Maximising Small Spaces Under 50 Sqm (With Floor Plans)

Nobody likes tight feeling rooms, free space makes it more comfortable to get around and function more easily in our homes. Even in limited spaces we still need storage and a proper place to eat, and sometimes even a dedicated area for work. These three small apartment designs, each under 50 square metres, are full of neat ideas for fitting in everything on the wish list. Bespoke fitted furniture has all of the solutions, without making rooms feel even remotely cluttered or over-packed. Different finishes and accent colours visually break up the layout, whilst hero furniture pieces puff up the style factor. Floor plans reveal exactly how it’s done, in clear black and white detail.

Designer: Bezmirno Architects Visualizer: Bezmirno Architects

The first apartment has a floor plan of less than 40 square metres. During its redesign, an adjoined lounge, kitchen, dining space was created by making the bedroom as small as is comfortable–since the least time would be spent here. A modern sofa is utilised as a dividing device to gently separate the kitchen diner from the lounge area. A chartreuse round coffee table adds a pop of colour to white, wood and grey decor, along with a matching accent cushion.

A large kitchen island runs the same line as the sofa, building a wall in front of the main kitchen run. The island includes a dining bar for four by the window, which can also be utilised as a working surface.

Smooth wood effect doors conceal generous storage space for the small apartment. The units match the finish of the kitchen cabinets to give the compact room one cohesive look. To the right of the cupboards is the entrance to the bedroom, made of satin glass to receive daylight from the large window opposite.

A dark living room wall makes a perfect mount for a TV screen, helping it to blend instead of dominate.

The original kitchen and balcony was combined to make an airy space for cooking and welcoming guests. An unusual fruit bowl rests on the prep counter beneath a simple linear suspension light.

The home’s main storage units continue around into the home entryway, tidily wrapping the entire corner in wood grain.

Black decor wraps the opposite wall of the hallway.

Modern wall sconces shine a twinkly effect inside the cozy bedroom, and the soft glow of warm LEDs emit from behind panels and seams. Although the area of the bedroom is only around 5 square metres, it has all that’s needed for a good night’s sleep. The podium that holds the mattress serves as storage, and as a bedside table for books, electronics, and obligatory charging sockets.

Black grout makes a grid around white bathroom tiles.

Black bathroom furniture, fixtures and fittings make strong impact inside the tiny room.

Floor plan showing the limited space allocated for the bedroom, and the useful wall of storage built around it.

Designer: LT Studio Photographer: Andy Shustykevych

The second small home design is a studio that measures just 27.1 square metres.

Two blue coloured swing arm wall lamps extend over a built-in bed design beneath the window. By day, the bed serves as a couch next to the TV.

Storage drawers are concealed in the deep bed base, not wasting an inch of limited living space.

Casing disguises the radiator under the window.

A bright orange accent chair serves as a visual stop between the bedroom/living room and the kitchen diner area. The hero piece injects a huge shock of style into the little apartment, giving it big personality.

A white dresser stands on the opposite side of the room.

The comfortable reading chair is teamed with a small side table and floor reading lamp to make a cute reading nook.

A rose gold pendant light hangs over the ice white dining set for four in the kitchen.

One simple glass vase dresses the minimalist dining table.

Bright blue kitchen cabinets make a colourful statement along one wall, with white upper cabinets keeping the room looking open and spacious.

Herringbone wood flooring stretches out a look of quality through the small apartment.

An Ikea Stockholm mirror decorates the entryway wall, outside a blue bathroom.

Home design concept board, exploring strong colour contrast.

Studio floor plan.

Designer: Tsai Design

Designers maximised every last centimetre of our last small home, a basic 1970s one bedroom apartment. The team began with one question in mind: “How might we fit a big house into a small unit?” “The trick to designing small footprint homes is knowing where it pays to be generous” say the creators, and at just 35 square metres the challenge was on.

Though this apartment is small, its impact is sizeable. It is a place for entertaining guests, it is a comfortable home office, and it’s a place for rest.

Keeping within the constraints of the original floor plan, attention and budget was poured into multifunctional cabinetry and shelving systems. These bespoke pieces create an abundance of storage in every area. In the living room there is a floor to ceiling bookcase that works around the window, and forms a window seat. Geometric concrete planters hold an indoor plant garden here too, including a beautiful little Pilea peperomioides. The living greenery inspires the colour choice of the upholstered modern sofa.

Mirrored cabinet doors and skirting reflect the room, making the space look wider. Adjacent cabinets hold the TV.

When the TV cabinet is closed, a work desk can be pulled up on brackets. A computer monitor pulls out of the adjacent mirrored cabinet on an extendable arm.

In contrast to the white and green lounge/office side of the room, the remaining half is taken over by a wood and black kitchen design.

In the original apartment layout there was just a sink, now there stands a 4 metre long kitchen with ample bench space and storage. Watch the video at the end to see how a hidden dining table slides into place.

Open kitchen shelving makes maximum use of narrow space at the end of the kitchen run.

The kitchen borrows light and a green view from the bathroom and its living wall. Privacy film glass is activated at the flick of a switch when the bathroom is in use.