Do you own an small home ranging from 40sqm to 70sqm and don’t know where to start designing and decorating? Too much furniture around you and it starts to be overwhelming? Don’t stress out! We have made a list of tricks and ideas that you might be able to use when creating your dream home. Read the article below for a few tips on maximising space of your home to start!
A few years ago, the studio-flat concept was created for students and young people that had just moved into the city, summer residences, and those who are single. Nowadays, having a 40sqm flat is something more common than we think, and many families and couples are living in spaces ranging from 40sqm to 70sqm. That said, apartments of these sizes can still be as beautiful (or more!) than a bigger-sized home. Don’t let space be an obstacle to creating your dream place.
In this article, we have put together a list of tips on how to decorate a very small apartment of about 40 to 50 sqm. These can help you optimise your space and create a home that although smaller in size, will definitely be beautiful.
8 rules to decorating a smaller-sized flat
(and making most of your space)
①
Get rid of the walls
The first step is the most important, which is removing the walls to make the place “loftly”. This means to create a space that is all about openness without partitions. Doing this will give you more space and versatility to work with. Rather than separating the different rooms with walls, use carpets, colours, textures, furniture, curtains, and different illumination to create visual spaces instead. An example? Have a look at the apartment below. The owner created 3 different spaces in the home with just carpets and colours!
First, looking at the kitchen – the white furniture, white walls, and a black carpet gives the space its perfect contrast, creating visual grounds that separate it from the other section of the home. How is the central dining area isolated from the rest of the spaces? With a simple brick wall, a darker table and different illumination (by using the lighting fixture above) than the rest of the room. Lastly, the living area has walls painted in a darker tone and uses another carpet to give it a slightly different atmosphere.
②
Make use of all the spaces
When you reach to the harder task of decorating a 40 sqm flat, we encourage you play the hide-and-seek game. Not literally, but almost. This means hiding all your boxes, drawers, closets, etc. Where? Under the bed (platform bed would be great if possible), on top of the wardrobes, behind the doors… every place with a minimum space can be used. A little box which requires little space can be used to keep your chargers, scarfs, the laptop or any other smaller items. The most important thing is that there should be nothing obstructing the view like the top of surfaces. This may cause the space to look doubly untidy, especially in a small area.
③
Use white
Vibrant colours such as yellow, red, or blue can also do the job. However, a definite way to make your home look bigger is using white! This colour, as we mentioned in our previous article, is used to make spaces look bigger, and can match anything. This makes decorating and styling much easier to carry out. To make the space feel even larger, we recommend including some mirrors combined with some greys and geometric forms.
④
Separate the rooms with curtains
As mentioned, the biggest enemy of small apartments are walls. Instead, use curtains, folding screens, and even flooring to separate the spaces instead of walls.
⑤
Choose foldable tables
If the space is too tight, use foldable tables that can be kept once you’re done, possibly in the terrace or behind a door.
⑥
Put the bathroom vanity in the room
If you have no space for your vanity in the bathroom, or if it makes it too cluttered with it inside, take out the toilet sink and put it in your bedroom, just outside the bathroom. When done right, it gives the place a vintage look, as it looks like an old dressing table. Keep the bathroom just for the lavatory seat and the shower.
⑦
Sleep close to the ceiling
Don’t have space for a proper bed? Create a mezzanine if your ceiling height allows it! This way, you could make the living room, the kitchen, or even the bathroom bigger! This method would allow you to add privacy to this space even when you have guests over.
⑧
Put the bed in the living room
If your ceiling is not tall enough for a mezzanine floor, just bring the bed to the living area. This saves a lot of space. However, this will only be suitable if you’re someone who uses the bedroom just for sleeping at the end of the day! Then, making more lounging space in the living room can be made a priority instead.
Decorating a small apartment is not impossible. It can still look cozy and spacious if you know how to make the most of it. Let our team help you optimise your small space. Drop our design team a call today at our main line, +65 63451730 or via our Contact Us page, alternatively you may also speak to our studio directors directly at +65 97386690 (Alicia)/+65 81234411 (Eugene) today!
Written by:
Laura Garcia
Interior Architect