5 Design Ideas to Make the Most of Small Flats

Let’s admit it; those newer build-to-order (BTO) flats in Singapore are significantly small compared to its predecessors. With such a small and cramped space, what’s a person got to do to make a 50-square meter (roughly) pad look fancy?

It all boils down to a little creativity and resourcefulness. We have listed below a few ideas to help get you started, from the use of space to getting the right designer furniture in Singapore.

5 Design Ideas to Maximize Tiny Spaces

1. Accept your reality.

You got yourself a small flat. Deal with it. The sooner you embrace this truth, the sooner you can come up with design solutions. Don’t try to convert your flat into a one-, two-, or even a three-bedroom unit. It is what it is. Do away with bulky dividers and doors to make your space seem bigger, and apply an open-concept design to your pad as much as possible. Learn how to pick the right furniture and arrange them in your limited space.

2. Convert the living room into a multi-functional area.

Take both space and activities into consideration when planning your living room. Remember that the living room is where 80% of the home’s activities take place. Give it a careful thought, especially to the types of furniture you will get. Ideally, these should be multi-purpose. The right furniture will not only save you money, but it will also help save space in your flat.

3. Organise your home creatively and efficiently.

Imagine what it’s like to live in a tiny studio and everything is so chaotic. Unthinkable, right?

A two-prong solution to this concern is decluttering and organising. Declutter as much as you can. Remember, you do not have enough room to store 20 or 30-plus years into 50 square meters of space. Some people declutter every year because of all the other stuff accumulated within that same year. Sort through your things and pile them up in three categories: keepers, goers, and trash. Obviously, keepers are items you cannot do without or have extreme sentimental value to you. Goers are items that can either be donated or sold (depending on its condition). Trash is trash.

Organise wisely. There’s no point in decluttering if, at the end of the day, you stack everything up in a closet. Sort them out and organise your storage system. There are a lot of great small-house-storage ideas online you can choose from.

4. Multi-purpose and flexible furnishings for the win.

If converting your living room into a multi-functional area is still not enough, then consider the use of multi-purpose furniture all over your flat.As space is the main issue and having a lot of furniture at home can make your pad look tight and cramped, flexible and collapsible pieces help address your spatial concerns.

5. Incorporate storage in as many areas as you can.

So you’re not the minimalist you hope to be. No problem. Simply look for storage solutions all over your home. Aside from getting furniture that has storage capacity, make use of all the vertical space in your flat. Shelves and floor-to-ceiling cabinets do not only give you ample storage space, but they are also easy on the eyes, making your flat look clean and organised.

Having the right design and furniture can do wonders for a tiny space. Space is never the main problem. It is how you make use of it that will make the difference between a drab pad and a fab flat.