10 small boy's bedroom ideas that are big on style

Looking for small boy's bedroom ideas? Kid's rooms that aren't blessed with acres of square footage are a reality for lots of us. They are often box rooms or loft rooms or just awkwardly shaped rooms and it can take a bit of creative thinking to make the most of the small space available. 

However, kids are small so they can easily live in small bedrooms and in fact small spaces can have that cozy, den-like feeling that kids love so why not embrace that with their bedroom design. To help you out, we've made an edit of gorgeous boy's bedrooms ideas for small rooms, to make every square inch count. And yes, of course, these will perfect perfectly for girl's bedrooms too. 

In the gallery below you'll find clever toy storage solutions, dreamy bunk beds designs, compact desk nooks for doing homework, plus gorgeous wallpaper ideas too.

1. Fill a small boy's bedroom with fun patterns 

Interior designer Katharine Pooley transformed this former box room into a gorgeous boys' bedroom, where every square inch counts. The walls feature a fun Quentin Blake wallpaper design as well as a canvas print of TinTin, and an eye-catching airplane shelf.

The furniture may be small, but every piece is beautiful – from the hand-painted side table to the upholstered single bed with personalized cushions. Even the floor and ceiling were incorporated into the scheme, featuring vintage airplane designs on both.

2. Make the most of the space under the bed

Utilize the under-bed space with storage boxes, trundle storage, or even a pull-out bed for sleepovers.

Elaine Penhaul, director of professional home staging company Lemon and Lime Interiors says: 'storage is always an issue in small rooms, especially for a child when they have lots of belongings. The best way to utilize a small room is to buy a bed with storage underneath so you can keep toys and clothes in a space that would otherwise go to waste.'

'Storage drawers or ottoman style beds are perfect for this as they create hidden pockets of storage without limiting space in the room. High level beds are also great and can create an extra element of fun by incorporating a creative theme, such as a pirate ship or a castle.'

3. Keep it neutral 

Kids are always changing their minds about what they are into, one day it's Minions next it's Minecraft, so while it's nice to reflect their taste in the decor of their bedroom, start with a neutral backdrop and add in their style through the smaller decor and accessories. 

The design team at ILIV suggest: 'As children develop, their styles and identities develop too meaning their bedroom could need four or five restyles from toddler through to teens. Starting with a blank canvas is not only manageable but encourages creativity. Keep it simple by painting the walls a neutral tone and experiment using a selection of colorful bunting and wall art. Adding co-ordinating pillows will liven the room whilst keeping costs at bay, an achievable makeover which can be frequently mixed up.'

4. Use the walls

Another great way to maximize space is to keep storage boxes on top of the wardrobes so that anything that isn’t used very often can be hidden away. You can also make the most of wall space by putting up shelving and display toys or books to transform the shelves into a decorative feature, or line with baskets and boxes to make the most of the space.

Here bespoke shelves were created to make the most of an awkward, angled wall and sloped ceiling. Now it's a space to display treasured books and doubles up as handy toy storage.

5. Double up with a stylish bunk bed

If you are designed a shared bedroom and space is tight, bunk beds are ideal as they free up more floor space to play. We also love them for rooms that aren't shared, as it means there's always a bed ready for when they have a friend stay over.

6. Awkward space? Opt for bespoke designs

Interior designer Naomi Astley Clarke created a wall of bunk beds in this long, narrow bedroom, incorporating steps, bookshelves and seating at the end of the beds.

There are little oak steps up to the top bunk, she's added a magnetic blackboard to the back of the little seating area and bookshelves above, all to add a little bit of fun. There are even little hidden doors under the steps for teddy bears to peek out from!

7. Go for a dorm style layout

If you thought that was impressive, this long and narrow room manages to squeeze in four beds – stylishly done by interior designer Katharine Pooley, featuring upholstered headboards, rounded barriers and a ladder rail, with wall-to-wall storage opposite, and a sweet window seat at the end. Not an inch of wasted space in this small room!

8. Turn a wall into a stylish storage display

Pegboard is a great idea for a small boy's bedroom. It can be used for so many things and is super flexible as you can add on extras like shelves and hooks to build the perfect storage wall. As you can see with this kid's bedroom idea, it can also double up as some pretty cool decor.

9. Switch shelves for book ledges

Shallow book ledges instead of shelves are a great way of displaying children's books; they don't protrude as much so perfect for smaller space,  plus it gives the child the chance to see the book covers, making it easier to pick a story at bedtime. Meanwhile, the wall to the right perfectly illustrates how a pegboard creates a handy place to store clothes that are easy to grab,

10. Bring in plenty of different types of storage

Last but not least, small bedrooms are all about storage, storage, and more storage. This bedroom design may be simple, but the furniture was chosen to maximize storage available to keep clutter at bay; a stacking storage trunk doubles up as a bedside table, while a triple stacking trunk is perfect for throwing soft toys into. When you eventually run out of storage space, you can buy another row and just keep stacking as they grow!

What is the best layout for a small childrens' room?

For very small bedrooms, you'll want to place the cot bed, daybed or childrens' bed right against the wall, and opt for a wall light to save space. If you can, opt for a bed with trundle drawer storage – you could use the drawers for clothing, nappies or toys, depending on what storage you need. Narrow book ledges are handy for displaying books with the front covers facing outwards, and they don't encroach into the space.

What is the best bed for a small bedroom?

For a small childrens' room you could opt for a cotbed that morphs into a childrens' bed like the Stokke Sleepi as it looks stylish without taking up too much space. For older kids you might like to consider a bunk bed, as there are many styles which allow for a desk area and storage to sit underneath their bed, thus making the most of floor space.

What storage options are there for a small childrens' room?

You can squeeze extra storage into even the tiniest of bedrooms. For example a raised daybed with storage drawers underneath (consider the Ikea Hemnes daybed for example), or a bunk bed with storage underneath. Consider what a bedroom actually needs – perhaps a few books, toys, nappies and clothes, but bed linen could be stored in a separate linen closet elsewhere, and the rest of the toys and books could live elsewhere too, like in a dedicated play room or even in storage baskets in the living room.