Due to certain life circumstances, many families with children are forced to live in a one-room apartment. The lack of square meters can no longer be a problem if you properly organize and optimize the space. Of course, combining the parents’ bedroom, the children’s room, and the living room is not an easy task, but it is quite doable.
What to consider when planning an apartment
There are several general rules that should be taken into account when arranging a one-room apartment for three family members with a child:
- the rooms should be well ventilated and there should be no drafts (the sleeping place should be placed in the corner of the room);
- bulky furniture makes the room visually larger and takes up a lot of space, so it is better to choose compact furniture that will fit well into a small room;
- For the safety of residents, it is better to choose high-quality accessories made from natural, environmentally friendly materials that do not harm health or cause allergies;
- Wallpaper should be chosen so that the child can draw on it, then the child, having his own personal corner, will be able to feel comfortable.
Don’t forget about lighting either – it’s best to illuminate each children’s area separately. At the same time, the light should not be too bright, as this can affect the baby’s emotional state and worsen vision. You can buy designer lamps in Moscow; they will harmoniously fit into any design.
To visually enlarge the space, the interior color scheme should have light, discreet shades. Mirror surfaces, spotlights, multifunctional, non-bulky furniture will also help to visually make the apartment larger, while the design should be consistent in the same style.
Let there be color
Color will help to visually adjust the interior and separate the children's area from the parents' area. To visually enlarge a room, use a maximum of two or three light shades: white, beige, light gray, peach, pastel colors. By the way, we have a whole article about games with space.
Large and bright prints should be avoided, but sometimes the soul asks for a holiday (especially if it is a child’s soul). Make her happy and let her create a colorful riot on the wall. It is important that the emphasis is placed on only one of the walls, and the rest remain neutral.
Kids love bright colors that visually hide the treasured free space. Don't take this as a reason to be sad. It’s better to take advantage of the circumstance and buy more bright toys and accessories! Then at first glance it will be clear where the world of childhood is and where the place is for adults.
As practice shows, small apartments are not a death sentence at all, even for a large family, if you approach the matter seriously and responsibly. The main thing here is to pay attention to the little things, but not to get hung up on trifles and feel free to separate and improvise.
Organization of children's space
As mentioned above, the arrangement of the nursery depends on the age of the child. It’s easiest when the child is small, in which case you can put a crib in the corner of the room or near the parents’ bed, a changing table nearby, and adults can use the rest of the space at their discretion.
A preschooler also does not require a lot of space, since he will not yet need a desk for studying, except perhaps a small table for drawing and a play mat. The sleeping place can also be placed near the parents' bed by installing a partition. The baby also needs furniture to store toys and clothes. The best option is a chest of drawers, it has compact dimensions, many compartments, or a podium on which a crib is installed at the very top, and a bed for adults in the lower niche. Such designs provide shelves and drawers for storing things.
As for school-aged children, they will need more space. In the student area you need to put a desk and shelves for books. The best option is a wall or studio, which consists of a bunk bed, a table and storage systems for books and clothes. To make children and adults more comfortable, you can use partitions between the living room and sleeping areas.
When planning a children's corner, you can make a separate room from a balcony, a storage room, connecting the room to the living area. You can also arrange a space for your baby’s leisure and relaxation in the kitchen, and move food preparation to the main room. Unlike partitions, racks have more advantages - they separate living areas, they can be used to store personal belongings, and the racks allow light and air into the room well.
How to choose the right place in the room?
A place for a child in a common room is usually organized using zoning.
When choosing a location, you need to consider several factors. Here are the most basic ones:
- Good lighting.
- The place should be ventilated periodically. It is advisable to use a climate complex that will not only provide the room with clean air, but also humidify it.
- Safety of the place for the child, taking into account his stay without adult supervision.
Tip: you can zone the area using bright wallpaper and functional furniture.
The color of the wallpaper can either match the interior of the common room or differ from it if the child wants a separate space that is different from the common room. The division of a room can be organized using a rack, whatnot, curtains, furniture or drywall.
It must be remembered that folding furniture, transformable beds and loft beds, folding tables, shelves are all indispensable items for optimizing space and solving a number of functional problems.
Ways to divide an apartment into zones
Zoning is the only way to turn a one-room apartment into a two-room, three-room or even five-room apartment.
To divide a one-room apartment into zones, the following are used:
- Partitions. There are several types of partitions: sliding, mobile, folding. Depending on the material of manufacture, they can be plasterboard, glass, plastic, wood, iron. Stained glass, glass or mirror inserts, shelves, and lamps are used as decoration.
- Shelving. In addition to dividing housing into a two-room apartment, shelving acts as shelves for storing books, clothes, personal items or documents. In addition, they allow light and air to pass through better than partitions.
- You can divide the room into a living room, bedroom and children's room, and at the same time complement the design of the room, using curtains. They are easy to close and open, making access to the child easier.
- Screen. Best suited for families with a small child, this will make it easier for the mother to get to the baby.
There is another option to separate adult and children's corners - wall decoration. You can, for example, use wallpaper or decorated brick in strict colors in the living room area, and paint the walls in the children's corner, choose cartoon wallpaper, or paint the walls in a brighter and more colorful color. For small children, it is better to choose wallpaper on which you can draw and then wash it off; this will become one of the baby’s favorite pastimes, while saving space for a table or easel.
Decor
If you have already completed the renovation, but it turned out that it is not very convenient to live with it, there is a simple way out. Just divide the household items of adults and children into two parts and place them in different parts of the room. Even this simple technique works. You should not place the children's desk next to the parents' desk. At least in this regard, you need to respect each other’s personal space.
Another budget option is to use furniture and decor items. Divide the space between two zones using a small cabinet, shelving unit or just a lamp and the room will become a little more comfortable.
Options for wall decoration and apartment arrangement
You can choose the same finishing option for the entire apartment, adding colorful elements and lighting to the children's corner. You can also choose different colors of walls, floors, ceilings, but it is advisable to stick to one style. Then the interior of the room will look harmonious.
Wall finishing options:
- wallpaper – for a family with small children it is better to choose options for painting;
- decorative plaster or stone - used to protect the surface of the wall; these types of finishes are used for the recreation area;
- For the kitchen and bathroom areas, tiles are best suited because they are reliable, durable, and easy to clean;
- the living room can be separated from other areas using an accent wall made of laminate, wallpaper, decorative stone or plaster.
The hallway walls can be separated using partitions or panels.
Furniture should be chosen that is multifunctional and compact - bunk beds, large storage systems for hallways, which will help save space in the living area, shelving, cabinets and sofas that will separate the kitchen from the living room and bedroom. If the apartment has a loggia, it can be attached to the living area and used as a nursery or office.
To increase space, glossy surfaces are also used to reflect light and make the room visually larger.
Don't forget the balcony
If you insulate your balcony, you will get a few extra square meters. The won space can be used in different ways: organize a children's corner, add additional cabinets, arrange an office or a small dining room. In many apartments you can tear down a wall, but here you have to choose: make the room bigger or save space for those who want to be alone?
Classic
Classic style is characterized by rigor, elegance, natural finishing materials and furniture. The walls are finished with marble tiles, the flooring is with precious wood, the ceiling is with stucco.
If the family lives in a private house, you can add some elements of classic style to the exterior.
Examples of different designs of one-room apartments with a child:
