Space planning

Choosing help to make a small or awkward space work

Find a designer who solves small and awkward rooms by comparing portfolio fit, diagnostic approach, and how they charge—not just hourly rates.

Small and awkward spaces are not simpler design problems—they demand a designer who thinks in constraints rather than possibilities. The difference between someone who will waste your money and someone who'll unlock functionality lies in whether they treat tight, odd-shaped rooms as a creative limitation or a genuine puzzle.

The first cut is portfolio fit. Don't look for beautiful rooms; look for rooms shaped like yours. If you have a narrow corridor kitchen, a sloped ceiling in a corner bedroom, or a living room bisected by a structural column, ask candidates directly: have you solved this exact problem before? A designer with three years of experience in open-plan apartment redesigns may freeze when faced with a 2.4-metre-wide bedroom. Request before-and-afters of small spaces specifically. Read the brief behind each photo. Did they add storage without losing the sense of space? Did they reorient furniture in an unexpected way? Did they sacrifice one function to gain another, or did they find a way to layer uses?

The second filter is how they diagnose. Book a brief site visit with two or three shortlisted candidates. Watch what they measure and what they ignore. A designer who walks in, photos the space from four angles and leaves within ten minutes hasn't understood the problem. The better ones will ask where you spend your time, what frustrates you daily, and what you're willing to compromise on. They'll check sightlines, test how doors swing, notice where natural light falls at different times, and ask about your household routines. Small spaces amplify poor decisions—a coffee table that's six centimetres too wide becomes a daily shin hazard; a sofa that blocks the window costs you light every morning. Candidates who recognise this will ask more questions than they answer in the first meeting.

What to compare when space is the problem

Don't compare hourly rates across candidates—compare how they charge for small spaces. Some designers charge a flat fee for space planning, which works well for tight budgets. Others charge by the hour, which can spiral if they're inefficient. A few charge a percentage of project spend, which aligns their incentive with yours if you're planning renovations, but penalises you for clever low-cost solutions. For a truly awkward room, ask whether they charge for the initial audit and concept separately from implementation. This protects you: if you're not sure about their solution, you've paid for the thinking, not the full service.

The third criterion is their toolkit. In small spaces, standard furniture doesn't work. Some designers instinctively reach for custom-built solutions—bespoke shelving, fitted storage, bespoke desks—which can be expensive and only work for that room. Others excel at sourcing unexpected second-hand or affordable pieces, remixing shop-bought components, or suggesting you live with a space differently. Neither approach is wrong, but you need to know which they favour before you hire them. Ask what they'd do first if you handed them your room and a modest budget. Do they suggest a shop crawl? A designer to brief? A carpenter? A rethink of what lives in the room? Their answer tells you whether they'll be resourceful or costly.

Checking their grip on your specific awkwardness

Ask each candidate this directly: what's the biggest constraint in this room, and how would you address it? Their answer should name something you've already noticed or something that surprised you but made sense immediately. If they say "the room is small"—that's not a specific constraint, that's lazy diagnosis. The real constraints are usually structural: a radiator in a corner where you need a desk, a window that won't open fully, a load-bearing wall you can't remove, sloped ceilings, or an unexpected alcove. A designer who spots and names these shows they've actually absorbed the challenge.

Verified designers on Strove can be filtered by project type and can show portfolios of past work, making it easier to find someone with direct experience in cramped or unusual layouts. Use this to skip candidates who have no track record with spaces like yours.

Common questions

What should I look for in a designer's portfolio if I have an awkward space?: Look specifically for before-and-afters of small or oddly-shaped rooms similar to yours—narrow kitchens, sloped ceilings, rooms with columns or alcoves. Read the brief behind each project to understand whether the designer solved the problem by adding storage, reworking furniture placement, or finding unexpected compromises. Generic beautiful rooms don't tell you if they can handle your constraint.
How should a designer charge for space planning a small or awkward room?: Compare how each candidate structures their fee. Some offer flat-fee space planning; others charge hourly; a few use project spend percentages. For a small room, ask whether the initial audit and concept work is charged separately from implementation—this lets you test their solution before committing fully.
What's the key question to ask a designer at a site visit?: Ask them to identify the single biggest constraint in your room and how they'd address it. A good answer names something specific—a radiator in the wrong spot, a load-bearing wall, or limited headroom—rather than simply calling the room small. This shows they've truly understood the problem.
Should I choose a designer who builds custom furniture or one who sources affordable pieces?: Neither is inherently better; it depends on your budget and needs. Ask your shortlisted candidates what they'd prioritise first—custom cabinetry, second-hand finds, shop-bought components, or a rethink of what lives in the room. Their answer shows whether they'll lean expensive or resourceful, so you can pick someone whose approach matches yours.

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More on Space planning

What to compare when space is the problem

Checking their grip on your specific awkwardness

Common questions

What should I look for in a designer's portfolio if I have an awkward space?

Look specifically for before-and-afters of small or oddly-shaped rooms similar to yours—narrow kitchens, sloped ceilings, rooms with columns or alcoves. Read the brief behind each project to understand whether the designer solved the problem by adding storage, reworking furniture placement, or finding unexpected compromises. Generic beautiful rooms don't tell you if they can handle your constraint.

How should a designer charge for space planning a small or awkward room?

Compare how each candidate structures their fee. Some offer flat-fee space planning; others charge hourly; a few use project spend percentages. For a small room, ask whether the initial audit and concept work is charged separately from implementation—this lets you test their solution before committing fully.

What's the key question to ask a designer at a site visit?

Ask them to identify the single biggest constraint in your room and how they'd address it. A good answer names something specific—a radiator in the wrong spot, a load-bearing wall, or limited headroom—rather than simply calling the room small. This shows they've truly understood the problem.

Should I choose a designer who builds custom furniture or one who sources affordable pieces?

Neither is inherently better; it depends on your budget and needs. Ask your shortlisted candidates what they'd prioritise first—custom cabinetry, second-hand finds, shop-bought components, or a rethink of what lives in the room. Their answer shows whether they'll lean expensive or resourceful, so you can pick someone whose approach matches yours.