When you’re designing a compact apartment or house, there are certain things you can do to improve the sense of space and roominess within your abode. Light colour schemes, reflective surfaces and well-planned layouts all contribute to creating a usable, liveable and versatile residence.
Today’s feature property will take you inside one of these homes. At only 50m2 this dwelling is certainly compact, yet manages to evoke an atmosphere of efficiency and expansiveness.
Designed by the team at Carpaneda & Nasr this apartment has been brought to life through the lens of photographer Joana França. Bright, engaging and energetic, this dwelling certainly proves that you can live big in a small home.
Welcome to the apartment! Here we’ll show you exactly how to create an apartment that feels bigger than it actually is. One of the first things we notice is the customised joinery in the corner. We all know that clutter is unquestionably counterproductive to feeling spatially free within one’s home, and this design makes sure there are plenty of storage spaces to keep the home neat and tidy.
The cabinet setup boasts timber veneer, along with recessed yellow lighting that helps illuminate the underside of the desk surface.
The different elements within this home were designed with care and consideration. In the main living area we train our eyes on the corner joinery system. This setup boasts a customised arrangement of shelves that work wonderfully to provide a sense of cleanliness, while boosting the clutter free aesthetic.
Mounting the television on the wall also helped save some surface space, which effectively allowed for a small workspace to sit in the corner. And, as if there couldn’t be any more features, we see a small bar fridge, perfectly placed to sit a cold beverage while watching a film.
The apartment maximises its light to create a space that is welcoming and warm. Sheer curtains offer privacy; yet avoid any hindrance to the natural sunlight beyond. Paired with reflective surfaces like the mirror wall and high gloss tiles, this definitely adds to the roominess of the apartment.
We always say that in a compact home, integrated open plan spaces are best. This is certainly true in this apartment, where we see the living area situated against the window and balcony, while the kitchen and dining flow on from the entrance.
Additionally, large mirrored panelling is clad to the left wall, meaning the room feels far larger than it ought to.
Within the compact kitchen we notice that the designers have added an all-in-one workspace. This functions as a dinner space, along with a cooking area with stovetop. To save space yet promote storage, overhead shelving is mounted just above the sitting space. Although small, this certainly adds a feeling of functionality, while ensuring the rest of the room is unimpeded by the dining and cooking areas.
The bedroom is another space that has benefitted from the use of reflective surfaces. Large panels of mirror sit against the side wall of the room and assist in the area feeling far larger than it actually is. Simple and sophisticated, the décor is comprised of bold contrasting tones, elegant art, and sumptuous bed linen. Extra additions include an air-conditioner and wall-mounted television for entertainment.
What did you think of this room? If you’d like to see another stylish house, we think you’ll enjoy: 15 small homes that prove you should decorate with white