Three Secrets to Designing a Small Apartment for a Big Family
A family of five people is a lot in a small urban apartment. But two designers took it upon themselves to design a small family home in a sprawling urban jungle. The mission was to create a playful, modern space that has smart storage, a room within a room, and flexible furniture. And we are excited to show you how it turned out.
Emma Persson Lagerberg and Emilia Ljungberg were the two interior designers in charge of this project. They added, “We wanted to create a colourful home that felt playful, new and modern, with smart solutions to meet all their needs.”
To Each Their Own… Space
Emma has a bang on statement about this. She said, “Storage is crucial, especially when it can double as other things; in the first shared bedroom we used PLATSA to create a reading nook for the youngest child, as well as a ‘getting ready’ space for their mother.” Thanks to the PLATSA wardrobe’s modular nature, you can assemble and arrange it anyway you want to create more storage spaces. And in this case, a small space for a kid.
Next is the slightly-big boys’ room. As a child, I used to share a room with my younger brother so this makes me flashback. But our room was never this tidy, though. “It gives the kids the chance to take ownership of their side,” says Emilia. “The SLÄKT bed has a pull-out bed underneath for sleepovers and drawers for extra bedlinen. A reading light is a must for bedtime stories, and as it only lights up the area needed it means no one else is disturbed.” Other than the bed, their study tables are placed side by side so each can have a personal space for studying. Or maybe a joint project using popsicle sticks and glue. Or Lego blocks.
Fun [ctional]
Multipurpose furniture is always a welcome touch in small living rooms. And alone time can be transformed into bonding time instantly by just rearranging the sofa. “To balance me time with we time, we gave each person a space of their own, no matter how small or simple, and all the shared areas are flexible. The FLOTTEBO sofa-bed has storage space inside and also doubles as a guest bed”, states Emilia. The sofa-bed has a built in desk for when you want to read or work. Then it becomes a day bed for guests or when it’s Movie Night Saturdays!
““We hope that people will feel inspired not to take creating a home too seriously, “Interior design should be fun!””
Fun can also be introduced to the kids when doing chores. “In the kitchen we used KUNGSFORS rails and low shelves for easy access to the things the family use daily. We added a GRUNDTAL trolley so it’s quick and easy to set the table.”
A Room Inside a Room
Rarely does a small apartment have more than one bathroom. But what’s special about what Emilia and Emma have done is that they have managed to fit a small and very functional laundry room. “It is a small space but it can cater for all five family members if time is running out,” says Emilia. “That’s thanks to the double sink, the extra stool, wall hooks, and enough storage space for everyone’s things,” Emma added.
Then we go to the laundry area which is championed by the IKEA ALGOT wall rack. The wall rack has easy access baskets which will entice the kids to help with sorting the laundry. Even if they won’t really wash the clothes. Emilia added, “There’s an extra space above the washing machine for folding and sorting clothes. All the cleaning products and powders are placed on the top shelf – well out of reach for the children.”
You see, a small home, even for two adults and three kids, need not be cluttered. We hope we inspired you in designing your home for your family.
