Under the Eaves: 21 Arresting Attic Rooms

Attic rooms are challenging to furnish. Their charming-but-awkward features like sharply sloped ceilings and angular dormers can make furniture arrangement a real struggle. In these often odd-shaped rooms, the factors that most affect furniture placement and decor are the degree of the ceiling's slope and the size and position of the windows. One common solution for a slope-ceilinged attic room is to use the short space at the outer edges for low, built-in storage units, bookshelves, or even a wide, flat desktop. The awkward spaces created by dormers can also be put to good use. For example, a large dormer window can accommodate a single bed tucked right into its alcove. A smaller dormer may provide prime space for a writing desk or a window seat with storage underneath. Are you getting any ideas yet? Take a look at these 21 attractive attic spaces where challenge led to triumph.

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Modern and Bright

Need space for a home office? Look to your attic. These homeowners made great use of the space under the sloping ceiling with twin desks on each side and a high work table in the middle of the room. Shiplap walls and dark wood floors create a calm atmosphere that promotes concentration.

English Style

The English have been designing around dormer windows for hundreds of years, and this home continues that tradition. The decorators of this charming room makes the most of an awkwardly shaped room by sticking to simple wood furnishings that don’t overpower the space.

Shades of Gray

This modern take on an attic bedroom makes the most of limited space with in-the-wall dressers. Soft gray walls and bedding mixed with ambient lighting evoke calm and simplicity.

Bathe in Beauty

Bright white paint and sparkling faucets turn this spot under the eaves into a functional bathroom. The design effortlessly blends vintage charms—hello, clawfoot tub!—with sleek modern details for a contemporary yet classic space.

Built-in Comfort

This room is ready for the ultimate sleepover. Custom single beds built into the walls create cozy nooks in this delightful kids’ room. Drawers under the beds and shelves that double as dividers offer ample storage for books, clothes and, of course, toys.

Perfect Symmetry

What makes this attic bedroom so appealing is its bright aesthetic. While white walls and honey wood floors might not make a dramatic statement downstairs, here the colors lighten up a room that could otherwise feel dark and cramped. Mirroring skylights, plus a center window, also provide plenty of natural light, making the space appear bigger than its square footage.

Under the Stars

This cozy attic bedroom is perfect for an overnight guest who loves to stargaze. To make up for the room’s narrow proportions and low ceilings, furnishings are kept to a minimum. With a bed positioned between two skylights, sleepers can dose off beneath the stars and awake to a room filled with abundant sunshine.

Family Hangout

Zillow Digs home in Panama City Beach, FL

The whole family can gather in the attic room. Here, a long and low bookshelf works as the perfect media stand to fit a flat screen TV under the curved walls and weathered shiplap and soft-colored accents give it a breezy, beachy vibe.

Blank Slate

This attic bedroom makes the most of an open floor plan. Without walls between the bedroom, bathroom, and living space, guests are left with a wide open space that’s exaggerated by bleached colors and sparse furnishings.

R&R Room

This attic room makes a unique upstairs escape from chirping phones or noisy TVs. The daybed is made for lounging, but works as a bed when guests come to stay.

Amsterdam Attic

Slanted walls are not a claustrophobic’s best friend, but a ceiling-mounted mirror and a large window bounce light around the room making the space feels cozy not crowded.

White Out

Ceiling tile is an ambitious design choice. If not executed well it can overpower the space or date a new remodel in a few years time. Luckily, subway tile is a classic choice that has withstood the test of time.

Bedtime Stories

Tight quarters doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of storage—you just have to be smart about it! The built-in shelving in this neat room provides ample space for books while drawing attention to the window with a deep ledge that doubles as a built-in bedside table.

All in the Details

Pulling tones from the eclectic stair risers that lead to a terrace, the vibrant accents in this attic hangout make a splash against its blank backdrop.

Quirky Kitchen

Sunny yellow and lavender might not be your first choice (or second or third) for kitchen colors, especially paired with a sea-green backsplash, but when taking advantage of extra space in the attic why not go for something bold?

Contemporary Quarters

The wood-panel walls of the ’70s and ’80s will instantly date a room, but these horizontal slats have the exact opposite effect. The light wood and bold blues and greens make for an upbeat and contemporary space.

Fairytale Hideout

This charming room has all the makings of a storybook-like retreat: Rustic beams, a wood-burning stove, shabby chic furniture—even a swing! It’s the perfect hide-out for when you need a break from the rest of the house.

Nautical Dwellings

Zillow Digs home in North Palm Beach, FL

Does this room feel neat and tidy because of its crisp color combination? Or is the sense of order thanks to its massive built-in storage? We call it a draw and give this sharp, nautical room top rankings.

Easy Breezy

Here’s proof that an attic room doesn’t have to dark and stuffy. Billowy drapes and lush houseplants turn this white room into a peaceful retreat.

Related: 14 White Rooms We Love

Pop of Purple

A vibrant hue can quickly overpower a room, especially a tiny one that’s tucked away in an attic. Rather sticking to a dull color palette, this bedroom uses just a splash of purple to make a statement against the white walls.

Cottage Chic

Rather than hide the beams that come with the space, this bedroom leaves them bare to enhance the design. The room achieves a rustic (but not old) look with the help of its cream wood walls and cheerful yellow bedding and modern accents.