Ask an Expert: How Can I Furnish and Decorate a Small, Square Room?
From baffling boxrooms to pocket-sized living spaces, it can be difficult to make the most of a dinky area. Let the experts inspire you…
When you think of a small, square room, the classic boxroom probably comes to mind – that not-sure-what-to-do-with-it bedroom that invariably becomes a child’s room or a home office in which you struggle to arrange furniture satisfactorily. (Unless yours is a dumping ground you shut the door on guiltily because you can’t think of what else to do with the space.)
But the boxroom is just one part of the puzzle when it comes to tackling the furniture and décor in a small, square room. What about weeny guest rooms and micro living spaces? All will be covered in this next instalment of the Houzz series on tricky-shaped rooms.
Professional advice from: Letiche Black of Amberth; Diana Greenhalgh of My Bespoke Room; Charlotte Ford of Cotton Tree Interiors
But the boxroom is just one part of the puzzle when it comes to tackling the furniture and décor in a small, square room. What about weeny guest rooms and micro living spaces? All will be covered in this next instalment of the Houzz series on tricky-shaped rooms.
Professional advice from: Letiche Black of Amberth; Diana Greenhalgh of My Bespoke Room; Charlotte Ford of Cotton Tree Interiors
Give it a purpose
The difficulties with decorating a classic boxroom – the room you wouldn’t be sure whether or not to count as a bedroom or a study if you were selling your home – can be summed up by exactly that example: ‘One challenge clients often face,’ saysCharlotte Ford of Cotton Tree Interiors, ‘is to know what the room’s function is – they are often unsure of what it should be used for.’ It can also be tricky to create sufficient storage as well as giving such a dinky space a focal point.
Charlotte suggests a few solutions. ‘Use a day bed in an occasional guest bedroom,’ she says, as the owners of this room have done. ‘The room can then be used as a private study the rest of the time, but still look stylish. Your day bed can be dressed up with cushions and pretty throws when it’s not being used.’
The difficulties with decorating a classic boxroom – the room you wouldn’t be sure whether or not to count as a bedroom or a study if you were selling your home – can be summed up by exactly that example: ‘One challenge clients often face,’ saysCharlotte Ford of Cotton Tree Interiors, ‘is to know what the room’s function is – they are often unsure of what it should be used for.’ It can also be tricky to create sufficient storage as well as giving such a dinky space a focal point.
Charlotte suggests a few solutions. ‘Use a day bed in an occasional guest bedroom,’ she says, as the owners of this room have done. ‘The room can then be used as a private study the rest of the time, but still look stylish. Your day bed can be dressed up with cushions and pretty throws when it’s not being used.’
Colour with care
‘Once you know how the space will be used,’ says Letiche, ‘you can start thinking about colours and whether you will opt for a darker shade for a more intimate feel or brighter tones for a more open, airy approach.’
If your boxroom is blessed with lashings of natural light, paint it white to boost the airy effect and remove any cooped-up feeling. Equally, keep furniture and décor pared down – and pieces you can see through rather than solid blocks of furniture will add to the free-flowing feel.
However, if you’re dealing with a windowless or dark room, it will never look light, and white paint risks appearing grey and dull, so go the other way – bold, moody or quirky, perhaps like this…
Discover clever ways to furnish a long, thin room
‘Once you know how the space will be used,’ says Letiche, ‘you can start thinking about colours and whether you will opt for a darker shade for a more intimate feel or brighter tones for a more open, airy approach.’
If your boxroom is blessed with lashings of natural light, paint it white to boost the airy effect and remove any cooped-up feeling. Equally, keep furniture and décor pared down – and pieces you can see through rather than solid blocks of furniture will add to the free-flowing feel.
However, if you’re dealing with a windowless or dark room, it will never look light, and white paint risks appearing grey and dull, so go the other way – bold, moody or quirky, perhaps like this…
Discover clever ways to furnish a long, thin room
Embrace maximalist décor
‘Small spaces make great areas in which to be more creative,’ says Charlotte Ford. ‘Go overboard with wallpaper and cover all the walls – even have the same design on the curtains.’
