Don't I wish that I had an attic that I was trying to re-design! I think a great first step would be to decide what you want to use the space for. Instead of trying to design around nothing, a common theme and specific program will really help you focus.

In the meantime, take a look at this featured ideabook on attic design:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/124057/list/Attic-Conversions

Also, check out photos of attics on Houzz:

http://www.houzz.com/photos/query/attic

Good luck!! After spending time on Houzz, design will be easy for you.

What a neat nook in the far wall! I can imagine a small desk there. Do you plan to use this for storage, a workspace or an extra bedroom? How high is it at its tallest point, and are there any windows?

@design4meisnoteasy, do you happen to have any more shots of your attic? I think we all agree that this has the potential to be a great space and would love to see more of it.

Attics are made for built-ins - fitted dressers, bookshelves and other storage can be perfectly built in beneath the sloping walls, leaving the main floor open and uncluttered for beds, seating or what have you.

I want to use it as a bedroom.

It seems to me that with all those wall angles you will want to paint the walls and ceiling all one colour in order to draw attention away from complicated angles . Also, don't be afraid to 'float' some of the furniture out into your space to create little 'areas'- avoiding pushing all the furniture up against the wall.
Use masking tape to mark out where you want to put things to make sure you have clearance for moving around adequately. Hopefully, these tips help! Look forward to seeing your 'after' pics!

Keep it simple. Put the bed on the wall with the most clearance. A low dresser at the end of the bed. If the space is big enough, try and diving the space with a low long bookcase. Bed on one side, Dressing area on the other. If you can splurge on storage, I would install some built in closets/storage. Can you sketch up and post a simple floor plan with measurements? I have some great ideas running in my head.

At first I couldn't put my finger on it, but as I was about to return to the main Houzz page and give up on this question, I realized that you need Light and let there be light. That will open up the shadowy nooks, and make all areas usable. Can you afford an electrician to install some innovative lighting? Since it looks like you don't have any natural light. And while you're at it, maybe a window or two, which would help with building code for a bedroom. It would completely change the space.

Answers to questions like this always depend on budget. How much are you willing to spend?

That said, I think that no matter what the budget, you should splurge on some special TLC for your walls and ceiling! See how there is a random 1 - 2" recess in the upper right corner of your top photo? Even out any weirdness like that. Its amazing what straight walls (and additions of other "finished" elements like baseboards and new trim) can do to make a space feel "done".

You can also ask the same trades-person to add a bit of vertical wall (just a couple of feet) around your room so furniture placement is easier. This same clean look can be accomplished with inexpensive furniture, as seen in this pic

I like the idea of painting your ceiling and slanted walls the same colour, but I have also seen this done with a pretty wallpaper (rest of the room painted a solid colour) for a bolder look. Sorry, I have no pic of this :( but I have attached something similar that is done with wood panelling that is also very cool.

As for furniture placement, I would float the daybed (facing forward) in front of that cool little nook in the back. With large and long spaces, it's crucial to keep your furniture from being pushed up against the walls on all sides (especially if those walls are slated and not conducive to doing this anyway!). The back nook would be great for a reading bench or a small desk. See the attached photo of a great little reading nook for inspiration.

The last idea I have is to take advantage of your cool ceiling and hang a great pendent light. If the ceiling isn't high enough and you are afraid of people banging their heads, just hang it over the bed!

Sorry all my pics are of kids rooms -- it's what I do -- but the ideas still apply. Unfortunately, I have no credits/sources on file for any of these pics.

I think one thing that can help you feel better about the space right away is to remove — at least for now — any tall things that you can replace with more compact alternatives. The tall bookcase and the dresser with the mirror attachment could be distracting you from looking at the space with fresh eyes. Low shelving (from IKEA?) could be placed along one of the shortest walls for storage, for instance. And with those taller items out of the way (as well as anything else that doesn't have to be up here right now), you could get a much better sense of the space you have to work with.

