45 Small Bedroom Ideas That Take Advantage of Every Square Inch

Limited space doesn’t mean you can’t sleep like a queen. Take a look at this bedroom in an exuberant Aspen home designed by ELLE DECOR A-Lister Patrick Mele as proof. Here, the designer installed a whimsical butterfly-print canopy above the bed. The structure doesn’t occupy an ounce of additional square footage and has the delightful effect of creating a “room-within-a-room.” Does this mean we can call our apartment a two-bedroom?

The cozy yet stylish bedroom in this Manhattan apartment maximizes space with clever design choices. A calming neutral palette creates a serene atmosphere, while thoughtful touches like plush bedding and modern accents add a sophisticated edge. Though small, the room feels airy, luxurious, and grounding.

If your budget is tight, consider shelling out for one investment piece for your small bedroom, like a particularly fabulous bedspread or coverlet. Here, ELLE DECOR A-List designer Andre Mellone selected a checkered one with matching pillows, a choice that works with the rest of the room’s moody palette, creating the feeling of being tucked away in a cozy cave with nature just in view.

Star Mexican chef Elena Reygadas has a small sleeping space, sure, but her home is blessed with sky-high ceilings and tons of light. The pale blue Chippendale bed, an heirloom from Reygadas’s grandmother, adds a sense of vintage romance without being over the top.

When a full-sized mattress just won’t fit, opt for a smaller daybed. We love how landscape architect Thomas Woltz slotted this elegant antique alongside a window in his Virginia Victorian.

When space is at a premium, be sure to make the most of your bed itself. Here, in a perfectly situated Rome apartment, design duo Alvisi Kirimoto piled an antique bed with pillows by Vox Populi. A space-saving, squiggly-legged nightstand by Maarten Baas provides extra punch.

This boho-chic room, designed by Schuyler Samperton, has many tricks up its sleeve. Striped wallpaper adds height, while a largely blue color palette keeps the look cozy. Samperton also made sure the accessories were stacked vertically (take a look at that well-styled nightstand!), a move that works with the upward lines of the wallpaper and headboard.

If a fabric canopy isn’t quite your vibe, consider choosing a bed frame that adds architectural interest instead. Designer Sam Sacks kept this Toronto bedroom crisp and white to let the custom four-poster bed be the hero element in the space.

Elegance is the name of the game in Lindsay Stall Falconer’s pretty New York City bedroom. In addition to the elevated palette of gray, blush, white, and gold in classic fabrics, she lifted the look with a pair of antique sconces.

Sometimes, it’s best to embrace your treasures. William Cullum, a senior designer at Jayne Design Studio, certainly did in the tiny-but-mighty 500-square-foot studio apartment he shares with his partner. His maximalist design ethos? “If we love it, we make it work.”

This Parisian house decorated by Eric Allart is centuries old—and has the quirky architecture to prove it. Allart gave this small garret bedroom plenty of personality with complementary block-printed fabrics in aqua hues.

Your bedroom may feel like a cave, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a chic cave. Take this enveloping bedroom designed by Le Whit. The designers painted the walls in Sherwin-Williams’s Naval and upholstered the bed in a wine-colored Zak+Fox fabric—deep hues that spell deep slumber.

We’re here for some glamping—especially when the tent is designed by Veere Grenney. In this London townhouse, the decorator swaddled a combined dressing room and nap quarters in a striped fabric by Le Gracieux, creating height while leaving a sleeper wrapped in style.

If the only thing your bedroom can fit is, well, a bed, make your headboard work for you. We love this vibrant idea in the Los Angeles home of Mara Brock Akil, designed by Tiffany Howell. This custom blue velvet bed is tricked out with a nightstand, lighting, and plenty of ’70s glamour.

When it comes to your sleeping quarters, why not create a room-within-a-room with a striking four-poster bed? We love the barley twist version that designer Tatyana Miron Ahlers sourced for her chic Manhattan pad.