DO you have a small flat, or apartment, and are struggling to decide what furniture would work best in the (limited) space you have? Well, you are not alone.

With living space at a premium, new homes are getting smaller and smaller as house builders try to cram as many units into their developments. A study showed the average new-build home in the UK was 76 sq m, the smallest in Europe, according to the researchby the University of Cambridge. And the average living room is just 17 sq m.

To make these homes appear larger, you can paint walls white or cream and use reflective surfaces, as covered in our article 7 Pieces of Furniture To Brighten Up Your Home. However, to really get more bang for your buck, a modern micro-apartment must have adaptable furniture. That means folding chairs and tables, storage solutions, and items that have more than one use.

To help with your search, Where Saints Go has put together a list of 5 space-saving pieces of furniture for small apartments.

1.)  Coffee table that doubles up as a storage box. Great for storing keys, candles, magazines or documents. Where Saint’s Go has a Rattan Round Coffee Table with storage which ticks the box for adaptable furniture. It has a removable solid teak wood top – perfect for stashing away all your every-day clutter. 

2.) Tall Box Drawer Units. Rather than buying a regular three-drawer chest for your bedroom, opt for a tall unit with extra drawers. You can still keep essential bedroom items on the top of the unit, such as a hairdryer, mirror and make-up, but the extra drawers will provide much-needed storage space without taking up more width in the room. Where Saint’s Go has an Emboss Box Drawer with 10 box drawers that mixes industrial cool with practicality. The drawers are big enough to hold shoes and folder clothes.

3. Folding side table. When you have friends coming over for a few drinks, having a folding table to put nibbles and booze is a great solution for entertaining. After the fun is over (but maybe not the hangover), simply fold away and store until the next gathering. This folding metal side table by Where Saints Go can be used for indoors or outside (when it’s not raining) and could even double-up as a cosy table for two to eat together.

4.)  Folding chairs.  Just as useful as a folding table, having a couple of folding chairs tucked away under your bed or in a cupboard is perfect for extra seating when needed. Where Saint’s Go has two options of its folding director’s chair - either black frame with black and white cow hide, or tan frame with tan and white cow hide seat. There is also a range of wooden folding director’s chairs with brown or black leather seats and backrest, picture below.

Benefit of having plants in a small apartment

5.)  Plants. OK, so not furniture, but having some plants in a small flat or apartment makes a lot of sense. With many of us living in cities, getting a daily dose of greenery is not always easy. Plants calm us down, help air quality by adding oxygen to a room, and may even boost our life expectancy. The Royal Horticultural Society says indoor plants boost our mood and reduce stress. Of course, choosing a planter that looks good with your furniture is important.  Where Saint’s Go has a Rattan large planter which is made from natural rattan and has a discreet waterproof plastic liner pot – perfect for larger-sized plants.

We hope this blog has given you some useful insights and inspiration for your home.