Hidden Storage Ploys That Will Make Your Bedroom Feel Bigger
Is your storage-starved bedroom feeling cramped and chaotic? Restore order with these clutter-busting tricks
Lucy Searle
9 December 2017
Houzz Contributor. Editor in Chief of RealHomes.com. I am an editor, journalist, web and copywriter. I was Editor of the hugely successful www.channel4.com/4homes, taking it from a small site to a leading brand. I was also founding Editor of Channel 4’s 4Homes magazine, was Associate Editor at Ideal Home and have written for MSN, Huffington Post, Homes & Gardens, Country Homes & Interiors, Beautiful Kitchens, House Beautiful, Good Homes, and many women’s titles. I founded www.tailoredcontent.co.uk with a fellow journalist and together we blog, write web content and run social media accounts for (mostly) interiors companies. As a general rule, I write about everything from buying and selling property, self build, DIY, design and consumer issues to gardening but have tackled travel and family...
Houzz Contributor. Editor in Chief of RealHomes.com. I am an editor, journalist,... More
It’s not easy to create the calm, relaxing haven your bedroom deserves to be when there’s so much to pack into it. So if yours is overflowing with clothes, shoes, bedding and whatever else finds its way in there, you’ll have to resort to some storage trickery. Employing a few of these clever ideas won’t just solve your storage issues, it will make your bedroom feel larger and brighter, too.
Deflect the attention
A large mirror reflects light and makes a room instantly feel bigger – and in a bedroom, you can really stretch its proportions for maximum impact.
In fact, wall-to-wall-to-ceiling mirrored wardrobes can hide tons of storage behind their doors – and you won’t see a big, blocky piece of furniture, just a neater, more organised space that looks brighter and twice the size.
A large mirror reflects light and makes a room instantly feel bigger – and in a bedroom, you can really stretch its proportions for maximum impact.
In fact, wall-to-wall-to-ceiling mirrored wardrobes can hide tons of storage behind their doors – and you won’t see a big, blocky piece of furniture, just a neater, more organised space that looks brighter and twice the size.
Create a window storage seat
If your window sits in a recessed alcove like this one – or perhaps the space in front of your bay is poorly exploited – why not build a storage seat with a cushioned top?
This one has doors and would make a great shoe cupboard, but simple structures with lift-up lids on hinges are a good place to hide away out-of-season clothes, too.
If your window sits in a recessed alcove like this one – or perhaps the space in front of your bay is poorly exploited – why not build a storage seat with a cushioned top?
This one has doors and would make a great shoe cupboard, but simple structures with lift-up lids on hinges are a good place to hide away out-of-season clothes, too.
Make storage look like a wall
The most efficient storage is often bespoke-fitted to make the most of every inch of space. If you’re going to fit wardrobes, consider flush-fronted, handleless doors rather than more traditional designs. Why? Because detail-free doors will recede into the background, just like a wall would, while fussy details will make the wardrobes visually advance. Sliding doors are better space-savers than opening ones, too.
The most efficient storage is often bespoke-fitted to make the most of every inch of space. If you’re going to fit wardrobes, consider flush-fronted, handleless doors rather than more traditional designs. Why? Because detail-free doors will recede into the background, just like a wall would, while fussy details will make the wardrobes visually advance. Sliding doors are better space-savers than opening ones, too.
Hide clutter under the bed
There are so many neat ways to do this – from basic lidded boxes on wheels to flip-up mattress frames to (the tidiest option of all) drawers in divan frames, like this one.
Upholstered to match the headboard, and half hidden by bedding, these drawers can provide masses of space for out-of-season bedding and clothes, and they’re totally under the radar.
There are so many neat ways to do this – from basic lidded boxes on wheels to flip-up mattress frames to (the tidiest option of all) drawers in divan frames, like this one.
Upholstered to match the headboard, and half hidden by bedding, these drawers can provide masses of space for out-of-season bedding and clothes, and they’re totally under the radar.
Invent a storage door
A genius idea, especially for clutter-heavy children’s rooms, this storage door design could be applied to the main bedroom door and to the front of cupboard doors.
The must-have? A decent carpenter who can get the hinges and frame spec right to support the door and shelving material, plus the shelves’ contents. Castors on the underside of the bottom shelf will provide extra support.
