Small bedroom DIY ideas

A small bedroom is usually short of storage and light rather than short of space, and both are cheap to fix. These ten projects all fit a 10 ft by 10 ft room, and every one of them can be done without moving a wall.

10 ideas, with costs

• Floating shelves above the desk or dresser

  $175 – $275

  Three 36 in oak shelves on cleats bolted into studs, 12 in apart, turn the wall above a desk into storage. How much they hold depends on the shelf and bracket you buy, so follow the manufacturer's weight rating and never exceed it, and plan the position so the bracket hits at least two studs.

  Intermediate An afternoon
  Full guide: How to install floating shelves

• One wall in sage green, two coats

  $120 – $220

  A single 12 ft wall takes one gallon and about four hours, and it makes a small room look deliberate rather than cramped. Keep the other three walls light so the room does not close in.

  Beginner A weekend
  Full guide: How to paint a room

• Full-height mirror leaned against the wall

  $40 – $120

  A 6 ft mirror reflects the window and the light, which is the cheapest way to make a small room read bigger. Add a safety strap if there are children or pets around.

  Beginner 15 minutes

• Bed risers with storage underneath

  $25 – $60

  Four risers lift the bed 5 to 8 in, which is enough for flat storage boxes and a suitcase. Check that the frame legs are solid before trusting the new height.

  Beginner 30 minutes

• Swing-arm wall light by the bed

  $35 – $90

  A wall light frees the nightstand and puts the light where you read. A plug-in model needs no wiring at all, and a cord cover tidies the run down to the outlet.

  Beginner 1 hour

• Under-bed drawers on casters

  $60 – $140

  Two 30 in drawers on casters hold folded clothes so the dresser top stays clear. Measure the clearance first: you need a quarter inch more than the drawer height.

  Beginner 2 hours

• Curtains hung high and wide

  $40 – $110

  Brackets 2 in below the ceiling and 6 in past each side of the window make it look wider and the ceiling taller. A floor-length panel does far more for a small room than a short one.

  Beginner 45 minutes

• A pegboard for jewellery and small things

  $30 – $70

  A 2 ft by 4 ft pegboard with hooks and a small shelf clears the dresser and the nightstand at once. Fix it into studs, or use toggles rated well above the weight it carries.

  Beginner 1 hour

• Patch and repaint the door and trim

  $15 – $60

  Doorstop dents and scuffed trim are what make a small room feel tired. Patching, priming and a fresh coat of white semi-gloss on the door and trim is half a day.

  Beginner Half a day
  Full guide: How to patch drywall

• Shelf over the door for out-of-season storage

  $40 – $90

  The wall above a door is wasted space in most small bedrooms. A 30 in shelf on two brackets into studs holds bins of winter clothes, and you cannot see it from the bed.

  Beginner 1 hour