Without the luxuries of triple-figure square meterage and copious amounts of storage, working with small spaces becomes an odyssey in clever thinking – which actually makes it a lot of fun! And it all starts with a bit of visual magic.
APARTMENT 1: Copenhagen
WHO LIVES HERE? Gitte NordstrØm, PR manager.
Located in Nørrebro, Copenhagen, the building that houses Gitte’s apartment was formerly a factory. These days it’s a magnet for people working in the creative industries. Gitte says that the size of the apartment has caused her to “throw away the common idea of one room, one function.
It has impacted the aesthetic of the apartment as I don’t have any places I can hide things. I have to put away my mess!” Like Philip, she says it has helped her edit her belongings down to essentials. “I have, for example, had to give up the idea of having a juicer, and although it sounds trite, these kinds of choices have helped me ask questions about my actual needs.”
Dual purpose furniture such as Gitte’s wall lamp, which she swings between the bedroom and kitchen as required, is a clever way to save space. Photo: Martin Sølyst / Living Inside
WHY THIS SPACE WORKS
Items that aren’t used frequently are stowed up high to free up floor space.
Small homes can also run the risk of feeling a bit boxy, so think about introducing curves, like Gitte has with her dining chairs, for contrast.
If your bed is seen from the living area, dress it as if it were a sofa, as Gitte has done, using solid colours and avoiding visible bedsheets.
A little bit of busyness, such as Gitte’s choice of black and white [Cole & Sons](https://www.removablewallpaper.com.au/collections/cole-son-wallpaper |target=”_blank”) “Woods 69”, is great for adding a sense of movement and excitement to a small space, taking your attention away from its size.
APARTMENT 2: Stockholm
There’s no doubt that a small home requires you to edit your possessions down to essentials. Philip Holm, says: “I have a few well-chosen things with memories.” Photo: Carl Dahlstedt / Living Inside
WHO LIVES HERE? Philip Holm, Architect.
This 1930s building, known as Markelius House, was designed by architect Sven Markelius with the vision of housing the “family of the future”. Known as a “family hotel”, the building contained a kindergarten and restaurants, plus a laundry and cleaning service in its basement to take the load off families where both parents had full-time jobs. In the apartments, large kitchens were replaced with smaller ones that had a dumbwaiter connected to the restaurant.
“In 1995, I went on a guided architectural walk through the building. I decided I would live here at some point and that’s exactly how it turned out!” Philip says.
Built-ins work wonders in small spaces because they allow you to utilise the entire height of your walls. Photo: Carl Dahlstedt / Living Inside
WHY THIS SPACE WORKS
Having a joiner create built-in storage for your small home makes for a unified look. It also avoids the awkward gaps that ready-made storage can create.
Using darker colours, as seen in Philip’s apartment, makes a small space feel cocooning. Play dark colours safe by going tonal with lighter and darker variations of the same hue.
Using rugs to helps to divide your space into mini “rooms”.
Opting for a single floor treatment in the living areas and one colour for all (or the majority of) walls creates a consistent base.
When using dark colour in a small space, make sure you add a couple of colourful items, as Philip has done in his bedroom with the small lamp and chair in blue. Photo: Carl Dahlstedt / Living Inside
