In this sense, it’s important to think flexibly about furniture. For example, a pair of smaller tables can do the work of one large coffee table without anchoring the whole room too heavily, or disrupting the flow. In the same respect, you don’t need to get rid of floor lamps or large plants, but move them to areas where no one will walk.
3. The galley kitchen
As an avid cook, I get why a narrow kitchen might be a cause for despair. But hope isn’t completely lost – the problem comes when it’s used as though it has the same tolerance as a much wider one.
Put simply, the relationship between the fridge, sink, hob, dishwasher and bins will determine whether the room works every day. If opening one appliance blocks another, or if two people cannot use the kitchen without constantly negotiating around each other, the layout needs to be reconsidered.
Beyond keeping the space clean and uncluttered, visual weight matters, too. Tall units on both sides can make a narrow kitchen feel enclosed, so it often helps to concentrate full-height storage in one area and keep other sections lighter, with open shelving, glazed cupboards or wall lights. Good under-cabinet lighting can stop the room feeling hemmed in, while a view towards a window, garden or door will help draw the eye out.
And, hey, if you really want that island, there’s always the option of extending your kitchen.
4. The bed dilemma
The biggest mistake with narrow bedrooms is assuming that the largest bed that fits in the space is automatically the best. A bed that leaves no proper room to move around will make the space feel less luxurious, not more, and being able to open wardrobe doors matters much more than squeezing in another few inches of mattress.
Similarly, wall-mounted lights are useful in narrow bedrooms because they free up floor space, while slim shelves, stools or very narrow bedside tables can do the job without crowding the room. This is also where drawing the eye up makes a real difference. Hang curtains high, consider a taller headboard, use vertical lines carefully and avoid too many low, heavy pieces that drag attention across the room’s width – or lack thereof. If wardrobes dominate one wall, painting them in the same colour as the walls can also make them feel less intrusive.