Seeking advice: furnishing a 12 m² bedroom
Hello everyone!
I'm new here and just beginning to learn the basics of interior design. My partner and I recently bought a house, and we are starting from scratch with furnishing and some DIY renovations. We would love your advice before committing to any major decisions, starting with our main bedroom.
Context:
We live in the Netherlands, a country known for its cloudy weather, so maximizing brightness and creating a cosy atmosphere are top priorities. For that reason, we would like to avoid placing the bed with its back to the balcony windows.
We appreciate simplicity and practicality – so we need to make sure the space feels warm and inviting.
The space:
- Approximately 12 m² (4,50 m × 2,69 m)
- Wall paint can change.
- The furniture in the photo is from the previous owners and will be removed.
- They had a corner wardrobe, which felt bulky and overwhelming.
- We don’t need a TV in the bedroom.
What we need to buy:
- Bed/Bed frame: we already own a 140 x 200 cm mattress.
- Bedside tables & lights: minimal but functional.
- Clothing storage: we are unsure about the best type and size to fit this bedroom.
- Blackout curtains: absolutely necessary for the early sunrises.
From my explorations, Layout A seems to make the most sense, with the bed opposite the bedroom door. In Layout B, the bed would be right behind the living room TV, which feels less ideal.
Questions:
- What is the best bed placement?
- Are there better layout options we might have missed?
- What type of clothing storage would best fit this space without making it too crowded?
- Would fitted wardrobes or standalone pieces work better in a small room?
- What types of bed frames would best fit the space?
We are open to suggestions on layout, ideal types of furniture, and storage solutions that balance practicality and simplicity with a warm feel. Any tips or inspiration would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you so much!
Comments
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Welcome to our community, Catarina! And congrats on your new home ☺️ I'd go with layout A — I like that the bed feels slightly tucked in that alcove because of the closet. What if you sourced a bedframe with built-in storage underneath? I'm hesitant to recommend placing a dresser across the bed because you won't have much room to walk around or open drawers. Your ceilings look really tall though! Could you do a custom bookcase with cubbies/bins for additional storage? Beautiful floor-to-ceiling bookshelves would also balance form and function
To lean into the warm feeling you want, I suggest adding a large area rug to cover most of the floor. You want to have a lot of texture and warm lighting. Is it just overhead lighting in there right now? Bring in floor lamps or wall sconces to add a nice glow. Paint would do wonders in here too. What colors do you like? I love a dusty mauve, terracotta, or sage for an inviting bedroom, but it depends on your personal style. Excited to hear more!
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Congratulations on your new home! How nice to have a balcony off your bedroom.
I suggest that the left corner of the room by the entrance is a good location for a large piece of storage furniture, as the previous owners had. But I would suggest putting the back of the piece on the door wall, with the front facing the bed. Make it tall and as wide as will fit, but not very deep, and make it a lighter color, similar to whatever color you choose for the walls. With this placement, it won't feel overwhelming. I have a similar layout in my bedroom, with a large armoire to the left of the entrance, and this placement de-emphasizes the bulk of the piece. You don't notice it immediately because your eyes are on the window when you enter; the light draws you into the room past the large piece and you don't even see it until you turn around. A built-in piece would make the best use of the space but will cost more. A freestanding piece is useful because you can hide large things behind it (paintings, window screens . . .)!
If you want more storage, a low bureau or set of shelves on the same wall as the bed (in layout A) would fit. Or you could use small chests or bookshelves on either side of the bed. You could use a desk and chair instead of 1 bedside table.
Since you want to give a warm feel to the room, I would suggest using warm colors like yellow, peach, pink, cream, beige, taupe, maybe green. But not blue or gray. And lamps, like Daniela said. Maybe some gold things (lamps, frames) to reflect light and warmth.
Have fun!
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An alternative layout, which i have used:
I would put the bed facing the balcony, leaving a narrower space on the left.
A long low dresser can back up to it and serve as night table.
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I agree with above ideas. We have a bed frame with storage drawers underneath, 6 on each side for total 12. You could also consider two tall cabinets on either side of your bed for more storage and have a headboard to keep the bed out from the wall so drawers under bed open, with cubbies that hold all nightstand things, we have that also. In the wall above the headboard install two plugin sconce lights. If you could do so, you could get a bulkhead of cabinets built to install between the cabinets and above the headboard for even more storage. Wall decor like photos, posters, paintings, wall clock, tall mirror on wall opposite the bed take little space. Pale, very light close to white, warm paint colour with undertones like butter, apricot or pink work best in northern bluish light and winter grey skies. Metallic picture and mirror frames (you can paint them), lights help add light. Silver, copper, gold and brass, your choice. Or mix all of them!
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