4 Small Apartments Showcase The Flexibility Of Compact Design

Limitations can be a catalyst for creativity and innovation. These small apartments demonstrate a range of styles – one minimalist, one industrial, one artistic, and the other playful yet utilitarian. Some of these compact interior designs show another way to implement a "safe" design for restricted spaces while others challenge all of the preconceived rules. If you've been looking for apartment ideas or even room-by-room decor options, these homes are sure to deliver. Three of the apartments in this post even include floor plans so inspiration-seekers can get a better picture of how all the interior elements work together.

1 | Visualizer: Daria Elnikova

Let’s start with a small apartment that forgoes colorful details or extravagant design in favor of a focused neutral palette and sensible layout. Rounded forms like the kitchen bar and perforated dividing wall soften the effect of the otherwise strict interior and add personality. It’s a great example of a small interior that plays it safe without losing its charm.

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The wall provides privacy for the bedroom without the need for a full enclosure. This solution allows light to penetrate without the expense or privacy issues of a glass divider.

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Maximizing functionality is an important part of any interior design. This arrangement works as a vanity, writing desk, and alternative guest seating.

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A compact kitchen fits into the nook beside the bathroom and to the left of the entrance. Glossy acrylic reflects the light from the strip of recessed LEDs to illuminate the work surface.

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Storage and appliances occupy the wall to the right.

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The bathroom is small, simple, and efficient as well.

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To accommodate the shower in such a compact space, the designers opted for a model with two small doors forming the corner.

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Storage, however, is s surprisingly expansive. The bottom portion looks deep enough to house a combination washer/dryer if later desired.

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This clever little apartment shows space-conscious judgement in every detail.

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11 | Visualizer: Mezhevova Dean

Here’s a cool small apartment with a hint of industrial style – modern, but with vintage accents for a more dynamic experience. This home uses its 29.9 square meters of floor space wisely by incorporating features that serve both functional and decorative purposes. Innovative architectural details and typographic decorations engage the mind as well as the eye.

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Wood doors slide away to reveal a hidden bedroom. While closed, its distressed whitewashed surface ensures the living room maintains an uncluttered aesthetic.

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The kitchen is a simple affair at the other end of the room. More eye-catching is the linear fireplace that borders the entire length of the window.

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A peek inside the bedroom reveals more color, a creative layout, and incredible 3D wall art. The full-wall mirror on the right side reflects the scene and expands the room.

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Do you remember the sliding wood doors from the living room? They reappear here in the entryway and offer abundant storage for seasonal apparel. The red painted pipe makes a big impression!

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A vanity painted to mimic a Castrol can helps to reinforce the industrial look of the brick-textured wall.

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18 | Visualizer: ArqRenderz

Bold primary colors give this 44 square meter apartment a creative and engaging personality. It’s a smart study demonstrating how a variety of vibrant colors can occupy a small space without overwhelming the eye. Balance and distribution play an important role in making it work – the blocking effect even helps to distinguish each functional area from the others.

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Stunning furniture choices replace the need for intricate artwork, serving as sculptural elements in their own right. Helge Sibast’s iconic chair matches the coffee table, and the kitchen stools from Studio Borella add classic charm.

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Arched doorways are an unexpected surprise and fit right in with the curved lines found throughout the interior. A kitchen hides inside an independent central volume, with one arched doorway and a rectangular serving window.

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The formal dining room is lucky enough to enjoy its own independent space large enough for entertaining.

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While arches soften the transition between rooms, the sharp lines of the furniture and accessories keep the interior aesthetic clean and tidy.

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A mirror to the left reflects the window view back into the room.

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The car prints are modern interpretations of famous movies like Ghostbusters and Back to the Future.

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26 | Visualizer: Anton Nikolaichuk

Creative modular architecture expands the usable square footage in this young student’s compact apartment. Occupying a central island is a raised platform bed with an office tucked underneath, the slatted boards providing privacy while allowing the apartment to remain as open and spacious as possible. At just 30 square meters, every choice is an important one!

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The slatted wall also doubles as a place to hang the television, allowing the sofa to face outward toward the room rather than toward one of the permanent walls.

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Even within the modern interior, a few traditional elements stand out – the delicate woodwork on the dining stools give off a classic vibe.

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This iconic Thonet B9 chair is another classic design, its elegant bentwood frame looking just as modern today as the first time it hit the showroom floor.

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Prominent bike racks are a popular trend, a convenient and attractive way to put a stylish bike on display to admire as a sculpture and a beautiful piece of machinery.

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Check out this creative use of shape and pattern in the bathroom! The wall and floor tiles are true works of art.

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