Living in Australia increasingly means making the most of smaller spaces. With apartment living on the rise in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and other major cities, and housing affordability pushing many towards more compact homes, knowing how to furnish a small bedroom effectively has never been more important.
The good news? A small bedroom doesn't mean compromising on style or functionality. With smart furniture choices and thoughtful layout planning, you can create a bedroom that feels spacious, organised, and genuinely comfortable. In this guide, we'll focus on strategies for maximising your space, with particular attention to choosing the right bedside table for compact rooms.
Understanding Your Space
Before purchasing any furniture, take time to truly understand your bedroom's dimensions and characteristics. This goes beyond just measuring the floor space.
Create a Floor Plan
Measure your room carefully and create a simple floor plan, either on paper or using a free online tool. Mark the positions of doors, windows, power points, and any built-in features like wardrobes. This visual reference will prove invaluable when planning furniture placement and shopping for new pieces.
Identify Natural Light Sources
Small rooms benefit enormously from natural light, which makes them feel larger and more inviting. Note which direction your windows face and at what times the room receives direct sunlight. You'll want to position furniture to maximise light rather than block it.
Map Traffic Flow
Even in a small bedroom, you need clear pathways to move around the bed, access the wardrobe, and enter the room comfortably. Mark these traffic paths on your floor plan and ensure any furniture you choose won't obstruct them.
The 60cm Rule
Always leave at least 60cm of clearance around your bed for comfortable movement. If space is extremely tight, you may be able to push one side of the bed against a wall, but ensure you can still change sheets and access both sides when needed.
Choosing the Right Bed
The bed is the largest piece of furniture in any bedroom, so getting this choice right is crucial for small spaces.
Consider Your Actual Needs
While a king-size bed might seem appealing, honestly assess whether you need that much sleeping space. A queen bed (153 x 203cm) or even a double (138 x 188cm) might serve you perfectly well while freeing up valuable floor space. The difference between a king and a queen is 15cm in width—space that could accommodate a more generous nightstand or simply more room to move.
Low-Profile Bed Frames
Lower beds make rooms feel more spacious by leaving more visible wall space. Platform beds or beds with low-profile frames create a sense of openness while still providing comfortable sleeping. Just remember that your bedside table height should match—you'll want a shorter nightstand with a lower bed.
Storage Beds
In small bedrooms, every cubic centimetre counts. Storage beds with built-in drawers or lift-up mattress bases provide valuable extra storage without taking up any additional floor space. Use this storage for off-season bedding, extra linens, or items you don't need to access daily.
Space-Saving Bedside Table Options
Traditional bedside tables can eat up precious floor space in a small bedroom. Fortunately, there are numerous alternatives that provide bedside functionality without the bulk.
Floating Shelves
Wall-mounted floating shelves are perhaps the ultimate space-saver. They provide a surface for your essentials—lamp, phone, glass of water—without any footprint on the floor. Install them at your ideal nightstand height, and you'll have all the function of a traditional bedside table with none of the bulk. For extra convenience, look for floating shelves with a small drawer or ledge.
Wall-Mounted Nightstands
A step up from simple shelves, wall-mounted or floating nightstands offer drawer storage while still leaving the floor clear. These create the appearance of a traditional bedside table but make the room feel larger by revealing more floor space. They're also much easier to clean around—no more vacuum manoeuvres around furniture legs.
Narrow or Slim Nightstands
If you prefer a traditional floor-standing bedside table, look for narrow or slim designs. Tables as narrow as 25-30cm wide can still provide useful storage while taking up minimal space. Tall, slim tables with multiple small drawers can be particularly effective in small rooms.
Slim Nightstand Dimensions to Look For
- Width: 25-35cm (compared to standard 45-55cm)
- Depth: 30-40cm (compared to standard 40-50cm)
- Height: Match to your mattress height
C-Table or Slide-Under Tables
C-tables (also called slide-under tables) have a C-shaped base that slides under the bed, with the tabletop cantilevered over the mattress. This clever design means the table takes up virtually no floor space. They're particularly useful if your bed is pushed against a wall or if you want maximum floor clearance.
Multipurpose Furniture
Consider furniture that serves multiple purposes. A small stool or ottoman can function as a nightstand while also providing seating for putting on shoes or a surface for stacking books. A narrow ladder shelf can hold bedside essentials while also displaying decorative items or storing folded clothes.
Layout Strategies for Small Bedrooms
Symmetry vs. Asymmetry
In larger bedrooms, symmetrical layouts with matching nightstands on each side of the bed are often the default. In small bedrooms, however, asymmetrical arrangements can work better. You might have a nightstand on one side and a wall sconce on the other, or use different sizes or types of bedside furniture on each side based on each person's needs and available space.
Consider Corner Placement
Placing your bed in a corner rather than centred on a wall can free up significant floor space. This approach works particularly well in single bedrooms or if only one person needs easy bed access. The trade-off is that making the bed becomes slightly more challenging.
Zone Your Space
Even in a small bedroom, creating defined zones can make the space feel more organised and functional. The sleeping zone around your bed should feel calm and uncluttered. If you must include a workspace, position it away from the bed and use visual separation like a rug or different lighting.
Visual Tricks to Make Small Bedrooms Feel Larger
Light and Bright
Light colours make spaces feel larger. Opt for white or light-coloured bedding, curtains, and walls. If your bedside table is a darker colour, ensure it doesn't visually dominate the space—keep the tabletop uncluttered and consider pieces with open shelving or legs that allow light to pass through.
Mirrors
Strategically placed mirrors can make a small bedroom feel significantly larger by reflecting light and creating the illusion of more space. A mirror on the wall opposite a window is particularly effective, as it doubles the natural light entering the room.
Vertical Space
When floor space is limited, think vertically. Tall, narrow furniture makes better use of limited square footage. Wall-mounted storage, floating shelves, and overhead storage all utilise vertical space that would otherwise go unused. Just be careful not to mount anything heavy directly above the bed.
Keep the Floor Visible
The more floor you can see, the larger a room feels. Choose furniture with legs rather than pieces that sit directly on the floor. Clear the space under the bed (or use storage containers that match the carpet/floor colour). Avoid floor-length curtains that pool on the ground—instead, have them just touch the floor or hang slightly above.
Decluttering: The Free Space Solution
No amount of clever furniture can compensate for a bedroom overloaded with possessions. Regular decluttering is essential in small spaces.
The Bedside Edit
Limit what you keep on or in your bedside table to absolute essentials: a lamp (or use wall-mounted lighting), your current book, phone charger, perhaps a small plant or photo. Everything else should find a home elsewhere. A cluttered nightstand makes the entire room feel cramped.
Regular Rotation
In small bedrooms, store off-season items elsewhere—under-bed storage, hall closets, or climate-controlled storage units. Rotate clothes seasonally so your wardrobe only contains what you'll actually wear in the coming months.
Putting It All Together
Furnishing a small bedroom well requires thoughtful planning, but the results are worth the effort. Start by understanding your space, then choose furniture that's appropriately scaled and maximises storage. Use visual tricks to make the room feel larger, and maintain a regular decluttering habit to keep the space functional.
Remember, a small bedroom that's well-designed and thoughtfully furnished can feel more comfortable and inviting than a larger space that's cluttered and disorganised. Embrace the challenge of working with limited square metres, and you'll create a bedroom that proves size isn't everything.