I live in a tiny 22 sqm studio flat – these are the 9 things I did to make it feel bigger than it is
I recommend these to anyone with a small room or any small space on their hands
Last year, I moved into a 22 sqm studio flat which I regularly refer to as ‘my shoebox’. Since it’s so tiny, I have to be very careful with everything I bring into the space, from the colours I incorporate to the furniture I invest in. So keeping that in mind, this is what I did in my studio to make it feel bigger than it is.
A few months ago, I revealed how I faked a living room in my studio and created the ultimate small ‘living room’ in my space – it truly doesn’t get much smaller than this. And some of the things and tools on this list below are exactly what’s allowed me to create a ‘living area’ that’s to an extent separate from my ‘sleeping area’.
It’s certainly a small space but since I currently live alone (and I’m pretty small myself), I’ve made it work for me. This is how.
1. Zoning
As already mentioned, I’ve created different ‘areas’ within my flat - which can also be referred to as zones - that serve different purposes. That’s how I’ve been able to fake a ‘living room’ in my space. But I also have a little dining nook and a sleeping zone.
The way that I’ve achieved this is by strategically arranging furniture - like the middle section of my modular sofa turned into a chair facing the sofa and the back of it separating the living area from the dining one - and by placing a rug down. Rugs are great tools for zoning a space like an open-plan living room.
2. Sticking with white walls
In all honesty, my decision to keep the walls white was both strategic and out of laziness. Since one of the walls was covered in the most horrendous black (!) wallpaper, I already had to paint that one and didn’t particularly fancy doing any more of that. As it’s a studio, it’s a continuous space without separation so I’d have to repaint it in its entirety.
The white walls, painted in Dulux’s White Mist, available at Amazon, beautifully reflect the natural light that the flat receives, owing to its big south-facing windows, and visually expands it. And given the south orientation, the White Mist paint shade with a slight grey undertone is the best white paint for it.
3. Eliminating black where possible
When I moved into the flat, the doors and skirting boards were painted matt black. Why anyone would do that in such a small space, I really don’t know. Luckily, I was allowed to repaint them even though I’m renting. After much deliberation, I went with Lick’s Blue 08, available at B&Q, which is a light sky blue shade with a warm undertone.
The one piece of furniture that came with the place was a wardrobe, which was - you guessed it - also black. I’ve been really loving this year’s burl wood furniture trend, so to get rid of that big black box in the middle of my flat, I decided to cover it with a burl wood-finish vinyl I got from eBay.
But there is still some black left in the space, namely in the kitchen and bathroom, as the floor and some of the splashback tiles are black.
4. Opting for a light colour scheme
Speaking of colour, as I already mentioned I’ve kept the walls white and the doors and skirting boards are now a soft blue. But the colours throughout the flat are light with lots of neutrals mixed together.
I’ve incorporated a few pops of colour - mostly deep red and earthy terracotta - through accessories and smaller pieces like my Addison Ross wireless bobbin lamp in cherry and my coffee table (which is actually a side table) from La Redoute in deep orange.
5. Utilising vertical space
Whether it's small bedroom or small living room storage, the number one advice from interior experts is to utilise your walls as vertical space is often forgotten about. By doing this, you avoid cluttering the room in question on ground level and the variation in height also brings depth to the space.
I recently (finally!) installed some shelves on my walls and I couldn’t be happier with them. I covered one entire wall with a continuous shelf near the ceiling which I’d painted in the same white as the walls. It now displays all my books and a few decorative objects. And above my dining table, I put up this wall shelf from H&M Home to hold some of my mugs and glassware. Again, I’m very fortunate that my landlord allows me to drill into the walls.
6. Leaving some negative space
When it comes to a small space, it’s important to avoid cluttering and overcrowding it as that’s how it ends up looking even smaller than it is. Instead, leaving some empty - also referred to as negative - space is key to let the space and the pieces of furniture in it breathe. And that’s exactly what I’ve been aiming to do in my studio.
7. Adding curved shapes
Curved and more organic shapes are not only one of the biggest home decor trends. They also make for a great addition to a small space as they look softer than angular designs, giving the illusion of flowing into the space.
That’s exactly why my round dining table which I got on Facebook Marketplace works so well in my studio. And the gently curved edges of my 1977 sofa from King Living further add to it.
8. Getting furniture that fits perfectly
Speaking of my dining table - which also doubles as my work space on the two days of the week I work from home - I chose this particular one very carefully because the measurements had to be perfect. There’s a very small nook next to my kitchen that was just perfect to squeeze a little dining table in – but a few inches too big and it would look awkward and would only accentuate how tiny the space is.
The same thing applies to my Habitat sideboard which fits perfectly in my bay window. It took me months to find one that wasn’t super expensive, wasn’t too high to block the window (and the light) or too big (or too small), while also providing enough storage space for my magazine collection.
9. Including hidden storage
Which brings me on to my last point – closed storage that hides clutter. As much as I love my vertical open storage - my open shelving - a small space needs its fair share of closed storage for a sleek look.
My sideboard provides that, as does my wardrobe. But the piece of furniture that hides most of my actual clutter and miscellaneous items is my Simba ottoman bed – having one of those has been a gamechanger, I don’t know what I’d do without it.
Get the look
Do you have any tips for making a small space look and feel bigger than its actual square metres?
