How to design for small spaces

I’ve been thinking hard on what my first blog post should be in these dire times. Since we are all stuck at home, I want to start with some tips that helped me make the most of my small flat. I’m sure many of you want to use this time to make home improvements but don’t necessarily know where to start or what to do, especially if you live in a rather small place or sharing with other people.

To me the most common problem in small flats is storage. If you don’t have it, your home looks like a cluttered mess and feels even tinier. Fear not, I’m here to help!

I’ve always lived in big cities and I’ve never been rich so I’ve either lived in small flats or in flat-shares. Also, I’m definitely not a minimal person… I have a lot of stuff and all of it “brings me joy” so I’ve had to learn to be creative with space and think outside the box(flat).

1- Use all available space, from floor to ceiling

This sounds obvious but often enough we only occupy our floors when we have all this wall space available, there for the taking.

And remember, cluttered floors actually make your flat look smaller and that’s definitely not what you want.

Floating shelves

I’m a massive fan of floating shelves. They are almost everywhere in my flat because they are saving so much space.

I love them because they are so versatile. From ready-made shelves to apple crates, this is your time to be creative and shine.

You can make good use of space above your sofa, your desk or in your bathroom. It’s particularly useful storage on dead space like a plain wall in a narrow corridor or small bathroom. It can really transform your home and make it feel a lot more spacious.

Here are some of my favourite examples:

Tips: When putting anything on your wall, first investigate what your wall is made off. If it’s made of plaster, use plaster cavity fixings or your shelves will fall at the first sign of weight. If your wall is made of concrete, you’ll probably need a power drill to drill through it. There’s tons of YouTube videos that can help you make sure you are prepared before you start

Floor to Ceiling wardrobe

When you are fitting a wardrobe, always go for the floor to ceiling ones, especially if you have a small flat.

Whether it’s the cupboard above your kitchen sink or your bedroom storage, make the most of it. You’ll be glad you did when you buy yet another winter jumper when it’s now summer. From craft material to gym equipment, you’ll be able to fit so much in it and declutter your home.

Tips: If you are renting or don’t want to change your existing wardrobe, you can find boxes to put on top of your cabinets to add more storage for all your bits and bobs

Under the bed

I’m sure you already have all sorts of stuff under there, from suitcases to winter clothing but I couldn’t not mention it, just in case. If you buy your own bed, make sure you get one that either has pre-fitted storage or at least a clear 20cm-30cm gap underneath.

Here are some of my favourite under bed storage ideas, from ready build to DIYs:

2- Turn storage into a statement

While it’s useful to have plenty of storage, you don’t want your home looking like a container unit. That’s why the best thing you can do in a small place is to turn all your containers into design statement.

You don’t have the luxury of a walk in closed or a utility room so instead choose statement boxes, shelves and drawers. Each piece add personality to your home and makes it look intentional. Who cares if you live in a small flat when it looks so beautiful and interesting.

Whether it’s bought, made or refurbished, this is your time to explore and make an impression with your small flat/room.

Tips: stick to one style throughout your flat. Do you want an ultra modern look, a old English one, a Boho feel? Once you fall in love with a style, stick to it so your interior looks purposeful and not like a random collection of objects. Don’t be afraid to create your own vibe but stay true to it. For example I define my home as “Antique-Industrial”. I have a lot of antique pieces from my parents (think warm woody trunks and dressers) but I also like a more modern feel so I added metal touches. I love the way it look but I wouldn’t add lots of pattern or fabric because it would clash.

For more ideas on how to organise your closet to make the most of your available space, read this article by Christina Giaquinto at modular closets. It has lots of very useful tips.

3- Keep your home tidy!

I can already hear some of you sighing but a tidy home looks bigger, better and cleaner. That’s just a fact. Also when it’s tidy, you can fit so much more stuff in it.

Design the inside of your cupboard

One thing you can do to help you keep your home tidy is to make the most of the storage cabinets you have.

Sometime you have one large cupboard with no shelves and that’s your only storage place. It’s impractical and ends up being a mismatch of random size boxes, yoga mats and shoes. You end up having to empty half the cupboard to get what you need and after that you can’t face putting in back so it lays around for months.

Here are some of my favourite ideas to sort your cabinets out:

Tips: I recently design the interior of the massive cupboard I have in my flat. It’s big but quite deep and has a lot of weird corners that aren’t easily accessible. The first thing I did is make a list of what I needed it for (my washing machine is also in it) and what I needed to put in it. I made a quick drawing of the inside and started planning where shelves could go, how many I would need and where. If you inventory what you have and think about what you are most likely to use on a regular basis (not that weight lifting equipment you bought 3 years ago and only used twice but rather your vacuum cleaner for example…), you can organise your storage space so it works for you and not the other way around.

A place for everything and everything in its place

That could honestly be my mantra! If you assign a location for everything, you always know where to find what you are looking for and are more likely to put it back after using it because you know where it goes. It takes practise but after a while it just become second nature.

Invest in large trunks or baskets

If all the above fails, hide your mess! It’s easy to find nice trunks or statement baskets with a lid. They will hold a lot of stuff. Beautiful on the outside, messy on the inside but who cares? Your flat is looking like a million bucks.

Obviously that’s not what I would do but everyone is different. Just because you don’t like tidying doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy a lovely interior.

Thank you for reading. I hope this post inspired you to turn your small flat/room into a gem. I know you can do it and please get in touch or comment if you have any questions or need help with your designing project.

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And for those of you who are wondering, this is some of the storage I put in place in my small flat:

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