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Which dwelling do we call small?

Naturally, it is subjective… But for us at Studio One, an apartment with an area of ​​less than 50 sq.m can definitely be called small.

At the end of last year, we successfully completed the execution of our “MV” project, which falls precisely into this category of housing. You can view the entire photo shoot of the project here.

The hall

The builder had left an alcove in the hall for “something like a closet”. The alcove was small, but too deep to put only a built-in wardrobe. We decided to make a small closet for jackets and shoes, but then the question arose of how to access it. There was no option for a standard hinged door as there was no room to open in either direction. That’s why we opted for a folding MDF door. You can see it on youtube.

The bathroom

The bathroom was a case. With its square footage of 2.6 square meters, the room did not offer many options for distribution. We moved the pins to make it as functional as possible. The clients’ requirement was that there must be a shower cabin, not just a screen, the sink should be as large as possible, and the water heater was also planned to be in this room. Customers also wanted a pound to keep them comfortable in the winter.

We installed a small shower-cabin with dimensions of 80×80 cm, of course – round, so as not to take too much of the scarce area. It was a logical decision for the walls to be white (and polished), as well as the sanitary ware and the cabinet under the sink. We decided to make the boiler flat and position it behind the door, and below the boiler- the pound desired by the customers. The ceiling in the bathroom is stretched – white gloss – in sync with the polished granite tiles on the walls. A stretch ceiling is a good solution if you want to be mold free. Well, unless you’re a fan of all-natural materials.

The living room

As in most new construction cases, in this apartment we have an open living room plan meaning living room and kitchen are in one room. Well, open…how open is it when it comes to 20 sq.m

The clients’ requirements for this area were as follows: there had to be a washing machine here; to have a corner sofa (but also necessarily extendable – “and could it not be one of those with the uncomfortable springs”) ; a dining table that can accommodate 8 people; to find a place for a bar counter with chairs. We met all these requirements and also managed to match the styles that the two home owners like. The woman wanted a modern interior, and the man imagined a more vintage look. We settled their differences and, as we like to practice in our projects, we combined “old with new”.

The dining table is from a leading Italian manufacturer, and extends from 120 cm to 180 cm to accommodate all the guests at the happy dinners that the couple hosts. The dining chairs, as well as those at the bar, will delight residents with Spanish quality. The dining chairs have discreet swivel seats for comfort. And the bar stools are chosen to be compact, but at the same time comfortable. And regarding the bar – we left it “in the air” with the aim of a more interesting look and feeling of spaciousness.

And in the living space, we continued the line of white marble, decided for the back of the kitchen, as well as the coffee table with natural oak legs.

The sofa arrived from Italy and, if desired and needed, turns into a real guest bedroom with a comfortable mattress. The wallpaper behind it is custom-printed especially for this interior, enchants with a distinct character and together with the carpet create a hypnotic rhythm.

We decided that for this room it would be best to have only one row of curtains (semi-transparent) so as not to weigh down and further reduce the space. The curtains have a light pattern that successfully matches the herringbone floor..

The bedroom

The clients wanted maximum storage space (as do most people) and it is a challenge to design a 9 sq.m room intended for a bedroom so that there is room for everything.

Another requirement was that there should be no air conditioning or convector here. We decided to heat it with an electric fireplace, which is a good choice for such small rooms., in addition to coziness, beauty and warmth, the wall with the fireplace also offers quite a few hidden cabinets, continuing on the other wall as a wardrobe with sliding doors. To make the most of the wardrobe wall, we extended it almost to the door and brought the light switches to the side of the wardrobe.

However, in order to have so many cupboards and a wardrobe, we had to “find” a bedroom with minimal dimensions (so that there would still be room to walk comfortably from everywhere). The bed had to have as thin a headboard as possible (but at the same time upholstered – for comfort) to be able to pass comfortably between the bed and the fireplace. Again, we found it with our Italian friends. 🙂

To “warm up” the situation in the white bedroom, we continued the idea with the retro bricks in tile color and, as in the living room, we highlighted them with LED backlighting. To the minimalist white look, we “cheekily” added leaf-shaped tables made of aged metal and blackout curtains in dark brown with a copper sheen. The lamps on the tables are made of natural marble, and the retro light bulbs match the shape of the bed cover.

5 basic tips from us when furnishing a small home

Be careful with the technical details (pay attention to where plumbing connections, electrical switches and sockets are placed) so that they do not hinder the functionality and the achievement of an aesthetic result. Move, add, remove while it’s time (before plaster and paint).

Choose either very bright colors or moderate to strong contrasts.

Pay close attention to the dimensions of the furniture and lighting you buy (in small homes, every centimeter counts).

Provide enough light – both artificial and natural. Avoid placing dark curtains in the small living room (there are exceptions – when it is with a specific strategy 🙂 )

Add accents that draw the eye and distract from the size of the room (eg picture/decorative panels/interesting lamp, etc.) But don’t overdo it. If you overcram it, it will look even narrower than it is 🙂