The attic is often an overlooked space in many homes. With some creativity and effort, this unused area can be transformed into a gorgeous bedroom retreat. From cozy reading nooks to spacious master suites, attics make for charming sleeping quarters. Keep reading for 35 cool attic bedroom ideas to inspire your own attic renovation.
Take Advantage of Sloping Walls and Ceilings
One of the defining features of an attic is its unusual angles and slopes. Rather than trying to mask these details, embrace them! Angled walls and ceilings give the space character and can look intentional when decorated properly.
1. Incorporate Architectural Beams
Exposed beams and rafters add instant visual interest in an attic bedroom. Whitewash the wood to keep things feeling bright and airy. Accent with pendant lighting over the bed.
2. Paint Slopes Different Colors
Define specific zones like sleeping and lounging areas through creative color-blocking. Use accent walls on the sloping surfaces for a bold, modern look.
3. Add Skylights and Dormer Windows
Attic renovations present the perfect opportunity to add skylights and dormer windows. This floods the space with natural light and gives occupants beautiful views of the sky and treetops. Opt for electronic skylights to control light filtering.
Make Room for Plenty of Seating
Since attics have so much unusable square footage around the edges, get creative with comfy seating options. Built-in window benches, cushioned nooks, chaise lounges, and loveseats help maximize relaxed gathering spaces.
4. Incorporate Banquette Seating
Tucked-away banquettes make cozy places to curl up with a book. Nestle them under the eaves or in the dormers. Outfit with plush cushions and throw pillows.
5. Add a Window Seat or Bench
There may be smaller nooks that can accommodate a narrow window seat or bench. These spots encourage relaxation with a beautiful view.
6. Use Freestanding Chaise Lounges
Chaise lounges easily adapt to the unique proportions of attic bedrooms. Their reclined silhouette and wheeled feet let you move them around to catch the best light.
Embrace the Small Square Footage
Attic bedrooms tend to be much smaller than regular bedrooms on the lower levels. Constraints in size encourage getting creative with layouts and furniture arrangements. Take notes from tiny home and micro-apartment dwellers who live big in compact spaces.
7. Install a Murphy Bed
Since most of the day will be spent elsewhere, a Murphy bed or wall bed is ideal. These fold away neatly when not in use, freeing up valuable real estate. Customize with built-ins for ultimate space efficiency.
8. Use Sectional Seating
Compact sectionals squeeze more seating into the room than traditional sofas. Look for compact styles with chaise extensions and hidden storage. Top with throws and pillows for added coziness.
9. Incorporate Multi-Purpose Furniture
Furniture that pulls double or triple duty helps attain that simple, uncluttered look. Side tables with pop-up surfaces, storage ottomans, trunks, and nesting tables prevent surfaces from getting too crowded.
Take Special Lighting into Consideration
The unusual proportions of attics call for creative lighting solutions. Read on for special considerations when illuminating your attic sanctuary.
10. Install Adjustable Track Lighting
Hardwired track systems allow you to illuminate only where needed within the space. Point individual fixtures wherever desired along the tracks. Dimmer controls add further customizability.
11. Use Plug-In Pendants
Wireless, plug-in pendant lamps afford stylish overhead illumination that’s fully adjustable. Their cord-and-plug design means no wiring necessary. Cluster multiples to amp up the ambiance.
12. Incorporate Wall Sconces
Bracketed wall sconces shed an uplighting glow along sloped walls. Opt for adjustable shade angles to direct illumination exactly where needed.
13. Add Table and Floor Lamps
Supplement overhead lighting with convenient table and floor lamps. Their portability means you can reposition them anytime. Go for directional shades to splash light across the ceiling.
Outfit with Attic-Appropriate Furniture
It’s important to choose furniture scaled to match your attic bedroom’s proportions. Oversize pieces will quickly overwhelm while undersize items will look silly. Seek out compact, multi-functional, and convertible furnishings tailored to making the most of cramped confines.
14. Choose Appropriately Scaled Beds
Measure carefully before selecting beds. Low-profile platform frames and bunks are great space-saving options that work well in attics. Built-in beds seamlessly integrate with the architecture.
15. Incorporate Convertible Furniture
Convertible furniture adapts to changing needs. For example, sofa beds do double duty as seating and spare beds for overnight guests. Nesting tables collapse or store inside each other when not in use.
16. Opt for Wall-Mounted Desks
Maximize precious square footage with wall-mounted drop-leaf or floating desks. Fold them up against the wall when not working to open up floor space below.
17. Use Woven Seating
The open lattice design of woven chairs and stools prevents bulky visual weight. Their lightweight, transparent silhouette lets you see through them, making rooms appear more spacious.
Embrace the Unusual Architecture
One of the best aspects about attic bedrooms is their architectural uniqueness. Rather than masking this charming characteristic, spotlight it through creative decor.
18. Add Peaked Canopy Beds
The canopy bed’s overhead structure handsomely echoes a peaked roofline. Frame the bed with architectural beams or exaggerated crown molding for added symmetry. Choose breezy, lightweight fabrics for the draped canopy.
19. Incorporate Sloped Ceiling Mirrors
Take some cues from decorative mirrors designed for stairwells and foyers. Their tapered silhouette seamlessly overlays the existing architecture, almost acting like framed skylights. Position them across from windows to reflect beautiful views and amplify natural light.
