12 Styling Tips to Make the Foot of Your Bed a Functional Space

The foot of the bed is often just an afterthought. Use these functional and decorative ideas to make it feel special, instead.

Add a Bench

Don't let valuable space in your bedroom go to waste. Use the foot of the bed to add storage, design, seating, or other functional furnishings to make your room cozier and more useful. Get creative and incorporate a space to sit to put on shoes in the morning, take them off at the end of a long day, or simply sit and relax (when you get the chance).

Benches are a common accompaniment to the foot of the bed, but why settle for standard? Up the wow factor of your bed bench by choosing an interesting silhouette. The X detail on this suede-wrapped seat gives it mega appeal and punctuates the big picture.

Related: 40 Primary Bedroom Ideas for Every Style

Stash Book Piles

Resist the temptation to treat your foot-of-the-bed bench as nothing more than a drop zone for dirty clothes and discarded shoes. Encourage intentional order by establishing a specific purpose for your bed's bench. For example, orderly stacks of books transform this seat from a decorative placeholder to a creative bookshelf.

Lighten Up with Lucite

One of the most common reasons for ignoring the foot of the bed is space. If you're grappling with pint-size square footage, know you can gain style simply by incorporating specific materials and silhouettes. Clear acrylic is a prime example of a finish that suits small spaces because it doesn't impede your sight line. This table at the foot of the bed has a shallow shape that helps enhance visual space in an otherwise modest bedroom.

Related: 8 Ways to Create a Stress-Free Bedroom for Better Sleep

Take a Soothing Seat

Whether you're arranging a living room or bedroom, narrow, long spaces can be a challenge. In the case of sleeping quarters, make the most of what would otherwise be dead air by creating a seating area in the center of the room, right at the foot of the bed. Here, a cozy love seat is a natural complement to the width and height of the bed, adding an entirely new way to use the room.

Incorporate Drop Zones

If setting up the foot of the bed as a drop zone makes the most sense for your lifestyle, consider adding multiple containers for your storage needs. Situate a simple bench at the end of the bed for folded linens and blankets, place a canvas bucket on the floor for slippers, and arrange a small basket on the end of the bench for everyday odds and ends. By incorporating several drop zones, you can organize strategically instead of spontaneously.

Related: 10 Smarter Uses for an Oversized Storage Basket

Plop Down a Pair of Poufs

When working with a full-, queen-, or king-size bed frame, try two or three accessories or pieces of furniture by the footboard. Rather than letting a bench take up the space all on its own, consider a pair of portable pieces, like lightweight baskets or woven poufs. This setup allows for more mobility as your whims change week to week and affords you more maneuverability when making the bed.

Add Low Levels of Luxury

Looking to add a casual, cozy aura to your sleeping space? Establish low-lying levels throughout the room. For example, the easygoing atmosphere of this bedroom is made possible by a platform-style bed under the room's eaves and an ultra-low bench at the foot of the bed. The low-to-the-floor furniture practically invites you to flop down and rest awhile.

Create a Classic Color Scheme

Create cohesion with your foot-of-the-bed arrangement by choosing furniture and accessories within the same color palette. Here, coordinating shades of crisp gray, bright white, and cool blue allow your eye to take in the setup all at once. The collection goes together thanks to the harmonious colors, even though each item was chosen separately over time.

Related: 12 Gray Bedroom Ideas for a Relaxing Retreat

Multifunctional Furnishings

Although benches are a natural choice for foot-of-the-bed furnishings, they aren't the only option. A wooden stool, fabric pouf, linen basket, or all three can add functionality to your bedroom. Consider adding a sense of cohesion to the collection through repeated textures and colors.

Nest Your Necessities

The typical bench shape is a long, low seat with a top and two sides. But what you might not notice is the wasted space underneath. Make the most of vertical and horizontal space under your footboard seating by slipping a long, low basket into the recess. This container can be used to corral all of the miscellaneous objects that instinct encourages you to drop on top of the bench. Now those stray items will be out of sight!

Related: Low-Cost Bedroom Update Ideas for Easy Refreshes to Your Retreat

Set Up an End Table

You can instantly increase the formality of your bedroom by choosing furniture that draws the eye upward. Situating an end table at the foot of your bed and a high-impact headboard against the wall creates a luxurious tone that reads regal.

Store Things Stylishly

Let's face it: Sometimes, a collection of nightstands, dressers, and closet shelves just doesn't cut it for storing everyday must-haves. Offer a bit of relief to your bedroom organization system by placing an oversize lidded basket or chest at the foot of the bed. A deep container allows you to easily stow anything from extra linens to your winter wardrobe.

Feast at Your Footboard

There are no rules for foot-of-the-bed styling, so feel free to get creative when laying down your decorative law in the bedroom. Whether you choose a reading nook or even an eating area—as is the case in this luxurious primary retreat—the layout is limited only by your imagination. Ditch those pesky preconceived notions, and think outside the box with your functional planning.

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