Small bedrooms are one of the major drawbacks of city-dwelling. Especially for those who are living on a tight budget. That’s why for some people, mainly couples, downsizing from a queen bed to a double bed or smaller seems to be the only option.
Or is it?
Here’s a secret: you don’t need to give up your comfy queen bed just to make your small bedroom work for you. Fitting a queen-size bed in a small bedroom is like threading a needle by a night lamp. It can be quite a challenge but it’s certainly achievable!
No idea how and where to start?
Well, in this piece, we’re going to share some of the industry’s best-kept secrets on how to perfectly arrange your small space with a queen bed.
But first, how small is small?
Ideally, a bedroom should have a minimum floor area of 9.8 sqm to comfortably fit a queen-size bed.
This is the recommended size because it can accommodate all bedroom essentials from the bed to the closet, bedside table, and other furniture. And you’ll still have enough room to dance and prance around!
However, not everyone can afford to acquire a room this big. In Australia, most city dwellers living with small bedrooms only have around 8 sqm of space to work with, give or take.
While it’s not the ideal size, it’s certainly workable! So how do you fit a queen size bedroom in such a small space?
Below are some great interior designing hacks you can use to arrange your small bedroom with a queen bed!
1. Opt for bed frames with slimmer profiles
When fitting a queen bed in a small bedroom, every inch matters. That’s why the last thing you want to do is to buy a bulky bed frame for your mattress.
As much as possible, look for bed frames with slimmer profiles. For example, if the standard size of queen beds is 152 cm x 203 cm, it would be wise to buy bed frames that are only 5 cm to 15 cm longer or wider. This extra leeway is just enough and won’t eat up that much space.
If you have no idea yet what kind of bed frame suits your space best, check out our collection of luxury queen beds and see which ones will pique your interest.
Bed frames like the Twist Queen Bed and the Sakae Queen Bed are perfect for small bedrooms as they can accommodate standard queen-sized beds but won’t look and feel cumbersome in your room.
However, if you want to take a more minimalist approach, you can always opt for a bedhead or headboard instead of a full frame. Check out our range of headboards here.
2. Place your bed against the longest wall
Knowing where to place your bed in a room can save you a lot of space. If you have a small bedroom, the best spot for your queen bed is on the longest unobstructed wall, meaning, the wall with no doors or windows on it (if possible).
Placing your bed against this wall makes it easily accessible for both you and your partner. If your bed is placed against the entrance door wall, one of you will have to walk completely around it just to get on or off the bed. Hassle, right?
3. Use bedside tables
You may think that since you have such a small space, you couldn’t possibly use a bedside table. Which, of course, is flat out wrong. In fact, we even encourage you to buy one or two!
Bedsides are a better option than nightstands since the latter occupy more space.
When looking for a modern bedside table, buy the ones that offer good storage space. It doesn’t have to be bulky, it just needs to have ample storage to keep the top of the table clutter-free.
Remember, less clutter is paramount to longer and better sleep!
If you want to take it to the next level, you can also opt for a floating bedside table. This furniture will give you great storage space while also leaving the floor clear so you can place more functional accessories like storage boxes or that clear floor space will create the illusion of more space.
4. Take advantage of the vertical space
When you squeeze a queen bed in a small room, your available floor space is obviously going to get smaller, but there’s always a workaround for these kinds of hiccups.
You may lack floor space, but do you know what you have? Vertical space.
Yes, you’ll need to get creative with your wall space since you really don’t have the luxury to bring in more furniture.
For example, instead of buying a chest of drawers, you can opt for tall and narrow open shelving to save space. Also, you can replace your bookcase with floating shelves to make way for a work desk or other furniture.
You could also opt for leaning ladder shelves that make use of the vertical space but only take up very minimal floor space.
5. Get real smart with your storage solutions
Much like the previous suggestion, getting smart with your storage choices simply means maximising every inch of space that you have. And you can pull it off by using any piece of furniture that doubles as storage. Trust us, they’re a life-saver!
A queen-sized bed with pull-out drawers underneath will not only add more storage but will also eliminate the need for a separate cabinet for other stuff like your clothes.
Similarly, an ottoman that is hollow inside can double as storage for your shoes so you don’t have to buy a separate shoe rack.
6. Use visual tricks
If there’s a thing or two that you can learn from a designer’s playbook, it’s that they love to use visual trickery to make a room look more spacious than it actually is.
Below are only some of those hacks to make your space look and feel much bigger.
Hang your drapes high
This is another great example of taking advantage of your vertical space.
While it doesn’t have anything to do with your storage system, hanging your curtains high will certainly make your room feel bigger. It tricks your eyes into thinking that you have higher ceilings.
Using light fabrics for your curtains will also help your room feel airier as it allows more natural light to come into your room.
Hang a mirror
You probably know this by now, because it’s the oldest trick in the playbook.
Mirrors create an illusion of wider space by reflecting a portion of your room and bouncing off natural light throughout the space.
The best places to hang the mirror would be next to your bed, opposite the window, or behind the entrance door.
Check out our hanging mirrors here!
Splash a light colour palette on your wall
Light colours can make your small room feel a lot more open and airy. That’s why you should keep your small room bright by painting a light colour palette on your walls.
While dark colours such as black or dark grey can make your room look cozier and more expensive, these heavy pigments are off the table since they can also make your room feel more enclosed.
They would work in large rooms, yes, but they’re a big no-no for small rooms.
These are only some of the magic tricks that professional interior designers use to perk up a small space. If the pros use these all the time, we see no reason why you shouldn’t!
7. Embrace minimalism
If you want this to work, now might be the best time to adopt a minimalist lifestyle.
No, you don’t need to wear the same grey-coloured shirt every day. You just need to tidy up your room by donating or throwing away unnecessary stuff that you’ve collected over the years. After all, they do nothing but collect dust on your shelves!
Keeping only the things that you need and organising them properly will make your room feel more relaxing and inviting. The kind of room that you would actually want to sleep in.
Final Thoughts
Fitting in a queen bed in a small space is not as burdensome as you thought it would be. There’s no need to get stressed out over a small bedroom.
With the right plan and the courage to let go of some of your stuff, you’ll be just fine.
Just make sure to follow all the tips that we laid out here and you’ll be able to arrange that queen bed in your small room like a pro.
Learn more about our space-saving techniques and with our bedroom furniture here at SLH Australia!