Stressed Out Over a Queen Bed in a 10’ x 10’ Bedroom? Here’s 8 Hacks to Help
It doesn’t matter if you’re making over a small bedroom or downsizing from a large bedroom to a smaller one, there is always going to be some give and take in order to make that space work the best for you. So, it’s no surprise to me that the most asked question I get is how do I make my 10’ by 10’ bedroom work? The second most asked question is how do I make my 9’ x 12’ bedroom work?, followed by 10’ x 12’ room… If you look at each of these spaces, you’ll notice one thing in common: they’re all small. Even so, that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of everything or sacrifice your sense of style.
A few months back I wrote a piece on cleaver storage solutions for small bedrooms and the responses I got from that post led me to write this. I was contacted quite a few times regarding this 10’ x 10’ bedroom with queen bed question and each time I was asked, the undertone was the fear of having to drastically reduce clothing and compromise style or comfort in order to attempt fitting it in such a small space.
Now in all fairness, the hacks I will give today will be about using new pieces to outfit the bedroom but, you can easily substitute diy furniture or re-purposed pieces if you like. My intention is to help you see the total potential for this small bedroom and how these 8 hacks can make it possible to have that queen size bed in 10’ x 10’ of space. It’s not just about the bed, right? You still need space to store clothing and everything else you may want in your room. So, you’ll learn all about how to make your space function the best for the footprint you have. Let’s get into it.
As you can see, this room has a large set of windows on the left, and a smaller closet on the right. The entrance is in the bottom right of the room so that limits the placement of a queen size bed. It’s certainly not impossible but it’s important to be mindful of blocking the doors and windows and allowing for easy passage with walkways
Hack 1: Get a Large Area Rug
I always like to define my floor space with an area rug. So for this first tip I’m imagining a small bedroom with hardwood floors. Rugs are a great way to add a bit of acoustical sound abatement to a room and it’s also nice to have something cozy to step on when you get out of bed. The other benefit of an area rug is that they bring in color, pattern and texture. It doesn’t matter the size of your bedroom, large or small, every bedroom can use extra opportunity for color, pattern and texture.
I like to use the largest rug possible to fit into a small space because I like the way a large rug goes all the way underneath furniture. For this example, I chose an 8’ x 10’ rug and placed it horizontally across the space. That way the rug is mostly under the bed and exactly where your feet will touch the floor when getting out of the bed.
Conversely, a smaller rug doesn’t bring in that finished look to a space. Even in a small room like this, a small rug would look like a postage stamp and would just amplify the small feel for the room. A room sized area rug is intentional and makes the space feel more cohesive and finished.
Hack 2. Bed Goes on the Longest Wall
The wall with the least obstructions is the wall without windows or doors. I also like the bed to be the focal point when you walk into the bedroom because it is the largest piece of furniture in the space and that alone gives it priority.
The second consideration for bed placement is that you typically don’t want to have to walk around other furniture or go too far out of the way to get into bed. For example, if the bed was placed on the entrance door wall, one person would have to walk completely around the bed to get into the it on the window side.
Hack 3. Use Bedside Tables Instead of Nightstands
Having balance on the longest wall is also a great way to make the best use of a small space. These days bedside tables are a wonderful alternative to nightstands which typically take up more space. I like to use small tables with a combination of open and closed storage to place next to beds in a smaller room.
First, the open storage allows you to see the wall, expanding the visual field and making it seem like there is more space.
Second a closed drawer allows you to keep the things you need close at hand but not cluttering the top of the table. Keeping surfaces neat and tidy does a lot for small spaces. Think of it this way: less clutter equals better sleep.
Hack 4. Get a Kid Size Dresser
Kid’s size furniture has come a long way. You don’t have to bring in a piece that has cartoon characters all over it. There are plenty of sophisticated and appropriate styled kid’s bedroom furniture on the market. You can absolutely find a smaller scale dresser or chest that will give you the same amount of drawer space as any “adult” sized furniture will. The difference is the kid’s sized stuff has smaller overall dimensions which will go a long way for saving floor space in a small bedroom.
