Short answer: A minimalist bedroom needs five pieces at most: a bed, a mattress, bedding, one or two nightstands and somewhere to store clothes. Three of them (bed, mattress, bedding) are the part you cannot skip, and our Ara Complete Bed Set puts those three together in one purchase. Add a nightstand through our Bundles & Save page, and let the bed's own drawers handle storage if closet space is short.
A bedroom looks minimal because few large objects share the floor, not because it is bare. Counting pieces first keeps the room calm, and checking each footprint keeps it comfortable to walk around. The sections below give the count, what each of our sets includes, and layouts for three room sizes.
On This Page
- How many pieces does a minimalist bedroom need?
- Where can you find bedroom sets and bundles from us?
- What does the smallest set look like?
- Which nightstands suit a minimalist bedroom?
- What layouts work by room size?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our bedroom range
How many pieces does a minimalist bedroom need?
Start with the pieces that do a job and leave out the rest. As a starting point, these five cover sleeping, bedside needs and storage.
How many pieces does a minimalist bedroom need?
| Piece | The job it does | Our option | Start with it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | Sets the footprint and the look | Ara bed in Full, Queen and King | Yes |
| Mattress | Decides how you sleep | Cozey Foam (10 inches, or 25.5 cm, thick) or Cozey Hybrid (12 inches, or 30.5 cm) | Yes |
| Bedding | Finishes the bed | Sheet and duvet cover sets in Full, Queen and King | Yes |
| Nightstand | Holds a lamp, a phone and a glass of water | Polaris or Talus | One is enough in a narrow room |
| Storage | Keeps clothes and linens out of sight | Ara storage frame with four drawers | If your closet is small |
Our bedroom range does not include a dresser. For many people, the four drawers in an Ara storage frame take the place of one, which removes a large piece from the floor. A rug, a bench, a mirror and art can wait until you have lived in the room for a few weeks. Our guide to choosing bedroom furniture explains the buying order, and our small bedroom storage guide goes deeper on storage.
Where can you find bedroom sets and bundles from us?
We offer sets in two places, and each one says plainly what is inside.
- Complete Bed Sets: the Bed Sets page lists the Ara Complete Bed Set, which includes a bed, a mattress and bedding. It includes Ara Wood beds in Oak and Walnut as well as upholstered beds. On the bed's product page you choose between two sleep sets. The Starter Sleep Set includes a complete sheet and duvet cover set and a mattress. The Essential Sleep Set includes a complete sheet and duvet cover set, two pillows, a mattress protector and a mattress.
- Bundles & Save: the Bundles & Save page lists a bed with a nightstand, a bed with a mattress and a bed with a sheet and duvet cover set as combinations you can configure together. The page shows the current terms for each.
Check three things in any bedroom set, ours or anyone else's: exactly which pieces are in it, whether the finishes match, and what the warranty covers. Our Ara bed page lists a 30-day free trial and a 5-year warranty, and our mattress pages list a 100-night trial and a 15-year warranty.
What does the smallest set look like?
Build it in this order, because each choice narrows the next.
- The bed: a Round or Square headboard with a regular seam gives the quietest shape. Both are 35.1 inches (89.25 cm) high, and a Queen with either one measures 88 inches (223.5 cm) from the wall to the foot. A Pillow headboard adds 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) of depth. An Extended headboard is much wider, 115.6 inches (293.7 cm) in a Queen, so plan the wall width first. Our Ara customization guide lists every size.
- The mattress: our foam and hybrid mattresses are both medium-firm, and our foam and hybrid comparison helps you choose. Our guide on whether the Ara bed works with your mattress covers fit.
- The bedding: our sheet and duvet cover sets come in Full, Queen and King, with Spruce or Cloud duvet covers and sheets in Cotton Sateen or Cool Bamboo.
- The storage: the optional storage frame adds four drawers that open from the sides, so leave room beside the bed. A Queen has about 260 L across the four drawers, and our Ara storage guide has the exact dimensions.
For a calmer colour scheme, our calming bedroom palette guide builds three palettes from the Ara fabric and wood options.
Which nightstands suit a minimalist bedroom?
We sell two nightstands in Canada, each in Oak or Walnut, and both are made of ash wood veneer over MDF.
Which nightstands suit a minimalist bedroom?
| Polaris | Talus | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 16.7 x 16.7 x 20.5 inches (42.5 x 42.5 x 52 cm) | 17.1 x 17.1 x 21.7 inches (43.5 x 43.5 x 55 cm) |
| What the page lists | Integrated light, cord pass-through, integrated charging panel, display and drawer storage | Cord pass-through, dual orientation design, tool-free assembly |
| Best for | A bedside that holds the lamp, the charger and a drawer in one piece | The simplest, quietest shape |
Each one is about 17 inches (43 cm) wide, so two of them add about 33 to 34 inches (85 to 87 cm) to the width of the bed. For picking height and width, see our guide on how to pick a nightstand.
What layouts work by room size?
These examples come from our published sizes and simple arithmetic. They use a Round headboard, which gives a bed 83 inches (210.8 cm) deep in Full and 88 inches (223.5 cm) deep in Queen and King. The room sizes are examples, so measure your own.
What layouts work by room size?
| Room | Bed and bedside | Space left |
|---|---|---|
| About 9 x 10 feet (274 x 305 cm) | Full bed (66.8 inches or 169.6 cm wide) with one Polaris or Talus, placed toward one end of the 9 foot wall | About 24.5 inches (62 cm) on the open side and 37 inches (94 cm) at the foot |
| About 10 x 12 feet (305 x 366 cm) | Queen bed (73.1 inches or 185.6 cm wide) with two nightstands on the 12 foot wall | About 37.5 inches (95 cm) shared between the two ends and 32 inches (81 cm) at the foot |
| About 12 x 14 feet (366 x 427 cm) | King bed (86.9 inches or 220.6 cm wide) with two nightstands on the 14 foot wall | About 48 inches (121 cm) shared between the two ends and 56 inches (142 cm) at the foot |
As general advice, not a product specification, aim for 24 to 36 inches (61 to 91 cm) beside the bed, and keep the main walking path at least 30 inches (76 cm) wide. Check that the door and any drawers can open fully before you settle on a position, and keep furniture away from heating vents. In the smallest room, the single nightstand leaves one side open to walk along, so the bed can sit nearer one wall.
Our recommendation
Choose by room size and by how much you want to store.
- Small room: a Full or Queen Ara with a Round or Square headboard, a Foam mattress, one nightstand and the storage frame in place of a dresser.
- Average room: a Queen Ara Complete Bed Set, two nightstands, and a Hybrid mattress if you want a thicker, springier feel.
- Large room: a King Ara with two nightstands, with space at the foot for a bench if you want one.
Before you order, lay the bed's footprint out with tape before you order. If you would like help with sizes, you can book a free design consultation.
Explore our bedroom range
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.