Small on space, big on style

This year’s Home Décor Expo saw 12 interior designers transform various apartments within the Precinct Luxury Apartments estate in Midrand, Johannesburg, into individual statement-makers. Here, three experts involved reveal their compact living décor secrets and why the demand for luxury estates is only set to grow.

Jessica Hofmeyr, Century Property Developments

Apartment living is becoming more and more popular because it truly is a lock-up-and-go lifestyle, and everything and anything is taken care of by the estate manager and their team. Amenities within these developments are also world-class – the club houses are outstanding, and the communal areas cater for adults and children (including basketball courts, tennis courts, soccer pitches and so on). These developments are also a great way of meeting new people and creating a very social lifestyle. We have seen that this sort of living is perfect for young professionals, newlyweds and young families.

Versatile Interiors

Angela Saffy, Versatile Interiors

The biggest challenge when designing and creating an impact in a small space is the use of colours and furniture pieces that provide comfort. To overcome this challenge, I sourced furniture pieces that work in small spaces and chose fabrics that were attractive and appealing to the eye.

Apartment living can definitely have a wow factor if done right and functionality is key. This is something we take pride in at Versatile Interiors. The key factors to keep in mind when furnishing a small space include placing furniture so that walkways are not obstructed and adding mirrors to draw in light and give the illusion of space. Don’t be tempted to clutter the space with lots of décor accessories or objet d’art either, it’s best to keep it simple.

Versatile Interiors

Jennifer Donaldson, Show Stopper Properties

The biggest challenge Show Stopper Properties faced while creating an impactful design in our allocated one-bedroom apartment was to ensure we didn’t clutter the space but rather selected considered pieces that would stand out. As important as the form and aesthetic of the space was, the functionality had to carefully considered too.

We aimed to impress by creating a decadent space that stirred emotion to those who experienced it. It was designed to appeal to all sexes and demographics. We achieved this through layering the space and combining strong geometries and colours in juxtaposition to more neutral and softer shapes. All areas of the apartment were considered, right through to the bathroom where we applied a frosted geometric vinyl to the window for added privacy and continuation of the design in every area. The devil is in the detail.

The integration of our large bespoke colossal headboard in the confined space went against the notion that small spaces require small furniture pieces. The scale of the headboard dominates the space and creates a striking focal point, lending itself to be a strong conversation piece. The use of storage in small spaces always needs consideration, hence we integrated drawers into the bed base, to optimise the space the bed itself took up.

The use of mirrors enhanced the area while creating the illusion of space, and simultaneously adding to the opulent yet homey feel.

This space proved to us that there really is no need to put every single great idea you might have into one space. The focus should be the functionality of the space, while simultaneously designing cleverly to make a clean impactful statement.

Pre-site space planning is imperative for any living/working area to optimise your space. Every measurement in a small space impacts the bigger picture and less is more.

Design ahead instead of random-purchasing. Through this consideration, you will be able to create functional liveable/workable environments.