Bearing in mind that the approximate national UK average for a three bedroom/two bedroom house dwelling is around 76–8m², you’ll understand when I say that sometimes it feels like you are living in a little box
(Not a complaint, just a fleeting feeling). In this post I’ll take you on a little tour of my most recent small bedroom makeover and show you how I used every inch of space to my advantage.
I want to call this a room reveal but that might be stretching the truth… just a little.
For the past 4 months I’ve been sharing sneak pics of this bedroom on my instagram and whilst a few things have changed, I know I’ve definitely lost the element of surprise here.
Not to worry though. You asked for more after pictures, so here ya go!
**Marked items were gifted to me from small businesses for the purpose of this post. Affiliate links used.
THE BEDROOM BEFORE….
I dont really have a great photo of our bedroom before we started painting. But try and picture your standard rented room – magnolia walls with the addition of a built in ugly melamine wardrobe we weren’t allowed to get rid of it.
Not hugely pretty, but liveable.
I was more than happy to wack on some paint – even if it did take me a whole day to achieve this half wall effect. I used Valspar Coal Tipple and Valspar white.
Frog tape and a laser marker really helped to get the lines perfectly straight!
Then came the bed (up until that point we had been sleeping on a mattress on the floor).
Unfortunately, said bed was a king and way too big for our small bedroom. We realised fairly quickly that because of its size (and my inability to check measurements when ordering online) the bed could only go in one position – agaisnt the wall facing the door.
In hindsight, a double bed would have worked much better. However, the normally chilled out husband was adamant that this was not going to happen…. ever. Funny that.. you can read our little convo here.
I worked around it though, as you do!
Now time for some pretty after pictures!
A SMALL BEDROOM MAKEOVER TOUR – COME ON IN!
Oh don’t mind that door.
It might hit the end of the bed frame as you first walk in but thats totally fine.
I’m fairly certain the knobs from the under bed storage boxes I built take most of the brunt of that force anyway.
Ok now look straight ahead… there you go.
THE DRESSER…
This midcentury dresser that started off as a bargain buy from a local Emmaus charity store has now become the focal point of this bedroom (you can read the full tutorial on how I got this dip dye effect here).
Black Abstract print / Glass vase / Faux eucalyptus
Or maybe it’s the gallery wall that is the focal point? I’m not quite sure. Nevertheless, coupled together, they make a striking statement
THE GALLERY WALL…
They say (of course, I dont know who), but they say a good gallery wall is never finished i.e it will always be a work in progress.
In this case, that might be true.This gallery wall has an asymmetrical design giving it it that slightly unfinished look .
Black and white quilt / Grey and white grid bedding
Female abstract portrait / Beige abstract painting
Hustle Print / Faux leather cushion
The gallery wall is made up of a collection of various items I sourced online. e.g. vintage baking tins, tree bark, baskets and abstract prints. Most of the picture frames were bought from IKEA (browse some of my IKEA decorating hacks here)
I carried a watermelon print – (US source) / Geometric mustard print
THE WARDROBE….
If you look slightly to the right as you enter the room (mind you, you dont need to do a full head turn for this as the room is compact.. did I already mention that?), you’ll see our customised wardrobe.
**Mustard floor cushion / woven rug
Originally it was an ugly old thing, with reddish melamine wood. I painted and wallpapered the inside of it. Once finished it looked so pretty! I decided I wasn’t going to cover it up.. by adding doors….
I was going to try the open closet concept!
BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
I only lasted a few weeks before I decided enough was enough. An untidy wardrobe was unbearable to look at day in day out. Doors.. any doors had to go on!
We chose to go for OSB wood to make the doors, just for their gorgeous texture alone.
(I may have a tutorial on this at a later date, but just know it wasn’t as easy as I had hoped it would be. In fact, maybe my husband might need to write that post, because aside from helping to cut the wood and drill in holes for the hinges, this project went completely over my head)
I used washi tape, and sanded it down to get the geometric shabby effect you see on the doors. The handles are from IKEA. Here is a picture of the wardrobe from the front angle.
**FYI this gorgeous handmade mustard floor pillow you see in the shots above was gifted to me from a lovely lady who owns a small textile store on etsy called Simply Skandi. You can click here to buy this exact same one.
THE MINI OFFICE SPACE..
Just next to my wardrobe, to the right of my bedroom door is a little corner that I converted into a mini office nook… just for me (my husband has very quickly claimed our spare room as his man cave).
