7 Design Hacks We Spotted in Projects

To make an interior beautiful, convenient, and functional, a designer must carefully plan the space, choose appropriate finishes and furniture. But sometimes it's necessary to show creativity and think outside the box.

We've put together a selection of projects where designers successfully solved complex tasks and created unique yet functional interiors. Take note!

Utility Block Behind Wall Panels

Anna Smolyakova slightly altered the standard layout provided by the developer — she concealed the bathroom door in the corridor within the construction of the wall panels.

The panel continues into the foyer and forms a utility module behind a hidden door. Here are technical details, a boiler, and household items. Part of this single wall panel covers the end of built-in kitchen columns: refrigerator, oven module, and microwave.

Design: Anna Smolyakova. View the full project

Converting a Tiny One-Room Flat into a Bright Two-Room Apartment

In Maria Bezuglova's one-room flat, it was possible to thoughtfully arrange space for both work and relaxation. To do this, it was necessary to get rid of the unnecessary corridor and divide one room into two: bedroom and living room.

To preserve natural lighting, the designer opted for a trick: the standard balcony block was removed and replaced with two full-height glass doors. To allow light to enter the living room and foyer, windows with glass were built into the partition.

Design: Maria Bezuglova. View the full project

Bedroom Behind Glass in a Tiny Apartment

Designers at Studio 'My Atmosphere' managed to fit a separate bedroom, a kitchen-living room, and even a walk-in closet in just 34 square meters.

They did not create solid walls between the kitchen and bedroom. Instead, they designed a transparent glass partition with a glass door. This helped visually expand the space and increase the amount of light entering the cooking area and further into the foyer.

Design: Studio 'My Atmosphere'. View the full project

Functional Apartment with a Small but Spacious Storage Room

The clients wanted a separate storage room for clothes and household items, so designer Olga Litkovskaya slightly adjusted the developer's layout.

She replaced a separate wardrobe with a tall closet reaching to the ceiling and added an additional small console. The storage room was organized with a more convenient entrance from the corridor. Although it’s not very large in area, it is quite spacious — storage systems are arranged all the way to the ceiling.

Design: Olga Litkovskaya. View the full project

Wood-Burning Fireplace in an Urban Apartment

Nikolai Bannikov seriously worked on making the apartment as comfortable as possible in terms of operation — the project included realizations of several unusual tricks and features, including a real wood-burning fireplace.

To integrate it into the interior, he agreed on an opening in the roof for the chimney during construction, then calculated loads and legalized this decision. It took a lot of time, but the result was worth it. The fireplace was positioned so that the live fire is visible immediately from the foyer.

Design: Nikolai Bannikov. View the full project

Impressive Studio-Transformer with Practical Finishing

On 27 square meters, Vitaliy Myasnikov found space for a spacious kitchen, living room, and bedroom, as well as numerous storage systems. The sleeping area was solved using transformer furniture: during the day it is a small sofa, and at night — a full-size double bed.

The hardest part was installing a hidden door at the same level as the wall. The door frame does not support such installation, so it had to be significantly modified.

Design: Vitaliy Myasnikov. View the full project

Small Kitchen with Many Storage Spaces

To create as many practical and well-thought-out storage systems as possible in a small kitchen, the cabinet was custom-made. Upper cabinets extend to the ceiling, creating an effect of a single wall and thus not cluttering the space.

Design: Alena Rogacheva and Polina Maslenkina. View the full project

On the cover: Design Project by Olga Litkovskaya