There is something about the design process that we don’t talk about much. It’s this thing where you spend a lot of time making one space beautiful and when it is finished you feel so happy and fulfilled. For a while. Then you start to look at the other spaces in your home that aren’t as beautiful and you begin to resent them. It eventually takes away from the beautiful spaces until you are forced to start the design process all over again. This, as you might have guessed, is where I am at with my bedroom. If you read my living room and dining room reveal, you might recall it took me about two years to finish. It was a long but worth it process and the result is a living and dining space my fiancé and I enjoy every day. In fact, we enjoy our living room and dining room so much that the bedroom has become a dreaded room we hate to look at. We want our bedroom to feel like our beautiful living and dining room, and the only way to do that is to dive headfirst into an exciting, nerve-wracking, inevitably long and tiresome, but ultimately fun design process. This is why you are here today and I hope you are ready to be introduced to a room that has given me more grief than I can properly describe. She is a challenging and hard-to-love room, so the best way to begin is with the top challenges we are facing. Ready? Here we go.
Challenge #1: The Bed Placement
My bedroom layout has been a high stake game of Tetris ever since we moved into this apartment. I am reluctant to admit this because this bedroom isn’t shaped like a trapezoid or anything crazy. It’s literally a rectangle. But for some reason (cough * lack of storage * cough), this room has been my Achilles heel for three years. Granted, the array of randomly collected furniture contributes to its downfall. None of the bedroom furniture we have was purchased for this room, most of it is second-hand (our dresser was a side of the road find), and it certainly shows. Our bedroom furniture belongs on the island of misfit toys. So for the past three years, I’ve been at odds with my bedroom with many of the battles taking place at 1 am in a furniture arranging frenzy. Here’s how it began:
Our initial bed placement was the obvious choice for this bedroom layout. The bed was under the window, facing the door of the room. We had two nightstands on each side, and the remaining furniture was arranged wherever it would fit. At that time we had two dressers, two nightstands, a filing cabinet, a chair stacked with books, and a floor mirror.
THE PROBLEM:
We needed more storage. For over a year, we started accumulating furniture so having a bed and two nightstands taking up the emptiest wall felt wasteful (the other three walls are encumbered with doors). As time went on, we would forgo one of the dressers, replace it with a clothing rack, and add a corner desk which complicated the layout even more. Eventually, some late-night furniture arranging turned into this somewhat puzzling version:
This choice was admittedly influenced by my very limited knowledge of Feng Shui. I heard that sleeping under the window is bad Feng Shui because it brings in negative chi (aka energy) that weakens your personal protection, thus causing interrupted sleep. I decided my terrible sleep couldn’t possibly have to do with any of my various bad sleeping habits (sleeping with the TV on, being on my phone in bed) and MUST be due to the direction of my bed. So to the other side of the room our bed went.
THE NEW PROBLEM:
Visually it was so uninspiring and weird. There was something so disorienting about walking into the bedroom and not seeing the bed right away. It felt like we were living in the upside down. Functionally, it was perhaps worse as the side of the bed near the closet was hard to get to and the far wall under the window always felt cramped and cluttered. The catch is that this felt like our only option because the corner workspace has become absolutely necessary for our lives. I work from home and Rocky has therapy clients that he sees over Zoom. So we’ve increasingly needed two workspaces, one in the living room and one in our only bedroom. If only there was a better way…
The Solution: The Bed Belongs In The Corner
The idea of having a bed in the corner against the wall still feels very pre-teen. I’ve been under the impression that adult bedrooms require a bed in the center of the room, with two nightstands accompanying each side as the interior design gods intended. This idea was apparently branded into my brain because it wasn’t until a few days ago that I even entertained the idea of placing the bed in the corner against the wall. As soon as I thought of it, I realized it would open up the space tremendously but it brought up another design faux pas, or so I thought. If we put our bed in the corner of the room, it would be off-centered under a window which I thought couldn’t possibly be allowed. But then I remembered a very recent EHD project…
Jess designed this bedroom for a friend of hers, and in doing so disproved my previous notions about bedroom layouts. If you would have asked me a few months ago if your bed can block half your window I’d be like, “there are no rules but it’s probably not the best option!!” and I’d be so wrong. Sometimes, it absolutely is the best option, and as the bedroom above proves, it can also look very cool and interesting. So I did two things I thought were against adult bedroom etiquette and ended up with this:
Just like in the beloved game of Tetris, when you arrange shapes to fit just right, you end up with more space. But as I originally feared, a bed in the corner does feel very youthful. I can’t exactly articulate why, but I will say that it was difficult to find an inspiration photo of an adult bedroom with a bed in the corner. So that must mean something. The silver lining is it already feels better visually and spatially and hey, since when is youthfulness a bad thing??
Challenge #2: The Single Nightstand Conundrum
So it turns out when you rearrange your entire bedroom while your fiancé is at work, and then surprise him with an arrangement that means he no longer gets the luxury of a nightstand, they might be a little annoyed. Unfortunately for him, he had to admit this version is a 1000x better than our previous one, so he quickly got on board. His only complaint was about where to put his glasses and phone when he is ready to retire for the night. But luckily he is marrying a genius.
