How to Create a Stylish Workspace for a Freelancer in a Small Apartment: 8 Tips from a Designer

More and more people are transitioning to remote work, so organizing space for workdays is more relevant than ever. A modern home has become not only a place for rest but also a full-fledged mini-office. While people in spacious apartments set up studies, owners of small apartments face a challenging task: how to create both stylish and functional workspace in a small area?

Luckily, you don't have to sacrifice beauty for comfort or choose convenience over attractive design. In a small apartment, it's possible and even necessary to combine everything at once. The key is to approach the process thoughtfully. We've collected useful tips from designer Ekaterina Fedosyenko, who has been working from home for almost nine years. Take these tips and create the perfect workspace for a freelancer.

Ekaterina Fedosyenko
Interior Designer

Carefully choose the location of your workspace

Inspiration and work mindset are very important: it's rare for anyone to be productive working lying in bed or on a sofa, and also hard to work sitting at a low coffee table or in a chair. Therefore, you must carefully plan the location of your workspace: if the area doesn't allow for setting up a study, you need to set aside space in the bedroom, living room, or on an insulated balcony. It's important to choose a secluded space: it's unlikely you'll want to work where someone in your family constantly watches TV.

Design: Olga Chernenko

Don't Forget About Zoning

Another key to creating a comfortable and stylish workspace is zoning the space. Of course, in small apartments, you don't need to build additional walls: a shelf can perfectly handle the task of separating the guest area from the workspace. A pleasant bonus is that there will be additional storage space. If you plan to set up a mini-office in the bedroom, look at stylish screens that will complement the interior.

Design: Karina Nedelyay

Tip INMYROOM: Remote work cannot do without quality internet — freelancers need to always stay connected, respond to calls and messages quickly, and download documents fast. If the connection is poor and unstable, comfort becomes irrelevant.

With high-speed internet from Dom.ru, you won't lose connection during an important conference: speeds up to 600 Mbps will increase your productivity many times over. Chat with colleagues via video call and upload any files while family members watch movies or videos on YouTube — the Wi-Fi will work just as consistently.

Thinking you don't need high speed? Subscribe to high-speed internet for three months at the price of regular internet: the trial period is enough to personally experience all the benefits. But that's not all! The first month costs just 1 ruble — an incredible investment in the comfort of your entire family.

Take Care of Comfortable Furniture

Even if you work from a small apartment, a proper desk and chair are not to be ignored! The desk must definitely be at least standard size (especially the width) so that you can place a laptop or computer monitor with keyboard and necessary documents. A console 30–40 cm wide will likely be uncomfortable — you'll have to keep your elbows up. The chair can be adjustable in height and standard-sized with a stylish design (for example, metal legs and velvet upholstery) — choose a model that suits you and your feelings.

Design: AR-KA

Ensure Sufficient Power Outlets

Power outlets must be planned near the desk. If you're planning a renovation, ensure sufficient number and comfortable placement of outlets so that you never have to use extension cords again. A tip from the designer: it's convenient to place a vertical group of outlets under the desk (remember to include an internet outlet for the computer if needed), and a horizontal group above the desk — an outlet, USB outlet, and additional lighting switch. I use this scheme in every design project: all clients are satisfied!

Design: Carmine Home

Tip INMYROOM: Want to create a stylish workspace without extra cables and without compromising connection quality? This is easily achieved with routers from Dom.ru: choose the perfect model for your apartment that won't spoil the interior and will provide you with a reliable connection without speed limitations. When selecting a router, specialists consider the apartment size and layout.

They will also handle installation and training: all you have to do is manage the router through a convenient app and enjoy excellent signal throughout the apartment. If you have questions, the support team will answer them promptly.

Work, watch videos, or spend free time playing games — using Wi-Fi on multiple devices won't affect connection quality.

Pay attention:
Wi-Fi Router TP-Link Archer EC220_G5 ERT
Wi-Fi Router D-Link DIR-2150
Wi-Fi Mesh System TP-LINK Deco M4

Plan Lighting Thoughtfully

It's no secret that it's best to locate the workspace by a window to get enough natural light. But you also need to take care of your own comfort on cloudy days or during dark hours. Additional lighting can be in the form of a desk lamp — this is a convenient and standard approach.

Also, consider a swivel wall lamp — it saves space on the desk but performs its functions well. A key detail: you need to plan for a light switch above the desk in advance. Additional lighting can come from recessed lights or pendant lights above the writing desk.

Design: Anna Vazhenina

Plan the Storage System

Creative clutter easily turns into chaos, distracting from work, so a good storage system is one of the most important aspects when creating a workspace. Buy a bookshelf, convenient organizers, and stylish boxes for stationery storage. Note the well-known trick — shallow shelves above the desk (they can be rectangular or whole compositions combined with a metal frame).

Design: Elements studio

Decorate the Workspace

You can place clocks, vases, candles, and memorable photos on the shelves. Easily decorate the space near the desk with decorative trim or gypsum panels, highlight with photo wallpapers or another color of paint — this is possible even after finishing the renovation. Small indoor plants also make a nice addition to your workspace.

Design: Ekaterina Bychkova

Be Inspired by Bold Ideas

For inspiration and unusual ideas, always look at photos online, train your visual awareness, and analyze every image. Think about what technique you can apply in your interior to create the perfect workspace, and how to adapt the idea to the dimensions of your space.

Design: Irina Khaletsova

What Not to Do

Choose the most frequently used areas of the apartment. As we mentioned earlier, if you live alone, working at the kitchen or in a hallway becomes a challenge for a freelancer. Family members will constantly distract you from your work, and your productivity will start to decline.

Work in the darkest corner. Don't organize your workspace in the darkest area (e.g., in a far corner of the room or hallway). Light from a computer monitor or laptop screen will never be enough — what's more, such a choice can harm your health. If the space is small, always plan for sufficient additional lighting sources.

Work on a sofa or bed. There are difficulties not only with productivity here. Lack of back support is a direct path to posture problems and nerve compression. Stools and cute poufs also don't suit working. The best option is a chair with a comfortable backrest and armrests.

Photo on cover: Design project by Anastasia Zarquaa