Browse reviews of local carpenters or joiners in your area
A genius idea, especially for clutter-heavy children’s rooms, this storage door design could be applied to the main bedroom door and to the front of cupboard doors.
The must-have? A decent carpenter who can get the hinges and frame spec right to support the door and shelving material, plus the shelves’ contents. Castors on the underside of the bottom shelf will provide extra support.
Browse reviews of local carpenters or joiners in your area
Use headboard space
Why does this shoe storage idea work so well? Rather than recessing the bed under wall-hung cupboards, a false wall has been built to create an alcove for the shelving, so that when the cupboard doors are shut, they look like a wall and not a bulky storage unit.
The downside? You sacrifice around 40-50cm of floor space – but in a long, narrow room, this can actually work to correct proportions.
Why a scene-stealing headboard could make your bedroom makeover
Why does this shoe storage idea work so well? Rather than recessing the bed under wall-hung cupboards, a false wall has been built to create an alcove for the shelving, so that when the cupboard doors are shut, they look like a wall and not a bulky storage unit.
The downside? You sacrifice around 40-50cm of floor space – but in a long, narrow room, this can actually work to correct proportions.
Why a scene-stealing headboard could make your bedroom makeover
Invest in an instant solution
If you have a storage problem you want solved now(ish), an ottoman is a fast fix. At first glance, it’s a rather glam place to perch, but lift up the lid and there’s tons of space to stash away all sorts of things you might need to access quickly.
Have yours painted or upholstered to tone with the bedroom and it’ll blend into the background rather than hog the limelight.
If you have a storage problem you want solved now(ish), an ottoman is a fast fix. At first glance, it’s a rather glam place to perch, but lift up the lid and there’s tons of space to stash away all sorts of things you might need to access quickly.
Have yours painted or upholstered to tone with the bedroom and it’ll blend into the background rather than hog the limelight.
Flush-fit in alcoves
In a contemporary-style space, it makes sense to flatten out and exploit the room’s architectural angles – namely, alcoves. Here, the materials used for the cupboards and chimney breast match the bed to create a discreet, fitted finish.
The success of the alcove cupboards is the symmetry and flush-fitting – the deep wood grain is a texture-adding bonus.
In a contemporary-style space, it makes sense to flatten out and exploit the room’s architectural angles – namely, alcoves. Here, the materials used for the cupboards and chimney breast match the bed to create a discreet, fitted finish.
The success of the alcove cupboards is the symmetry and flush-fitting – the deep wood grain is a texture-adding bonus.
Build it around a door
Walls with doors on them tend to be dismissed when considering potential storage areas, but if you build the wardrobes up and over the door cavity, you can get lots of capacity. Also, if you choose the right fittings, it won’t be visually intrusive, which will heighten the sense of space.
Which wardrobe doors to fit? Choose flush, push-click doors in a colour that tones with the other three walls in your room to blend them away.
Walls with doors on them tend to be dismissed when considering potential storage areas, but if you build the wardrobes up and over the door cavity, you can get lots of capacity. Also, if you choose the right fittings, it won’t be visually intrusive, which will heighten the sense of space.
Which wardrobe doors to fit? Choose flush, push-click doors in a colour that tones with the other three walls in your room to blend them away.
Go up and over the bed
If you lack both floor and wall space for storage, your only option might be to go over the bed. Before you dismiss the idea – imagining those dated Formica up-and-overs from back in the day – repeat the mantra: hotel style, hotel style, hotel style. That means filling the void with an upholstered headboard, fitting lights either side, and building in bedside tables to match. Swish…
What kind of storage do you have in your bedroom – and is it enough? Tell us in the Comments section.
If you lack both floor and wall space for storage, your only option might be to go over the bed. Before you dismiss the idea – imagining those dated Formica up-and-overs from back in the day – repeat the mantra: hotel style, hotel style, hotel style. That means filling the void with an upholstered headboard, fitting lights either side, and building in bedside tables to match. Swish…
What kind of storage do you have in your bedroom – and is it enough? Tell us in the Comments section.
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And I agree too, spooky.. but a lovely room
Yep, a mirror in the bedroom is a HUGE no no specially when sleeping but covering it with a pretty scarf thick enough not to be able to see your reflection can address this issue! I love my long rustic dressing mirror but cover it every night so it's ok. I also take this same scarf with me when travelling to cover up mirrors in other bedrooms!
Some of our storage ideas