Solution: A Built-Out Ledge
Like many geniuses before me, I quickly decided we can build a shelf “headboard” so he has an area to put his items once it’s time for bed. I am notoriously *not* a DIYer, but this is a project I can get behind, especially if it can look anything like one of these:
Now because of our layout, our shelf will not be a headboard in the traditional sense. Instead, I picture it aligning with the side of our bed, which can also act as a place to display art and various objects. Here’s how I imagine it:
With a ledge by his side, my fiancé will have an easy-access spot for his items, and I in turn win fiancé of the year. As an added bonus, I have a feeling this solution will simultaneously create a more mature bedroom ambiance too. There is something about a built-in DIY ledge that feels very Adult with a capital A. By the way, the dog that takes up half of the bed is 100% optional.
Challenge #3: Too Much furniture Not enough Storage
There is a world where I embrace a maximalist bedroom with so much furniture your eye doesn’t even know where to look next. It would be appropriate considering the amount of things both my fiancé and I have that need a place to live, but I can’t help but want a minimal, peaceful, organic feeling bedroom. A plethora of furniture, unfortunately, would not achieve this vibe. So with such little storage options what does one do?
Solution: A Shift Towards Storage Furniture
I have avoided a storage bed for too long. The bedroom of my dreams does not have a storage bed but then again, the bedroom of my dreams has multiple walk-in closets. So, I have recently warmed up to the idea of a storage bed and was surprised to find out they can fit my desired aesthetic quite well. A solid wood storage bed has a natural, bare-bones look about it and can help achieve a minimal vibe.
design by workstead | via ny times
The more I look, the more I love the storage bed aesthetic. It has a similar feeling to a mattress on the floor because of the platform with no legs but is more sophisticated because well, it’s not a mattress on the floor.
A fancy trick to hiding a storage bed is to have your bedding fall all the way to the floor, which is something we very well may do. Luckily for us, this simple bedding trend aligns with the Wabi-Sabi Monastery Chic that (spoiler alert) we actually are going for in this room. Stay tuned for more on that, in another blog post, on another day. For now, I am so curious what you think about this new layout, and whether you believe adult bedrooms can have a bed in the corner? Sound off in the comments below. xx
Opener Image Credits: Design by Malcolm Simmons | Photo by Keyanna Bowen | From: Malcolm’s Bedroom Reveal Is Here… How He Found Healing Through Design + The Incredible DIYs That Transformed The Space
This makes me anxious for the person who has to sleep next to the wall; what if they go to bed last, wake up first or have to pee in the middle of the night? If you put a bench or chest at the other end of the bed then that’s another hurdle. And isn’t it annoying to make a big bed that is up against a wall?
I assume there is no other alternative to having a desk in the bedroom, but is it possible to combine the desk and filing cabinet so there is one less thing in the room? How about a desk alternative? I don’t have a desk in my apartment so for remote pandemic work I repurposed a small cart to house all my work stuff which I park next to my dining table during work hours and then roll away if company is over.
European here – having a bed in the corner is quite common (a small queen bed as well). I’m totally used climbing over my boyfriend to go to the bathroom or going to bed later. However, I do agree that a chest at the end of the bed makes this harder than necessary… Something to consider 🙂
But, if you don’t HAVE to, why do it?
Exactly…if you don’t have to push the bed into a corner – why do it? There are almost certainly better options.
Absolutely agree. I’d feel claustrophobic if I was the person next to the wall.
I’m also 60 though, and don’t sleep well. My have-to-have’s on my nightstand (not in the drawer, but on top) include my glasses, my clock/phone charging device which is also my white noise speaker, the control for my mattress warmer, glass of water, tissues, chapstick, ceramic dish for jewelry, a book or two, and sometimes the tv clicker.
How do you young folks do it? Do you just fall (or climb) into bed and snooze for 8 hours!? I wish!
I’m also into a very well made bed everyday. Smooth tight sheets are super soothing. How can you do that with the bed up against the wall?
I’m an adult who has had their bed in the corner for years. I recently moved it to the middle of the room (and had to give up some furniture and functionality to do so). For me the dealbreaker was the challenge of making the bed or changing the sheets. Getting in and out via the foot of the bed is no problem and I actually like sleeping against the wall – pillows can’t fall off and when it’s hot I press my back up against the cool wall! I had a small shelf on the wall for my water bottle and lip balm. My layout now isn’t ideal – the door has to be either fully open or fully closed to walk past the bed – but the ease of making the bed is worth it.
Wow, thank you for this perspective! I’d been considering a corner bed for my mom’s room, since she won’t be sharing the bed, but I hadn’t thought about making the bed at all. Will definitely need to consider that!
I like having our king bed next to the wall and using the wall as back support while I lay on my side (like when I was a child). I like falling asleep on the couch for the same reason. Making the bed is a pain.
Instead of the dresser+file cabinet, why not placing one big and high cabinet? It might help you getting rid of the clothing rack too…
And I also think that putting a chest/bench at the other end of the bed is not very practical.
They also make nice wood folders cabinets that are the height of a nightstand and actually look like nice furniture. Plus, then it would be near your desk and allow for a larger dresser.
