As house prices continue to rise, it seems that house sizes are decreasing. The increasing demand for houses means that our homes are increasingly smaller and so every square foot that we have at our disposal needs to be used to it’s maximum potential. Designers are coming up with increasingly innovative ways to help us to maximize the space that we have, so what design decisions should you be making which will have the biggest impact on your small apartment?
Your Small Apartment
The important thing to remember when you have a small apartment, is that it is your home. Think about what your priorities are and work towards them. For example, if you aren`t a big fan of hosting dinner parties, you might not need a dining area with a big table. Likewise, if you often work from home, you might need a permanent space where you can work. The trick here is about designing your home to meet your wants and needs.
Photo by Kenorah Design + Build Ltd.
Bearing this in mind, however, this doesn’t mean that your apartment should be only functional. You can also make it stylish and beautiful – an extension of your personality. To be able to find a balance between functionality and style, means that you can enjoy everything that you need in a home as well as enjoy actually being in it.
Furniture
When you are living in a confined space it is important that you get the most out of the largest things that you have inside – and this is usually furniture. There is a lot of dual or multi-purpose furniture around, meaning that it can be used for two or more things.
Photo by Jamie McNeilis, Accredited Staging Professional
When it comes to choosing furniture for your small apartment, there are two options that you should be looking at – transformer furniture – something that can transform from one thing to another, and furniture which gives a big capacity but takes up a relatively small amount of space.
Photo by Ute Günther wachgeküsst INNENARCHITEKTUR+DESIGN
In the bedroom, there are a number of ways that you can adapt your bed. For example, there are many beds available with a storage area underneath them – perfect for storing clothes, books or other belongings, sofa beds are a great idea if you don’t have a separate bedroom, and there are many sofa bed options that also give you storage for bedding during the day.
Dining tables are available which fold down into a smaller size for when it`s just you, and can open up if you have more people eating. They can also be found with storage – for extra chairs, for example, kitchen supplies, or anything else that you need to store.
Photo by Signature Design Interiors
Décor
Another important factor to the perceived size of your apartment is in its decoration. Don’t forget to use the height of your space as well as the square foot area. This means that you can use shelving for storage, maybe add mezzanine levels, add storage areas above head height, other space saving techniques such as mounting TVs on the wall, and using the space around doors and windows.
It is also worth using lighter colors on the walls to open the space up – dark walls usually give the impression of the area being smaller than it actually is. Mirrors are also a great way to give the impression of space.
Photo by ZR-architects
Air Conditioning and Heating Systems
Keeping your apartment warm or cold is important but some heating and AC systems can take up a lot of space, especially if you have them as two separate entities. There are some systems which can both heat and cool the air in your home, reducing the need (and space) for two separate systems. The good news is that if you have only as small apartment, you will not require a huge, powerful system as there is a relatively small area to heat or cool.
By putting a unit in your window area, you can also reduce the space that is taken up by your heating or AC unit.
Photo by Josh Wynne Construction
It can be challenging for those with a small apartment to keep it tidy, organized and looking and working how you want it to. However, there are many design features which can be used, and with a little creativity, you can make your space work really well for you.