To begin with, remove everything from the room. I can't tell what the configuration is with all that furniture and clutter. There's stuff everywhere! Then, look at the space for several days. Draw the floor plan and plot where furniture will go. Sloped ceilings means that there is open, empty space at the periphery of the room. Don't be afraid of it. Empty space is good!

Determine a theme. Do you want op-art paint colors or sleek loft or zen simplicity? What's the goal? Who will occupy this room? Child? Adult? Student? Teen?

Simplicity and judicious furniture placement will maximize the space. And get rid of anything that doesn't fit or work.

LIght is the first problem. Was this shot at night and there is natural light from somewhere? No windows? Try rope lights (25,000 hrs. of use) along certain lines for back-lighting, and pucklights for specific areas.

Wow. You guys have awesome ideas! I'm definitely going to take the furniture out, and look at the room with "fresh eyes" and then I will be able to see all the possibilities the room has to offer! Thank you! @inkwitch I love the rope lights idea!

I would take out that wall with the wood trim that's in front of the area where the table with the orange table cloth is. Under the low end of the wall that the table is on I'd build a storage head board and center the bed on it. The headboard should be deep enough to bring the bed forward enough so that one could sit up without danger of banging their head.

The odd shaped niche with the exercise bike in it would be filled with built in drawers with the center being a mirror and a tiny shelf that juts out from under it.

Under the eave where the tall white bookcase is a counter could be mounted with small boxes of drawers to either side. It could be used as a desk or vanity.

I would also put in a sky light, either on big one or two small. Lastly, I'd wall paper all those angled walls and the ceiling.

I agree with removing everything for a fresh look. I also vote for built-ins. In addition to Houzz (where I have gotten fabulous ideas for the house I am building--I have printed my Ideabooks for all tradesmen), look at The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka for some really great ideas for built ins and utilizing every square inch.

If you can afford it I would eventually bring in some solar tubes for more natural light. They are often cheaper than traditional skylights. For an odd room like this built INS are the way to go. Often if you are creative and have access to the right tools you can trim out stock cabinets and bookshelves to look like more expensive built ins.

If the attic is wide enough you could float the bed as a peninsula with something else such as a track curtain, etagere or dresser on one side for privacy.

design4meisnoteasy, I would love to see what you did with your attic. I hope you come back to show us sometime!

Here are a few attic bedroom inspiration photos. I love attic bedrooms--they feel so cozy and private, and the sloped walls only add to their visual interest. But I agree that it would be great to get a light source into your space, possibly the solar tube skylights that toufrog suggested. And keep it very simple and spare:

These are all great design ideas! Please keep in mind that "most" attic framing (the floor) is not designed to carry as much of a load as a normal floor downstairs. Before launching into a big project with a lot of weight, please consult a good structural engineer, or at least a qualified carpenter. We have seen a lot of post build out disasters!

I think you need to figure out what you want to be the center of attention when someone walks into the room. The room seems to dwarf the tiny day bed. What if you lost the daybed frame and went with out a frame? I like to kitty-corner beds in rooms with slanted walls - it just works really well to make the headspace over the bed appear bigger. Find a place for the bed, put lots of different sized pillows and textured linens on it, then frame it with an accent wall. I like to choose a minor color from one of the patterned linens. Of the walls that surround the bed (usually just 2 if it's kitty-cornered), take the one that's not as long and paint it the chosen color. You can also try painting the other walls a flat (1-9% gloss) neutral rather than a glossy one - I'm a big fan of flat paint in "creative" rooms. :)

We just redid our attic as a bedroom for a teen, so here are a couple tips- you will want a light, airy paint color and color scheme. It makes a difference, especially with little natural light. I’d suggest white walls. The two by two kallax shelving units from ikea can be lined up and look almost custom, plus they fit well in odd nooks and low crannies. And as other people said, try to put the bed where there is the highest ceiling. Hope this helps a little!