It is very helpful . Could come in handy for my bedrrom
My bed is in a corner, but my bedroom is about half this size (NYC apartment). It is definitely annoying for the person who sleeps next to the wall to get up in the middle of the night, but it’s not terrible. I would not put a chest at the end of the bed, so the inside person can get up without climbing over the other person.
For affordable solid wood storage beds, I recommend Gothic Cabinet Craft. Some of their stuff is really ugly, but they make some good quality, plain storage beds in custom colors/finishes. Also consider that you’ll only be able to access the drawers on one side. A lot of storage beds are designed with drawers on both sides.
Question about the desk — does it have to be a corner desk? It might be nice to flip the desk and dresser, so it feels less like it’s in the bedroom “zone.” Then you can make a nice vignette with the dresser, which will be the first thing you see when you enter the room (instead of the desk, which is likely to be messy).
NYC apartments & the creativity of their occupants is where my mind went as soon as she started talking about having the bed in the corner! When she asked if people are even doing that as adult, I thought “wait, you’re on Instagram right?”
Ryann, the algorithm is hiding lots of pertinent info and inspo pics from you! I promise, there is so much on Instagram from young adults making apartment living work and look cool in NYC. Do some searches until the computational gods cough up the necessary! You are going to find something that makes you happy and at peace with this arrangement.
This could look totally cool. I agree with the others that anything at the foot of the bed would make it impractical.
I think it would be better to have one of the storage beds (and Ryann, you want a captain’s bed made to go against the wall, btw) that have drawers on one long side *and* in the foot. You lose some width in the side drawers, but having more drawers allows for more detailed organization. The foot-drawrs are usually pretty shallow and perfect for small or delicate things. I really think that would work better than a chest or bench at the foot, and be out of the way for midnight bathroom visits.
Could you swap one dresser and the floor mirror for a wardrobe? That would give you significantly more storage space and FWIW, I totally associate wardrobes and monasteries (no clue why 😂). Then you could go back to layout #1 (def the best bed placement). The wardrobe could go on the wall w the door (so you’re looking at it when you’re in bed) and depending on size/style you could either put the desk next to it (thinking wardrobe in the corner and find a smaller vintage desk next to it with a plant in between to break up the run of furniture). I also wonder if you could ditch the file cabinet? Perhaps find a desk w file storage incorporated and/or put some of the papers in the under bed storage? OR, if you go back to layout #1 you could find a pretty file cabinet and use that as a nightstand? Not sure if finding new furniture is an option, but it definitely opens up your layout options significantly!
Oh! Also meant to say that the wardrobe could also help you get rid of the clothing rack.
YES!!! Wardrobe is the word I was looking for and couldn’t find 😂 I would definitely get a wardrobe to free up some space and make everything more streamlined/less cluttered – they can be so beautiful!
Yes, same thought here! See Shavonda Gardner’s lovely Pax customizations for inspo!
Yes! Many vintage wardrobes have mirrors built-in, as well as a clothing rod and some drawers and/or shelves built in. Could be a great option!
Antique wardrobe with a mirror on the door!
That’s what I have. Six feet wide x 24 inches deep x 7 feet high. Hanging space behind the mirror in the three feet wide middle space. Shelf on top of hanging space. Shelves in the two side 18 inch wide sections. Tons of storage. And the mirrored door faces the windows and bed so it bounces light into the room and makes it feel bigger. It’s vintage french deco and it could accommodate all of the things in the bureau and the clothes rack in this room.
Catty corner in the corner. Small nightstands. The triangle behind the bed can be storage for seldom-used stuff.
Lived like this for a long while and it was fine. Your window might interfere some…
I think having the bed across the corner might make it stick out so much it impedes foot traffic and mess with the usability of storage options. We tried this in our bedroom, which has the same size+window/doors wonkiness, and it made using our dresser a careful operation during hurried mornings. We did not enjoy it and rearranged… again. And we only have a queen bed bc I hate feeling lost in my bed – but I think Ryann and pretty much everyone at EHD love big beds, so it might be even more of a problem in this ^^ room.
(Otherwise, this is a good idea for people to try out!)
My husband LOVED a kitty corner bed. But it took up SO much room, it was so impractical, I moved it against a wall after 2 months. Having a bed against a wall does save space, but making that bed is so difficult, especially fitting on the bottom sheet.
It works better than you think. You can even put a hanging rod back there.
Dog! 😍
I think it sounds lovely and practical! I once had a ledge along the long side of my bed since my room didn’t allow space for a nightstand and it was super practical!! My dad build it for me (I love you dad!) to be pretty wide so it also held a selection of my books, like a small shelf for current reads and my bedside lamp – it was great! One thing I would absolutely consider would be investing into a pretty closet (or armoire – I am always unsure what the proper name is in ‘american’) but basically a big beautiful, tall, wooden thing with doors that you can either fold and/or hang your clothes in to get rid of the visual clutter that a clothing rack can cause. Where I live (Germany) build-in closets don’t exist (as in I have genuinely never been in a house that had one in my entire life) and having a piece of furniture in your bedroom as your closet is totally normal, practical and, ideally, beautiful as well! Can heartily recommend 😉 and I think it could be a really good solution here!
