The Small Area in Your Bedroom That Could be a Game-changer
Use it for extra storage, seating, shelving, a desk... The area at the bottom of the bed is ripe with possibilities
Have you been neglecting prime bedroom floor space? The area at the bed’s end is potential-packed. If you’re struggling with a small room, it can make the floor plan more efficient, so the furniture you need fits, despite the diminutive proportions of the space. If you’re blessed with a big bedroom, locating a new piece here can make the difference between sleeping space and suite. Check out these options that could improve your room.
Slim down
In this room, a wooden bench is a neat punctuation point for a bed without a footboard, and takes up little of the floor area. A leggy design like this one that keeps the floor on show can also counter any cluttering effect if a room’s small.
Note that, while this is a taller piece of furniture than many end-of-bed options, it’s still lower than the top of the mattress; higher, it would look unbalanced.
In this room, a wooden bench is a neat punctuation point for a bed without a footboard, and takes up little of the floor area. A leggy design like this one that keeps the floor on show can also counter any cluttering effect if a room’s small.
Note that, while this is a taller piece of furniture than many end-of-bed options, it’s still lower than the top of the mattress; higher, it would look unbalanced.
Box in
This custom-made upholstered box is seat, useful surface and storage in one. Ottomans are widely available, and can often be finished in a fabric of your choice to complement your room scheme.
Super-useful for spare bed linen, they can also make a good place to store out-of-season clothes, keeping wardrobes clearer.
How to organise your wardrobe brilliantly
This custom-made upholstered box is seat, useful surface and storage in one. Ottomans are widely available, and can often be finished in a fabric of your choice to complement your room scheme.
Super-useful for spare bed linen, they can also make a good place to store out-of-season clothes, keeping wardrobes clearer.
How to organise your wardrobe brilliantly
Pen a letter
OK, in reality you’re going to be tapping on a keyboard, but here’s the opportunity to adopt the charming traditional idea of a writing desk in a bedroom. As here, it should sit just below the footboard to avoid an awkward junction between the two pieces of furniture. A stool that slides away underneath is also an essential to avoid blocking a passageway through the room.
Also note: for a good night’s sleep, take a break between screen work and sleep time.
OK, in reality you’re going to be tapping on a keyboard, but here’s the opportunity to adopt the charming traditional idea of a writing desk in a bedroom. As here, it should sit just below the footboard to avoid an awkward junction between the two pieces of furniture. A stool that slides away underneath is also an essential to avoid blocking a passageway through the room.
Also note: for a good night’s sleep, take a break between screen work and sleep time.
Change shape
Padded cubes are a neat alternative to ottomans and padded benches. The benefits of a soft finish and a chance to inject colour, pattern or texture with the choice of upholstery fabric are still there, but cubes appear lighter than a single piece.
Padded cubes are a neat alternative to ottomans and padded benches. The benefits of a soft finish and a chance to inject colour, pattern or texture with the choice of upholstery fabric are still there, but cubes appear lighter than a single piece.
A pair of cubes will echo the symmetry of a double bed and bedside tables, or try the stylist’s favourite of a trio for a big bed, as in this room.
Unlock extra space
This narrow room could have been storage-light but for the end-of-bed cupboard and drawer combination. Widthways, it occupies almost the same area as the bed to maximise stash space.
If you’re adding a chest like this one in a small room, a light-coloured design is a sound choice so it doesn’t appear too heavy.
See more ways to use your bed space for extra storage
This narrow room could have been storage-light but for the end-of-bed cupboard and drawer combination. Widthways, it occupies almost the same area as the bed to maximise stash space.
If you’re adding a chest like this one in a small room, a light-coloured design is a sound choice so it doesn’t appear too heavy.
See more ways to use your bed space for extra storage
A larger room, on the other hand, can take a more dominant chest of drawers, like this dark version.
Make time for pampering
A lack of wall space to site a dressing table needn’t preclude its inclusion in a scheme, as this bedroom demonstrates.
It’s wise to have a footboard that separates the surface of the table from the bed, so there’s no concern that perfume and beauty products will be knocked over by your bed linen.
Check out dressing table ideas for every size of bedroom
A lack of wall space to site a dressing table needn’t preclude its inclusion in a scheme, as this bedroom demonstrates.
It’s wise to have a footboard that separates the surface of the table from the bed, so there’s no concern that perfume and beauty products will be knocked over by your bed linen.
Check out dressing table ideas for every size of bedroom
Tidy away
A padded bench with a shelf beneath can make room for blankets that can easily be grabbed on cold nights, or a throw that dresses your bed during the day once it’s removed for sleeping.
A word to the wise: this style of storage is for those who won’t be tempted to fill it with more than a couple of neatly folded bed covers or a pile of magazines.
A padded bench with a shelf beneath can make room for blankets that can easily be grabbed on cold nights, or a throw that dresses your bed during the day once it’s removed for sleeping.
A word to the wise: this style of storage is for those who won’t be tempted to fill it with more than a couple of neatly folded bed covers or a pile of magazines.
Get suite style
A bedroom that’s a retreat to relax in as well as a place to lay your head at night requires comfortable seating.
A room that’s not large enough for the hotel luxury of a separate seating area might yet follow this scheme’s example with a sofa at the end of the bed, if the room length allows. The golden rule? The sofa shouldn’t be wider than the bed.
A bedroom that’s a retreat to relax in as well as a place to lay your head at night requires comfortable seating.
A room that’s not large enough for the hotel luxury of a separate seating area might yet follow this scheme’s example with a sofa at the end of the bed, if the room length allows. The golden rule? The sofa shouldn’t be wider than the bed.
This room also features an end-of-bed sofa, but note here how a design without arms is more streamlined.
Tidy the TV
In this room, the footboard has been sized up a tad to incorporate – and conceal – a television. It’s a sacrifice of only a few centimetres that saves on having a separate piece of furniture or a black screen hung on the wall, and adds a luxury touch to the scheme.
Which of these ideas is your favourite? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
In this room, the footboard has been sized up a tad to incorporate – and conceal – a television. It’s a sacrifice of only a few centimetres that saves on having a separate piece of furniture or a black screen hung on the wall, and adds a luxury touch to the scheme.
Which of these ideas is your favourite? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
If it’s a place to perch for dressing that’s needed, a padded bench like this one is a handy extra. It may be easier to fit into a room than a chair, because it doesn’t need space all around it, and it’s still a functional addition when there’s room for both.
Re-create the look of this room with upholstery that injects a burst of warm, bright colour.
Create the perfect bedroom with these tips