Design of the Living Room in an Apartment. Functionality and Compactness

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The entrance area should not be overloaded with furniture; there must be enough free space to bend down or sit, tie your shoes, and put on a jacket. There should be at least 10 cm of clearance from the door frame to the nearest interior item.

Furniture Placement Plan

We will highlight several zones that require thoughtful planning:

Entrance Area

Photo 1 — Decoration and Hat Storage in the Fiesole Hallstand by Cavio Interiors

“Quick” Wardrobe

The so-called “quick” wardrobe is a zone designated for storing frequently used seasonal items. Among interior items, this area typically includes shoe racks and coat hangers. It is not rational to store items you only just returned from a walk in a wardrobes or cupboards, as that will just cause the stored clothing to gather dust.

Photo 2 — Perchero Segre by Santa & Cole, Designer Feduchi Luis

Shoe Changing Zone

The best options for changing shoes are a small sideboard, console table, or tall stand where umbrellas and walking sticks can also be stored.

Interior Design in the Living Room of an Apartment: Which Wardrobe to Choose?

The number of rooms in a living space does not always determine the size of the entrance hall, because both one-room and three-room apartments can feature small entrance halls. What wardrobes are better to choose for such spaces?

Photo 3 — Storage Method by Interluebke, Design Kraeling Peter, Heide Rolf

If you have to choose between modular wardrobes and custom-made furniture, it is better to go for the latter.

Firstly, custom wardrobes eliminate the possibility of wasted space: you know better than anyone what and in what order you want to store your items, so the placement of shelves can be arranged accordingly rather than relying on standard factory settings. Additionally, functional internal components in custom wardrobes are far more flexible.

You can install a rod instead of a standard hanger or telescopic (extendable) and lift-up (movable upward) hangers, which are just as effective at saving space in the wardrobe and thus also in the area behind it.

By the way, it's better to replace shelves with drawers.

Photo 4 — Storage Option liss 5th by Molteni & C, Design Centro Ricerche Molteni

In a typical apartment with a small entrance hall, the wardrobe should be designated for storing items and garments that are used regularly. Seasonal clothing should be moved to other wardrobes: in the bedroom, living room, or attic.

Design of the Living Room: All Things in Their Place!

Each element of the living room design should occupy its rightful place in the room. How to arrange it properly?

Regarding lighting in the entrance hall, make sure that switches are easily accessible: you should be able to reach them without difficulty from the threshold.

An interesting approach is that a switch does not necessarily have to be mounted on the wall; it can be embedded into the floor and activated by stepping on a button. This option suits families with small children in two-room apartments: if your hands are usually occupied with shopping, a child's bicycle, or the child himself, it is not difficult to turn on the lights in your apartment.

When installing multiple light sources, each should have its own switch:

One for the mirror’s wall sconce,
Another for central lighting,
A third for wardrobe backlighting.

Instead of tall floor-standing hangers, many homeowners choose a system of suspended hooks as an option for storing coats or accessories. When selecting and mounting these hooks, consider not only their appearance or the number of family members living in the household but also the height of the residents.

For children’s clothing, for example, hooks can be made from plastic and mounted slightly lower on the wall, while hooks for adult coats and jackets should be stronger and higher.

Photo 5 — Hooks Near Mirrors Stars by Porada, Designer Colzani Tarcisio

Photo 6 — Button Hooks Bottone by Cattelan Italia, Designer Fortuzzi Marzia

Every item or piece of furniture you use in daily life should have a strictly designated place. This way, you will never lose your keys (you can hang them in a key holder on the wall for safekeeping), shoe horn, leash of your favorite dog, or an umbrella.

Think about small details. For example, designate a place for storing bags or handbags: this can be a separate shelf or hook.