Here Are Tips From Our Interior Design Expert To Make A Small Bedroom Feel More Spacious

Space is a luxury, especially in the room you wake up to first thing in the morning and unwind in at night. If you have a small bedroom, it can quickly become limiting and claustrophobic if it is not designed correctly. You might not be able to expand the walls or build a closet for more square footage, but there are ways to make the space seem larger. In an exclusive House Digest interview, we spoke to Kate Cummings, owner of Freestyle Restyle, for her tips on making a small bedroom feel more spacious. Her advice: Go big when it comes to furniture and decor.

"Think of the space like a ship — everything has to be functional, not just decorative," said Cummings. Stylish pieces that double as storage areas or illusions to emphasize grandeur are the best way to make the most of a small bedroom. This interior design expert shared her take on the easiest changes to make to open up a bedroom and how simple makeovers can transform your home.

You might think you should opt for compact furniture to save square footage in a small bedroom, but Kate Cummings told us that it's quite the opposite. Having lots of small-scale furniture can make the room look messy and create an uninviting atmosphere. Instead, Cummings explained, "You can use bigger pieces and the room will feel larger."

Since the room can only fit a handful of big items, you want to stick with practical pieces. Maybe save the grandfather clock and wall-to-wall bookcase for another area. Apart from the bed, Cummings said, "Built-in headboards, night tables and window seats are also helpful for space saving and storage."

How you arrange these large pieces can also make a difference in the room. The best furniture layout for a small bedroom will "use all room corners as part of the functional space," according to Cummings. This arrangement leaves an area in the center for an accessible walkway where you can maneuver easily and takes away the cramped feeling of a small bedroom. It's not just the furniture — the decor on the ceiling, walls, and floor can all contribute to how spacious your bedroom feels.

Curtains add character and the feeling of more space to your room, but the trick is in how you style them. Kate Cummings told House Digest, "Go taller and wider on window treatments to make windows appear larger." It's best to hang your drapes as close to the ceiling as possible. The rods should be wide enough for the curtains to clear the window glass when they're drawn. And what curtains do for the wall, rugs do for the floor. Cummings suggested going for oversized rugs that leave little floor visible — that way, the room is intimate and uniformed.

Lighting is another feature that can stop your bedroom from feeling cramped. "Large flush mount ceiling fixtures can add a lot of drama to a small room, and be a big bang for the buck," said Cummings. They will also stand up to the large furniture, window coverings, and rug in the room.

You can also create the illusion of a bigger space using paint. "Try painting the walls, ceiling and trim all the same color," Cummings suggested. "Removing white trim and white ceilings make spaces feel simultaneously encompassing and expansive. Better yet, try a tone-on-tone color palette." Letting the wall color transcend to the ceiling, coupled with a grand ceiling light fixture, long drapes, oversized rug, and upscale furniture, is the ultimate combination for making a small bedroom feel larger than life.