The beds in our cabin are in corners by necessity. It’s a nightmare to make the beds. Don’t do it. Put up sconces on each side if you want symmetry or put two above the headboard. You can get by with one nightstand or two ledges.
Agreed, making the bed is a nightmare
This is the first thought that came to my mind. Making the bed will be horrible
I would not enjoy sleeping up against the wall, but I know some people who actually prefer it because it feels more sheltered to them. Anything to create a slightly separate feel between the desk and bed will be a big bonus I think.
When I had the same problem, we did a small nightstand on one side of the bed and a small desk on the other. I used a pretty tray to corral “nightstand” stuff on the side of the desk by the bed (phone charger, carafe/glass, my glasses, chapstick, rings, etc…). Very similar to your layout with the corner desk, but it was a traditional writing desk (I did put my monitor on an angle to keep from blocking the window too much).
I found it looked really purposeful and almost stretched the room out and made it look bigger!
I agree – I would consider keeping the original layout but with a dresser and a desk as your bedside surfaces. A storage bed in the corner might not be that functional if you can only use one side and need to move a bedside table to access it. If you’re using floor length bedding anyway, I would do a taller bed with some kind of bins under.
I’ve done the same thing… and added a round marble tray on the side of my traditional pedestal desk next to my bed to be more like a nightstand (for my water glass, lamp, clock and dish for jewelry). It gave me ample space next to my bed & better flow to the room. My computer was also at an angle on the side furthest from by bed. I used Rubbermaid under the bed storage bins to keep more “desk items” and shoes (& to hide my otherwise ugly storage solution — yay for floor length bedding!).
I agree. Seems like you have enough space to put a small dresser on one side of the bed (with bed under the window) and a desk on the other side. Great storage and would look pretty too. And you could also add a nice large armoire (or ikea pax wardrobe) across from the bed and maybe get rid of the open clothing rack. I am a therapist also and can’t imagine doing seasons from my bedroom. I just would not want my clients in that space with me! I think a folding screen to sit behind me so my bedroom couldn’t be viewed by my zoom clients would be critical. Also, making a bed in the corner is indeed a huge chore. If you do need to leave it in the corner, I’d leave a sliver of space for a skinny little nightstand/table. Would give Rocky a surface to use and also be possible to squeeze into bed from that side.
I much prefer sleeping in the corner/against a wall, I hate “floating” beds in the middle of the room, so this looks like a great set up to me. The ledge idea sounds lovely. My only concern about a storage bed would be that it would be too heavy to pull out when you are making it/for cleaning behind the bed?
Just throwing my hat into the mix, in case a new perspective on an old scenario helps. I would put the bed under the window again, really pretty and serene there, but instead of covering up the window, I’d install wooden shutters for privacy on the bottom half, leaving the top open for lots of light. Down the road, the shutters could tie into a whole trim/paneling situation on the wall. But for now, I’d put the bed under half-shuttered windows and then replace the bureau/clothing rack with a big, beautiful cupboard/armoire on the big wall between the doors. Put the filing cabinet and desk out of the bedroom. Less furniture is always more peaceful in the bedroom. Good luck!
It’s a rental…paneling?
know i slacked this to you yesterday but just commenting here so the whole world knows that i am SO absolutely in love with gus, the sweetest lil noodle of a dog with the CUTEST POSES I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE
Yup, yup, Gus!💓🐾
Have you considered the head of the bed on the same wall as the closet? I love the look of the ledge headboards but I’m in the earthquake hotspot – the Bay Area. One last thing – I avoided a storage bed for a long time and finally got one about a year ago and adore it. My linen closet
Is now under the bed and it really works for us!
I second the suggestion to try the head of the bed on the wall with the closet. Climbing over someone or being climbed over in the middle of the night is super annoying! If it’s the only reasonable option, you’ll adjust, but if you can avoid it, I would! You could leave almost everything else where it is in layout #3, but move the nightstand to the corner instead of the bed. Basically the bed would be flanked by the nightstand on one side and the floor mirror on the other. The question is whether this leaves you with enough room between the foot of the bed and the desk to both walk between them and move the desk chair in and out.
If she hangs the floor miror on the back side of the closet door, she has room for a second (small) nightstand. I think she should try it and show us a picture 🙂 Also, I would consider the filing cabinet – can you get a desk with a drawer built in as the filing space so you can get rid of the cabinet? Think about what kind of stuff you would store under the bed, too. lastly, pets taking up your bed are 100% not optional, they are a necessity in my house! Gus is adorable.
The bed on the wall where the closet is, is the best solution according to Feng Shui. I try to use Feng Shui placement in my home as much as possible, and it always is the best, most peaceful solution.
I was going to suggest the same bed placement as it seems like there’s room if the standing mirror moves. The storage bed is still a good idea but it’d be too heavy and difficult to make the bed if the long side was up against the wall.
My suggestion as well. Seems like the most logical positioning. Then she could have two dressers/armoires flanking the bathroom door and desk/filing cabinet on the wall adjacent to the living room. Also love the idea of a storage bed or under bed storage boxes for small spaces. Can really free up limited dresser or closet space by storing less used items out of sight.
