While many of Castlery's furniture designs are showcased in enviably expansive spaces, if you're decorating something completely different (read: small, cramped, squishy), don't rule the retailer out: some of its strongest pieces are also its savviest. Armless silhouettes, compact proportions, clever materials, and accent pieces that also conceal storage — Castlery's furniture can be a surprisingly adept ally for small-space living.
And how do I know? I spoke with London-based interior designer Juliana Custers, who had — conveniently — just wrapped up a job where she'd specified pieces from Castlery's range. Her best advice? "Embrace the size of the room, and don’t shy away from using full-scale pieces," she says. "Small spaces don’t need to be filled with miniature furniture to work well — in fact, that often does the opposite. A well-chosen, full-size piece can ground the room and give it confidence, rather than making it feel apologetic."
It's all about committing to your choice, she adds. "When materials and finishes are used with confidence, they tend to elevate a space rather than overwhelm it." And to help give you the confidence to commit to furniture that will help maximize space in your small flat or house, here are some of Juliana's favorite pieces from Castlery.
"I’ve just used this bedside table in a live project," Juliana shares. "It’s a stunning room with fabric walls and green joinery — we’ve just gone for it!" Whether or not your space is quite as gregarious, this rhythmically fluted bedside table brings an elevated nod to Art Deco, elegantly finished with polished brass hardware. Comprising a drawer and a shelf, slot a neutral basket in the bottom to keep the clutter at bay.
"Storage beds are essential for storing things like linen and suitcases, and it’s always great to have more storage in a small room," Juliana says. With its wingback headboard and tactile upholstery, this storage bed looks so cocooning. The crisp white upholstery will lift a room, and the spill-resistant fabric means you don’t have to pull yourself away for a morning coffee.
"This dining room chair would also make a comfy office chair," Juliana suggests. "My hack is adding casters [try these from Amazon] to the bottom so it can move around and slot under the desk." And because small spaces deserve hardworking furniture, I love that these chairs are drenched in a machine-washable slipcover, easily whipped off and washed when life’s messiness happens.
In a small space, an extending dining room table is non-negotiable, Juliana says. "I love to entertain, and flexibility is everything — especially in smaller homes," she adds. "Being able to adapt the space to suit different moments and gatherings makes a room far more enjoyable and functional over time." Available for 4-6 or 6-8 people, this honey-hued dining table is made with solid acacia wood with a clever butterfly leaf mechanism to extend when guests arrive.
Adding a floor mirror "brings layers and depth into a room," Juliana says. Rising 181cm high and at 90cm wide, this large sculptural mirror would add intrigue to whichever room it lands in. The resin frame has a concrete-like texture, while the mirror itself is generous enough to amplify light and colours across the whole space, making pocket-sized rooms feel expansive.
"I love layering mirrors, art, and lighting," says Juliana, who also picked this rectangular chandelier with its textured glass panels that refract light in intriguing ways. "It’s important to add focus, so introducing different levels of light is essential; it creates interest and leads the eye around the room, making the space feel richer and more dynamic," she adds.
Rugs can be used to demarcate space, making smaller spaces seem bigger than they actually are, Juliana recommends. One example is this 100% wool area rug with its simple, organic-feeling design. Handmade in India, it’s 153cm wide and 244cm long, and Castlery notes it is suitable for high-footfall spaces — perfect for smaller living room layouts, or why not slot it under the foot of the bed?
When buying a sofa, be careful: "A common mistake — one that happens in large spaces too — is choosing furniture that’s all visually heavy," Juliana warns. "Balance is everything. If you fall in love with a substantial sofa, that’s great, but offset it with something lighter, like a glass or slender-framed coffee table, to keep the room feeling buoyant." Luckily, this Castlery sofa is light as a feather on the eyes — and the matching footstool hides storage.
And lastly, I couldn't resist adding one more piece to the edit, myself. How could I go past this fun orb-shaped table lamp? Made in resin with a textured sand glaze and polished brass details, it's slightly futuristic, but oh-so now. Customers agree, with reviews saying it's "simple yet cool at the same time," and another recommending you opt for lower-wattage bulbs, as it doesn't have any shades. Clever!
Juliana’s selection from Castlery proves that small spaces don’t have to mean compromise. In fact, "One of the biggest mistakes is playing it too safe in small spaces," she shares. "People often default to white and neutral tones in an attempt to make a space feel bigger, but what this usually results in is a room that feels flat, characterless, and frankly, uninspiring."
And while she enjoys decorating with neutral tones, "I would accessorize with some bold prints and color on the walls and ceiling," says Juliana. "Small spaces are actually the perfect place to be bold." The perfect place to test out 'tidy maximalism' perhaps...?