Making a Small Apartment Feel Spacious

Compact homes do not have to mean compromise. With the right furniture, even the smallest flat can have clear zones, generous storage and room to breathe. Here is how to make a small space work harder, room by room.

Splitting an open plan room into zones

A single room doing double duty as hallway and living area is common in smaller flats and townhouses, where square footage is precious. The trick is to divide without closing things off, and a pair of cabinets does exactly that. IKEA's TROTTEN cabinet with sliding doors is sturdy enough to act as a room divider while still offering plenty of storage behind its doors, keeping clutter out of sight on both sides.

Around it, softer touches stop the space feeling too functional. IKEA's OLSERÖD side table gives one zone a surface for a lamp or a cup of tea, while IKEA's FLÅDIS basket corrals throws or magazines within easy reach. A CHILISTRÅN hanging planter adds a bit of greenery overhead without taking up any floor space at all, which matters when every corner counts.

TROTTEN cabinet with sliding doors, white, 80x55x180 cmCHILISTRÅN hanging planter, in/outdoor white, 12 cmOLSERÖD side table, anthracite/dark grey, 53x50 cmFLÅDIS basket, seagrass, 25 cmGLADOM tray table, black, 45x53 cmLACK side table, white, 55x55 cm

Shop Coffee & side tables

A small kitchen that does a lot of work

Breakfast on the go or a long, lazy meal with company, a small kitchen can manage both if the storage is right. Mixing open shelving with closed cabinets above and below the worktop means everyday items stay visible while less-used things are tucked away. IKEA's KNAGGLIG box is handy for stashing bits and pieces in a cupboard, and a RISATORP basket keeps fruit or bread within easy reach on open shelving.

At the counter, IKEA's FRANKLIN bar stool with backrest gives a quick breakfast somewhere comfortable to happen, while IKEA's NISSAFORS trolley adds extra worktop and storage on wheels, useful for rolling out when needed and tucking away again after. A BEKVÄM step stool earns its keep too, reaching the high cupboards that small kitchens rely on for extra capacity.

FRANKLIN bar stool with backrest, foldable, counter height white/white, 63 cmNISSAFORS trolley, white, 50.5x30x83 cmBEKVÄM step stool, beech, 63 cmKNAGGLIG box, pine, 46x31x25 cmKNAGGLIG box, pine, 23x31x15 cmRISATORP basket, white, 25x26x18 cm

Shop Storage boxes & baskets

Tables that change role as the day goes on

In a compact home, furniture that only does one job is a luxury few can afford. A nest of tables that tucks neatly beneath a larger surface solves this well, with the smaller pieces doubling as extra seating when friends drop by or as a low surface for paperwork during the day. It is a simple idea that earns its space back twice over.

Smaller finishing touches round out a corner like this nicely. IKEA's IKORNNES table mirror is a practical addition for a quick check before heading out, while a GRADVIS vase brings in a bit of colour or a few stems from the garden. Together they turn a functional corner into one that feels considered rather than purely practical.

IKORNNES table mirror, ash, 27x40 cmGRADVIS vase, grey, 19 cmLINDBYN mirror, black, 80 cmNISSEDAL mirror, white, 40x150 cmHOVET mirror, black, 78x196 cmLINDBYN mirror, black, 110 cm

Shop Mirrors

Bathroom storage that keeps everything in order

A small bathroom benefits enormously from a mix of open and closed storage, so everyday items stay close at hand while the rest stays out of sight. IKEA's ENHET high fr w shelves and ENHET wall frame with shelves work well together here, giving a bathroom proper cupboard space alongside open shelving for things used daily, such as a DRAGAN soap dispenser by the basin.

Higher up, closed storage is the place for anything needed less often, freeing up the lower shelves for what matters day to day. A TRENSUM mirror brightens the space and makes it feel larger than it is, a BEKVÄM step stool helps reach the top shelves, and a TAVELÅN tray keeps bottles and bits tidy rather than scattered across the counter.

ENHET high fr w shelves, white, 30x30x180 cmENHET wall frame with shelves, white, 60x15x75 cmTRENSUM mirror, stainless steel, 17 cmBEKVÄM step stool, beech, 63 cmDRAGAN soap dispenser, bambooTAVELÅN tray, 2 pack

Shop IKEA Step Stools & Step Ladders

Small rooms respond well to the right furniture, and Maltashopper brings these IKEA pieces straight to homes across Malta and Gozo, no store visit required.

More home ideas