Designing For Small Spaces

By: Jotham Lim

The property market has been taking an interesting turn in recent years. With home ownership being a significant obstacle to many, developers are looking for ways to make house prices affordable to the majority of the public. Many tactics have been used, such as developing projects with higher density, building projects in remote locations, etc. However, one of the more popular ways to reduce the total cost of home ownership is to develop homes with a smaller footprint. It is fairly common to witness the development of micro-suites, ranging from 450sq ft studio apartments, all the way to three bedrooms occupying only 650sq ft of space.

With so many micro-suites entering the market, it is slowly becoming a challenge trying to design for such tiny spaces. The editorial team at Property Insight has reached out to professional interior designer, Ms Aida Anis from Aideaspace, Aideahome & Mibs Studio, to get her thoughts on the situation and hopefully, disclose some tips and tricks for future and current micro-suite homeowners.

BACKGROUND

Ms Aida has been involved with interior designing for more than 15 years, leaving her mark in many major corporations in the industry. Her portfolio includes, but not limited to, major hotel brands such as Ritz Carlton, The Majestic Hotel, and even several niche projects such as Muzium Diraja Abu Bakar and Bursa Malaysia. She has a wide array of experience working with both private residential and commercial projects as well with several of her projects hailing from Setia Alam, Bukit Tunku and Maluri Kuala Lumpur. It is safe to say that Ms Aida knows her stuff when it comes to designing and crafting space for comfort, practicality and more importantly, value for money.

How often do you get to work on projects with tiny, Limited spaces?

It is not that often that I receive projects with such limited space because the general scale of my projects are RM50,000 and above. However, I have worked with developers on show units that are sized between 700-800 sq ft. I have also consulted a client in Johor that is looking to furnish a 450 sq ft space as well.

But as a designer, there will never be enough space to express yourself creatively. I have once worked on a project that has a 2200 sq ft builtup, and even then you will start encountering spatial issues trying to come up with a practical design. Every home comes with its own challenges in terms of layout and space, and it is up to us to make full use of the space effectively. But all in all, I do not receive projects such as these, but I can confidently say that it can be done, depending on the design concept you are gunning for.

Smaller spaces are harder to design. True or false?

I would comfortably say that smaller spaces pose a more significant challenge when it comes to coming up with an effective design. The biggest issue you will face is storage and how do you plan on maximising it, because what available space that you have is what you will ever get. It is essential to ensure that the space used remains practical, in addition to taking care of the aesthetic design of it.

I would say that a measuring tape and a notebook is your best friend when designing for small spaces. You need to be really careful when selecting pieces of furniture for small spaces, and you need to measure the sizes accordingly. Your design choices will matter more, and you have less room to make mistakes.

When selecting furniture, you should opt for pieces of furniture that have dual or multiple functionalities. There are shoe cabinets that function as a bench, murphy beds that function both as a bed and a desk. Some study tables are movable, and you can insert them into the walls for safekeeping. There are plenty of smart designs imported from European countries that allow users to maximise space very effectively.

It is easy to design for daily necessities, but problems will arise if you have certain hobbies that take up plenty of space. I once had a client in Shah Alam whereby the director has a cycling hobby. He insists that he must keep the bicycle in the office. Hence, we designed a wall mount that he can hang his bike on. Working with tiny space, every available space is precious, and you must tread lightly ensuring that each space serves a particular purpose.

Small spaces are relatively cheaper to furnish. True or false?

I would give this one a hard false. In fact, I would say that the design concept plays a more significant role in influencing the budget over the size of the space alone. First of all, it is important to realise that all furniture and finishes come with different grades of quality. A small space may require fewer materials to furnish, but one may argue that the money saved on purchasing fewer materials can be used to source for higher quality materials instead.

For example, I have an RM10,000 budget on laminated flooring. If I have a 1000 sq ft space, I may opt for a Grade C type of flooring, but I might opt for Grade A flooring if I were to furnish a 450 sq ft instead. We, as interior design consultants, work very carefully within the budget that was given to us, and sometimes
compromise is necessary in order to fulfil all the design objectives while still remain within budget.

Bigger spaces are always more comfortable to stay in compared to small spaces. True or false?

Yes definitely. Having more space does give you plenty of breathing room, not to mention the ability to play around with different design concepts and options. However, I would like to put forth a disclaimer and say that it is also possible for small spaces to achieve the same level of comfort as does large spaces, albeit needing a bit more effort.

Interior designers are problem solvers. There are many minute details that we have picked up over the years of designing that most clients are unable to identify. There are unique ways to save space, to make an area feel more comfortable or visually cleaner. For big spaces, you can go wild and crazy in terms of design, but you need to be disciplined for small spaces. Everything must be planned carefully and well measured, and you need to strike the perfect balance between need and want, and how to get the best of both worlds.

Which sections of the home should you never cheap out on, and conversely, which space can you save money on?

I can never stress this enough, but never cheap out on the kitchen. During the cooking process, you will be handling oils, water, raw food and ingredients, and it is very easy to get the space dirty and messy. You need to source for high durability and toxic-free materials for your kitchen space. The last thing you need is to have the corners chipped off, wallpaper stained and warped after a year of use due to inadequate material sourcing, and you will eventually spend more in repairs than you would do on sourcing for high-grade materials. For me, the best place to dig out extra savings would be in the bedroom. For bedrooms, the goa I is to create a space that is cosy and easy to rest in. A good bed with proper carpentry, night lighting and good wall paint are the only elements you need for a comfortable bedroom. For cabinets, there are plenty of cheap yet durable options. There are also plenty of items in

Actual photo of client’s project in Bukit Jelutong

Actual photo of client’s project in Bukit Tunku

the bedroom in which you don’t need easy access to, like winter clothing or luggage, where you can store away quietly.

I also notice that many new homeowners spend too much effort furnishing bathrooms, which is strange because the bathrooms of newly developed units are generally already well-furnished. Unless you are buying a sub-sale unit that has aged for quite a while, I see no reason to spend extra money hacking bathroom walls and re-outfitting them.

What tips do you have for homeowners looking to DIY design their small spaces?

The DIY scene has been picking up steam in recent years, due to the countless tutorials available online. For homeowners looking to embark on the DIY journey, I would recommend that you paint your own walls. It is an affordable way to change the entire look of the space, and it is reasonably easy to do it yourself. If you know how to sew your own curtains, I would highly recommend you do so as it is a great cost saver. Finally, wainscotting is a great and cheap way to add sophistication to your walls. If you are in any trouble or have any doubts, there is no shame in consulting with an interior designer.

We understand that selecting and purchasing a home is an ordeal by itself, and it can be overwhelming trying to furnish a bare unit from scratch. But here at Property Insight, we urge homeowners to relax and enjoy the designing process. Planning and furnishing your brand new home should be an enjoyable experience, as it is the most creative portion of the home purchasing process. Whether it is for investment or own stay, we hope that you, our readers, are able to furnish your space effectively to cater to your own personalised, individualistic needs.