7 tips for furnishing a small two-room flat

Everyone would like a pleasant and stylish home. But it pays to think everything through properly in advance. If you have bought a small flat, you will face the same problem as people living in a tiny house on wheels: the struggle with limited space, which becomes a big challenge. So what should you watch out for, or focus on, when furnishing such an interior? And how can you use the space as efficiently as possible?

Think carefully in a small flat

Rising property prices have forced you to buy a smaller flat. Fine. It is not a bad choice at all. Such a flat can work as a rental and is also the ideal option for single people. But how do you cope with such a small space? First and foremost, you must make the most of every centimetre your flat has. With clever gadgets you can furnish it practically, so that your ideas of a lovely home fit within the limited layout. You just need to follow a few recommendations.

1. Colours

The first right decision is choosing the colour well. Forget bold, saturated wall colours and dark furniture, sadly. Go for light shades instead. They make the space look bigger, and you can also vary them with accessories to suit your mood. You can easily replace sweet pink cushions, whereas a wall painted in wine red will be a much tougher nut to crack. What’s more, a room in a lighter colour will feel bigger to you.

2. The most suitable furniture

If you would like solid wood furniture, we are sorry to disappoint you again. It is true that it creates a warm atmosphere in a room, but it does not suit small spaces. For the living room, choose cabinets or shelves in light shades, which create an airier feel. You can fill them with colourful boxes, wicker baskets or small chests to hide small items or clutter.

Tip: When buying furniture for a small flat, choose pieces as tall as possible so they can hold as many things as possible.

When furnishing a small space, multi-purpose furniture will be your ally. Besides being comfortable, the sofa must be easy to unfold, since it turns into a bed every night. It should have storage space for bedding. A duvet and pillows take up a lot of room and must be quickly out of sight in the morning.

You can rearrange the room in no time with tables on wheels (you can move them quickly) or nesting tables, which do not take up much space.

Rather than armchairs, invest in ottomans, ideally also on wheels and with extra storage space (you can never have too much, and you will often need to put something away). In a small bathroom, use the space above the toilet or under the washbasin down to the last corner. The colour of the bathroom cabinet should match the fittings so it stays unobtrusive.

3. Light is key

As we have already mentioned, choose light shades and avoid dark colours. You can also work magic with a smaller space using light. Positioned correctly, lights make your room look bigger. Complement the main light source with spotlights, smaller table lamps or floor lamps with different colour temperatures and reach. In addition, favour clean lines and simple design. Mirrors installed around the flat will also help. If you do not mind a mirror in the bedroom, do not hesitate to put one there. It makes the space look bigger.

Light is powerful! Used cleverly, it not only makes a flat look bigger but also “closes off” each part of a complex layout and gives it a unique atmosphere. This is especially important if you share your space with another person.

Task lighting above the kitchen units lights up the worktop and lets you prepare a snack without switching on the main lights. A strong spotlight by the desk lets you work even when the other person wants to go to sleep. A warm floor lamp is ideal for relaxing on the sofa, and a light hung directly above the table nicely highlights the dining area. Mobile floor lamps let you change the layout quickly, and for reading you can use small clip-on lights attached to a shelf above the sofa.

You have already learnt that light, mirrors and bright colours can work wonders. But you have other tricks at your disposal too. High ceilings give a sense of space. If you do not live in an old tenement building, you can visually “raise” the ceiling. Hang the curtain rail as high as possible and hang long curtains down to the floor. Use vertical forms, such as pictures in tall frames and vertically oriented mirrors.

Skirting boards should match the colour of the walls, which lets you add a few centimetres to the room. Choose open-work furniture, which looks lighter and does not block the light. Make sure sofas, wardrobes and bookcases have small legs. The thinner they are, the lighter the overall effect. It is all about visual appearance.

4. Storage system

If you want your flat to look clean and spacious, you will need to come up with thorough storage. Bedrooms are usually the place where we try to keep as few things as possible. If you add built-in made-to-measure wardrobes, you halve your worries. In short, in a small flat you need to store things and clothes from floor to ceiling. That way no space is left needlessly empty, and it hides the things that usually get in our way.

Tip: If you are sorting out heating, be sure to consider the size of the radiators too. The less they intrude into the interior, the better. Be careful when choosing the colour as well. Try to have radiators in the same colour as the wall.

5. Work in the living room

A desk should stand where you will have peace and quiet and can concentrate. You also should not be looking at it when you are not working. The bedroom is definitely an unsuitable place for a desk, as it is meant exclusively for rest and relaxation. So you will have no choice but to put the desk in the living room. Try a corner desk, for example. It not only defines a work area but also lets you store your work supplies. Remember not to sit with your back to the door, as this is an unnatural position that can only make you nervous.

6. Small flats need a different bed

Not thrilled at the idea of having to put the bed away every morning? No need to panic. You can fold such a bed away only when you are expecting visitors or need more space for an activity. Sofa beds are not usually the best choice. What’s more, a sofa cannot replace a proper bed.

7. Clever gadgets for your flat

Your living space should be as practical as possible. Folding chairs and a drop-leaf dining table are popular solutions. For the most comfortable cooking, you also need to choose your kitchen units with a worktop and storage carefully. Sliding doors are another good idea. They are more expensive and technically more demanding, but they can gain you as much as two square metres of space.

A final tip for small flats

It may be a cliché, but it is easier to breathe and think in a clean, tidy space. In a small studio flat you cannot close the bedroom door or throw a pile of unnecessary things into another room. Regular cleaning should not take much time.

Do a seasonal review: get rid of things you do not need, go through your clothes and put away anything out of season. Vacuum storage bags will be your unbeatable allies.

Do not give up on the final look of your flat, and do not chase functional solutions at any cost. After all, your flat should meet your needs. Think about what makes you happy: do you prefer cooking and having a bigger fridge, or is an extra shoe cabinet more useful to you?

Introduce your favourite colour through easily replaceable accessories: cushions, bedding, a tablecloth or a throw. Display what matters to you, perhaps books or your favourite travel photos? Remember to keep things restrained and follow your own style. After all, the most important thing is that you feel great in your flat!

We hope our tips have helped you at least a little. If so, take a look at our other articles, for example how to deduct mortgage interest or how to get rich as soon as possible.