Team Bed on Closet Wall here, also Team Get Rid of Furniture. Your filing cabinet can live in another room or it’s a nightstand. The clothing rack desperately needs to be a long row of PAX wardrobe system instead of a dresser and the entire room should have four total pieces of furniture. Bed, desk, nightstand, wardrobe. Anything more feels crazy. You can still put a ledge on the wall for the other side of the bed instead of a nightstand.
What about getting rid of the dressers and do a wall of closets (like Ikea Pax style) along the wall where the entry door is.
Check out USM Haller for custom desk/dresser/armoire combo ideas.
This was a fantastic blog. I went through all of the mentioned blogs, and they were all quite interesting. We deal with interior decor and furniture, and I recommend checking out Apkainterior.com, which has great offers for all budgets.
I think it’s your bedroom and you should do whatever you think works the best!! My only issue with a corner bed is it’s hard for the person who sleeps next to the wall to get out of bed Without waking up the other person! I agree a storage bed is the way to go! I’m also feeling like you can find a desk that has a filing cabinet and then maybe get a larger, long dresser? Good luck!!
Actually a large armoire or a built in closet instead of a long dresser would be even better as others have suggested
I think you can definitely make the corner placement work. I came to post an alternate idea and I see another reader already mentioned it – place the headboard on the closet wall. Rotating the bed would give you the chance to have a nightstand on either side (if you want to) or have the ledge headboard moment. I might also consider swapping the dresser and clothing rack so you are seeing something more pretty as you walk in – but as others have said, replacing the rack with something more enclosed might also do the trick. I started wondering about an armoire or wardrobe with a fold out desk in it and came across this: https://ikeahackers.net/2020/10/fold-out-desk-home-office-pax.html Stylistically it might not be quite right, but hopefully captures the thought of being able to have creative storage including a desk that would accommodate a larger free-standing monitor. I can’t wait to see what you do with the space!
Something to consider about the bed against a wall….you’re only going to be able to access storage from one side. Fine if you just have a high bed with storage bins underneath, but not doable if you have a bed with drawers.
I’m not a fan of adult beds against the wall in general, and I think you have other options here. I’d center the bed under the window and have one of the nightstands double as a desk (I did this once…there are TONS of cute inspiration photos out there and as long as you have a drawer, no need for clutter.)
Also agree about the wardrobe! I’d get rid of the clothing rack and bring in a wardrobe.
If you’re planning to remove the mirror and build a ledge along the right hand wall… why not just turn the bed 90 degrees and center it there? Your plan says theres 8’8″ between the window wall and the closet door, thats more than enough room for a queen bed and two little nightstands, no need to even lose the inches for a ledge and you could access under bed storage from both sides. Also: between the closet door and entrance door (along the living room wall) is exactly the right depth for an ikea pax closet. Is it designer? No (though I’ve seen a few cool hacks). But building some dedicated floor to ceiling storage in that one spot would give you infinitely more storage /floor space than the three different pieces of storage furniture around the room that you have now.
I agree that it makes sense to try turning the bed and putting it on the closet wall. And a wardrobe could absorb the clothing rack and dresser into one piece of furniture, or an ikea pax wardrobe perhaps (although I was thinking more of a Narnia wardrobe vibe if possible). But if it doesn’t work, I have had an adult bed in a corner multiple times in my marriage, and while it is not my favorite position, sometimes in some apartments it has been the best choice. I have always slept on the inside against the wall because my husband is an earlier riser than I am so it hasn’t been a problem about getting up. And for the rare times that I had to get up in the middle of the night I just climbed over him. Making the bed is kind of a pain, but small homes necessitate sacrifices sometimes.
Yes! The Pax has some really good door designs (lots of options) and it also comes in both extra high (256cm I think) and extra slim (about 30cm depth) which can be great in making your ceilings look high and potentially also saving some floor space if 50cm depth is too big for you – I previously had two extra high, extra slim Paxes in 1m width in a one room apartment and they were – with the exception of my very small kitchen wall – my only storage space in the entire flat and they fit SO. Many. Things!! (including not just my clothes, but also all my cleanings supplies, university stuff, art supplies, decor and more)
Yes, use height to your advantage! We have a white Ikea wardrobe going the length of one wall, it’s tall and my husband put trim around it to make it look built-in. It holds so much without taking up a lot of visual space.
Wabi-Sabi Monastery Chic – my dream bedroom vibe, and so I can’t wait to see what you do.
My husband sleeps better with a bed in the corner – I think he just likes that feeling and grew up sleeping against a wall. However, I make the bed/change the sheets, and so I won that battle. It’s so much easier to make a bed when it’s not shoved up against a wall. But, as long as you’re able to have a small walkway between bed and wall, it should be fine, and I love the idea of the DIY shelf. Remember, your room, your rules, and it will turn out to be your beautiful peaceful sanctuary. I just know it!
I agree having a bed in a corner is pre-teen. Why not move the bed to the wall where the closet is? That would give you space for two nightstands, and you can keep the desk where it is. Hang the mirror on the back of the closet door, and get a filing cabinet that tucks under the desk.
