Designing the Box Room; Small space design ideas for STRs and homes

Small space design ideas for STRs and homes: Why Small Spaces Deserve Big Ideas

Growing up, I always chose the smallest room in the house. Not because I had to—but because I wanted to. The box room was my sanctuary.

It calmed my mind in a way that bigger rooms never did. I’ve always had a tendency to spread across every surface, but small spaces required me to be intentional. When you only have so much room, every item becomes a choice, not an accident. Maybe it's the Virgo in me, but I love neatness, clarity, and purpose. And I think, deep down, I need a sense of order—even though I’m drawn to beauty and chaos in equal measure.

One of my favourite childhood bedrooms was from ages 7 to 11. Tiny. Lilac everything—including the window frames. I had a desk in my bay window, funnily enough, I'm sat at a desk in a bay window right now as I write this. Some things never change! I’d sit there watching the world go by, the birds in the sky, the rain sliding down the glass. That view helped me focus.

I had my antique wardrobe for storage, my book collection neatly shelved, and my favourite pieces proudly displayed—including my prized rock collection (volcanologist dreams die hard). I even had a reading nook—a 90s inflatable chair, iconic and deeply uncomfortable, but mine. (IYKYK).

Without knowing it, I was zoning. Desk for thinking. Bed for dreaming. Chair for reading. It was instinctive.

And honestly? It still is. My bedroom today is painted dusky pink, with aubergine woodwork—a grown up evolution of that lilac framed, boldly chosen box room.

Some things, like a love for thoughtful, instinctive design, never really leave you.

That instinct now runs through all my STR design work.

Designing small spaces isn’t about squeezing things in. It’s about rethinking what a space is supposed to be.

One of my favourite examples is The Bouji Bolthole—a property under 50 sqm that functions as a living room, kitchen, dining room, and guest haven. People expect to put a sofa up against the wall and a TV opposite. But what if that doesn’t actually work for the way someone will move through the space?

The Bouji Bolthole, Hand Rendered Floor Plans of the Ground Floor

In that property, the sofa floats in the centre of the room, facing the stairs. The TV is tucked under the stairwell. It breaks the rules—but when you're standing in the space, it just feels right. The zones are clear. It’s intuitive. And it works.

That’s the thing with short term lets: you can’t design them like your own home. People try to cram in what they think “should” be there, but they miss the magic of how a guest will actually live in the space.

More and more, I think we’re seeing a cultural pull toward smaller, simpler spaces. Tiny house living, capsule wardrobes, minimalist Pinterest boards. Maybe people are beginning to crave something quieter, more intentional, less cluttered. Maybe a small space can hold a big shift.

If I had one truth to share with anyone designing a small stay, it’s this: don’t do what you think you should do. Break the rules. Put yourself in your guest’s shoes. Imagine how they’ll use the space, how they’ll move, where they’ll put their tea.

Then make it easier for them.

Small spaces can be bold. Beautiful. Brave. Efficient. Emotive.

Just ask the girl with lilac window frames and a volcanic rock collection.

(Or the woman with aubergine woodwork and a desk in her bay window.)

Olive & Wilde WFH set up, sat in a Bay Window, with dusky pink walls and aubergine woodwork...somethings never change!

Small space design ideas for STRs and homes