Hack 5. Hang Curtains High
Taking advantage of a room’s height will also make it feel more spacious. I always like to install curtain and drapery rods as high as they can go. Even if you have 7 and a half foot ceilings, take that drapery hardware all the to the ceiling. I leave up to 2” from the ceiling or trim to hand the rod. This makes it easy to fish the rod through the brackets and attach any finials or end caps to the ends.
Drapes should break right at the floor in order to finish the look and make the room appear taller.
Hack 6. Get a Tall Headboard
A tall headboard will also capitalize on ceiling height. My favorite little trick is going with a tall headboard and a low foot board in a small room. That way, you still get the visual impact of the headboard but the foot board isn’t too obtrusive and still allows you to sit on the end of the bed. A taller foot board will feel like a barrier to the bed.
Again, you’re playing with the height of the room, not the width of the room and you can always use that height to imply visual impact.
Hack 7. Keep the Wall Color Light
I like to keep small rooms light and bright so I don’t typically paint them dark colors. I stay away from heavy pigments because they tend to enclose spaces. I wrote a post a few months back if you really like dark colors in a small rooms. Darker colors can make a space feel cozy and dramatic, so if you’re after that look, here’s some advice to help you there.
For this example, I’m going to stick to light wall color because unsaturated colors like white or pale gray will make a 10’ x 10’ bedroom feel more expansive and airy.
Ideally, I’d like to paint the doors, trim and windows all the same color to eliminate contrast. When you have dark trim in a small room that highlights the size of the room and draws attention to the parameters of the space. That dark trim acts as a outline bringing the walls in and defining the limitations of the room. When the trim is painted the same color as the wall, the lines disappear and the space feels more expansive.
Hack 8. Do Not Over Crowd the Room with Furniture
My last tip is to not bring in any more furniture than necessary. Having a clunky extra set of drawers or a second dresser squeezed into a small room will make it feel much smaller right off the bat.
There’s a ton of ways to roll and fold cloths to get them into drawers. If your dresser drawers are filled with stuff other than clothes, that’s the first place to start. Clear them out and make room for the stuff you really need to put there.
Make the most out of your closet. Even the smallest closet can be organized with a closet system to maximize hanging space and to utilize the entire height inside. Go all the way to the ceiling behind those closet doors!
Keeping your living space in a small bedroom clutter free and uncrowded will make your room feel relaxing and inviting and that’s exactly what you want for a bedroom.
Conclusion:
There you have it: 8 hacks for fitting a queen bed in a 10’ x 10’ room.
Get a Large Area Rug
Bed Goes on the Longest Wall
Use Bedside Tables Instead of Nightstands
Get a Kid Size Dresser
Hang Curtains High
Get a Tall Headboard
Keep the Wall Color Light
Do Not Over Crowd the Room with Furniture
There’s no need to stress out over a small bedroom. With a little planning and some smart use of storage, you can have a wonderfully relaxing 10’ x 10’ bedroom.
Now it’s your turn. Have you found the best way to arrange a small bedroom? I’d love to hear about what you’ve found that works. If you’re so inclined, leave me a comment below and tell me all about it.
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As always, if you need more specific help, feel free to reach out to me to ask me a question. I hope you’re having an amazing week and until next Friday, keep your dreams big for your small space!
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Michael is Principal designer and blogger at Michael Helwig Interiors in beautiful Buffalo, New York. Since 2011, he’s a space planning expert, offering online interior e-design services for folks living in small homes, or for those with awkward and tricky layouts. He’s a frequent expert contributor to many National media publications and news outlets on topics related to decorating, interior design, diy projects, and more. Michael happily shares his experience to help folks avoid expensive mistakes and decorating disappointments. You can follow him on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @interiorsmh.