So many thoughts! I think you need 1) a tiny nightstand on his side like the one in the room Jess designed so there’s a narrow walkway to the bed 2) make the “nightstand” on your side do double-duty (a new, pretty filing cabinet could go there?) 3) as someone else mentioned, replace the clothing rack with a giant, cool armoir 4) get the storage bed! But if it has drawers on both sides be sure you can open them on the “wall” side…
Needs against walls are really annoying to change the sheets for, and I think someone mentioned this but in southern CA it’s not a good idea to store things overhead because if earthquakes. So I think forcing some furniture to do double-duty is your best bet. Good luck!!
castors…
Like many others, I feel like putting the head of the bed on your closet wall is your best bet. In combination with underbed storage (we have what is a large bedroom here in Portugal, and our underbed drawers are a lifesaver!) and an armoire to replace the clothing rack (visual clutter), mirror, and possibly the dresser. Make your furniture work for you!
If you could get rid of the L-shaped desk in favor of a “regular” desk you could put the bed centered under the window again. The desk would in effect be a nightstand for one person and the other person could have their own nightstand. Just a thought as I need symmetry in a room – but that’s just me. Good luck!
I have a similar size room so I can totally relate. I would suggest moving the bed back under the window. Have you considered using a desk in place of one nightstand? It looks like the left side of the bed is slightly larger than the right. Put a desk there and then a smaller, true nightstand on the right. It will be asymmetrical but might actually balance out the room. Go with your idea of a storage bed to eliminate a dresser. Then, across from the bed place either your clothing rack, a dresser, or a wardrobe as others have suggested. The mirror might be nice and practical moved closer to the closet. If you get a desk with some storage, you can then eliminate the file cabinet. Best of luck! Can’t wait to see how it comes out!
You should look into a mirrored wardrobe. You can hang clothes and have drawers PLUS a full length mirror. 3-in-1 for a small room! We also have a tricky bedroom layout with a very small closet. We ended up getting a mirrored wardrobe for my husband’s clothes. It works out really well and saves a lot of space in the room.
This is what I would do. Move the bed so that the headboard is against the closet wall facing the bathroom. Then along that wall with the bedroom door put in something like a PAX wardrobe system, and get rid of the dresser. Get rid of the filing cabinet and replace the desk with one that has filing drawers. Also, what are being filed in file cabinet — how much of these can be digitized?
Yesssssssssss!!!😁
I was just coming here to suggest this! It feels like the most streamlined option and there are so many ways to customize the PAX for the vibe you want and they hold a ton.
I so agree with this layout! This is similar to what I was envisioning as the solution. The difference for me was keeping the garment rack where it is, and getting a long dresser for the wall where the PAX wardrobe shows so that you have lots of drawers with art or a mirror above the long dresser.
The bed against the wall as shown in this design allows you to have the nightstands, space to get in and out of bed (and make it too) as well as access on both sides to storage underneath the – getting a storage bed is a great idea!
Also, with this orientation, you see the bed properly as you walk in, good amount of floor space, easy access to the closet and still have a good workspace with the desk.
This is what I would do if in a similar circumstance.
Best wishes on achieving a good layout that works for you and your fiancé, can’t wait to see what you decide and later, how you decorate it! 🙂
~Deborah
One more thing, you create an actual DRESSING AREA by keeping the garment rack where it is now, and adding a long dresser (where the PAX is in this layout) and you have access to your closet!
Really an ideal layout solution.
If you need more storage, then instead of the long dresser, choose the PAX system – though I prefer the look of a long dresser, feels more spacious.
Can’t wait to see what you end up with Caitlin!
~Deborah
I highly recommend the PAX system. When my husband and I moved from an apartment with a walk-in closet, space for 2 dressers, and a massive linen closer into a shoebox with a non-functional closet (the location was a better fit for us and it was a seriously charming apartment, if small), we got rid of both dressers and bought 2 narrow and 1 wider PAX unit as well as the drawers and organizers and whatnot to suit our needs. The tiny, horrible closet was relegated to shoes only, and those 3 PAX units replaced both dressers and the hanging space in our old closet, as well as storing all of our bed linens. And the footprint of the three units was roughly the same as one if the dressers we got rid of. Also, when we moved to our current house, we moved the wardrobes with an eventual plan of ripping out the built-in closets in favor of integrating the PAX into a more closet-like enclosure. Once you try them, you may never go back.
I completely agree with the layout above and endorsement of Pax. We had one wide and two narrow as a clothing wardrobe in one house, with white oak veneer doors. We moved and brought it along, and modified the shelf layout into toy/game storage for many years. When we updated the room to a home office and didn’t need toy storage anymore it became what we call the “office pantry” because the room is right off the kitchen. Endlessly versatile and cost effective.
As so many have commented, I would pivot the bed to the closet wall with nightstands on either side use the living room wall for floor to ceiling storage. For just one inspiration, see: https://catesthill.com/2018/02/01/bedroom-updates-getting-organised-with-ikea-pax-wardrobes/. You should be able to fit three Pax units on that wall and you could hack the doors to fit your style, make one door a mirror solving the floor mirror problem, or even leave doors off altogether and drape it – how monastic! If you find you have enough room with floor to ceiling storage, you can replace the clothes rack with a desk setup which might visually separate the room into a walk-in closet/office area and bedroom. I’m sure whatever you do will look great like the rest of the apartment does!
I’m a fan of a pax too. I intend to use it myself, customizing color and doors.