Boxrooms are often used as kids’ rooms and this space also shows how brilliantly bunk beds can boost the amount of practical space in a small area. ‘It’s all about fitting everything you need into a small space without impacting on how you physically move around the room,’ says Diana Greenhalgh of My Bespoke Room.
‘Small spaces make great areas in which to be more creative,’ says Charlotte Ford. ‘Go overboard with wallpaper and cover all the walls – even have the same design on the curtains.’
Boxrooms are often used as kids’ rooms and this space also shows how brilliantly bunk beds can boost the amount of practical space in a small area. ‘It’s all about fitting everything you need into a small space without impacting on how you physically move around the room,’ says Diana Greenhalgh of My Bespoke Room.
Focus on your features
‘Embrace original features, which will add depth to the space,’ advises Letiche. Here, although the fireplace takes up space, it adds visual interest, making this little living room feel substantial rather than a featureless little box.
Note, too, how effective that large mantelpiece mirror is at seemingly expanding the room’s dimensions. Skipping window treatments, too, if you can, will also keep a small room feeling more open – quite literally – and if you have good-looking windows like these, bonus.
‘Embrace original features, which will add depth to the space,’ advises Letiche. Here, although the fireplace takes up space, it adds visual interest, making this little living room feel substantial rather than a featureless little box.
Note, too, how effective that large mantelpiece mirror is at seemingly expanding the room’s dimensions. Skipping window treatments, too, if you can, will also keep a small room feeling more open – quite literally – and if you have good-looking windows like these, bonus.
Get on up
Diana advises using the space in a boxroom vertically as well as horizontally. ‘Keep the larger surface area of the bed near the top of the room so you have more free floor space,’ she suggests.
Explore more ways to extend your rooms with mezzanines
Diana advises using the space in a boxroom vertically as well as horizontally. ‘Keep the larger surface area of the bed near the top of the room so you have more free floor space,’ she suggests.
Explore more ways to extend your rooms with mezzanines
Pimp your storage
Built-in storage – if you can squeeze it in – is a fantastic way to pack extra space into a weeny bedroom. Adding a wall of mirrored doors takes the humble fitted wardrobe to a whole new level in this small sleep space, exploiting Letiche’s mirror trick to the max. The monochrome striped rug provides another optical illusion, appearing to stretch the floor away from the bed.
Built-in storage – if you can squeeze it in – is a fantastic way to pack extra space into a weeny bedroom. Adding a wall of mirrored doors takes the humble fitted wardrobe to a whole new level in this small sleep space, exploiting Letiche’s mirror trick to the max. The monochrome striped rug provides another optical illusion, appearing to stretch the floor away from the bed.
Round things out
‘Try to understand exactly how you will use the space and design around that, defining each area with real purpose,’ says Letiche. ‘A round table in a corner works well in a square room; not only will it fit neatly, it will help to create a better flow within the space.’
‘Try to understand exactly how you will use the space and design around that, defining each area with real purpose,’ says Letiche. ‘A round table in a corner works well in a square room; not only will it fit neatly, it will help to create a better flow within the space.’
Downsize your bed
‘It can be tempting to use a double bed you already have in your boxroom,’ says Charlotte. ‘But to make the most of the space, think about not overcrowding the room and using appropriate-sized furniture. If you can’t comfortably fit in a double bed, go for a 4ft one – most bed manufacturers offer a bespoke service, as do bedding companies.’
‘It can be tempting to use a double bed you already have in your boxroom,’ says Charlotte. ‘But to make the most of the space, think about not overcrowding the room and using appropriate-sized furniture. If you can’t comfortably fit in a double bed, go for a 4ft one – most bed manufacturers offer a bespoke service, as do bedding companies.’
Hang it up
‘If there really isn’t space for a wardrobe,’ says Charlotte, ‘think about using some decorative hooks and lovely fabric hangers, just enough for a guest to hang one or two items.’ She also suggests choosing a bed with a base, so that suitcases and other bulky things can be hidden beneath it.
