Small Studio Apartment Big Enough For Four

Time after time, talented architects and designers have shown that size is not everything and that a small home can feel big if it’s organized and decorated in a suitable manner. A lot of great projects can serve as inspiration and one of them is a studio apartment located in London, UK. The apartment was designed by CIAO in 2016. It only measures 35 square meters across and the client was very specific regarding its capabilities.

Exposed bricks add warmth, texture and color to the living space and contrast with the rest of the decor
Exposed bricks add warmth, texture and color to the living space and contrast with the rest of the decor

The apartment is small and the client was well aware of that. It’s because of the reduced size that it had to be as practical and as space-efficient as possible. Ideally, such a small place would be used only by one person yet it had to be designed and organized in such a way that it could be comfortably used by four persons whenever needed. This way the client would be able to live comfortably when family and friends would come over without making any compromises.

Given the reduced floor area, the apartment had to be furnished with custom pieces to maximize functionality
Given the reduced floor area, the apartment had to be furnished with custom pieces to maximize functionality
This desk and media unit offers storage in the form of deep drawers as well as a secret feature underneath
This desk and media unit offers storage in the form of deep drawers as well as a secret feature underneath

Evidently, the best course of action was to turn the entire apartment into an open space. The lack of barriers and unnecessary obstructions allow light to flow through and to make the entire floor plan look bright and spacious. The high ceilings were a great advantage in this case, allowing the architects to add clever mezzanine storage whenever possible and to give the apartment the open and breezy feel that makes it so welcoming. Of course, it takes more than that to make a tiny apartment seem spacious. One of the strategies used here was to create custom furniture that adapts to the space and serve multiple functions depending on the needs of the inhabitants.

Small London studio has clever storage throughout
Underneath the desk there's a pull-out bed that fit under a raised platform on the other side
Underneath the desk there’s a pull-out bed that fit under a raised platform on the other side
This clever pull-out bed forms a second sleeping area adjacent to the main one
This clever pull-out bed forms a second sleeping area adjacent to the main one

One of the main pieces is a desk/ bookcase unit. It doubles as a divider between the main sleeping area and the living space. One one side of it there’s a desk and a few shelves and drawers which let the unit serve as a media center and under the desk there’s a panel which can be pulled out to reveal a bed. The bed fits underneath a raised platform on the other side of the divider.

On the other desk of the desk there's a raised platform that holds the main sleeping area
On the other desk of the desk there’s a raised platform that holds the main sleeping area

On the opposite side of the unit there’s a set of open shelves and the gray background is actually a series of acoustic felt panels that offer an increased sense of privacy for both sleeping areas. Behind the divider is the main bed, raised on a platform that conveniently accommodates a second bed underneath. it’s a very clever combo that saves a lot of floor space, allowing two rooms to occupy the same floor area.

 

The kitchen is small and open and feels surprisingly spacious thanks to all the light that comes in
The kitchen is small and open and feels surprisingly spacious thanks to all the light that comes in

The kitchen is small but open, like the rest of the spaces and this makes it feel a lot bigger. The dining area is actually a small table with room for three chairs around it, placed in the kitchen, parallel to the worktop. Wall-mounted cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling and additional storage under the counter provide sufficient storage for everything kitchen-related. The choice of corten steel plates for the lower half of the cabinetry in combination with a composite countertop that has a rusted metal finish give this space a lot of character.

A bunch of clever storage solutions were adapted and customized specifically for this apartment
A bunch of clever storage solutions were adapted and customized specifically for this apartment