I currently have the bed off centered in the primary bedroom. Because of this, I had enough space to place and access a crib and a dresser on one side. Otherwise it would be too crowded. I have one nightstand, and a wider (media) cabinet of the same height and color on the other side of the bed. Once the crib goes, I’ll have enough space for a small desk and floating shelves on the wall.
I think you should do whatever works better for you two. A centered bed does take a lot of space. A bed against the wall can be cozy and might create a lot of space in the room. It might feel a bit more like a room, not a bedroom. But you can improve that with decor and color to make the bed area to stand out more. It really depends on your priorities. Going vertical will help preserve the floor space. For instance you can do a pax wardrobe from Ikea for either clothes or some office equipment like a printer. You can do floor to ceiling bookcase or wall shelving for books or boxes of things.
I’ve done the bed against the wall and it was fine for about a week. Then it became real annoying. Sometimes you need to start fresh. I think you definitely need a wardrobe, that should take care of the dresser and the garment rack. Then, instead of nightstands, matching smaller scale dressers on either side of the bed… probably on the closet wall. Can’t wait to see how you solve it!
Personally, I do not like beds in the corner. My daughter had her bed in the corner and it was a pain to change the sheets and make the bed every day. Plus a shelf with stuff above the person, you are in earthquake area so that could be a bad choice. I like the bed in front of the windows or one of the walls. But it’s your room and whatever you two like/works for you is the important part.
We have a storage bed and love it, but I would caution against planning on bedding that goes all the way to the floor and covers the drawers. We had that situation in our room and it got so annoying so quickly, especially if you change clothes multiple times each day (gym clothes to work clothes to loungewear, etc). The bedding was always getting caught in the drawers or hanging in your face as you were trying to see into your drawers. My advice would be to search out a storage bed with the aesthetic you want, then get bedding that doesn’t block the drawers.
Not a fan of underbed storage. I have a small apartment and also had a bed with storage drawers for three years (my 700 sq ft apartment has exactly zero closets, lol). While the drawers sound like a good idea, they’re not worth it. They don’t hold that much, they scratch the floor, they’re a pain to pull in and out (especially in a small space), and even the high-end versions look clunky and heavy. After spring cleaning last week, I just got rid of my underbed drawers (they were matching, but not built in) and the room feels SO much lighter, brighter, and more adult with open space under the bed. I mean do what works best for you—just don’t rush to the underbed storage option if you can figure out a way to get by without them! Especially if you have other furniture crowding the room and need a little lightness.
Could you move the bed off the wall like a foot or so to give space to get in/out of the bed? Replace the desk with a straight (not L) piece with storage that could take the place of the filing cabinet, and move the clothing rack to where the filing cabinet is.. Or, echoing the european commenters, get an armoire to take the place of a dresser + clothing rack. Madelynn Furlong did a really nice job making an ikea wardrobe look built in – look her up on insta.
I photoshopped the layout I’d do. I would stick with the original layout. Bed under window, can be a storage bed too. To the right, I’d have a desk/nightstand. To the left, a filing cabinet/nightstand. Across from bed, a large wardrobe. On the left wall, a floor length mirror. Might even be able to sneak a small chair in the corner next to wardrobe, behind closet door. Possibly room for a thin bench at the end of the bed depending how deep the wardrobe is.
Things I like about this option: It allows for a storage bed that has drawers on both sides. I had the Ikea Malm bed in my first apartment, and it was wild how much you could fit in the four drawers, especially with some creative folding + dividers. Storage beds have come such a long way now, I’m sure you could find a version that is simple, elegant and in keeping with your monastic dreams! The desk doesn’t have a view to the bed. This way, therapy clients won’t see if your bed is made, unmade, rumpled from a pup visit … in this zoom world we live in, a neutral background is worth consideration. The wardrobe reduces visual clutter. If you don’t want to invest in such a large piece of furniture, you might consider a beautiful screen that goes in front of the clothing rack? As a clothing rack owner who hates looking at clothing, a screen served double duty to 1) add some pretty and 2) hide the mess. Win win. It’s also easy to pick up and relocate when you move, unlike a massive armoire … great suggestion, but not always practical for renters in big… Read more »
Ok…put the bed facing the door to the bathroom and you can have two small nightstands on each side. Take the door off the existing closet and add a huge sliding door Ikea wardrobe on the living room wall for tons of storage. In the corner by the bathroom / window you can add a small desk. That should do it!
This was my thought, too. Plenty of space between closet and window wall for bed and nightstands. Then lots of storage with IKEA wardrobes on the living room wall (though I’d go with the traditional opening doors over sliding). I think you can even keep the existing closet door if you want.
