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Design Dilemma Living Rooms Smaller Homes

Small Condo Living and Dining Flow

5 years ago

I just bought a one bedroom condo and i am having trouble designing the flow of the open layout. I want a proper dining table and living space (im kinda over bar tables)...just cant get the proper feel of the place. The door to the bedroom is in an awkward position which gives the living room an L feel rather than a square...please help...

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PRO

OnePlan

5 years ago

Having a gate leg table at the rear of the sofa - and putting glossy or mirrored wardrobes as a dressing area will bounce light around and give access to bathroom without going into the bedroom - and more wardrobe storage with glazed door to bedroom - with a blind fitted to the door for privacy when required -this can still be a lovely home - a mirror above the single chair will also bounce more natural daylight into the living area of the apartment.

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Comments (12)

PRO
Anna Auzins Interiors Ltd.
5 years ago
Are there windows in the living area? I can see the one in the bedroom and at the end of the balcony (or is the balcony open on both sides?), but not sure about kitchen and living space.
PRO
AVINU - Home Technology
5 years ago
Use lighting to set out the key areas: consider lighting destination points and surfaces - and remember reflected light is best!! Try to avoid using down-lighters ;)
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A Roman blind is a good idea or curtains that hang outside of the window recess when open to allow maximum light to pour in. Whichever you choose, make sure they are hung high near the ceiling to make the ceiling feel higher up. What do you use the conservatory for? Is the door in the second photo the main entrance into the room? Would the table fit comfortably nearer the window end of the room instead? Then the sofa could go to the other end of the space - not sure if it fits. It's hard to see how the layout works from the photos and without the measurements or a floor plan. Alternatively, would the sofa fit it you turned it so that it faces the centre of the room rather than the window? I'd hang the seaweed mirror above the sideboard or behind the sofa (depending on final layout) and change the floor lamp to one which reaches over into the living space. Also, you need a much larger rug for the living space. The mirror and art are hung too high at the moment. After the layout is decided then you can think about maybe using wallpaper on one wall. Sarah Bright Space Design
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Curtains look neutral as does the carpet. Personally I would keep these to start with and paint the walls a mid grey which might sound bold when originally you wanted white but it will be broken up a lot by the windows and kitchen. If it is possible to get rid of the peninsular the kitchen will feel less imposing. Since the kitchen is open to the living room I would be trying to find a cupboard elsewhere to house this although you can get washers with a timer which you can set when you go to bed and they finish as you get up in the morning. Rectangular dining tables work when you have a straight wall perhaps a circular table would be better here. I would use masking tape on the floor to help visualise furniture placement. Try putting a sofa in the middle of the room, with the side to the front door and it facing the opposite corner to the kitchen.
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Hi Kate. It looks a nice room. You only have a couple of pics in your ideabook so there's not much to go on in terms of style and colour. Maybe go for something like the first pic however with a pale grey paint with a blue/lavender undertone on the walls (which your sofas appear to have) and also paint the radiators the same colour. You don't mention if you need privacy, if not, I'd go for Roman blinds hung outside the recess in the wall colour to make the room feel bigger/taller. Similar to the pic id add navy, white and deep mauve cushions and a throw mixing texture (include some velvet!) and pattern. If you add brass for lamps etc it will add warmth in addition to some green for a plant and flowers for the coffee table. This may be a no no (!) but a light grey cowhide rug may work (without markings) to avoid rug "rules". I also like the panelling in the first pic and you could use wallpaper panelling on one wall to the same effect if you're on a budget. The last 2 pics are just really showing how a cowhide rug and panelling could work in an elegant scheme with industrial touches. Depending on layout I might remove the shelves and add a huge mirror over the dining table although ideally it would be on the long wall to make the room feel wider. Dining tables do look good against the back of sofas which may potentially (!) work if your sofas were opposite each other on the short walls and perhaps the door opened the other way but then I'm not sure where the tv would go!
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As I mentioned you could go further with the Open Plan idea. I decided not to put the doorway in the 'new kitchen' ( old dining room ) in to the downstairs cloakroom and use it as a Utility because:- The shape it creates would mean that it wouldn't work well as a combined loo and utility, and there's no need for a separate utility with a large kitchen and integrated appliances It's better to have a downstairs loo and cloakroom than a Utility and no downstairs loo. It's not great to have the entrance to the loo from the kitchen. . This is what it would look like. I agree with Jonathan on the size of the lounge. I think if you go more open plan as above, it will seem more spacious without doing to much work apart from a steel and removing the large portion of the kitchen wall. You could have gone completely off the charts with it and done something more like this:- However, I think the plan with the kitchen on the left and just opening it out more works just fine and involves a whole lot less expenditure!
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jbtanyderi
5 years ago
Can you add the wasted double door opening space to the living area?
A B
5 years ago
I would consider this a studio apartment? There was a great recent article on an innovative design of one, that had a very small internal bedroom and larger reception space. If you swapped your kitchen and bathroom (creating alternative access to the balcony) you could have a small sleeping zone, then make your current bedroom into the dining room.

None of this may be at all possible of course! Maybe get in touch with the designers?!

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lordgonggong
Original Author
5 years ago
@anna...no there are no windows in the living area and yes there are only large windows at the far end of the kitchen and bedroom... its a small 649sqft one room apartment.
lordgonggong
Original Author
5 years ago
@jen p....i dont think its possible to make that big of a renovation as this is an apartment as you have correctly pointed out...
PRO
Anna Auzins Interiors Ltd.
5 years ago
Looking at the living room it is actually a reasonably sized space; you just need to make sure you can get from one area to another. My idea would be to have the table (you could have one that seats 6) pretty near the kitchen area (with the long sides parallel to the door), and then have a seating area to the right of the door as you walk in. I would place a sofa perpendicular to the door, so that when you walk in the back of the sofa is on your right, forming a bit of a corridor, and then the tv (presumably you will want one) on the opposite wall. You can then have a pair of chairs facing towards the back wall, forming a separate little "room" there, with coffee or occasional tables, etc.

A rug could further define the area.

Lighting, as has already been pointed out, is key -- as you won't have much natural light coming into the sitting area a good combination of general and task lighting will be essential both to demarcate the space and to make sure it doesn't become a dark area.
lordgonggong
Original Author
5 years ago
@anna thank you... that is currently what the area is designed for i guess... an expected layout? ... wish it could be more eccentric. hahahaha... thanks for the recommendation.
lordgonggong
Original Author
5 years ago
@OnePlan I love the idea of the extension into the bedroom area and a whole large living space. i guess i need to sacrifice dining space in order to have a nice boutique hotel like space. or maybe choose a small nook for a bar or small eating table...
minnie101
5 years ago
Love Karen at onePlans idea. The 2nd pic illustrates her idea for the gate leg table behind the sofa. You may also have enough space for a slim table as in the first pic, if you didn't want a gate leg, just push the sofa forward fractionally. If you didn't want to see the wardrobes from the living space you could also add a slim bookcase at the end
graceh32
5 years ago
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