The Best Ideas for Small Spaces from People Who’ve Been There
Take a look at how designers have used smart planning to transform these far-from-roomy interiors
Amanda Pollard
18 October 2020
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
If you want to make the most of a small property, it pays to learn from others. We’ve scoured our Houzz Tours and picked out some of the best ideas to help you plan your space and maximise every centimetre.
Pop in a slim kitchen island
This compact kitchen is used for the owner’s jam-making business, so it had to be extremely functional. The designer, Jasper Middleton of Middleton Bespoke, made the most of every millimetre of space. He even managed to squeeze an island into the room by designing one that measures just 1050mm x 490mm. It’s smaller than usual, but still provides an extra worksurface and handy storage.
The cabinets here are custom-made, but it’s possible to do something similar with freestanding pieces. Be creative and look for slim console tables that can be repurposed as an island, or a narrow chest of drawers that could be fitted with your own worktop.
Struggling with a small cook space? See more of this kitchen’s clever layout.
This compact kitchen is used for the owner’s jam-making business, so it had to be extremely functional. The designer, Jasper Middleton of Middleton Bespoke, made the most of every millimetre of space. He even managed to squeeze an island into the room by designing one that measures just 1050mm x 490mm. It’s smaller than usual, but still provides an extra worksurface and handy storage.
The cabinets here are custom-made, but it’s possible to do something similar with freestanding pieces. Be creative and look for slim console tables that can be repurposed as an island, or a narrow chest of drawers that could be fitted with your own worktop.
Struggling with a small cook space? See more of this kitchen’s clever layout.
Use the space beneath a window
When we’re positioning furniture, we often use walls with uninterrupted surfaces and tend to ignore the ones that contain windows. However, if you want to maximise space, consider using the area below a window.
In this open-plan flat, designer Amit Malhotra of Aflux tucked a sofa-bed into the window alcove. It fits neatly beneath the sill to create a sunny seating area that transforms into a sleeping zone when guests stay over.
Take our tour of this elegant two-bed flat.
Make the challenge of finding the right people for your project easier by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
When we’re positioning furniture, we often use walls with uninterrupted surfaces and tend to ignore the ones that contain windows. However, if you want to maximise space, consider using the area below a window.
In this open-plan flat, designer Amit Malhotra of Aflux tucked a sofa-bed into the window alcove. It fits neatly beneath the sill to create a sunny seating area that transforms into a sleeping zone when guests stay over.
Take our tour of this elegant two-bed flat.
Make the challenge of finding the right people for your project easier by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Build out walls for extra storage
Want to fit a cupboard into a small room? How about borrowing space from the room next door? That’s what designer Irina Townsend of Keir Townsend did in this central London pied-à-terre.
Either side of the sofa, Townsend built out the walls to create room for two wardrobes in the adjacent bedroom. The protruding surfaces have made a cosy niche for the sofa. “In such a compact flat, there was a lot of give and take,” Townsend says.
Feeling the squeeze? Discover more small space ideas in this Kensington apartment.
Want to fit a cupboard into a small room? How about borrowing space from the room next door? That’s what designer Irina Townsend of Keir Townsend did in this central London pied-à-terre.
Either side of the sofa, Townsend built out the walls to create room for two wardrobes in the adjacent bedroom. The protruding surfaces have made a cosy niche for the sofa. “In such a compact flat, there was a lot of give and take,” Townsend says.
Feeling the squeeze? Discover more small space ideas in this Kensington apartment.
Play with shape in your shower
Slotting your essential sanitaryware into a tiny bathroom can be a challenge, but Olga Alexeeva of interior design firm Black & Milk found the perfect shower solution for this small studio flat.
“I didn’t want a square shower enclosure, as you’d have been knocking against its corners all the time,” she says. This diamond-shaped design was the answer, as it protrudes far less into the space and slots neatly into the slim shower tray below. “It saved my life!” Alexeeva laughs.
Find out how this smart studio flat makes the most of its space.
Slotting your essential sanitaryware into a tiny bathroom can be a challenge, but Olga Alexeeva of interior design firm Black & Milk found the perfect shower solution for this small studio flat.
“I didn’t want a square shower enclosure, as you’d have been knocking against its corners all the time,” she says. This diamond-shaped design was the answer, as it protrudes far less into the space and slots neatly into the slim shower tray below. “It saved my life!” Alexeeva laughs.
Find out how this smart studio flat makes the most of its space.
Add some mystery with a false wall
In this cosy cottage, a fireplace provides the focal point in the small living room. To keep the rest of the room neat and uncluttered, Philippa Thorp of Thorp Design devised an ingenious way of hiding the TV. A false wall of books conceals a rise-and-fall mechanism that brings the television out when it’s needed.
Inspired by this small cottage in Chelsea? Take a look around it.
In this cosy cottage, a fireplace provides the focal point in the small living room. To keep the rest of the room neat and uncluttered, Philippa Thorp of Thorp Design devised an ingenious way of hiding the TV. A false wall of books conceals a rise-and-fall mechanism that brings the television out when it’s needed.
