Most of the Scandinavian homes I share aren’t big places. And some are tiny studios but no matter what size they are, they all have one thing in common — making the best use of the space they have without it looking cluttered or busy. Today’s home is no exception. This very small one bedroom apartment measures just 34 sqm or 360 sqft. It’s really a studio sized apartment but it does have a separate bed area as you’ll see. What stands out here is the clever use of space for both practicality and aesthetics. Read on for lots of inspiring ideas that are handy for small space living.
The living room in this Swedish apartment is long and narrow. A narrow living room can be one of the trickiest spaces to decorate — trying to make it look wider while fitting everything in without making it look cluttered is challenging. This living room though, has made such great use of the space. Firstly the floor is laid horizontally which is a great way to make a narrow space appear wider. You also have a cleverly placed mirror which not only reflects the light but also accentuates width rather than length. Even in this small space there are clear living and dining zones — the large rug anchors the living space while the small round dining table is perfect for this narrow space.
In the living space, the round coffee and side table is yet another way of taking the focus away from the narrowness of the room; whereas a rectangular table would accentuate it. At the dining end of the room, you have a large grey cabinet which is the same style and colour as the kitchen cabinets visible just beyond. This makes it fit cohesively in to the space and adds much needed storage. You might have noticed the coat hook placed on the side of the cabinet — a simple little detail that is so useful for small space living.
In terms of the decor, it has all the things that make Scandinavian decor so beautiful – textures, feature lights, plants, neutral tones and more. Speaking of neutral tones, the grey and beige colour scheme works so well in this bright room.
The living area leads in to the kitchen which then leads in to the bedroom. The kitchen is very small and isn’t a room but more of a space between rooms. Despite this, the space has been used to maximise storage without blocking the flow from one room to another. The wall cabinets make use of the height and you have other simple space saving ideas like a wall mounted knife holder and rails on the sides of the cabinets. The use of glass doors in a few of the wall cabinets creates visual balance, avoiding a heavy or bulky look. The kitchen decor is simple yet warm. The mid-grey cabinets pair well with the marble worktops which add texture and interest. The marble also provides a nice contrast to the brass accents in the space.
The bedroom, which is off the kitchen, is once again a very small space. They’ve used the height of the room for some much needed storage like shelves above the bed and a tall wardrobe. Speaking of the wardrobe, it’s a great idea to get a doorless wardrobe in a small bedroom like this one. A doorless wardrobe means you need to take up less depth and therefore less space. There are plenty of drawers in the closet, perfect to hideaway stuff you don’t want on display.
On the wall opposite the window you have a mirror which is again not only useful but also reflects light and makes the space feel airier and bigger. And you’ve got a small but clever addition of a desk space with storage above. They’ve managed to get a lot in to this tiny bedroom without making it look cluttered which is why it works so well. Also, keeping the wardrobe the same shade as the kitchen cabinets as well as the other grey touches in the room makes for a cohesive look for the whole space as the kitchen is also visible form the bedroom.
This small apartment is simply but stylishly decorated and shows that small space living doesn’t have to be a compromise. You can have both style and functionality without any clutter.
images via alvhem
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