Sixty square metres, fully used

The brief

A compact apartment with one bedroom and a long living space. The owner works from home and hosts family most weekends.

Instead of splitting the plan into smaller rooms, we keep it open and give everything a home. Storage becomes architecture, and sightlines make it feel twice the size.

The moves

• The storage wall. A full-height wall of joinery runs one side of the flat. It holds the kitchen, wardrobe, desk and laundry in one line.
• Sightlines that lie. Clear views from entry to window make the flat feel open. Furniture stays low so light travels the full length.
• One room, three jobs. Living, work and dining share one space with a table that extends and lighting that changes the mood.
• Bedroom with a borrowed view. A glazed screen, not a wall, separates the bedroom. Daylight reaches the corridor and privacy stays intact.

Takeaways

Storage is the plan in a small home. Solve it first.

Open plans need zones, not just fewer walls.

Lighting does more for size than paint colour.