7 narrow bedroom ideas that will take your space from cramped to cozy

It really is possible to find narrow bedroom ideas which deliver on style without taking up a lot of space. Even with the oddly shaped design, there's plenty you can do to make it up beautifully.

We've spoken with interior designers to find out what you can do and they’ve revealed their top industry tips, including choosing chaise lounges over armchairs and positioning mirrors correctly.

For those looking for small bedroom ideas but are dealing with a very narrow space, finding ideas specifically for this shape will help you arrange and decorate a lot more easily.

Narrow bedroom ideas to maximize cozy vibes

From ways to make a narrow bedroom appear wider to clever furniture arrangements, there are plenty of ways to design this room and eliminate that cramped feeling. 

Our experts have suggested useful buys throughout, so we have curated matching items highly-rated by shopper so can start decorating with confidence.

The prices below were correct at the time of publishing this article. 

1. Utilize bunk beds

This is a tip which may be useful for those searching for small guest bedroom ideas, decorating their children’s rooms, or living in a shared or very small space.

Make use of the vertical height of your room and add bunk beds, or loft beds with storage, desks or space for underneath.

“Wall-to-wall bunk beds are a really smart strategy for incorporating sleeping arrangements while still allowing nice light into the room, which is critical in small spaces,” explains Amanda Wyatt, interior designer and founder of Design Insider.

Amanda Wyatt

Amanda Wyatt is an interior designer, custom home building consultant, and the founder of Design Insider, a curated online rolodex for interior design resources. Amanda designs comfortable spaces that are both livable and beautiful, and she has now made all of her personal design resources available to the everyday designer via Design Insider. 

She suggests shopping for full or queen-sized mattresses and frames (such as this Furniture of America Wini industrial queen mattress over mattress bunk on Bed, Bath and Beyond) so older children and young adults can comfortably sleep there.

“If you don't need or want two beds, eliminate the bottom bunk and instead add a desk or a reading nook with a comfy chair,” she adds. This Flash Furniture loft bed with integrated desk and ladder on Wayfair would work nicely, and comes in twin and full size.

We advise DIY-ing your own bunk beds so you can be sure they’ll properly fit the gap in your narrow space. 

2. Choose light colors

Using the best colors for small bedrooms as narrow bedroom ideas will help make your place appear radiant and airy.

“Choose light-colored wallpaper (we like this Superfresco Easy Strata Bellagio White Wallpaper from Target) or paint for the walls and ceiling to reflect more light and make the room feel more open,” says Ricky Allen, interior designer and director of Ever Wallpaper.

Ricky Allen

Ricky Allen is the interior designer and director of Ever Wallpaper, experts in high-quality wallpapers and murals, using non-toxic, odorless, and environmentally friendly materials. He has over 10 years of experience designing different rooms and often uses visual illusions to create the appearance of more space in narrow rooms.

To make decorating much simpler, opt for a monochromatic color scale to create the impression of more open space. 

“Soft, white shades in particular make the walls look more distant than they are,” adds Artem Kropovinsky, interior designer and founder of Arsight.

Artem Kropovinsky

Artem Kropovinsky is an interior design expert and founder of Arsight, which has twice been honored as finalists in the international SBID Awards and acknowledged in the NYCxDESIGN Awards. He has a decade of extensive and global residential and commercial interior design experience in spaces large, small, narrow, and everything in between.

3. Hang a mirror

Having a mirror in a bedroom just makes sense. How else are you going to do those outfit checks before you head out the door? But mirrors can create the magic illusion of more space than there is. 

Artem explains, “When placed conveniently, they may visually duplicate the size of the space, thus doubling the light and enhancing the aesthetic of the room.”

To get the best result, we recommend full-length mirrors opposite a window (this Harritpure Full-Length Mirror on Amazon would make a statement), so light can reflect into the narrow bedroom effectively.

4. Use multiple light sources

Along with making the most of natural light with mirrors, you can give your narrow bedroom a glow-up with clever small bedroom lighting ideas.

“Illumination is critical. Multiple types of lighting are effective because they lead the eye around the space and to the eye, which is a visual illusion of depth,” Artem says.

Make sure to dot these around the room, such as adding table lamps (we're into this boho style Mainstays Rattan Lamp from Walmart) to your nightstand and hanging wall sconces (these Landgoo Motion Sense Lights from Amazon went viral on TikTok) on the wall.

5. Edit down decor

We’re all about bringing personality into spaces here at Real Homes. This being said, in a narrow bedroom, ideas on editing down accents to core favorites will serve you well.

Ricky explains, “In narrow bedrooms, I like to incorporate pops of color through accents and accessories, but avoid cluttering the room with too many items.”

Take some time out to declutter your small bedroom, assessing every item and seeing if it sparks joy, or is useful. If it does neither, it’s worth either donating to a second-hand furniture store or throwing it if it’s broken or trash.

6. Try a chaise

When you’re not ready to get tucked into bed but want to lounge and relax in your bedroom, having somewhere to sit is a great idea.

Amanda explains, “Instead of opting for an armchair for extra seating, select a more linear style of seating such as a chaise in a narrow bedroom. Chaises are very in style right now and can also be incredibly comfortable,”

She suggests tucking chaises into a nook or sitting them straight against the wall, and adding small bedroom wall accent ideas above it with personalized photos and shelves to make it into a dreamy haven.

7. Lift up furniture

Allowing light to move unobstructed wherever possible through your narrow bedroom will create the appearance of more space. You can do this by making the floor more visible.

“Choose furniture with legs (we're loving this sleek Everly Quinn Khennedi Nightstand from Wayfair), which gives an impression of weightlessness and air," suggests Artem. "This gives a nice visual continuity of the floor, thus making your small bedroom look bigger."

If you don’t want to spend big money on new pieces, grab some nifty furniture raisers, such as these Fasonla Bed Risers from Amazon.

Giving room for energy to flow through is also a fab way to bring good small bedroom Feng Shui into your boudoir. 

Whether you’re decorating your room, family rooms, or a guest room, narrow bedrooms can shine just as brightly as a regular one. Artem adds, “Just be sure to measure up the room before you start buying furniture for it, so you purchase pieces that fit in the space properly.”

If your bedroom isn’t the only awkwardly sized space in your home, you may also find narrow living room ideas useful to know.