L Shaped Bedroom Layout: How to Use Both Arms
The trick to any L shaped bedroom layout is giving each arm of the L its own job. Put the bed in the bigger arm, where you get the most wall and floor, and turn the smaller arm into a study, gaming or chill nook. Mark each zone with its own light and rug, and your awkward room becomes a bedroom with a bonus room attached.
If your L-shaped room feels like it has a weird empty corner, RoomMaxx scores it from one photo and tells you what to fix first. Scan my room
The L-shaped room opportunity
An L-shaped room happens when a room wraps around something: a bathroom, a closet, a stairwell or a chimney. They are common in older UK houses, converted flats, US apartments and Canadian condos.
Most people see an L-shaped bedroom as a problem. It is actually a cheat code. A square room has one zone. An L-shaped room has two, already separated by the corner, with no divider needed.
The mistake is treating it like one room with a leftover bit. That leftover bit becomes the floordrobe (a pile of clothes on the floor acting as a wardrobe). The fix is to plan both arms.
Give each arm a job
Step 1: Name the arms
- Main arm: the bigger part, usually with the door.
- Nook arm: the smaller part around the corner.
Step 2: Pick jobs
| If you mostly... | Main arm | Nook arm |
|---|---|---|
| Study a lot | Bed, wardrobe | Desk and chair |
| Game or stream | Bed, storage | Gaming setup |
| Have friends over | Bed | Chill corner: beanbag, rug, lamp |
| Want a "grown-up" room | Bed, bedside tables | Reading chair or dressing area |
| Share with a sibling | One bed | Other bed |
Step 3: Keep the corner clear
The inside corner where the arms meet is your walkway. Nothing goes there, or both zones feel blocked.
4 L shaped bedroom layouts
These L shaped bedroom layout ideas assume a door in the main arm. Sketch your own L shaped bedroom floor plan first, with doors, windows, radiators and sockets marked.
Layout 1: Bed main, desk nook
Bed against the longest wall in the main arm. An L shaped desk tucked into the nook, ideally by a window.
- Why it works: sleep and study are fully separate. When you close the laptop, you walk away from work.
- Great for: students, GCSE and A-level revision, uni or college.
If you are setting up a study nook, our how to romanticise revision guide has the desk and light setup.
Layout 2: Bed in the nook
Bed tucked into the smaller arm, like an alcove. The main arm becomes a living area with a desk, chair and storage.
- Why it works: the bed feels cozy and hidden. The room feels like a studio flat.
- Great for: small L shaped bedroom ideas where the nook is about bed-sized.
Layout 3: Bed main, TV and chill nook
Bed in the main arm, facing away from the nook. The nook gets a beanbag or small sofa, a rug and a TV or monitor.
- L shaped bedroom layout with TV: put the TV in the nook, not across from the bed, so the bed stays a sleep zone.
- Great for: gamers and anyone who has friends over.
Layout 4: Wardrobe nook
Bed and desk in the main arm. The nook becomes a walk-in-style dressing area with rails, drawers and a full-length mirror.
- L shaped bedroom design with wardrobe: open rails look neat only if you keep them edited. Otherwise use a curtain across the nook.
- Great for: people with lots of clothes and no closet.
Where the bed goes
Where to put the bed in an L-shaped bedroom:
- Headboard on a solid wall, not under a window if you can help it.
- Visible from the door but not right in the doorway. Seeing the bed as you walk in makes the room feel like a bedroom.
- Not in the inside corner. It blocks the path to the nook.
L shaped bedroom layout feng shui suggests a similar thing: a solid wall behind the bed and a view of the door from bed. Practical either way.
For a queen or double bed in a small L-shaped room, check sizes before you commit. Our guide on will a double bed fit in a box room has UK bed sizes and walkway rules that apply here too.
Desk or chill corner in the nook
L shaped desk bedroom layout
An L shaped desk in an L shaped nook sounds like a meme, but it often fits perfectly.
- Main desk surface on the wall with the window.
- The return (the short side) for a second screen, printer or books.
- Chair tucks fully under when you are done.
Chill corner
- Beanbag or floor cushions.
- Small side table for drinks.
- Shelf with books, plants or collectibles.
- Warm lamp.
Lighting both zones
This is where most L-shaped bedrooms fail. One ceiling light in the main arm leaves the nook in shadow, so it feels like a cave, and the room reads as one bright bit and one dark bit.
Light each arm separately
- Main arm: bedside lamp or wall light, plus the ceiling light on a warm bulb.
- Nook arm: a desk lamp for study, or a floor lamp for chill.
- Bonus: a small lamp at the corner makes the two zones feel connected.
It is hard to judge this from inside the room. You know the nook is there, so your brain fills it in. A visitor sees a dark corner.
RoomMaxx sees it like a visitor. One photo gets you a score out of 100 for tidiness, light and vibe, and the vibe score checks whether the pieces in the room agree with each other. You then get one fix a day aimed at your lowest score. Scan my room
Make your L shaped bedroom layout feel like two rooms
The right L shaped bedroom layout turns an awkward corner into your favorite spot. In about a minute, RoomMaxx scores your room from a single photo and hands you today's fix, usually free and under 20 minutes. Rescan to watch the score go up.
FAQ
How do you arrange an L shaped bedroom?
Give each arm a job: sleep in the bigger arm, study or chill in the smaller one. Keep the inside corner clear as a walkway and put a light in each arm.
Where should the TV go in an L shaped bedroom?
In the nook, with a beanbag or small sofa, so the bed stays a sleep zone. If it has to face the bed, mount it on the wall to save floor space.
What are good small L shaped bedroom ideas?
Put the bed in the nook if it fits, like an alcove, and use the main arm for a desk and storage. Keep furniture low and use wall lights to save floor.
What is the best feng shui for an L shaped bedroom?
Common advice is a solid wall behind the bed and a view of the door from the bed, with the nook used for a calm activity. It overlaps with practical layout advice anyway.
Can an L shaped room work as a shared bedroom?
Yes. Each person gets an arm, which gives more privacy than a square room. Put a lamp and some storage in each arm so both zones feel equal.