Do you have a small bedroom or a cramped studio apartment? Small space inspiration for the bedroom can come from unexpected places. It can be gleaned from those who live at sea, for example. Take a look at this bedroom on a yacht designed by none other than the minimalist John Pawson:
Some cues we see here for help with small bedrooms or studio apartments:
- Floating furniture keeps the floor open in one expanse instead of being broken up by legs everywhere.
- A built-in sofa niche combines a seating area with the bedroom area while retaining a sense of separation.
- Lighting is kept up off the bedside table to make a little more space on the tabletop.
- The walls are not only light, they're reflective. Bouncing light around can enliven and enlarge a small space.
See more of this yacht's small space inspiration for other rooms of the home at Elle Decor.
(Image: William Waldron/Elle Decor)
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This is great! Thanks for posting.
Is that picture meant to be a small bedroom? It looks about 25 or 30 feet long.
that small bedroom is twice as big as my land-anchored bedroom!
Ha, good advice, but I agree, I think MY bedroom is quite large in my condo at 11x16", and that looks larger than mine!
Lovely room but I'm not sure about 'small'. The master bedroom in my house is 9' x 13' and houses a queen bed, two night stands, and a wall of wardrobes for storage. It's not generously proportioned but it's certainly comfortable and functional. I don't imagine I'll ever need more space than that in a bedroom.
What is more impressive on a yacht is what you don't see behind this lovely interior!
this is a giant bedroom. and it wouldn't work as inspiration for a studio apartment either, because the couch doens't work as living room, just as a couch for people who have such big bedrooms that they don't know what to do with it.
Old tips are old
Giant room is giant
The post doesn't assert this is a small bedroom. In fact it says small space inspiration can come from unlikely places. And the cues listed are useful for making any space feel larger regardless of its dimensions.
I was thinking the same thing - this is supposed to be small? Yes, the tips are fitting but it would have even more pop if this were a tiny bedroom. Beautiful room, tho! I do love the colors.
I'm not so certain that a built-in sofa makes a space look smaller, or function more efficiently. I'd think a free-standing sofa, elevated on legs as opposed to having its bulk descend to the floor, would give a small space a lighter, airier feel. And the thing about built in furniture is that it determines forever how a space can be used. I'm actually surprised at Pawson, but then his take on minimalism comes with a hefty price tag. For those not design-oriented, have a look at his cookbook [Living and Eating] - it underscores the sense that such minimalism is only a rarefied elitism. One thing that would have made the room seem larger, and over which Pawson would have been powerless, was the yacht's low ceiling height. That alone makes the space for me (I'm 6'-3" tall) feel cramped and yearning to go up on deck fast. It's great to see tips on simplifying and making space expand, but this may not be the most useful example, nor is it Pawson's most inspiring performance.
that must be some yacht!
Built-in furniture makes sense on a boat, as you want to avoid having furniture, lamps, and such being thrown around during rough seas. Sanding down the sharp corners and edges might be a good idea, to reduce the risk of injuries during a storm.