Always a way to do up a micro unit

Always a way to do up a micro unit

By Kalapana Rashiwala

'A LOT of people don't understand that you can still make a small apartment feel comfortable if you do not put in the wrong things. Space planning to me is the most important part of interior design; it is not about decoration first,' says William Ong, executive chairman of Axis ID.

Micro apartments and shoebox units have gained currency in the past year or so as some developers have shrunk apartment sizes to keep lumpsum unit prices within reach of lower-budget investors.

However, there has been concern about the challenges that buyers will face in fitting out their units when they take possession of their properties.

Mr Ong argues that while such units are small, they can still be practical and liveable if designed and laid out correctly. And one can always count on some clever interior design tricks to help make them appear bigger than they are.

'In terms of space, you have to first see the space; then see how to lay out the furniture so that it is usable, it doesn't clutter up (the room); and thirdly, the scale of the items and the furniture you put inside must complement the space.

'So you can't put in super-large sofas; or if you can only put in a two-seater, you should not force in a three-seater, for instance . . . If you put in the right scale, things will turn out right.'

No matter how small an apartment is, there is a way to lay out the bed so that it sits nicely and still gives occupants space to move around, to have access to the wardrobes without having to climb over the bed.

'If you put your bed against the wall, you have a lot more space to walk in a small room. But if you want to put your bed as an island by itself, then you need space around it, and it (the room) will look a lot smaller.'