4 Nifty Little Apartments

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These four super small apartments all measure less than a megre 50 square metres of floor area. However fresh interior designs and neat layouts make each one of them pretty nifty in their very own particular kind of way. Learn to navigate small project spaces with clever little layouts and modern furniture designs, and by implementing crisp decor ideas to clearly define different zones of use and needs. Find a warm terracotta hued studio apartment, a deceptively spacious kitchen in Kiev, a bold blue statement piece in Odessa, and Brazilian pad that despite being the smallest of the whole collection has perhaps the most interesting use of space.

Designer: Paintit Photographer: Alexey Yanchenkov

Apartment number one, located in Kiev, Ukraine, measures in at 47 square metres. The interior design brief came with just one requirement, which was to not go beyond the limited budget. The design team cracked on with a terracotta and white coloured decor scheme that results in a warm yet fresh feel. A cool grey sofa plays around the base of an exposed raw concrete structural support column at the centre of the room.

A border of wood effect panelling covers the lower half of the walls in the studio apartment, like a warm hug.

A custom built bed is constructed in the same wood effect material as used on the wall panelling, as is the headboard shelf and headboard feature wall. A partial room divider is fashioned out of a glass screen to make the head of the bed feel a little more cosy and separated from the open space.

The headboard shelf is sunken slightly so that a small library of books can be cradled safely without risk of falling onto anyone’s head in bed. Flexible lamps provide bedside light.

In a warm glow of terracotta coloured units and a matching backsplash, the small one wall kitchen appears its own entity in the open plan. A tiny table welcomes one diner for dinner.

A glass wall bathroom means the full amount of floor area remains in view to keep the home interior looking at its largest.

Visualizer: Taras Kaminskiy & Veronika Mulieieva

Tiny apartment number two is also a home in Kiev, this time with a slightly smaller area of just 44 square metres. The comfy seating has been picked out in a low slung floor hugging design to maximise the sense of available space in the main living area.

A trio of kitchen bar stools line up at a kitchen island directly adjacent to the sofa.

The L-shaped kitchen with island is a sleek monochrome design with a comprehensive range of units that does not feel inadequate or cramped at all, despite the compact nature of the home.

Wall cabinets are lit underneath by LED strip lights, which creates a cosy and inviting glow.

Slab doors hide amongst modern wall panelling.

Lighting is kept slimline and minimalistic in aesthetic.

Black integrated appliances, kitchen faucet and sink blend with a dark worktop.

A textured feature wall is accentuated in the bedroom by perimeter lighting at the ceiling line. Slender bedroom pendant lights descend over the bedsides. A black swing arm wall lamp provides task lighting over a desk that neighbours the bed. The home office area is separated from the sleeping area by a ceiling-to-floor curtain.

Modern artwork compliments the shades of the grey bedroom.

A beautiful vanity unit is wall mounted in the bathroom, with storage cubbies built into the countertop. A circular mirror is flanked by simple bar wall lights

Floor space is kept clear and maximised by a wall hung toilet design.

Apartment layout plan.

Architect: Sivak+Partners

Next up is a neat 50 square meter apartment in Odessa, Ukraine. The decor is a predominantly grey affair, though a bright blue sofa brings an uplifting hue.

The stand out colour of the sofa also helps to define the lounge from the adjacent sleeping area. The floor bed design has a headboard that fits the sleeping nook snugly.

Books can be stored inside the top of the headboard.

White closets line one side of the bedroom.

The wood floor ends at the edge of the combined lounge and bedroom space.

Grey tiles replace the wood floor planks as we move into the hall area.

Russet colour closets provide extra storage in the hallway of the small home.

A minimalist workspace with bespoke desk has been built around a supportive wall. The desk also acts as a room divider between the lounge and the kitchen diner.

Grey cabinets are arranged in an L-shape around a circular dining set.

A black sink and faucet give the grey kitchen a slick and serious look.

Cool white LED strips illuminate the prep area.

A wall of mirrored panels and doors increase the sense of space in the apartment.

Modern white bathroom tiles look clean and crisp in the bathroom.

The plan shows how an awkward trapezium floor plan has been conquered.

Designer: Ela Photographer: Gui Morelli

The last apartment is located in Santa Cecília, São Paulo, Brazil. It has the most limited floor space of this collection at a compact 35 square metres. It was designed for a young couple who required a fully integrated apartment and the use of neutral colors to create a feeling of spaciousness. Compact seating without space eating arm rests has been utilised in the living area. A small side table holds a selection of books out of plain sight.

A mini eating area has been squeezed in opposite the kitchen.

The one wall kitchen budges right up against the tv wall of the lounge. By raising units off the floor it has been possible to trick the eye into seeing an uncluttered solution.