VDIS10002 Residential Interiors Lecture 6: Designing For A Small Apartment

1. VDIS10002 Residential Interiors
Lecture 6:
Designing for a Small Apartment
Ramona Solomon

2. Small spaces are perfect for many different applications. While a tiny
apartment is a natural choice for a bachelor, it may be surprising just how
well a young family can fit snugly into a home that measures less than 50
square meters.
The apartments in this post all come in under 50 square meters (538
square feet) but still manage to include all the necessary features and do so
in stylish and creative ways. Take a look and see how these disparate
people manage to live comfortably with a little bit less in terms of space
and a little bit more in terms of style.
h"p://www.home-­‐designing.com/2015/03/apartment-­‐designs-­‐for-­‐a-­‐small-­‐family-­‐young-­‐couple-­‐and-­‐a-­‐bachelor-­‐all-­‐under-­‐50-­‐square-­‐meters-­‐and-­‐includes-­‐floor-­‐plans

3. The first studio apartment is located in the Russian city of Surgat and is home to a
young family. The apartment measures 46 square meters (495 square feet) and
does an excellent job of celebrating this family’s love for creativity and art.

4. Though the kitchen and living room are directly adjacent, a pretty and creative room
divider helps to separate the space without cutting anything off or interrupting the flow.
The Mondrian-inspired accent wall actually manages to camouflage the television, while
bringing a lot of color to the home.

5. A bed for the parents and a crib are snugly packed into the tiny bedroom. It may not be
a long term solution for a growing child, but it is perfect for the intimate and brief span
of childhood.

6. The designer even manages to incorporate a
home office space, where natural light floods in
and a cozy desk nook is free from distraction or
clutter.

8. The second home, from designer Alexey Stepanov, is an open floorplan apartment
in the city of Dnepropetrovsk, designed for a young, active couple. The kitchen is
actually quite spacious for an apartment of just 48 square meters (516 square
feet) and is situated directly behind a compact living room that still includes all
the necessary comforts

9. A countertop functions as a
cooking prep area as well as a
dining space while a small gray
sofa is just enough for a pair of
lovebirds.

10. The oversized aquarium is an important piece of
this design, reflecting the personalities and
preferences of the home’s inhabitants while
bringing movement and color to the space.

12. In the bedroom, storage is key. With shelving built into the
custom bed frame as well as tall bookshelves and a long
narrow console under the television, there are plenty of
places to hide away those daily accessories that don’t
need to be on display.

14. The final space is a minimalist apartment designed for a bachelor with unique
specifications. According to the designers, one of the most interesting options given by
the occupant was that there was no need for a traditional television and sofa setup,
which opened up the possibilities in this tiny space. Instead, the sofa and seating area
arrange in an open way, looking out onto the dining area and kitchen instead of closed
off at a wall.

15. The bed is tucked away in one corner,
removed enough so as to still feel private
even when guests are over. The ceiling is
another interesting feature of this
particular design, since the designers used
different textures and fixtures actually
serve to divide the space without any
additional walls or separators.

18. Assessment Task 2:
Trial design for a friend.
Develop a brief for the design of a small apartment and prepare a concept design.
Document the design in a simple manner with sketches and notes.
The assessment will require you to provide sufficient information and detail to
convince your ‘client’ of the suitability of the scheme and its style.
Budget is not an issue at this stage.
This is intended to be a rapid response project as is often the case in practice.
Task deliverables:
A short, illustrated written paper (750- 1000 words) describing your design
accompanied by sketches and notes.
Due Week 7!