20. Whitewash the Beams and Boards
For a beachy, relaxed vibe, apply whitewash or lime wash to the existing wood beams and boards. This brightens up dark eaves and rafters for an airier feel. Accentuate architectural details like ceiling joists and cross-braces with this technique.
21. Add Faux Architectural Beams
Lend a farmhouse charm through faux wood beams made from inexpensive lumber and plaster. Prime and paint for a polished look. Or, embrace their raw reclaimed aesthetic to match existing rafters.
Maximize Storage Solutions
Attic bedrooms typically suffer from a lack of closets and dedicated storage space. Utilize creative solutions to tuck away clothing, bedding, and accessories.
22. Use Storage Beds and Headboards
Beds with built-in storage hide items right within the frame. Lift the mattress to reveal hidden compartments inside the base. Headboards with shelves keep books and personal items nearby.
23. Install Closet Rods
Take advantage of awkward narrow wall spaces with closet rod installations. Mount adjustable rods across the studs for makeshift clothing storage. Curtain off with decorative screens or drapes.
24. Add Freestanding Armoires
Freestanding armoires pack tons of storage volume into a compact floor plan footprint. Conceal them behind curtains or doors to hide clutter. Seek out dual-purpose designs with a Murphy bed inside.
25. Use Woven Baskets and Bins
In lieu of closets and dressers, neatly corral clothing, shoes, accessories, and linens inside storage baskets, bins, and trunks. These look chic and boho styled atop a rug or lining the eaves.
Embrace Quirky Decor and Accessories
Attic abodes seem to call for playful, spirited accents that enhance their whimsical vibe. Have fun decorating this unique retreat with conversation-starting accessories.
26. Display Your Collections
Showcase prized memorabilia, collections, and travel mementos gained over a lifetime. Group curio cabinets, shelving, ledges, and tabletop frames creatively to exhibit these personal pieces. This transforms the attic into a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
27. Add Bold Graphic Artwork
Because the architecture itself dominates, choose bold, graphic prints that hold their own on the walls. Black and white schemes pop nicely against neutral attic backgrounds. Go super-sized with canvases stretching edge-to-edge.
28. Incorporate Meaningful Found Objects
Sentimental antiques, hand-crafted items, and travel treasures personalize attic rooms with heart and soul. Style vignettes on tabletops, shelves, and ledges featuring special keepsakes that relay stories.
29. Display Houseplants and Terrariums
The indoor garden trend looks right at home against attic angles and under skylights. Greenery literally helps you rise above and escape inside this uber-private sanctuary. Macrame plant hangers prevent overcrowding tabletops and sills.
Consider Special Finishes and Paint Techniques
Attic bedrooms allow some leniency for using imaginative finishes and techniques you may not dare attempt elsewhere. Think outside the box with daring color schemes and textural accents.
30. Add Architectural Wainscoting
Defined vertical paneling lends structured elegance against angled ceilings. Paint panels and trim in contrasting tones for modern pop. Wrap just the upper portion of walls to zone off sleeping and seating areas.
31. Paint Whimsical Cloud Murals
Channel a magical, fairytale aesthetic through painted skyscapes. Adhere a canvas across large sloping stretches for an easy artistic upgrade. Stencil puffy white clouds using a projector and painter’s tape masking.
32. Consider Metallic Leaf Finishes
Pearly silver and lustrous gold leaf finishes glamorize an attic’s uniqueness. Brush metallic paint onto ceiling beams, architectural trim and niches. Or apply removable leaf sheets as dazzling accents. The reflective quality heightens the light.
33. Experiment with Bold Wallpapers
Sheer walls and ceiling angles allow vivid wallpaper patterns to shine. Choose dynamic designs like Chinoiserie prints, tropical motifs or Moroccan tiles as bold backdrops behind the bed or seating. Use oversized prints for best visual impact.
Upcycle the Architecture with Salvaged Materials
Attics present the ideal environment for flexing those upcycling muscles and getting scrappy. Raid salvage yards for affordable building materials that play up the rustic vibe.
34. Panel with Reclaimed Beadboard
Beadboard instantly revives tired walls and ceilings with textural interest. Nail up salvaged tongue-and-groove planks or install peel-and-stick panels. The white-painted finish keeps things airy and light.
35. Construct a Bed Frame from Architectural Remnants
For serious style cred, construct a custom bed frame using salvaged materials. Repurposed wood boards, wrought iron railings, shutters and vintage doors reinvent scraps with rustic charm. Simplicity highlights the architecture itself.
Conclusion
Attic bedrooms hold such potential as personalized retreats. Make the most of the abundant charm by embracing those iconic sloped ceilings, peaked rooflines and cosy nooks. When thoughtfully decorated, even the smallest stowaway attic space can become a beloved room with a spectacular view on top of the world. Use the unusual geometry and proportions to inform furnishing choices that enhance visual balance. Don’t overlook the value of multipurpose and small-space furniture to maximize flexibility. Attic rooms thirst for light, so take advantage of dormers and skylights wherever possible. Finally, don’t shy away from vibrant colors, prints and finishes that celebrate the playful, whimsical spirit. Have fun designing your special hideaway in the clouds!