Bedroom Style Makeovers - Make a Small Room Seem Larger

Every bedroom, regardless of it's size, should be a personal sanctuary that invites relaxation and reconnection. It should be warm and serene, even if storage space and square footage is at a premium. Here are style solutions for a smaller bedroom that will help you create the tranquil space you crave.

You First Priority: Remove Clutter

While furniture placement, wall color and wall décor can all be used to enhance the appearance of a small space, there is no amount of decorating that will make a cluttered space look good. Therefore your first priority is to de-clutter and organize. Donate or recycle items you no longer use, from clothing to furniture and accessories. Banish office and work related paraphernalia from your bedroom and organize personal papers and effects in a file box that can be stored in the closet, under the bed, or another part of the house.

Wall Colors & Coverings

Light neutrals and pastels will make a space feel larger. Add contrast and texture with bedding and window fabric choices, as well as toss pillows and throws for the bed or a side chair. Using a slightly deeper shade on any wall will make it a focal point. This technique can be used for the wall behind the headboard or a wall where you plan to create a grouping of wall art. When choosing a focal wall to highlight the headboard first be sure that location is the best option for placement of the bed. (See furniture placement below). If you want to add texture on wall without straying from the color of other walls, try a textured grass cloth in the same hue, or do the entire room in a neutral grass cloth that will add interest without adding darkness.

Furniture Placement

Placement of the bed is an important consideration when setting up the bedroom. The wall opposite the entry door is ideal if the space is large enough. Consider that the bed does not have to be centered on this wall; the room may seem more spacious with the bed off center and a chair or small dresser on one side with a night stand on the other. Diagonal placement is another option.

Add Architectural Interest with Easy-to-Make Faux Wood Panels

If you're tired of flat boring walls, create stretch canvas panels to add architectural interest to your focal wall. Stretch the canvas over simple wood frames and mount them one above the other from ceiling to floor on both ends of the headboard, using painter's tape to create a perfectly straight guide line. If they do not fit perfectly on the wall space, use side tables to cover the gap at the bottom or paint the wall space in the same color as the canvases.

The stretch canvases will make the ceilings look higher and add dimension. Paint them in a rich accent, such as chocolate brown against taupe walls, then repeat the color as part of color scheme in bedding, bed accessories, and window treatments.

Bold-Scaled Bedding and Bedside Accessories

Large scale patterns in bold bright colors will make the room seem larger. Choose a bedspread or comforter with a bright bold print that includes your wall color and the color of your stretch canvases, but don't limit yourself to those colors. Large scale geometrics or modern graphic paisleys and florals accented with teals, poppy and mustard would give a tan/brown background a rich and dramatic contrast. Echo the bright accents in your choices of lamp bases and shade, table top accessories, toss pillows and throws that will draw the focus away from the smaller scale of the room.

Perfectly Proportioned Wall Accents

• Don't use one large wall hanging in a small room, or it will seem to suck up all the space. Use a grouping of smaller related pieces to fill a space on a wall opposite or adjoining the bed wall, or choose one appropriately sized-piece that doesn't overwhelm the space or compete with the focal wall.

• Wall mirrors will create the illusion of spaciousness in a small room. Placing a wall mirror directly opposite a window will make the room seem brighter and larger; or try a wall mirror between two windows on the same wall.