Small Space Inspiration | Bedrooms

(Above via: Apartment Therapy.) Go minimal. Keep the floors bare and the white walls crisp and clear. Choose a platform bed that is low to the floor and has clean lines. Instead of bulking the space up with a nightstand, use the floor. Stacks of books can look effortlessly pretty. A vase of brightly-hued flowers adds cheer. And a bendable floor lamp is a perfect replacement to the traditional bedside lamp. Opt for solid bedding. And hang pictures lower to the floor than usual to create the illusion of more vertical height.

(Above via: Design Sponge.) Cubicle bookcases have become essentials for small spaces. The cubes are perfectly sized for organizing everything from books and magazines to trinkets and vintage accessories. Position the bed close enough to the bookcase and you'll have an ideal alternative to a nightstand. Just stick your alarm clock into the nearest cube and put a lamp up on top of the shelf. Use lots of white---white walls, white bedding, white bookshelf, white lamp, white mirror---and bring it happy bursts of color through pillows and accessories on the bookshelf.

(Above via: Coco+Kelley.) If white is too bright, go for a soft beige on the walls and bring in white through furniture and accessories. Instead of placing a nightstand on both sides of the bed, just put one longer nightstand on one side of the bed. Opt for things that make use of classic black and white (the nightstand, the picture frame, the lamp, the hanging sheet behind the bed) and bring in some fun eclecticism with a mix of different colors and patterns (striped bedding, solid colored pillows, floral pillows, brightly colored candlesticks).

(Above via: Tumblr.) For whimsical romanticism, pick a metal daybed with feminine details and paint it a lovely sky blue. Choose contrasting bedding in a bright pink. Drawers with wheels are perfect storage options to tuck away underneath the bed---holding anything from shoes and extra bed linens to magazines, books, and maybe a laptop. Stay plain and neutral on the walls, but add colorful whimsical artwork in surprising places for a little bit of fun.

(Above via: ...Sorry, I lost the source.) While full- and queen-sized beds are wonderful, small spaces call for sacrifices. If you want a large bed, you often have to sacrifice floor space. But if you are willing to downsize to a twin, you can free up a lot of floor space for additional furniture. If done correctly, twin beds can look grown-up and sophisticated, too. Take this one for example. By dressing it up in ladylike pillows, a bed skirt, and upholstered headboard, it is both elegant and understated. Matching art hung nearby compliments the colors in the bedding. A glamorous leather chair stands in as a bedside table. And a tall, white bookcase adds storage space and a place to hang more art.

(Above via: Country Living.) While white naturally opens up a small space, that doesn't mean you have to shy away from bright, bold colors on the walls. This small bedroom is painted in a citrus-inspired yellow-green. The bed plays off that same color by copying it in the sheets and bringing in a grass-green with white on the upholstered head- and foot-boards. A dainty black table serves as a nightstand. And built in cubicles offer the same storage as a modular bookcase.

Amore.