Five space-saving tips to steal from this minimalist micro-hotel in Santorini

While we're drawn to admire hotels for their boutique furnishings and audacious color schemes, we never expected to find ourselves falling for their space-saving ideas. Then we saw Vora, Santorini's micro-hotel, carved into the cliffs above the beryl Aegean. 

There is a lot to love about Vora: beyond its place in Imerovigli's palm-tree kissed neighborhood to its minimalist ambiance, as seen in its rustic palette and home decor pieces. However, if we're able to mirror anything from Vora in our homes, it would be its ingenious space-saving techniques – that are almost too stylish to be practical. 

From the hands of Santorini native Yannis Bellonias and Greek design and architecture firm K-Studio, here are five space-saving tips to bring from this micro-hotel into your interiors. 

1. Curate multifunctional furniture 

(Image credit: Ståle Erikse)

Choosing versatile decor in a small space is almost expected in a small area, but Vora has taught just how stylish these pieces can be when integrated with the scheme. The hotel exemplifies multi-use furnishings by building sofas into all corners of the room and ensuring they double as tables, storage space, and plant holders, as seen in this case. Who knew that durability could look so good?

2. Combine sizes to camouflage pieces

(Image credit: Ståle Erikse)

We're turning our homes into Russian Dolls – and that's a sentence we never thought we'd hear ourselves say. Perhaps the easiest way to save space whilst paying homage to a minimalistic theme is by pairing small furnishings with large pieces that act as a shell when the smaller decor is not in use. For example, the small rattan chair above slots effortlessly in the area below the dark-wood breakfast bar (as much as it pains us to hide away any rattan, this save-saving technique needs celebrating). 

3. Accentuate your architectural assets 

(Image credit: Ståle Erikse)

Thinking about small bedroom storage ideas often involves being inventive, and Vora is no exception. Here, the shelving expands into a carved area in the wall, meaning the wardrobe space does not take up any additional room –but instead – plays with a previously unexplored space. While we can't all dig deep into our walls, we remain inspired to look beyond conventions and get creative with space we may have never known existed. 

4. Build taps into the side of the sink

(Image credit: Ståle Erikse)

Space-saving isn't all about storage systems or grand architectural designs. While these are undeniably influential, it's equally important to consider smaller interior accessories, including the taps. Rather than implementing the piece into the center of the basin, Vora is prompting us to reevaluate what we know about conventional bathroom design by placing the hardware at the side of the sink. 

This not only saves a small surface area but also creates a statement that differs from the orthodox. We're tempted to follow suit, even if space-saving isn't at the very top of our agenda. 

5. Continue your scheme throughout your exteriors  

(Image credit: Ståle Erikse)

Vora's terrace is perhaps the micro hotel's most glorious feature, but with its photogenic rooftops and oceanic view aside, the area is an interior-lovers paradise too. 

The secret to Vora's successful modern garden ideas is seen through the continuation of its interior scheme across the outside space. Here, the multifunctional furniture continues to impress, and every square inch of the space has a purpose. The result is a beautifully stylish paradise amid a wider utopia which has only reinforced our need to book a one-way ticket to Santorini. In the meantime, however, we're genuinely excited about reorganizing our storage systems (yes, really. We're acting fast while the feeling lasts). 

Nightly rates at Vora, Santorini start from 600 Euros, including breakfast, based on two people sharing. Discover more at www.voravillas.com.