Small Space Design Lessons from a 200 Sq Ft RV
I'm writing this from an RV. Two hundred square feet, wheels included, with a kitchen, a bed, a tiny table, and exactly zero room to pretend I need things I don't.
I design homes for a living, so you'd think I'd have this small space thing figured out before hitting the road. What I did have was a lot of experience with designing small spaces. Here's what I've learned so far about what actually holds up when you live in them.
What You Actually Need vs. What You Think You Need
I packed for a version of myself who hosts dinner parties and wears a different outfit almost every day. That person does not exist at 200 square feet.
What I actually use is a short list: one good pan, a couple of mugs I love, a few outfits on rotation, and my favorite throw. The lesson is pretty simple. In a small space, every item has to earn its spot. Before you buy or keep anything, ask yourself: when was the last time I actually used this? If you have to think about it, that's your answer.
Storage That Works When Nothing Has a Spare Inch
The first thing an RV teaches you is that wasted space is not an option. Every cabinet, corner, and gap is either working for you or it's a problem.
A few things that have made the biggest difference:
Go vertical. Walls, door backs, and the space above eye level are underused in almost every home, tiny or not. Hooks, rails, and slim shelves add storage without eating floor space.
Give everything a home. In a small space, a thing without a home becomes clutter within a day. If it doesn't have a spot, it either needs one or it needs to go.
Use the hidden spots. Under the bed, inside the benches, behind the seat. If something can open up to reveal storage, it's doing its job.
Keep your most-used things within reach. Don't bury the stuff you grab daily behind the stuff you grab twice a year.
Multipurpose Pieces Worth Buying (and the Ones That Aren't)
Everyone loves a multipurpose piece in theory. In real life, some are genius, and some are just a worse version of two separate things. The ones that earn their keep are simple. A table that doubles as a desk. A bench with storage inside. A bed that doubles as a couch during the day. Anything that does two jobs without making either one annoying.
The ones to skip are the overly clever ones. If something takes five steps to convert from one function to another, you will stop converting it. It'll just sit there as the wrong thing forever.
My rule: a multipurpose piece should make life easier, not feel like a puzzle you have to solve every morning.
Making a Small Space Feel Like Yours, Not Just Functional
Here's the part people skip. It's easy to get so focused on storage and efficiency that the space starts to feel like a locker. Functional, sure. But not somewhere you want to be.
The fix doesn't take much. A pair of hiking shoes you actually love. Lighting that feels warm instead of harsh. One piece of art or a small object that's just yours. A few real details do more than a lot of generic ones.
Small spaces actually make this easier, because there's less to work with and every choice shows. You can't hide behind a big room full of stuff. Every piece has to feel intentional, which honestly makes for better design.
What a Small Space Teaches You About Any Space
I didn't expect this, but living in our RV has made me better at designing bigger ones. It's sharpened my eye for what a room actually needs versus what it's just collecting.
Most homes, no matter the size, have too much of the wrong things and not enough of the right ones. The same rules apply everywhere. Give things a home. Choose pieces that work for you. Add the details that feel like you.
You don't need to move into an RV to get there. You just need to start asking what your space actually needs, the way a tiny one makes you.
Want Help With Your Own Small Space?
If you've got a tight corner, a storage problem, or a layout that just isn't working, a 30-minute mini consultation is a good place to start. We'll dig into the one thing that's bugging you and talk through how to approach it, all over video from wherever you are. (I'm happy to take the call from the road.)
Studio Shaolin is an award-winning interior design studio based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. Founder Shaolin Low is a third-generation designer featured in Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, House Beautiful, and Magnolia Network's Home in Hawaii.