Are you allowed to hang things?

And are you getting all new furniture?

You could put a small cubby on it and the bed next to it. Or if you are handy, a version of second picture.

Do you currently have any furniture? We could probably make better suggestions if we know you're starting from scratch or if you already have something.

I do not currently have any furniture!

And yes, we are allowed to hang things, but only on those super skinny picture hanging nails.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

Visit IKEA you will return with fresh ideas! Ah! take measurements with you :)

JUST REPAINT THE PLACE WHIT A LIGHTER COLOURS LIKE OFF WHITE PALETTE. TO GET MORE SPACE AND THE SMALL WALL CAN GET A SILVER WALL PAPER LIKE MIRROW.

BUT TRY TO GET MATCH WHIT YOUR FURNITURE.

If you're not allowed to paint you might find a pretty fabric and use liquid fabric softener to adhere it to a wall. I did this in my master bathroom with flat bed sheets and added coordinating "chair rail" carrying the theme from the bedroom. I had to be careful about not getting too matchy-matchy but I got tons of compliments. (Even a trained designer friend asked if he could take photos.) The fabric stayed perfectly on the walls yet was easy to remove with water.

Utilizing it as a bedside table area sounds like the only thing you can do. I would paint the walls a soft grey then add your pop of color with bedding and drapes. Keep it light and the room will feel larger. A beautiful very large mirror behind the bed would help make it look large.

Best of luck post your after picture.

Go to Target and get one of their storage cubes with removable baskets. They are inexpensive and the baskets come in many colors. The cube may work on the small platform.

I think you should get some type of box to put on the platform and use it for a nightstand with a taller narrow lamp. If you get a box with an opening you could set it on the side and use the opening to store books and other items. If you could find a box with a drawer it would make a perfect nightstand. The color looks neutral and would work well with some bold colored accents. Use bedding with bolder colors and use pictures with darker wood frames.

I am so glad you can hand things! On your nook, please do, buy a white cushion! Then give yourself at least three and half feet from that point (so you can sit comfortably!) and hang a white shelf which you can hang so it also touches the corner o the right wall (so it looks fitted and is more secure).If you can hang two of these and put some carefully selected titles and a couple of knickknacks on them it would make an instant reading nook!

Try this PB teen daybead in a full size under the window wall for more space to roam in your room. :) Maybe even desk.

The platform probably hides a utility chase or something structural. I'd see it as a bonus (built in architecture, yay!). You could treat it as a piece of free floating furniture; pile it with books and table-top items, use it as a bedside table as suggested or top it with a cushion and pillows. Depending on how much space separates it from the bed would determine which of these options I'd choose. Another option is to line it with plastic and edge the plastic with bricks to make an inside planter. I've seen this done over carpet and am sure it would work there. Something else that would work is a series of shelves the same size with similar style woodwork to turn that entire corner into a storage/display area.

What is on the other wall? I am assuming it is the closet and an entry door. I think a comfortable daybed or twin bed would be just right for you. Love the wall color. If you think the head of your bed must be on the wall beside the little built-out, I would try to put something (or make something ...is your dad/brother/boyfriend handy?) on it to make it into your nightstand. Use your favorite colors for accents and you are set to go. ahntara's suggestion of bookshelves the same size as your platform would be a good idea also. Measure it and go looking for bookshelves to sit on it or hang on the wall above it.

I would make a feature wall on the side you would put the bed on. Also, remove the blinds that ate currently on the window, it make the room look dark and small.

you could put this corner to good use ,imagine this idea a little smaller .

