A desk by the window, a chair that earns its place, and nothing else competing for attention. Small rooms reward restraint far more than extra square metres ever will.

Pale timber, a single plant and enough empty surface to think on. The palette stays quiet so the light coming through the window can do the decorating.

Straight lines softened by texture: woven baskets against flat paint, a rug that breaks the grid, shelves arranged with deliberate gaps rather than filled to the edge.

Everything on display has to be worth displaying. Open shelving turns storage into a decision about what you actually use, and quietly keeps the rest out of sight.

The cheapest material in any room is daylight. Position the work surface first, then let furniture and colour follow where the sun already falls.