Sooo a couple of twin bracket slots and diy wooden shelving later, this is what I got.
Have you heard of colour blocking with paint?
If you haven’t, its a great way to separate areas in a room. This is what I did in this space, but with wallpaper (sourced from here).
Now keep an open mind.. I know this wallpaper is quite the contrast with the rustic vintagy look going on at the other side of the room, but its geometric design ties it all together
In my opinion… of course.
THE BLINDS…. THANKS TO ORDERBLINDS.COM
To the left of the bedroom is our bed (with about a few inchs of walking space around it) , a small side table and a window that spans the entire length of the room. I had originally planned to dress it with curtains, but could never find the right style or fit I liked.
A UK online store called orderblinds.com reached out and offered to send me customised blinds for my window. I chose the Antique real wood venetian blinds and I’m really pleased with how they look in my room.
More than anything, I was impressed by the quality of the wood and the ease with which I was able to measure, order and then put the blinds in place.
(The picture above shows a closer look of the blinds).
Notice the hanging light pendant here too.. just above the custom side table?
I made it using an vintage reel I bought off ebay. I love that it adds a little industrial element to the room
And thats a wrap!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this small bedroom makeover tour. It was a little difficult getting pictures of the whole room in one frame because of the lack of space so I apologise for that.
I have included links to most of the accessories in this small bedroom makeover, but if there is something I missed (or if you want a source more appropriate to your country), please feel free to drop me a comment below.
Medina
*Marked items were gifted to me for the purpose of this post. I only partner with brands I LOVE and think you will LOVE too! All ideas, photos and opinions are 100% my own. You can read my full disclosure here
YOU CAN BROWSE ALL MY SMALL BEDROOM MAKEOVER DIY PROJECTS HERE
INDUSTRIAL SIDE TABLE IKEA HACK
Amazing!! It looks great, and the landlord should pay you for what you did with the wardrobe, what an improvement! I love it!
love the modern-vintage look, i love the wood and the dark and light colors together. It is such a unique style.
What a beautiful makeover to glow your home interior up!
I love it! Especially the headboard. Can you tell me where I can find one like it? Thank you.
Hi this is from la redoute
a few years late, but love the design, wall art, and set ups. wish i could get something half as good. i have 4 doors in my room to deal with….hard to work with. love your site and emails.
Enjoyed your small bedroom makeover, great ideals. When your wardrobe/closet doors are opened isn’t all your floor space taken up ? Why not rollup blinds of somekind .
Love your magical creations…Please don’t be afraid of butterflies…they are like little fairies that make flowers grow. Bees are the spreader of necessary pollen so plants make our fruits and veggies. But you should stand back for the busy bees!! I am enjoying your creations.. Best wishes, Pamela
Happy to have found your site! Putting in the time and consideration paid off beautifully. Inspiring!
Thank you!
This is honestly one of the best bedrooms I have ever seen. And I search bedrooms a lot on pinterest. Is there an item list anywhere? I would love to try to recreate something like this and wanted to know where some of the items were purchased.
Thanks!
Jackie
Thank you so much Jackie!
Great job. Room is beautiful. You are very artistic.
Brilliant and truely amaaazzing
This room is absolutely delightful! Ordinarily I like lots of color, but I love this — the black and white, the headboard, those closet doors, the office space, big window, etc. Just a great job. I did not care much for the white on the small dresser, but that’s just me. Yes, you really should consider going professional. Come to Texas and call me!
I LOVE the look of your walls! You are so talented! Is it equal amounts black and white? I would love to copy this look. Do I just measure right down the middle of the wall and paint half black and half white?
And another great space. You are so talented. Love how you describe what and how you have done it as well. Cool blog 🙂
Great work! I like the makeover of this bedroom. Really you are so talented. I am impressed with your work and got some great ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
Medina,
What a fantastic blog post! Thanks so much for sharing it on our Friday Friends Parade Linky Party!
Love love love! Do you know if there’s a similar bed frame that would ship to the US?
Have you looked on the US AMAZONI saw something on there recently by searching metal beds. Also I know Ikea sells something similar
Hi, from California. This room is amazing! I love the way you used every inch of space.
I bought my industrial style metal bed frame on overstock.com. At that time, shipping was $2.99!! And the bed weighs about 100lbs.
