Bed provided Overstock.com
SLast week I shared our plan to redo my son Luke’s room. He turned 13 this summer and has been asking for updates for quite some time. We promised it for years—I’ve been slow, and he’s been patient.
Between other projects around the house, this was the room I most wanted to tackle. Kids grow up quickly, and at 13 there are fewer childhood years left than we began with. Luke is our last child at home, and I wanted his room to hold good memories.
Finally, the time arrived to focus on his space and make the changes he wanted. His request was simple: a full-size bed and his own desk. His bunk beds worked well for sleepovers but were too small and awkward for everyday use. He rarely used the top bunk, so we were ready to give that up to give him a proper bed he could enjoy.
My daughters and I put our heads together to figure out how to fit a full bed and a desk into a tiny room. The space is just under 11 by 11 feet and, with windows, a door and a closet, there isn’t much wall or floor area for furniture.
Our biggest challenge was selecting the right bed. Which wall would it go on? What style would suit the room? Would a large bed look out of place? What color should we choose? There were so many decisions.
We determined that if the entryway remained clear—allowing easy access as you walked through the door—we could tuck a full bed into the far corner. Placing the bed on any other wall would have made it feel like it dominated the room. Hiding it in the corner minimized its visual impact.
In a small bedroom you might assume smaller furniture is always best. Size matters, but so do scale and shape. At first I thought a bed without a headboard would maximize space. But since the bed would occupy a significant part of the room anyway, I decided to make it cozy and inviting. A soft, padded headboard could be the right choice.
I’ve learned that aiming for cozy in a small bedroom helps the whole space feel intentional and comfortable.
We searched for the coziest, most boy-friendly bed we could find. A padded corduroy wingback bed felt perfect—comforting and masculine—but it was a little risky. It wasn’t small or airy, and I worried whether it would overwhelm the room. The moment it arrived and we saw it in place, I fell in love with it.
Luke seems to love it too. It turned out to be the ideal solution for the compact space. The bed’s straight lines allow it to fit neatly in the corner, while its scale and texture give the room a strong focal point. The color and material add warmth and personality.
The room became a cozy destination. (Full disclosure: I’ve already claimed it briefly for a phone conference—it’s that comfortable!)
Working on the kids’ rooms has helped me feel more at home here. Our house may not have been intended as a forever home, and it’s not our dream house, but investing time into making rooms comfortable has helped us grow to love this place.
Once the bed was in place, we focused on making the room functional: hooks for backpacks, shelves for books, task lighting for reading and projects, and spots to display small mementos.
Loving the home you have isn’t just about decorating or buying new things; it’s about considering what makes a space comfortable and practical for daily life.
The bed now sits like a little nest in the corner. We also ordered an allergy-friendly mattress so the bed feels fresh and comfortable—his first brand-new bed that isn’t a hand-me-down from his sisters. He seems thrilled, and so am I.
I’ll share more angles and updates on this makeover soon, including sources and tips.
>>>>>>>FIND THE UPDATES TO THIS ROOM HERE!<<<<<<<
Disclosure: We received an in-store gift card to Overstock.com for this room makeover, which allowed us to order the bed and the mattress used in the project. Both items were easy to order, arrived promptly, and the bed was straightforward to assemble. No additional compensation was provided; the ideas and opinions are my own.
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