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A Charming Single-Room Apartment Inside An Old Factory Building

By Simona Ganea
Simona Ganea on Homedit
Simona Ganea Interior Design & Content Contributor
Simona is an interior design and décor writer for Homedit. Since 2011, she has been writing about interior design, DIY solutions, and the latest trends in home architecture.
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Compared to apartment buildings or traditional houses, the homes that are found inside structures such as former factories churches and so on tend to be a lot more unique and interesting. In some cases however you wouldn’t really know there’s anything unusual about the location just by looking at the interior design.

The exposed bricks add warmth, color and texture to this small apartment
The exposed bricks add warmth, color and texture to this small apartment

A good example is this 39 square meter apartment from Norway. It’s found inside an old factory which had been repurposed in 2006 and it looks and feels very familiar, just like any regular apartment. It does of course have a few elements that stand out.

The small peninsula acts as a separator between the kitchen and the rest of the apartment
The small peninsula acts as a separator between the kitchen and the rest of the apartment

This is a rather small apartment so an open-plan layout was an obvious choice for it. It is however noticeable that a big emphasis was placed on making this space as efficient as possible, more so than in other cases. Although it’s small and it may not seem like there’s enough space for two bedrooms, this place actually has two nice sleeping areas. One of them is in fact the living room. 

The living area is decorated with contrasting neutrals and has a modern-industrial vibe
The living area is decorated with contrasting neutrals and has a modern-industrial vibe
A Murphy bed folds down on top of the sofa module, turning this area into a bedroom when needed
A Murphy bed folds down on top of the sofa module, turning this area into a bedroom when needed

There’s a Murphy bed cleverly hidden here behind one of the wall units which can fold down over a section of the sofa, thus transforming this area into a bedroom whenever needed. There’s also another sleeping area and this one can be turned into a separate room by sliding the doors shut. It has a folding sofa which can be turned into a bed. The rest of the time this can be used as a sitting area, or perhaps as a small home office space. 

The folding bed is hidden inside this wall module behind the living room sofa
The folding bed is hidden inside this wall module behind the living room sofa
The kitchen is all white and makes the front section of the apartment look very bright, airy and inviting
The kitchen is all white and makes the front section of the apartment look very bright, airy and inviting

The kitchen is nice and open, being the first space one sees after passing the entryway. It has a small peninsula that adds more storage for kitchen equipment and can be used as a workspace as well as a bar when entertaining. The entire kitchen layout is white and minimalist, designed to be bright and airy but also practical and space-efficient. In the living room, the color palette transitions to warm neutral shades and dark gray tones and the window wall at the very end features exposed bricks which add an urban and very charming look to this entire apartment. Images and info from Finn.

There's also another small space with sliding doors that can turn it into a separate room
There’s also another small space with sliding doors that can turn it into a separate room
The small grey sofa can turn into a bed, transforming this into a cozy bedroom
The small grey sofa can turn into a bed, transforming this into a cozy bedroom