Like most old homes, this apartment from Hong Kong was originally divided into several small individual rooms, each with a specific function. While that used to be practical in a time when it was the norm, today such a layout feels claustrophobic. This is why the owner and her beloved cat sought the help of littleMORE Interior Design studio in order to turn this into a home fit for their modern lifestyle.

One of the back corners was transformed into a workspace with a desk, dark blue wallpaper and a stylish shelfEven after connecting the living room and bedroom into a single space the apartment is still quite small

Given the reduced dimensions of this place (only 260 square feet/ 24 square meters), the designers had to come up some clever small apartment decor ideas to make it feel like home. The 35 year old apartment gradually transformed from a collection of tiny individual spaces into a much more open and airy space. This was achieved by knocking down some of the interior walls and connecting some of the rooms such as the living area and the bedroom.

The open bookshelves bordering the bed double as a room dividerThe L-shaped sofa is also positioned in a way which helps the two areas feel like separate spaces

Although they’re now technically one and the same, the living room, bedroom and the home office still retain their own individual uniqueness. The separation is now done through key pieces of furniture and a floor level difference – the sleeping area is raised on a platform and delineated by a custom bookcase.

The bed is raised on a platform and that gives the sleeping area a sense of individualityThe TV is mounted onto o multifunctional wooden wall unitThe kitchen is a small and separate room but the sliding glass door helps to open it up toward the living areaThe bathroom is tiny but has all the basic amenities including a showerFrom the kitchen you get a view of the entire living area and the window nook at the back

The kitchen remained a separate space but has a glass panel sliding door that helps to give it a more open feel and to visually connect it to the rest of the apartment. The bathroom is small and cleverly hidden behind a secret door on the big wall unit that’s now part of the living area. Another beautiful small apartment design idea was to create a cozy sitting nook along the two big windows on the back wall.

The kitchen is also the laundry room and the black and white palette suits it