3 Low-Effort Ways to Make Small Studios Feel Roomy, Practical, and Inspired — Stolen From London's Chicest New Aparthotel
Mason & Fifth Belsize Park isn't just the latest design alternative to Airbnb — but a cue to give your base a style upgrade
Everyone knows just how hard it is to find a hotel in London that's well located and objectively beautiful while somehow remaining relatively affordable (bonus point if a continental morning feast is included in the price). And so, as both an expat and a lifestyle editor based in the Big Smoke, when a stay that ticks all the boxes opens, I can't help but want to go see it for myself. Inaugurated earlier this spring, Mason & Fifth Belsize Park, the third aparthotel complex launched in the city by the lifestyle group, fits the brief — and demonstrates how, from space constraints, can come memorable character.
The property, nestled on a leafy road a 15-minute walk south of Hampstead Heath, is perfect for exploring London at your own pace. With just 56 serviced suites, Mason & Fifth Belsize Park has got the feel of a grand West London residential building — red-brick facade, large windows, and beautifully preserved, stuccoed tall ceilings. Yet, it comes with the perks of one of London's most beautiful hotels, from stunningly curated communal areas, including a fully equipped open kitchen with a daily breakfast buffet, an atmospheric guest lounge dotted in textural collectibles and designs, and a tranquil shared garden, to cozy guest bedrooms that will make you wish you lived in this picturesque North West London neighborhood.
It's no coincidence I said "lived". This buzzy hotspot, which hosts Wine Down Fridays, allowing guests to mingle and connect glasses in hand, and grants you unlimited access to the Mason & Fifth facilities in Westbourne Park and Primrose Hill, was realized in partnership with interior design studio Holloway Li to "create a genuine sense of 'home', no matter how long you're staying". Restored by New-works, the address's four-story architectural shell boasts rich timber wood juxtaposed with vibrant artwork and retro-inspired furniture sourced and styled by INTERIOR ADDRESS, and eye-catching textiles crafted for the stay by House of Quinn.
What stuck with me from my sojourn at the chic Airbnb alternative, though, is how it packs comfort, atmosphere, and inspiration in less than 20 square meters. How? With these three simple steps.
1. Make Every Nook King, Literally
Because nothing screams home more than a cocooning corner.
"Can I sleep against the wall? I find it so comforting," was the first thing my partner said to me as soon as we settled in our Classic Biggie suite. Without knowing, he had just summed up one of the secrets to Mason & Fifth Belsize Park's bedrooms feeling so cocooning — the strategic and, yes, comforting, use of each of their corners.
Ours came with a queen size bed hidden behind the living-cum-dining room of the studio by a wooden divider that separated the sleeping area from the pale wood, stone, and chrome quirky kitchenette. This stylistic choice granted privacy and ensured the two environments felt, despite the lack of proper walls, as distinct as possible while avoiding to fill up any additional space.
The rest of the corners in the suite had also been furnished to maximise both aesthetics and function. To the right of our moss green, textural headboard was a small yet beautifully glowing white sconce with a round base in a similar pastel tone, and a mini wood bedside table I used to recharge my phone over night, rest my night read on, and keep my earrings safe.
The kitchen of my Classic Biggie suite at Mason & Fifth Belsize Park was one of my favorite features from the room: compact, functional, and genuinely cool.
Hanging on the wall to my right were two abstract canvases that expanded on the color palette of the suite — organic shades ranging from burned orange and brown to teal and gradient greens — making it more personal and intentional than your ordinary hotel retreat.
At the foot of the bed was a clothing rail and console with sliding doors and sculpturally cut handles, meaning all of our bags could be stored neatly without them ever getting in the way. On the other end of the séparée, most corners were taken up by the kitchenette itself — organically shaped, wavy cornice, matte gray finish, and plenty of storage, ideal for foodies who don't want to give up on their cooking when on holiday.
While each corner fulfilled a specific function, none felt overdone decor-wise: essentially cut furniture in monolithic forms made for a quiet statement, and decorative details, like the chocolate bobbin stained wooden mirror placed next to the TV on the widest wall, struck the balance between creativity and timeless comfort. Something you can aim to recreate with the curated buys I have shared below.
2. Play With Inventive Fixtures
When space is lacking, every detail can help you spare precious room.
It might have been tiny, but the bathroom of our Classic Biggie remains one of my favorite parts of it yet — and no less for its joyful aesthetic. A wiggly mirror cabinet in pale wood and checkered terracotta tilework made this admittedly small room fun to get ready for bed in.
Still, if there's one detail worth noting in relation to space-saving tricks, it's its inward-opening shower door, which prevented any unwanted water spillage while simultaneously ensuring no inch of it went lost to 'door-traffic'.
Shower doors that open inwardly, essential clothing rails that replace bulky wardrobe: anything to keep the suite as roomy and sophisticated as possible.
This wasn't just a strategic inclusion: its accordion structure worked wonderfully with the bathroom's overall aesthetic, where creamy surfaces and tactile finishes set a youthful mood along with bold accessories and forest-inspired scented toiletries.
In larger studios at Mason & Fifth Belsike Park, like their Best in House (captured above), a large yet compactly folded sofa bed and windows carved directly into the loft's slanted alcove walls provide further insights into how humbly sized spaces can be optimized for natural light, hosting, and unwinding.
3. Don't Spread Furniture Out — Go Blissfully Layered
When styled creatively, a handful of carefully selected artworks, collectibles, and accessories are enough to imbue a studio with personality — and save you from unnecessary clutter.
Furnishing a 16-square-meter studio so it doesn't feel overcrowded with clutter is likely the hardest challenge of compact rooms. But anyone seeking space-saving design ideas for tight accommodations will be told the same: less is more.
I could count on one hand the furniture pieces and collectibles styled in my suite at Mason & Fifth Belsize Park, but that made its scheme less interesting. If anything, it led me to pay closer attention to them, which is why I still remember all of them.
The secret to a studio that feels roomy, practical, and inspired, then, is knowing how and where to place your buys so that they each stand out while layering in with the rest of the decor.
An earthy, neutral base, contrasting finishes, and the occasional twist: Mason & Fifth Belsize Park's communal area expand the charm of its suites, proving balanced variety is key to spaces that feel inspiring and welcoming.
My personal favourites? The only-slightly mismatched wooden set overlooking lush 2 Ornan Road — a rounded table and stool, paired with a more vintage-looking, sturdier chair in a lighter finish and topped by an undulating ceramic vase.
Because it's these nonchalant-chic touches that allow a place to feel gracefully lived-in, like your cool friend's apartment you can't wait to be invited back into to celebrate the end of a long week in good company.
Heard about Canal, Mason & Fifth Westbourne Park's trendy new restaurant? Well, we have, and trust us, you should have done, too.
Luckily you're still in time to find out what the eatery has got in store for you, and what the hottest travel trends for 2026 can teach you ahead of your next big holiday.
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