Inspired by this small cottage in Chelsea? Take a look around it.
Open up the space
Consider opening up walls to create a roomier feeling. You don’t have to knock the whole wall down – removing just the top half can have a similar effect.
In this Dublin riverside flat, Dana Kallo of Black Fox Interiors knocked down the top section of wall between the kitchen and living areas. The small area of wall above the sink now acts as a splashback, and the room feels light, airy and much more sociable.
Feeling cluttered? Explore this cosy apartment full of smart storage solutions.
And if you’re thinking of embarking on a home project, check out how to create a good relationship with your builder.
Consider opening up walls to create a roomier feeling. You don’t have to knock the whole wall down – removing just the top half can have a similar effect.
In this Dublin riverside flat, Dana Kallo of Black Fox Interiors knocked down the top section of wall between the kitchen and living areas. The small area of wall above the sink now acts as a splashback, and the room feels light, airy and much more sociable.
Feeling cluttered? Explore this cosy apartment full of smart storage solutions.
And if you’re thinking of embarking on a home project, check out how to create a good relationship with your builder.
Squeeze a bed into a nook
When interior blogger Igor Josifovic moved into his one-and-a-half room flat in Munich, he wondered how he would fit everything in. Clever space planning paid off, as well as his ability to make the best of awkward areas.
Here, he’s embraced the sloping ceiling and turned it into a sleeping nook. By painting the pitched roof a darker colour and hanging plants along it, he’s transformed a tight spot into a lovely retreat.
The bed space is separated from the living area by a partial wall, but the mustard yellow bedspread gives it a distinct look of its own.
Check out the rest of this retro chic flat in Munich.
When interior blogger Igor Josifovic moved into his one-and-a-half room flat in Munich, he wondered how he would fit everything in. Clever space planning paid off, as well as his ability to make the best of awkward areas.
Here, he’s embraced the sloping ceiling and turned it into a sleeping nook. By painting the pitched roof a darker colour and hanging plants along it, he’s transformed a tight spot into a lovely retreat.
The bed space is separated from the living area by a partial wall, but the mustard yellow bedspread gives it a distinct look of its own.
Check out the rest of this retro chic flat in Munich.
Knock two rooms into one
The key to making your home work for you is to think about your needs and how you can meet them. Sometimes that involves making bold decisions, such as turning a two-bedroom flat into a one-bedroom one.
The two sleep spaces in this flat were tiny, so Ebba Thott of Sigmar came up with a controversial plan of reconfiguring them to create a large bedroom and a walk-in wardrobe.
The wardrobe “could change its role, though, working as an office, a baby’s room or somewhere for guests,” Ebba explains. “That’s the way London living is going to go, I think. You may not be able to get the two-bed flat you want, so it’s about making space flexible and making it work for you.”
Tour this small yet stylish Victorian flat boosted by smart design.
The key to making your home work for you is to think about your needs and how you can meet them. Sometimes that involves making bold decisions, such as turning a two-bedroom flat into a one-bedroom one.
The two sleep spaces in this flat were tiny, so Ebba Thott of Sigmar came up with a controversial plan of reconfiguring them to create a large bedroom and a walk-in wardrobe.
The wardrobe “could change its role, though, working as an office, a baby’s room or somewhere for guests,” Ebba explains. “That’s the way London living is going to go, I think. You may not be able to get the two-bed flat you want, so it’s about making space flexible and making it work for you.”
Tour this small yet stylish Victorian flat boosted by smart design.
Include some luxurious extras
Dressing rooms aren’t just for big houses, as Chicago-based designers Katie and JoAnn Neenan of EM Interiors demonstrated with this guest bedroom. The sisters removed the doors of an old wardrobe to create this stylish dressing area.
Natural fabric from a local warehouse has been used as curtains to close off the space, and jute baskets provide attractive storage.
Got a tiny bedroom? See how this small sleep space was transformed on a budget.
Tell us…
Have you come up with a clever idea to maximise space in a small property? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments.
Dressing rooms aren’t just for big houses, as Chicago-based designers Katie and JoAnn Neenan of EM Interiors demonstrated with this guest bedroom. The sisters removed the doors of an old wardrobe to create this stylish dressing area.
Natural fabric from a local warehouse has been used as curtains to close off the space, and jute baskets provide attractive storage.
Got a tiny bedroom? See how this small sleep space was transformed on a budget.
Tell us…
Have you come up with a clever idea to maximise space in a small property? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments.
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Since my comment I have moved house twice! My new home of 7 months has 2 bathrooms. The first one I’m doing atm we have moved a wall a foot into the master bedroom to give us extra room. Still no room for a roll top until we start in the 2nd bathroom next year! But still on my wishlist!
Alyper, 'she' still comments but not often these days. Yes, I too miss her valuable and often hilarious input!
Hi Amanda, thans for the feature. Here is one more image of a compact bathroom from a recent project. We designed and installed a Japanse wooden bath tub