Bedroom Layout Ideas for a Long Rectangular Room

In a long, narrow bedroom, the best layout puts the bed against a long wall, centered, and gives the leftover length a second job such as a reading nook, a vanity or a desk. Splitting the room into two zones stops it from reading like a hallway.

It's very common to end up with a "bowling alley" bedroom, especially in older additions and apartments, so don't feel bad if yours is one. The ten steps below cover layout, paint, rugs, furniture and lighting, with measurements you can check against your own tape measure.

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What is a good layout for a bedroom that is long and narrow?

Treat the room as two zones, not one. If you push the bed against the far wall and leave the floor open, you stress the length. Placing the bed on the long wall cuts that length in half visually.

Step 1: Split the room into a sleep zone and an active zone

Center the bed on the long wall. This leaves usable space at both ends instead of a dance floor at the foot of the bed.

Step 2: Give the second zone a purpose

A dressing area, a chaise with a reading lamp or a small desk all work. Float some of the furniture here rather than lining everything up along the walls. Angle a chair into the room or set a small loveseat perpendicular to the wall, and the eye no longer shoots straight to the back.

How much walking room do you need?

Leave about 30-36 inches for the main path. If you have to turn sideways to pass the foot of the bed on the way to the closet, the layout needs another pass. If the room is under about 9 feet wide, the bed may have to go on the short wall. In that case, I recommend a bench or trunk at the foot of the bed to visually close off the sleeping area.

Can paint make a long bedroom feel squarer?

Yes, within limits. Darker, warmer colors tend to feel closer, and lighter ones tend to recede. That lets you pull the short walls in and push the long walls out. If you're choosing tones with sleep in mind, see our guide to bedroom colors for sleep.

Step 3: Paint the short walls darker

In a 10x18 foot room, a deep charcoal, navy or terracotta on the two 10-foot walls makes the room read closer to 10x14.

Step 4: Match the ceiling to the long walls

With low ceilings, a white or light neutral ceiling carried onto the long walls blurs the wall-to-ceiling edge and adds a sense of height instead of length.

What should you avoid?

Skip a feature wall on one long wall. It underlines the length. Accent the headboard wall only when it is a short wall. If your bed sits on a long wall, let artwork carry the interest.

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Which rugs and flooring help?

Lines running along the room's length pull the eye toward the far end, and lines across the width interrupt it. Use that in your flooring and rugs.

Step 5: Use two rugs

One huge rug is hard to source and costs a lot. Put a large, soft rug under the bed and a different shape, such as a round one, in the nook. Two rugs tell the brain there are two rooms. In a 12x20 foot bedroom, I'd go with an 8x10 under the bed and a 5-foot round rug in the reading area.

Step 6: Run stripes across the width

If you prefer one big rug, pick a striped pattern and lay it so the stripes cross the short dimension. When installing new wood planks, lay them perpendicular to the long walls. Renters with planks running lengthwise should lean on a large rug.

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What furniture works in a narrow bedroom?

Bulky pieces eat walkway. Choose furniture that is visually light or that uses height instead of floor depth.

Step 7: Go low and wide on the headboard, tall and shallow on storage

A low headboard that is wider than the mattress emphasizes width. For storage, avoid deep dressers that stick into the path. A tall, shallow wardrobe or a highboy chest takes less floor.

Step 8: Float the nightstands

Seeing floor under furniture makes a room feel wider. Wall-mounted nightstands are my first choice for narrow rooms. Renters who can't drill can pick tables with thin metal legs or clear acrylic.

Where does the dog bed go?

A dog bed in the walkway is a tripping hazard in a tight room. Try a bench at the foot of the bed with an open underside sized for a pet cushion. It keeps the path clear and gives your dog a den-like spot. If your pet is anxious, check with your vet about what helps.

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How should you light a long bedroom?

A single ceiling fixture leaves the corners dark and the room feels like a cave. Light the walls and the corners.

Step 9: Light the periphery

Put floor lamps in the far corners or add wall sconces. Plug-in sconces with swing arms save nightstand space and aim light toward the center of the room.

Step 10: Hang a mirror on a long wall

Place a large mirror on a long wall, ideally opposite a window, so it reflects daylight and widens the room. Keep mirrors off the short walls, where they stretch the room further. Angle any mirror so it reflects light and not the person in bed, since movement in a reflection can be distracting when you're trying to fall asleep.

Styling details that soften a boxy room

• Put a large plant in one corner. Organic shapes break up straight lines.
• Use round pillows, round mirrors or globe fixtures to offset the rectangle.
• Extend curtain rods 10-12 inches past the window frame so the windows read wider.
• Hang vertical art on the short walls to draw the eye up.
• Choose tight-weave cotton or velvet bedding if pets share the bed. Loose loops like bouclé snag easily.
• Keep nightstands minimal. Clutter lines up along a long room and makes it feel longer.

For more ideas on the same room shape, see 15 tips for decorating a long rectangular bedroom. If two people share the space, creating privacy in a shared bedroom pairs well with the zoning above. Planning a repaint? Here is how long painting a bedroom takes.

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Frequently asked questions