Ahh thanks so much for the huge compliment – I appreciate it! Oh god thats a heavy bed!
I am so obsessed with this makeover! You have really transformed the space and I love your style so much!
Ahh thank you! That means a lot to me!
Lovely! Well done; you are very talented.
Thank you!
Beautiful transformation Medina, you know I am a huge fan of your work.. To me this room does not look small at all! You have done a great job !
Ahh thank you so much Jolene!
epic epic room design Medina, blown away by the creativity!
Thanks so much Athina!
WOW! What I transformation. I love the before images. The gold details really make this room I think. Love your style Medina!
Thanks so much Donna!
Great article! I’m such a fan of Gallery Walls and you have created a fantastic example. Also love the idea of colour blocking. The desk area looks amazing!!
Thank you Tom!
What an awesome makeover. You’ve done such a fab job for such a small room. It’s a real challenge working in such a small space. I love the under bed storage and the industrial light fitting.
Yes the lack of space was a struggle, but Im really pleased with it!
If this was the great interior designer challenge and you had transformed the room the way you did, you would have won the challenge. What a turnaround!
Ahh you are too kind!
I love it ! Room have such a cool scandi – mid century vibe to it !! You have done a cracking job
Thanks Pati!
A great transformation! So many ideas to pick up from here. I love the idea of wallpapering the insides of the cupboards and the desk corner
Thank you, Im a huge wallpaper fan!
Wow, what a great makeover. It really doesn’t look too small at all – you’ve used the space beautifully.
Thanks so much!
OMGoodness, this is FABULOUS! I love everything about it! Every detail is perfect! I came over from Marty’s where you are featured. So nice to “meet” you! Have a beautiful day!
SO nice to meet you too and thanks for coming over!
Wow, this is gorgeous – kudos on the work you did!
Thank you!
Wow so much style in such a small space. I need to to take notes Medina!!
Looks great, Medina! I didn’t realise the office nook was part of the bedroom. So versatile! And I’m not a big fan of gallery walls, but yours is just perfect.
Ahh thanks so much Juan!
Your colour scheme is calm without being boring and it’s a harmonious combination of accessories and art. I really like the look of the OSB doors – a post about how these were constructed would be really interesting.
Thank you Lo! Yes im working on that post 🙂
Hello from Canada. You have done an amazing job. Everything you’ve done is so unique, from the black half wall to the one of a kind closet doors. I’ve lived in England and know what you mean by a small bedroom. You should consider doing design professionally!
Oh wow really! lol you’re making me blush ! I’m so glad you like this makeover. Also nice to meet you sue, hoping to travel to Canada in the new year. Any nice places to visit ?
Wow!!! This is an amazing make-over! Really clever and some fantastic ideas! Thanks for sharing!xx
Thank you Sarah! I’m so glad you like it 🙂
I don’t have the right words to convey how incredibly impressed I am with your GORGEOUS bedroom makeover and how cleverly you’ve used every bit of space! Amazing job, Medina! xx
Ahh thank you so much Meera! Means so much coming from you!
Well done Medina you have achieved a nice uniformity of Bits…
Thank you for the holiday greetings, we hope also that your time of reflection and thought brings you joy. It is bound to bring us more delightful blogs LOL
Tank you so much! Have a great holiday!
You’ve done a great job. I love the use of space and some very clever upcycles. May I ask how you attach things to the walls in a rented property? I’d love to put more on the walls but I’m always left with unsightly marks whenever I change things round.
Hi Kelly! Thank you for your sweet comment :). So I either use the command brand wall attachments or a really small nail. Nails are very easy to fill in when you remove them with a kitted pollyfiller or even crayon . Hope that helps 🙂
Wow. I love it all. The wall , that great hanging light. You are very talented to make all of that fit(even a little desk/office are) in that small of a room and have it look amazing. I also love the grey grid type blankets. Does that store send items to Canada by chance? Great job!
Ahh thank you so much ! Yes you really have to get a little creative with floor planning when you live in a small place. No I don’t think they deliver to Canada but here are a few similar I have found for you in Canada http://amzn.to/2DFUpYV, and this http://amzn.to/2C5ztws. Hope this helps
You have done an absolutely incredible job with this, to say the least. Thank you so much for the detailed post. So so so inspiring!!!! Absolutely adore the style and overall results. Well done.
Oh wow thank you! Im so glad you like it 🙂