Easy Small Scandi Bedroom Makeover on a Budget
Before
This room was previously their youngest boy’s room but he was re-located upstairs to the top floor.
Before
The double bed was positioned behind the door which meant that there was no space for bedside tables.
It’s quite a small space so clever small bedroom ideas were needed when designing this room. The budget was quite tight because they were refreshing several rooms at once, so we needed to find ways of refreshing the room in an affordable way. Luckily the clients didn’t need much furniture or any clothes storage space in here because there’s a walk-in closet in the room next door. They were also keen to use some of their old mid-century furniture to save on costs.
Layout plan
I recommended moving the bed around the corner where there’s more wall space which meant that there was room for a bedside table on each side. The clients are book lovers and have a massive collection of books so I suggested adding a tall bookcase behind the door.
Design board
Although dark walls can work really well in smaller bedrooms for a cocooning feel, these clients are lovers of neutral shades and scandi vibes so they wanted to keep the colour scheme light. This room is west facing so gets lovely warm natural light in the late afternoons. We decided to carry the same paint colours through from the lounge - using different shades of the same colour family for the walls and woodwork. Little Greene’s Slaked Lime is a lovely light coloured paint that works well in rooms of all orientations. I was keen to highlight the original architectural details (the skirting boards and window frame) but keeping the walls and woodwork in a similar colour is a good way of making a small space feel bigger. I decided to subtly highlight the woodwork in the slightly darker shade of Slaked Lime Mid and I chose earthy green and blue as subtle accent colours.
This was one of the clients’ existing teak side tables. It works really well in here because seeing more of the floor space is a great way of making a smaller room feel bigger. I teamed it with a gold bedside lamp which adds warmth and gives the design scheme a lift. The original Victorian floorboards have been restored and painted in the same white as the walls to help make the room feel bigger.
Lots of book storage! IKEA is always great for budget bedroom decor ideas so I selected two of their affordable Billy bookcases which were just the right width to fit behind the door. We styled the shelves with some of the clients’ existing mid-century accessories and framed wall art.
We used the clients’ existing double bed to save on costs and I found a cheap, nearly full length mirror on eBay in a mid-century style to tie in with the rest of their furniture. Mirrors work really well in smaller bedrooms because they create the illusion of more space. The rounded shape of the structural bedside table adds softness and we added a cosy bedside rug from La Redoute. The clients used their existing mid-century bedside wall light and the colours tie in perfectly with the design scheme!
I was keen to keep the window treatments light so I sourced some sheer, pale blue full-length curtains for a lovely soft look, with a subtle blackout roller blind for practicality. I chose a blue cushion in the same blue tone as the curtains, and added an earthy green cushion. The lovely natural linen bedding is from Piglet in Bed.
A simple, calming bedroom space with a Scandinavian feel. This room feels so much more spacious now and it’s a lovely space to retreat to.
If you have a tricky small space and need help with the layout or if you need help choosing the best colours for your space, I offer a range of affordable online interior design packages or on-site design service in the West Yorkshire area.