Yikes! The ‘just moved in’ phoyo reminded me of my mentee, Sienna’s, room before the makeover, but with nicer floors! My first thought before I read and looked through the iterations and manoeuvres, is also my last thpught, so here goes: 🔆It drives me crazy that you guys (plural) never show which is North!!! 🔆I immediately wondered why your bedhead was not on the wall where the hats are? (Unless it faces east, in which case, don’t = feng shui coffin position). Then you see the bed as you enter the room and all your accoutrements have a place for storage, desk, etc. (Do you gave to gave a corner desk?) 🔆You both deserve proper nightstands – get small ones. They don’t have to be the same (matchy-matchy, but complementary. Thrift it! 🔆You can have the bed ‘to’ the corner, but with enough space for a proper, small nightstand (it’s not fair on the person up against the wall and yes, to me, you do have tge space so ypu can ‘adult’ it). 🔆I’d definitely put the clothes rack on the wall to the living room – seriously better not to see that as you enter the room. 🔆Proper curtains… Read more »
If you have your bed on the living room wall, you could even put removable wallpaper up to add some flair.
I don’t hate it BUT – I feel like if this was my room, I would consider putting the bed back underneath the window, getting rid of the clothing rack, and installing an Ikea type wardrobe system on the wall across from the window for storage. You could still get a storage bed if you need even more space, just one that has drawers at the foot of the bed instead of the sides.
I think the bed in the corner could work aesthetically (you have the eye to make it super chic!), but I think it would drive me NUTS to sleep next to a wall or have my partner next to a wall and having to climb or be climbed over.
I always loved having my bed against a wall when I was a kid. It feels cozy and safe. And as a hot sleeper, the wall always felt nice and cool! Now that I share a bed, I wouldn’t want it for practical reasons. Bed in the corner probably feels youthful because you literally need to be young to manage it. If you’re ok with it, you’re young enough! 🙂
I slept on the wall side of a bed-in-the-corner for years when my kids were little (so they could crawl into bed and not fall off my side). It was fine, but I MUCH prefer beds with both sides open when you have two adults sleeping in one bed. I’m so much happier now that that stage is over. Reasons: 1. Getting out of bed is really annoying… scooting out awkwardly vs. just turning your legs and having your feet hit the ground. You really lose the freedom to just get in and out as you please. 2. Making the bed takes a lot more time. 3. No nightstand for water, glasses and books is terrible. Sounds like you have solved 3., but I think 1 and 2 might drive your fiance crazy. Dont do it if you don’t absolutely have to.
Love the ledge and storage bed combo! If the ledge is the right height, and wide enough, your fiance will be able to put pillows against it in the corner and have an awesome reading/work nook on his side! Esp if you incorporate a cute lamp or sconce for him, and a plug with charger ports and electric on top. Add a spot for a drinking glass and it’s the best seat in the house! You would need to know your bed height, and then have him sit on it in the actual corner and factor in his reach length, so the shelf objects can be easily retrieved.–This step is so worth it in the planning! Currently the wall switch to my bedside sconce is literally just out of reach. I risk falling out of bed every night to turn it off 🙂 I would skip the trunk on the end, unless you need it as a step for your cute pup! The other option of placing the bed kitty-corner is an interesting one. My sister did that with a cool carved headboard that was basically a work of art, and high enough to hide a lot of the angle.… Read more »
Wow, great suggestions from readers, I love that. I have no suggestions, only 20 years of experiences living in NYC with tiny rooms. Here’s what I’ve got:
Yes, you get used to climbing over, or being climbed over by another person, but it gets old fast.
The storage bed I bought was expensive and not of good quality so that when I loaded the drawers with stuff the bottoms bowed making it difficult to actually pull the drawers open. Also, having to lift bed coverings and having them flop in your face or block the light, especially when you’re in a hurry, THAT gets old fast.
I’ve had bedrooms with beds in front of windows which I initially didn’t want to do, but which, when done, turned out to be not an issue at all.
I once used a very sculptural plaster sconce, sourced from the street, to act as a night stand on the 12” or so on the far side of the bed.
Tetris is fun, I can’t wait to see what you do with everyone’s notes!
Like so many other people have suggested, I would move the bed to the closet wall, get a PAX system on the wall the bedroom door is on, swap the desk for a straight one with file storage. I think you might not need a storage bed if you made your nightstands dressers. Daniel Kanter had a great IKEA hack for making storage nightstands with marble tops, and it would be easy to swap the fronts to match your aesthetic: https://manhattan-nest.com/2020/01/13/from-the-vault-my-bedside-tables/
Seems like the space has it’s challenges. Don’t buy any expensive furniture for a room that you will probably never LOVE. Check out bedroom furniture on Craigslist, which is plentiful and cheap.
Also, check out the oldie-but-goodie young house love post that will show you how 2 wardrobe frames and 4 window panel curtains will give you tons more storage and a clean, polished look. Google young house love adding Ikea wardrobes for a built in bed nook. https://www.younghouselove.com/over-our-heads/
Good luck!!
This is a great suggestion!
I love the solution you came up with to have the bed in the corner.
Maybe bowsers bonus room can give some storage inspo
Could you do option 3 but rotate the head of the bed to the other wall and put the nightstand in the corner? That way you have a little path between the bed and the window (which would allow for storage drawer access) and you don’t have the kid bedroom feel, and you can have a nice headboard/art moment over the head of the bed as your zoom background from your desk. You might be able to fit in a skinny pedestal table in by the mirror as a second nightstand/accessory staging table too.
Have you considered taking the door off the closet and converting it into an office? You can then hide it with coordinating curtains. Having your office disappear when you’re not using it would add to the wabi-sabi monastic vibe you’re going for.