The design of a small apartment requires a special approach. To get a beautiful, comfortable, and functional space in a small area, it is better to trust the professionals. The specialists of Minimalism know exactly what is needed to create the apartment of your dreams. In our new article, designers will share recommendations that will help you create the ideal interior of a small home.
#1. Optimize your layout and zone your space
The key to a functional and cozy design of a small apartment is proper planning and zoning. There are several ways to increase space by making changes to the layout. You can:
- dismantle the partitions, combining the kitchen and living room;
- expand the bathroom through the corridor;
- combine an isolated hallway with a living room;
- connect the hallway to the living room or the loggia to the room.
For effective zoning in a small apartment use:
- sliding doors instead of hinged ones;
- open double-sided shelving;
- built-in cabinet structures;
- the difference in floor height;
- dividers made of smart glass that changes transparency.
Slat partitions made of light wood can also act as a separating element. Glass partitions or inserts of different widths and heights delimit zones while letting in daylight and giving a feeling of spaciousness. The design of a small apartment will only benefit from such decisions.
The combination of several colors and finishing materials of different textures is another zoning option. It is recommended to use different types of coating on the floor. To highlight zones, you should play with color, texture, or patterns, placing bright color accents in an overall light palette.
#2. Choose the right interior style
The design of a small apartment involves the rational use of every centimeter. Therefore, the optimal interior styles for compact housing are minimalism, hi-tech, modern, and Scandinavian. Brutal loft is also suitable for small apartments. All these styles embody convenience, conciseness, and simplicity. A minimum of things and decor, maximum light, natural materials, ergonomic furniture, multi-level lighting, a light palette, color accents, simple shapes, and lines visually increase the space and help avoid clutter.
Styles rich in small details and requiring a large amount of textiles and decor are not suitable for a small apartment. For example, art deco, boho, Provence, country, and pop art would be a bad choice.
#3. Give preference to light colors
A good way to visually add a few square meters to the design of a small apartment is to give preference to a neutral color scheme. Light, pastel, and muted colors create an airy feeling and make rooms appear larger. White, beige, milky, cream, gray, and light green tones can be used monochrome or combined with other shades, choosing one color as a basis.
The secrets of successful interior design for a small apartment are playing with colors and using several shades but without an overabundance of dark colors. In a small space, a contrasting design of one wall in a darker tone is allowed. If the kitchen is combined with the living room, its walls should be in harmony with the shades in the recreation area but do not necessarily duplicate them. For the bedroom it is better to use calm tones of the walls, and for the living room – more saturated ones.
#4. Consider the lighting
To ensure maximum sunlight penetration, it is recommended to avoid heavy curtains. It is better to choose blinds, light-flowing fabrics, or fabric roller blinds.
When designing a small apartment, it is advisable not to limit yourself to one light source. To optically expand the space, it is necessary to organize multi-level lighting: lamps on the ceiling and walls, as well as next to the bed, armchairs, and sofa. Light sources should be placed evenly. It is better to abandon massive chandeliers and large hanging structures in favor of spots, translucent lampshades, or built-in ceiling lights. Several lamps with different brightness will play the role of dividers, highlighting areas for sleep, work, and relaxation.
#5. Choose the right finish
The right choice of finishing materials is another way to visually increase the area of a small apartment. The best options for wall cladding are painting with light paint and plastering. The white ceiling matches all the shades of the walls and visually enlarges the room.
It is better to choose simple finishing solutions, avoiding too many different materials and colorful finishes. The color and texture of the walls and floor should be predominantly neutral because they will become the background for color accents – furniture and decor.
#6. Organize efficient storage systems
When designing a small apartment, you need to plan several storage scenarios. Practical options are built-in wardrobes, hidden systems, and a corner wardrobe with a system of shelves, brackets, drawers, and a sufficient number of rods for hangers. Installing guides in the ceiling and floor helps save space when installing a large wardrobe. If the ceiling height allows in a small apartment, you can place a loft bed.
Many interior items can serve double duty, saving space. This can be a chair-bed, a wardrobe-bed, a table-rack, a table, or a transforming sofa with a storage box.
Furniture items should be compact, roomy, and shallow. Bookshelves are best placed vertically. You can install racks, cabinets or shelves on the balcony, and place drawers under the podium. If you make a mirror to order, you can provide hidden shelves for cosmetics or jewelry.
#7. Use techniques to visually increase space
Large vertical wall mirrors (one or several) visually expand the space of a small apartment and create the illusion of depth. All reflective surfaces double the amount of natural light. It is better to combine mirrors with matte surfaces to avoid the effect of a mirror labyrinth.
Tall doorways, vertical patterns, wall paintings and wood panels, and glass, metal, or transparent tables instead of classic wooden ones optically enlarge the room. Laying floor coverings at an angle of 45° or diagonally has the same property. Built-in household appliances will help save precious space.
To get a cozy, beautiful, original, and functional design for a small apartment, you need to properly organize the space. It is necessary to pay attention to ergonomics, storage systems, and selection of materials while choosing a stylistically competent solution. It is quite difficult to figure out such issues on your own. It is better to enlist the help of a team of professionals and use the services of an interior designer. Specialists will select the best layout, help you decide on the style, and take into account all other nuances. They will control every stage – from the development of a design project to its implementation.
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