The less-is-more guide to buying furniture for small apartments
Give your cosy abode a #spacelift
The chair that doubles up as a laundry hamper, your dining table that turns into an ironing table, and also a stage for your budding Katy Perry to perform on, and your bed that transforms into your office with a desk, fashioned with pillows. Like it or not, furniture in small apartments does end up multitasking — and more efficiently than you, when you’re faced with a hungry toddler/ pet, aching back, and a Zoom meeting that requires your full attention.
The charm that comes with living in a quaint and compact space often trumps the disadvantages (think squirting body lotion onto your hair instead of shampoo thanks to the lack of counter space, coming to terms with the fact that low-budget airlines have more leg space than your living room, and parties that feel like rush hour at Churchgate station).
But the best way to ensure that your home is the sanctuary that you want to come back to, you have to champion the less is more mantra. And to do this you need to shop smart.
When picking furniture for small apartments, invest in pieces that are flexible (Sima aunty will be thrilled), serve more purpose than one or take up as little space as possible. To get you started, we have a few suggestion that will give your cosy home a space lift.
A guide to buying furniture for small apartments
Photo credit: Iaah.com
Canford storage ottoman from It’s All About Home
If you are a parent then there are two truths that you have to accept – One, the house will forever look like it was hit by a tornado with toys strewn all around. And secondly, there’s no agony quite like stepping on a stray Lego block.
An effective and good-looking solution to this problem is this ottoman with storage. It makes it easier to clean up the mess without carrying storage tubs from one room to another, and helps you stick to the clean and classic aesthetic you’ve always loved.
And even if you don’t have little monsters running, this ottoman is just what you need to store a throw to help you keep warm on movie nights, knick knacks that you’re afraid might turn into chew toys for your furry baby or even WFH office supplies that you can whip out to transform your living room into your workspace.
Photo credit: Amazon.in
Foldable desk for the bed
Functionality and compact size is key when it comes to picking furniture for small spaces. This foldable desk checks both those boxes.
With work from home becoming the new way of life, and your living room echoing the chaos of a macchi market thanks to everyone being home, your room has by default become your new office space.
But using your mattress as a table top comes with spills, losing pen drives in the folds of your covers, and stains on the brand new bedsheet from your favourite dipping sauce.
This foldable desk is the perfect solution to all these problems. The built-in cup-holder will help you avoid knocking over your coffee mug, the tablet and book holder is perfect for blowing some steam off during your lunch break, and the sturdy table top helps you comfortably work on your laptop without turning into the hunchback of Notre Dame.
Photo credit: Amazon.in
No-drill storage shelf
When shopping for furniture for small apartments, remember to factor in the bath space too.
Most compact apartments have tiny bathrooms. And making your way around these bathrooms is like mastering an obstacle course. Extending an arm can result in an avalanche of toiletries, and getting too caught up in your shower time dance routine can lead to you slipping on a bar of soap and landing in the toilet.
These capsule-like bathrooms usually don’t come with built-in shelves thanks to the lack of space, and drilling a storage unit in would mean summoning the finicky landlord.
Your best bet is this no-drill bathroom organiser that will keep your bathroom from looking like the toiletries section of a supermarket just exploded in there.
Photo credit: Ikea.com
Decorative mirror from Ikea
A mirror is a classy addition to your list of furniture for small spaces.
Apart from fuelling your self-obsession, it also acts as the perfect addition to your accent wall, and mirrors are even known to create the illusion of a bigger room.
This Ikea mirror with wooden accents is understated yet exudes elegance — and will convince your mum that you have made an effort in doing up your home.
Photo credit: Amazon.in
Colourful rug
No space to fit a couch is no problem at all. All you need to do is invest in a statement rug, add some throw pillows to the mix, a scented candle, some bowls of snacks, and a few strings of fairy lights, and you have yourself the most romantic date-night setting ever.
A bright rug also helps liven up your living space by adding some colour and can be swapped for a new one every time you want to mix things up.
Photo credit: Ikea.com
Foldable mattress cum pouffe from Ikea
A tiny apartment can often result in you having multiple Sophie’s Choice moments – it’s either a ceramic planter or a litter box for your little kitten, a bedside lamp or a night stand, and chic floor seating or a bulky mattress for whenever your friends from out of town visit.
We are still conjuring up solutions to tackle the first two dilemmas, but the last problem is one that we might be able to solve.
This mattress by Ikea comes in a neutral grey that makes it seamlessly blend in anywhere. It also conveniently folds up to form a pouffe that can be dressed up with cushions and a throw, and is perfect for nights when you’re entertaining, and need some extra seating.
Photo credit: Lazygardner.in
Magnetic hydroponic planter from Lazy Gardner
A cramped space might even mean feeling left out on occasion. All those times your friends crib about being plant murderers and how hard it is to keep plants alive, all you can do is think about how there is no way you can introduce some green into your house thanks to the space constraint.
But turns out that you too can take baby steps into the world of gardening by investing in magnetic planters that can easily be mounted on refrigerators or any other metallic surface.