Turning a small space into comfortable big space can be fun
and easy with the right tools and furnishings.
It is great that you are starting from scratch. IKEA has a loft bed that allows you to
create a sleeping and living space all in one http://www.ikea.com/us/en/images/products/stora-loft-bed-frame-black__0159191_PE315629_S4.JPG ; the living space tucks nicely into the space under the loft bed. (the ladder can be put on either side of the bed). The small platform can become many things but
starting with the bed is the first step.
Taking in the entire space creates great potential. I like to start from the top down in very
small spaces, utilizing the height of the room as well as the wall space. As for the tools you will need to get the job
done: Tape measure, hammer, level,
electric screw driver (if you have access to one) patience and your
imagination. Begin by measuring your
foot path including the twists and turns in the room, such as the platform. Then measure the height of the walls floor to
ceiling. Be sure to include window
placement in the room measurements. Now
you are ready to go. Consider any space
you can put the bed in and once you have done that your little trouble maker
can become an added treasure. Marcie
from MAE Day Organizing and Designs http://www.houzz.com/pro/callmaeday/mae-day-organizing-and-interior-design

To Sarah Brown: I know you're asking about the "bump" in your bedroom, but my eye caught the discussion of attaching fabric to walls and I wanted to insure the right product is being recommended for this project. JUDITH BROWN: Did you mean use fabric SOFTENER to attach fabric to walls? I attached fabric to walls with liquid fabric STARCH in multiple rooms in multiple homes as we moved with the Army. I've never tried fabric softener and can't quite see how it would "glue" fabric, but liquid starch is sort of glue-like and holds well. I've done this in bathrooms and kitchens and the steam doesn't make it come loose.

This is a messy project, but cleans up nicely with water. I used thumb tacks and attached the fabric to the ceiling right next to the wall, then filled a sponge with liquid starch and wiped it across the wall, refilling the sponge frequently to insure there's enough starch to hold it to the wall. After it dries, I go back and wet down any spots that I missed, then let that dry. When it's completely dry, I use a razor blade and a straight edge to cut a neat border at ceiling level. You might want to go back and touch up the starch at the ceiling after you've done this step. I do the same thing to get a straight finish at the floor, too.

Wear washable clothing because if you're doing it right, you're going to drip on yourself. Cover the floor with plastic to protect the carpet. It sounds like lots of work, but it's more time consuming than "hard".

When you're ready to change the fabric, just peel it up starting at a corner and it comes right off. You can wipe any left-over starch off the wall with warm water and a sponge. You can machine wash the fabric and use it as "wallpaper" in your next home or to make pillows or an apron or curtains or whatever!

This doesn't work well with fabric designs that have straight lines (like stripes or checks) because it's pretty hard to get the fabric completely straight and you'd have "wonky" stripes.

Since this is a rental rather than using fabric you could use removable wallpaper.

Don't waste your money on things you can't take with you. Go for great bedding which will become the focal point of your room. The color of the room is pretty neutral so you'll be able to work with it. Use the money you would have spent for wall paper, etc. to buy a nice headboard.

You could put a trunk on the platform--use for storage. Add a picture above.

Wow thank you guys for all your input! So many great ideas : )

Use as a side table & to maximize space I would use a daybed or one of those bunk beds with a sofa underneath, that way you have a bed & living area in one.

erinsean wrote: ". . . I would try to put something (or make something ...is your dad/brother/boyfriend handy?) . . ."

Did you mean to imply that women cannot be handy or will always need a man to do handy work for them?

organizedsarah wrote: ". . . liquid starch is sort of glue-like and holds well." Do you, or anyone else here, know whether or not liquid starch attracts cockroaches like glue does? I live in NYC and we're not allowed to put up wallpaper mostly because it's a mess to remove, but also because roaches love glue (and paper). I like the idea of starching fabric to the walls, or the ceiling, but not if it's as tasty to them as glue is.

OLD POST.

Our designs could be helpful.

nycdiane...I used liquid starch to attach fabric to my walls when I lived in Atlanta. The house I was renting seemed to put out the welcome mat for roaches, so much so the neighbors were wondering if I was having an affair with the Orkin man because of his frequent visits. I didn't have any problems at all with the starch-attached fabric due to roaches. I do remind you that while I found this to be a super idea for the rentals I lived in while hubby was in the Army, it IS a very messy process to put up, so it isn't for you if you want an "install" that isn't messy. (It cleans up easily when you're done.) Once it's on the wall and dried, it's wonderful...it's the drippy starch while applying it that's messy. (I also used this technique in a Tokyo apartment over my kitchen stove and the steam was no problem, and in damp Washington state and in Kansas. It held up beautifully.) And, it just peeled off so easily when I moved...it didn't even leave residue behind that I could see.