perch and put on your socks is a positive addition to any bedroom. If it’s a hefty storage box for linens or even spare duvets as well, then you have one very useful, multi-functional item.
Ottomans, like this one, are often clad in fabric and are perfect for the end of a bed, but you could also buy a simple wooden blanket box or storage bench instead.