How to optimize space in an apartment with color, light and other simple solutions — read in our article

Incorrectly selected furniture or layout can eat up space in an apartment. But there are simple solutions that will help save space. Together with designers, we will tell you about them.

1. Use the layout wisely

The main technique that will help to use space in an apartment correctly is the correct layout and zoning. “At the initial stage, it is important to carefully consider the ergonomics of the space and develop an optimal layout. In small apartments, rooms with different purposes are often combined, for example, a kitchen and a living room, to create the most useful space,” says Maria Pustovalova, designer, author of upholstered furniture and lighting for Dantone Home.

Use the layout wisely — use every niche, corner, ledge and recess for built-in storage, minimize the number of free-standing cabinets, added Andrey Samonaev, founder and head of the DK Project group of companies, founder of the Sretenka interior bureau. “The ideal option is a separate dressing room, in which storage is organized as efficiently as possible,” says the expert.

You can increase the usable space in an apartment using usually inefficiently used areas – for example, a large hallway. “Sometimes a fairly large area in an apartment is given over to a corridor. With proper planning, part of the corridor can sometimes be given over to living space or a bathroom,” said Nadezhda Yezhova, a designer at the ‘TD’ studio.

2. Combine and transform space

To save square meters, designers advise combining the functions of space. The most common example of combining is a kitchen with a living room, a bathroom with a bathtub. “You can also combine a dining room with an office. Walls and doors take up a significant part of the area, and this approach helps make the space more spacious and functional,” explained Andrey Samonaev.

Transforming the space with partitions will help save space. We are talking about sliding doors, partitions hidden in the wall, screens and furniture that can serve as a divider. “All this allows you to zone the room and adapt it to various needs at the moment, make it more convenient and compact,” says the founder of the Sretenka interior design bureau.

3. Use niches and mezzanines

With proper space planning, existing imperfections in the layout of the apartment or its features can be turned into advantages. “For example, if there are niches in the kitchen apron area, part of the apron can be closed with sliding panels and additional storage can be created in the depths of the niches,” the designer of “Tochka Dizayna” gave an example.

If the apartment has high ceilings, then you can create a mezzanine floor or a second light. The new space can be used for storage or placement of interior items. In some cases (if the ceiling height allows), a room with a sleeping place can be placed on the mezzanine floor.

A workspace by the window will help save space in the apartment. “This planning option is worth considering if the height of the window sills allows you to place a tabletop for a desk. This will significantly save space in the room,” noted Nadezhda Yezhova.

4. Pay attention to color and light

You can save space in an apartment using visual techniques — color and light. If you use different wall colors in each room, the space will be sharply divided and this will visually reduce it. If you paint all the walls in the apartment in one color, the space will visually expand and fill with air, notes Andrey Samonayev. “Cold, complex, light gray shades are suitable for the walls, since a warm range significantly reduces the visual volume of the space. It is better to create color accents using furniture and small decorative elements,” the designer said.

Working with light is also important. It can both expand the space and make it small and uncomfortable. “Central ceiling lights are more of a decorative accent, they do not provide enough light and do not make being in the space pleasant. The optimal solution, especially for small areas, is to illuminate the walls,” the expert recommended. For example, this could be an even fill of light using directional lamps or soft lighting along the perimeter of the wall. “Even minimal use of this technique can visually expand the space,” he added.

5. Choose multifunctional furniture

Furniture is of great importance for optimizing space in an apartment. In conditions of small areas, furniture should have several functions. “In the design of modern interior objects, the variety of user scenarios and mobility come first, and not the form factor (size),” says Andrey Samonayev. “For example, a table that can serve as a coffee table, a work table, and a bedside table, with built-in charging ports and a place for keys, will save space and reduce the number of items in the house,” the expert explained.

Transformer furniture, built-in furniture and storage systems are suitable for optimizing space. They allow you not to overload the apartment with unnecessary things. “These can be cabinets with spacious storage systems, fold-out sofas and compact models of armchairs, as well as wardrobes with carefully thought-out internal filling. Folding tables will also be an excellent solution for small spaces,” Maria Pustovalova gave an example.

Beds with a lifting mechanism will help save space. They will allow you to use the occupied space usefully, for example, to organize storage for linen. “In the conditions of the need to fit everything into small spaces, you can consider various methods of using cabinets. For example, you can hide beds with a folding mechanism, work areas in niches, roll-out ironing boards, laundry baskets and other necessary amenities in cabinets,” noted Nadezhda Yezhova.

6. Use your kitchen space efficiently

Kitchen furniture should be well thought out, every corner should be used as efficiently as possible and correspond to ergonomics. “You can use high columns and cabinets for storage. Contrary to the opinion that columns eat up the work space in the kitchen, they provide an opportunity to increase storage space. And high cabinets will help to use the space to the maximum without losing useful areas,” says Nadezhda Yezhova.

Another point is related to the washing machine. When planning a place in an apartment, the question often arises of where to place it. This is especially relevant if there is little space in the bathroom or there is no separate utility block. “There are several options: place it under the sink in the bathroom to save space, hide it behind a cabinet door in the kitchen or in the hallway. Most often, kitchens and bathrooms in apartments are not the most spacious rooms, so placing it in the hallway becomes the best solution,” Nadezhda Yezhova summed up.