Redesigning a Small Main Bedroom for Better Function
Bedrooms- they should be cozy and inviting and peaceful. You rest and recover and find comfort there. But when things feel a bit undone or disjointed in the design it can interrupt that peaceful feeling you may be craving. In this project I helped a friend with a redesign of her bedroom that will leave her with a space that checks all the boxes and then some. Let’s dig into this bedroom redesign!
Every project has its problems that need to be solved. This seemingly simple main bedroom was no different and the first problem to solve was the layout.
Problems to Solve:
As you can see in the original layout, the head of the bed is on the same wall as the door to enter the room. Ideally, this would not be the case but when looking around the room you’ll notice there is really no ideal spot for the bed. Each wall has a door or window that doesn’t allow for the bed to be the center of attention as it should be in a bedroom.
To solve that a little rearranging is needed. Moving the bed to the east wall will give a better sense of security as you can see the door entering the room from both sides of the bed. It sounds so strange as I’m typing this out and you may not believe me but being able to easily see the door when you’re in bed allows you to have a subconscious command of the room. Changing the location of the bed will remove that vulnerability and promote better sleep. That’s how it works for me at least.
While moving the bed solves one issue it still leaves another. The problem left here is that the east wall also has the door to the ensuite bathroom. With a bit of creative problem solving and decorating we can minimize the impact of the bathroom door being so close as you’ll see later.
The desk in the bedroom does not have a calming effect. There are bills, or work, or responsibilities just sitting there waiting for you to deal with them. Waking up refreshed only to take one step out of the bed and be reminded of the sometimes stressful things of life is definitely not ideal. Removing the desk from the room altogether is the way to go here.
The next issue to address is the TV-in-the-bedroom dilemma. So many differing opinions. Some enjoy a movie in bed or like the sound and light through the night. Others like the absence of the audio and visual noise. If the consensus is to keep the TV in the bedroom, having it NOT be one of the first things you see when you walk into the bedroom is best.
And finally storage. Who doesn’t want and need storage? Right now the dresser in the corner is the current answer to their storage issues. I’m going to propose something a bit more custom and streamlined in the redesign as you will see coming up.
Solving the problems in this bedroom with a redesign:
As I mentioned, moving the bed in a position to easily see the door has a much more calming effect when you’re in bed. In order to make that happen here we need to replace the larger night stands to something a bit smaller. Using wall mounted lamps instead of table lamps will free up space for things on the nightstand and it won’t feel as cluttered.
An appropriate size area rug is the best way to anchor the bed. It will also add another layer to the room. The homeowners like neutral and neutral designs need a lot of layers to add interest to the room. If cost is an issue, sometimes I may suggest smaller rugs by each side of the bed. I worked up the redesign floor plan with the 2 rug layout but when I was designing the 3D model I definitely found the larger area rug was the way to go.
The TV is moved to the custom built-in that would be on the west wall. This built-in keeps the TV from being the first thing you see when you walk in the room and it contains storage to replace the dresser in the corner. There’s also an open space along the top for a few books, pictures, and other decorations.
Since the dresser isn’t taking up that corner, there is now room for a cozy chair, drink table, and floor lamp.
As I mentioned earlier I had a plan to help distract from the fact that the bathroom door was on the same wall as the bed. It’s a 2 part plan. The first step would be to paint the walls and the doors the same color. This will allow the door itself to kind of melt into the room instead of stand out.
The second part would be a custom made canopy frame. The frame would have sheer fabric draped over it providing a barrier from the bathroom door as well create a cozy special element to the bed. The canopy frame would just go over the head of the bed so that it doesn’t overwhelm the space. Sometimes full canopy beds can close off a space and we don’t want to do that in this size room.
If you take a look at the design board here you can get a sense of the feel and elements in my design. As you can see I kept things neutral and warm. Each element of the design board adds layers, coziness, and gentle, unfussy style. (Please note that none of the images on the design board are mine.)
The space feels uncluttered and inviting. The custom canopy frames the bed as well as separates you from the bathroom door. The new layout allows for the bed to be the focal point while defining areas for storage and a sweet reading area. The TV is usable but out of the way. (If they wanted they could get a framed TV and have the TV be artwork when not in use. In that case, I would move the art to the right side of the door to the wall with the window and move the lamp to the other side of the chair.) The plan to paint the doors, trim, and walls the same color provides a way for the doors to recede into the back ground and lets the items in the room be the main attractions. The wood plank ceiling adds to the coziness of the space.
In the images below you can see how each area and wall would look and feel. It’s a space that is now put together, purposeful, inviting, and sure to allow my friend rest easy.
If you have a space that you’d like some redesign ideas for, contact me! I’d love to help! I’ll be sharing a new room redesign every month so don’t forget to sign up for my email to see more redesigns!
