Whether you live alone or are looking to decorate a guest room, a white single bed is a versatile piece of furniture that is a valuable addition to any household. It’s small enough that you can arrange other furniture around it, or even double up if you need to.
Coming up - a few tips to help you get the most out of your single bed and create a stylish white décor for your bedroom as well. Read on to find out!
White Single Bed Décor Tips
1. Positioning
The most important step in arranging a smaller bedroom is where to put the bed. Decide whether you want it to be the centrepiece of the room or part of a larger arrangement. In bigger bedrooms, it’s usual to make a king-sized bed the centre of attention but in smaller spaces, this is not always the case.
In most bedroom layouts, the bed is placed against the wall. However, by placing your bed in a corner, you can maximise space and create a cosy and snug area.
2. How Many Accessories?
Decide how many accessories you want in your room. Sometimes, it’s nice to have quite a lot of decorations like cushions to make a room feel comfortable. But maybe you’re looking for that pared-back, modern, minimalist look. One of the great things about white décor is that with a few adjustments, you can choose either without having to create a new base to work from.
In a larger room, using a lot of pillows can create a cosy feeling but in a smaller room, it will cramp your bed area. Try statement cushions with bold patterns instead – on a single bed, it will accentuate the room better.
If you decide to accessorise, consider using small art items such as prints and paintings to create a mini gallery along one wall - it will give your room character!
3. Bold Colours
Use bolder colours alongside a white base – by having white as a baseline, you can safely use smaller patches of colour elsewhere on your furniture and accessories - without overpowering the décor of the room overall. Contrast also creates more space in the room and prevents it from looking too clinical.
Restricting the use of bold colours to accessories means you can easily change the room’s theme when you wish. Also, consider choosing a single motif and reusing it around the room. You’ll reinforce the sense you want to create and also make it easy to decorate.
With a white bed, throwing on bold cushions really creates a nice contrast.
4. Patterns
Using patterns alongside white backgrounds can create a statement and provide a lovely contrast to a small room. Mix floral patterns with white walls and sleek, accessories and you can create a traditional and modernist style that will dazzle.
5. Natural Tones
Alternatively, use only natural colours to prevent clash and create a warm feeling within the room. Soft cream and white throws and cushions create a restful sense, and the room will feel less cluttered.
Pastel colours also work well with the fabrics and upholstery – they can create a warm and welcoming feeling when mixed with a white scheme.
If your small room has a large window or faces west, it might be better to combine a white bed with greys and dark blues to absorb some of the natural light.
6. Go Bold With Gold
It’s a daring use of colour, but it’s easy to go overboard with gold accessories. A few dotted about an off-white room can create a sense of glamour, but too much gold can leave a room looking tacky. A picture frame or lamp here and there should do it.
7. Combine With Other White Furnishings
With a white wooden bed, you can maximise contrast by using white walls and deep pile rugs to give your room some texture. Having white, light reflecting furniture is also a good way of giving your room a natural airy feeling.
8. Create the Illusion of Space
Mix and match colour schemes, using lighter colours on the upper parts of the walls and darker colours on the lower section. By doing so, you create a colour gradient and enhance the perception of space in the room.
Using ceiling length drapes around the window can also increase the perception of space by heightening the walls. Matching curtain or drape colour with the walls can create the same effect and, in a small room, the lack of contrasting colours won’t distract the eye.
9. Layering
Layering textures can increase room space by contrasting different materials and colours. You could also mix white wooden panelling (or a white wooden single bed) with darker accessories made of soft materials like chambray or linen. This can create a lovely, comforting effect.
10. Maximise on Space
If your house has smaller rooms, you need to squeeze every last bit of available floor space you can. Under bed containers, high wall shelving and multi-purpose furniture (such as storage ottomans) can help you get the most out of your space.
11. Stack Items
It’s daring, but you can eschew shelving altogether and simply stack your things on the floor! This works well with piles of books, which can be a decoration and conversation starter in themselves. It’s best to try this with a mostly white, rough wooden décor.
A word of warning - try not to place “too” much on the floor, or you’ll end up in a cluttered room. The trick is to use one or two stacks of books next to each other and no more.
12. Place Items Off Ground
Place things off the floor, such as shelves, cupboards and desks. It will require a bit of DIY but frees up space below. It also looks neat and tidy.
This method has the added benefit of providing storage space as well as a place to sit. Having a desk where instead a chest of drawers might have been, is important when you’re short on space.
