By Ayesha Rehman
A 2.7m x 2.4m studio gives you about 6.5sqm of floor. The question we get more than any other is what actually fits inside it.
The short answer is one considered piece rather than three compromises. In a 2.7m we start with a sofa bed, positioned to face the double glazed glass panels. During the day it is somewhere to sit and take in the view. At night it opens into a bed. One footprint, two functions, and the floor stays clear.
Koala's sofa bed range runs from a 1.5 seater that folds out to a single, through to a 3.5 seater that opens to a king. In a 2.7m the 1.5 seater is the size that works. Move up to a 4m and you have room to go bigger.
The other direction for a 2.7m is a workspace. If the pod is a home office rather than a guest room, a desk facing the glazing does more for the room than any amount of storage. Koala's own guide to choosing a home office desk covers the ergonomics properly, and the short version is that depth matters more than width once you are working in a small room.
Either way the principle holds. In a pod, furniture is a question of depth and clearance before it is a question of style.
Why Koala Is Our Go-To
We specify Koala for how the pieces are built, not for how they photograph.
Everything assembles without tools. That matters more than it sounds. Pods go onto sites with restricted access, up narrow driveways, across paddocks, onto blocks a delivery truck cannot reach. Furniture that arrives compact and assembles in the room solves a problem a showroom sofa creates.
The sofa beds convert in seconds with no lifting, which is the difference between a guest bed that gets used and one that does not. Covers are machine washable, which matters in a short-stay. The timber is FSC certified and Koala is a certified B Corp, which sits comfortably alongside how we build.
Koala is where we start, not the only thing that goes in a pod. We are happy to work around pieces a client already owns.
Pod owners can use code ELSEWHEREPODS20 for 20% off.
What Fits in Each Pod Size
Floor area is the constraint, and it moves quickly across the range.
|
Pod |
Approx. floor area |
Where we start |
What to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2.7m x 2.4m studio |
6.5 sqm |
1.5 seater sofa bed, or a desk. Not both. |
Anything deeper than about 90cm |
|
4m x 2.4m studio |
9.6 sqm |
2.5 seater sofa bed, or a desk and an armchair |
Coffee tables that break the walkway |
|
6m x 2.4m pod |
14.4 sqm |
3 seater sofa bed and a side table |
Freestanding wardrobes |
|
8m x 2.4m tiny home |
19.2 sqm |
Queen bed, armchair, compact dining |
Full depth lounge suites |
|
8m x 4.8m tiny home |
38.4 sqm |
Full lounge setting and a dining table |
Very little. This size behaves like a small home. |
Two rules of thumb we apply on every fit-out.
Keep a walkway of at least 750mm through the main circulation path. Below that a room stops feeling generous no matter how well it is finished.
Favour anything that converts or stores. A sofa bed with hidden storage in the base earns its footprint twice, and in a 6.5sqm room that is the whole game.
Designing Around the Glazing
Full height double glazed glass panels are the reason a small pod does not feel small. The furnishing has to protect that.
Nothing tall goes against the glass. Bookshelves, wardrobes and anything above about 1.2m belongs on the solid walls, where it does not eat into the view or the light.
Place seating to look out. It sounds obvious, and it is the single decision that changes how large a room feels, because the eye reads the garden or the paddock as part of the space.
Fabric choice matters against north facing glass. We lean towards mid tones that hold up to strong light rather than pale linens that show every hour of sun.
Where there is decking or a motorised pergola, treat it as part of the floor plan rather than an outdoor area. The furniture inside and the furniture outside should read as one setting.
Two Fit-Outs We Have Styled
West Melbourne, Victoria. 8m x 4.8m luxury granny flat.
Sandra and Rob call it an entertainer's paradise, which is a fair description of what 38.4sqm allows. Koala furnishings anchor the interior, chosen to match the quality of the fit-out and to hold up to constant use. An unused backyard now works as a year round living area.
“When we style a pod, the furnishings have to match the quality of the build. Koala is our go-to. It looks the part, it holds up to constant guest use, and it lets us hand over a space that feels finished from day one.”
-Matt Decarne, CEO and Co-Founder, Elsewhere Pods
Bicheno, Tasmania. The Bambino, 8m tiny home.
250 metres from the beach on Tasmania's east coast, The Bambino is owned by Monique of Casa Bicheno and was furnished in collaboration with Koala. The brief was calm, considered and genuinely restful. It now lets on Airbnb and Booking.com, where the furnishing shows up directly in the reviews.
“Guests always comment on how well they sleep. The Koala furnishings are a big part of why The Bambino feels like a genuine escape rather than just a place to stay. It's why the reviews keep coming.”
-Monique, Owner, Casa Bicheno
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you furnish a tiny home? Start with the largest piece and work down. Choose the sofa or the bed first, place it to face the glazing, then fit storage and surfaces around the walkway that is left.
Is there a discount on Koala furniture for pod owners? Yes. Use code ELSEWHEREPODS20 for 20% off.
What size sofa fits in a tiny home? In a 2.7m x 2.4m studio, a 1.5 seater. In a 4m studio, a 2.5 seater. In an 8m tiny home, a 3 seater or a full bed. Depth is the number to check, not seat count.
Does an Elsewhere Pod come furnished? No. Pods are supplied unfurnished so you can specify the interior yourself. Kitchenettes, bathrooms, decking and a motorised pergola are available as customisations across the range.
Can you fit a double bed in a 2.7m studio? A 2.5 seater sofa bed opens to a double and will physically fit, but it leaves very little circulation. In a 2.7m we recommend the 1.5 seater.
What furniture works best in a small backyard studio? Anything that converts, anything that stores, and anything under about 90cm deep.