‘If there really isn’t space for a wardrobe,’ says Charlotte, ‘think about using some decorative hooks and lovely fabric hangers, just enough for a guest to hang one or two items.’ She also suggests choosing a bed with a base, so that suitcases and other bulky things can be hidden beneath it.
Dig in
Talking of sneaky storage, consider a wall niche or more. Where you don’t have the luxury of being able to encroach on the livable space in a room with protruding shelves, how about digging into a wall to create storage niches instead? Here, architectural interest is added, too, which, as Letiche has already suggested, creates depth in rooms that can often be featureless.
Do get an expert to check out your walls first to see whether they’re suitable, as this won’t work on every type (and be especially careful with party walls, as there is guidance about how large and deep cavities can be).
Talking of sneaky storage, consider a wall niche or more. Where you don’t have the luxury of being able to encroach on the livable space in a room with protruding shelves, how about digging into a wall to create storage niches instead? Here, architectural interest is added, too, which, as Letiche has already suggested, creates depth in rooms that can often be featureless.
Do get an expert to check out your walls first to see whether they’re suitable, as this won’t work on every type (and be especially careful with party walls, as there is guidance about how large and deep cavities can be).
Employ the ‘two’s company’ rule
As already mentioned, a home study or office is a fantastic way to make the most of a boxroom. But to avoid feeling cramped while you work, Diana advises using two full walls but leaving the others completely free. ‘This balances functionality and ergonomics,’ she explains. ‘The desk should also be positioned at the small end to create the feel you’re lengthening the space.’
As already mentioned, a home study or office is a fantastic way to make the most of a boxroom. But to avoid feeling cramped while you work, Diana advises using two full walls but leaving the others completely free. ‘This balances functionality and ergonomics,’ she explains. ‘The desk should also be positioned at the small end to create the feel you’re lengthening the space.’
Favour a feature wall
Letiche explains why carefully positioned striking wallpaper in a square space is such a clever trick: ‘It focuses the eye to one particular wall,’ she says, ‘drawing you into the space and changing how you see the shape of the room.’
Letiche explains why carefully positioned striking wallpaper in a square space is such a clever trick: ‘It focuses the eye to one particular wall,’ she says, ‘drawing you into the space and changing how you see the shape of the room.’
Add depth
‘Finding the right colours for the walls in a small bedroom can be challenging, as you try to inject depth into the room,’ says Letiche. In an otherwise plain room, details such as a striking landscape painting that draws you towards a point in the distance, and structurally interesting shutters – as seen here – can create a sense of depth where there was none.
‘The challenges of boxrooms,’ she adds, ‘are that you have to consciously think about every little detail as the space won’t give any natural clues.’
‘Finding the right colours for the walls in a small bedroom can be challenging, as you try to inject depth into the room,’ says Letiche. In an otherwise plain room, details such as a striking landscape painting that draws you towards a point in the distance, and structurally interesting shutters – as seen here – can create a sense of depth where there was none.
‘The challenges of boxrooms,’ she adds, ‘are that you have to consciously think about every little detail as the space won’t give any natural clues.’
Choose clever furniture
Not only should you consider choosing downsized versions of regular furniture to make more of a little room, advises Diana, but also seek out furniture that does more than one thing.
This clever and narrow bed is also a desk, a shelf and a bedside perch, as well as housing a spare bed.
TELL US…
Have you done something clever with the smallest room in your home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
Not only should you consider choosing downsized versions of regular furniture to make more of a little room, advises Diana, but also seek out furniture that does more than one thing.
This clever and narrow bed is also a desk, a shelf and a bedside perch, as well as housing a spare bed.
TELL US…
Have you done something clever with the smallest room in your home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
This is a classic trick, but one that can be invaluable in a tiny room, especially when it’s a well-used living space that’s on the dinky side. ‘Add mirrors to help expand the space,’ says Letiche Black of Amberth, ‘creating an illusion that the space expands beyond the room.’
Directing a mirror towards the view beyond the window can increase this effect, adding an airy feel as well as an optical illusion.
Explore more in this awkward-shaped rooms series, and get inspiration for spaces with sloped ceilings and tricky nooks