Try looking around for ideas – with a bit of ingenuity, you can create storage space out of unlikely things!
13. Floating Furniture
Group all your furniture together in the middle of the room, leaving at least one foot of space between it and the walls. The effect?
It enhances the perception of space because it looks as if you had plenty available to begin with. Other benefits are that it frees up wall space - instead of having furniture pushed up against it, the walls can house large pieces of art and other decorative elements.
This technique is perfect for contemporary and minimalist designs. It also creates a sense of intimacy in the centre, where the furniture is placed.
14. Use Multipurpose Furniture
This frees up space. For example, a nightstand with drawers can double up as a small clothes drawer. You can use the space you might have used for a dresser for something else instead.
15. DIY Small Shelves
A small shelf on brackets can take the place of a nightstand. With some DIY, you can cut them to size and tailor them to the dimensions of your room. This is useful if you want to place your bed closer to a corner wall, but don’t have the space for a full nightstand. Create a wraparound shelf instead!
16. Use The Space Above Your Bed
Using a bookshelf/headboard combination means you can use the space on either side of the bed for cupboards or wardrobes. If you’re feeling adventurous, try your hand at a DIY bookshelf! Going vertical with shelving against white walls also increases the amount of visible wall space, and makes small rooms look bigger.
17. Use an Oversized Headboard
This can increase the perception of space in a room. Ceilings will feel higher, and the effect can be maximised if you use a striped theme. You can achieve the same effect with wallpaper.
18. Cut Back On Furniture
Consider sticking to the essential furniture items – this can ‘declutter’ a small room and place the focus on the bed. If you need storage space, use in-built draws and other hidden areas to keep the look. Under-bed baskets and other containers can take the place of a chest of drawers or wardrobes.
19. Symmetry
If you’re doubling up on single beds for a guest room, make sure everything is symmetrical. Matching, well laid out furniture and accessories will put your guests at ease and make them feel welcome. Utilising symmetry is also a good way of keeping a sparsely decorated room visually appealing.
20. Mirrors
Use mirrors to increase space. A large, floor length mirror can take up a lot of physical room, but it can also drastically increase the proportion of felt space. If you’re going for that boho look, you can simply lean it up against a wall.
Alternatively, use multiple smaller mirrors along one wall to increase the space. You’ll create a focal point, and it’s practical. However, if you have a single window and you want to get some light into the room, try dotting mirrors around to spread the light everywhere.
21. Proportion
Place your small bed against a window to improve the proportions of the room. You’ll also get great natural light during the day. With the right colours and window position, you can create a focal point for the room.
22. Accents
Use furniture like accent chairs or luggage racks to add character and contrast to the room. They also provide useful storage areas or in the case of a chair, a place to sit. In a white themed room, choosing something with a bit of colour can really bring out the contrast and create a nice distinction.
23. Plants
Place a few plants in a corner to create a green area, or dot them around to give the room a real nature feeling. This works well against a white background, especially with the right pots. Even better, if your room is light and airy, your plants will only accentuate the spaciousness.
24. Sconce Lights
If you’re short on space for a desk, consider using sconce lights attached to the wall above your bed instead of a desk lamp for reading. They’re never out of fashion and look great, especially if you are pairing black metals with white walls and bed lines. It might require some assembly and DIY but the result will look great!
25. Centrepiece Lighting
Using a light such as a chandelier as a centrepiece creates a focal point in a small room. Combining a soft bulb with the right décor provides a warm and cosy feeling.
26. Fairy Lights
Fairy lights bring a spark of magic to any room. They also create more interest in a small bedroom and you can get them from almost any houseware shop. String stars on the wall, or drape them over headboards to add character and cosiness to your space.
27. Candles
Candles are an alternative to fairy lights or regular lighting in general. Place them around and you’ll create a super cosy atmosphere at night, especially if combined with soft décor.
Don’t use too many though, or your room may begin to look more like a séance! It could also become a greater fire risk than several safely and securely placed candles.
28. Rugs
Throwing down a rug works in almost any room but with smaller spaces, you can really experiment! Try a super large rug if you want to fill floor space or a smaller one under the bed to create a centre focal point. You could mix and match and layer different rugs to add more texture.
To Sum Up
You now know a range of tips on how to decorate around your white bed. From how to arrange the room to the sort of accessories to decorate with, you have a head start in creating the perfect bedroom ambience.
You also know how to maximise the space in a small bedroom, and the best tips and tricks on how to decorate it.