Members’ favourites: a curated showcase of charming small rooms by members of The List

We've pulled together a selection of our favourite spaces lacking in size from members of The List by House & Garden

16 April 2025

Designing a room is all about making the most of the space that you have. Whether that be investing in bespoke joinery, hanging a mirror or two, or investing in multipurpose furniture pieces, this collection of rooms by a selection of The List by House & Garden's interior designers is full of ideas on how to expertly maximise the potential of the spaces in your house without sacrificing style. Find a space that you find particularly eye-catching? Click on the link in each caption to learn more about the interior designer who created the scheme.

Paul Massey
1/15
Brandon Schubert
Many interior designers recommend using large furniture in small spaces, such as four-poster beds in small bedrooms, on the grounds that it fools the eye into thinking the room is bigger. In the first floor spare room from a north London house by Brandon Schubert is a particularly lovely four poster with curtains in plain, contrasting fabrics.
See Brandon Schubert's profile on The List
2/15
Anna Hewitson Design
Larders and pantries are fun places to explore bold colours. This space in a South Downs house by Anna Hewitson is painted in ‘Etruscan Brown’ by Edward Bulmer, which picks up the warm colours on the blind from Flora Soames. The cupboard curtains are Howe's 'Little Weed Linen'. The artwork is by Hugo Guinness.
See Anna Hewitson's profile on The List
michael j lee
3/15
Kathy Marshall Design
Kathy Marshall used tongue and groove panelling, laid horizontally, as well as antiques, to add warmth, patina and charm to this guest bathroom.
See Kathy Marshall's profile on The List
4/15
Violet & George
Violet & George removed a section of the bookcase and built this bed into the joinery, creating the perfect guest bedroom for their clients that makes the most of the small space.
See Violet & George's profile on The List

©ZAC+ZAC LTD
5/15
Claire Welsh Design
The team at Claire Welsh Design created this yellow kitchen for The Treehouse at Overskibo in the northern Highlands, again proving that a small space is the perfect place for bold colour.
See Claire Welsh Design's profile on The List
6/15
HÁM Interiors
HÁM Interiors aimed to narrate the story of this former sea captain's home and mirror the picturesque Cornish landscape surrounding it through their interior schemes. The wide tongue and groove panelling and the lovely built-in box bed give the room the feeling of a ship's cabin.
See Hám Interiors' profile on The List
7/15
Howark Design
Howark Design added a cosy upholstered niche to this dressing room to break up a run of fitted wardrobes and create a great place to sit.
See Howark Design's profile on The List
Dean Hearne
8/15
Nicola Mardas
Nicola Mardas fit a small study area into the top landing of this seaside house in Deal. Artworks by Ian Hamilton Finlay add a splash of colour to the walls.
See Nicola Mardas' profile on The List

9/15
Imperfect Interiors
Though this cottage in the Cotswolds isn't large, the rooms are well proportioned and, in the attic, Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors made room for an extra bedroom and bathroom.
See Imperfect Interiors' profile on The List
10/15
Swain Street & Co
Pierre Frey’s floral ‘Ispahan’ wallpaper adds interest to this windowless room's ceiling. David Nastasi, of Swain Street & Co, explains, "The slightly shiny finish makes the ceiling feel higher than it is."
See Swain Street & Co's profile on The List
11/15
Lucinda Sanford
A peek into one of the bedrooms from Lucinda Sanford's project in Battersea. A bobbin detail has been added to the skirting and doors in the adjoining hallway, adding a playful element to her scheme.
See Lucinda Sanford's profile on The List
12/15
Alison Henry Design
Alison Henry replaced this bathroom's roof entirely with glass and added a cast-iron tub and white Statuario marble to create a calming atmosphere.
See Alison Henry Design's profile on The List

Nick Rochowski Photography
13/15
Studio L
Studio L used a lime green headboard to bring a hint of colour to this more muted bedroom scheme. Folding doors with glazing three quarters of the way down separate off the bedroom from the living space in this tiny apartment, while allowing light to flow through.
See Studio L's profile on The List
14/15
Sarah Southwell Design + Interiors
Sarah Southwell chose DeVol’s ‘Scullery Yellow’ for the cupboards in the utility room of her renovated Grade II-listed, 16th-century house in Somerset, making it a fun, cheerful place to be.
See Sarah Southwell Design + Interiors' profile on The List
Mark Anthony Fox
15/15
Adam Bray
Adam Bray's flat in Maida Vale is a brilliant case study of how he mixes colour, antiques and textiles. In the bathroom, Adam has covered the walls in teal mosaic tiles and added a wooden Japanese bath, which fits perfectly into the tiny space.
See Adam Bray's profile on The List

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Lucy joined House & Garden's The List in 2022 following time working at the architecture, interiors and design magazine Dezeen. An avid reader and lover of beautiful things, Lucy studied Art History and English Literature at the University of St Andrews where she developed a passion for storytelling. In her ... Read more

TopicsThe List