When Clare Collective ambassador Orlando Soria began redesigning the primary bedroom inside his Spanish style bungalow in Los Angeles, he knew he had his work cut out for him. “The bedroom is only about 10 feet wide by 15 feet long,” he says. “I knew I was going to have to be strategic about design elements.”

Before

For Orlando—who previously shared a king-size bed with his 60 lb rescue pooch Sadie—this meant downsizing the furnishings in the room, and employing a paint color that made a statement without cramping up the tight space. “I tend to think if a room is big and bright you should paint it a light hue,  and if it's dark, go bold,” he says. “I wanted a color that was sexy and saturated.”

After

The end result is a dreamy dark green bedroom swathed in Field Trip, an unexpected paint color that manages to strike the oh-so tricky balance between moody and ethereal. “The paint color allowed me to give the room a strong perspective given the space restraints,” he says.

Curious how you can recreate a similar look in your own home? Orlando shares his advice ahead.

Let the Walls Do the Talking

In lieu of a neutral hue, Orlando opted to paint the walls a rich, earthy shade of olive green to bring a pop of color and personality to the primary bedroom. “There was not a lot of space for furniture and decor, so I picked a paint color that would make a statement,” he says. “Not only does Field Trip bring dimension to the room, it changes intensity depending on the time of day—meaning it's brighter in the sunlight and warmer in ambient evening light.”

Be Strategic About Scale 

Once he settled on the perfect wall color, Orlando relied on an assortment of small-space-friendly furniture pieces to maximize the bedroom’s limited square footage. “The lower the bed, the bigger the space will feel, so I chose a frame with a low-lying headboard and simple silhouette,” he explains. “I also added a bench near the closet that’s pared down enough to walk around but still useful for putting on shoes—out of scale furniture in a small space doesn’t look grand, it makes it feel more cramped.”

Consider Bedding a Design Opportunity

To add some oomph to the dark green bedroom, Orlando went with an eye-catching floral print duvet cover that draws from the hues of the walls. “You have to choose your battles with focal points, because you don’t want a billion things screaming for your attention in a small space,” he says. “The bold bedding is balanced out by the simple tones and pared down furniture pieces in the room.” 

Go Darker for Depth

A little contrast can go a long way in a small space, which is why Orlando integrated dark-hued decor accents throughout the room. “The drapes, for instance, are slightly darker than the walls to create subtle contrast,” he says, “while black salon-style shelving adds depth and dimension to a slender wall flanking the doorway.” 

Don’t Sleep on Wall Art

When you don’t have room for decor objects, Orlando says the right wall art can make all the difference. “Art doesn’t take up floor space, and more importantly, it doesn’t have to be expensive,” he says. “I bought the beautiful Japanese screens above the bed for super cheap on Craigslist, and printed and framed pics of my heroes—including Tina Turner, Anjelica Houston and Tilda Swinton—to fill up the gallery wall.” 

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