How to Style a Twin Bed as an Adult

Given the choice between a twin bed and a full, we think it’s safe to say most people would choose the latter. But what if your space makes it literally impossible to fit anything larger than a mattress that’s roughly 38 inches wide and 75 inches long? Despite popular belief, single beds are not only for children and dorm rooms. If the seven chic spaces ahead are any indication, they can be stylish at any age.

Breezy Blues

In her 800-square-foot guesthouse in New York’s Hudson Valley, designer Sheila Bridges embraced a palette inspired by the sea and the sky, and the rich colors trickle all the way down to this teeny room’s bedding. With a vintage kantha blanket serving as a dynamic base, Bridges kept the pattern mixing going by adding a floral lumbar pillow from Hammertown and a graphic throw pillow from Walter G.

All the Beige

Emily Henderson let the gallery wall be the focus of this nook and kept all the textiles (sourced through staging company The Platform Experiment) on the antique-style daybed from Lulu and Georgia on the sandy-toned side.

A Plaid Pal

Turn heads with a tall, upholstered headboard. This black and white plaid one was a fitting choice given the home’s surroundings (it’s a cozy cabin located in northeastern Georgia). To make it feel a little less stuffy, designers Hayes Little Studio finished off the foot of the bed with a marigold blanket.

Walk This Way

Previously this mezzanine used to be an elaborate shoe closet, but homeowner Nikki Lindman wanted to make better use of the space by swapping the midlevel shelving for a daybed, bolstered with an ikat-print headboard. The setup is actually a trundle that pulls out into a plush double (Lindman’s mom slept on it for three weeks and gave it a thumbs-up).

Kids’ Corner

Forget for a moment that this twin bed is technically a kids’ twin bed and look at the bones: a dusty pink linen duvet, a heavy woven quilt, a trio of plush pillows that allow you to prop yourself up. What we’re really stealing from this space is the architectural bed frame. (Psst: You can find adult-size versions of the rattan piece at 1stDibs, West Elm, and Ballard Designs.)

Up in the Attic

Head- and footboards would only soak up precious real estate in tight quarters. In this cherry red nook, Angela Chrusciaki Blehm, a painter, mother of three, and amateur decorator, had platforms constructed for the mattresses, then framed them with easily removable bolster pillows.

Closet Cool

This twin bed is doing double duty as a space-saving fixture and organizational tool. Lower drawers keep clutter out of sight and free up coveted wardrobe space—which, if you’re living in a small apartment, is definitely a necessity.