Advertisement

More and more Filipinos are flocking to condominium communities. Often tucked within busy city centers, condo living acts as a small respite from urban chaos. Faced with the challenge of transforming a cramped condominium into a warm living space, BluPrint lists condo ideas that can maximize each square foot of small spaces.

Photographed by Ed Simon

Purposeful Storage Solutions

The primary issue occupants face in small living spaces is the lack of storage. As such, finding creative and functional storage solutions is key. One tactic is to tuck away belongings in hidden or discreet compartments while intentionally displaying important keepsakes. This gives occupants more control over how their personality comes through in the design.

Storage beds, for instance, maximize the large footprint beds take up within living spaces. They offer an extra set of compartments, where you can store items ranging from bedsheets and towels to non-daily essentials. This is also a great form of concealed storage.

Freedom in Small Spaces.
Studio Mara used a frosted glass sliding door to conceal the owner’s mini library without completely hiding it. Photographed by Ed Simon
Sonny Calvento’s Cozy Studio Apartment.
Door knobs and handles were removed from the storage pieces to create a cleaner look. Photographed by Ed Simon

In an interview with BluPrint, Interior Designer Ivy Almario of Atelier Almario stated that flexible design elements make the best use of small spaces. By integrating sliding partitions, which can reveal or conceal, visual clutter is lessened while still allowing for visual depth through texture and material. 

Related Reading: A Studio Type Apartment That’s Big on Style

Floating countertops with a drawer or cabinet also maximize a space. In bathrooms, which are often the smallest rooms in condominiums, they allow items that would otherwise be placed on top of the counter to be discreetly stored. Multifunctional pieces such as medicine cabinets—which act as both a mirror and ample storage space—are also essential for condominium bathrooms. 

Sleek Splendour: A Luxurious Two-Bedroom Apartment for Modern Newlyweds.
Photograph from Box Design Studio

By establishing functional storage solutions, occupants are given breathing room to let their personal character peak through the space

Related Reading: Multi-Functional Pieces Provide Practical Living Solutions

Playing with Textures and Curating a Color Palette

Spatial limitations brought by small spaces require residents to get creative with textures and colors. One can either opt for a minimalist theme through a neutral color palette or go towards the maximalist route by experimenting with bright colors and wallpapers. 

Photographed by Ed Simon
Photographed by Ed Simon

For instance, within the 38-square-meter (sqm) space of Burt Little Home, the interior utilized plywood as its central material. The panels were bleached and tinted to reach the desired finish. With the material creating a unified color palette, the interior was given a brighter and more spacious atmosphere. The home’s spatial language can be applied to similarly small condominium spaces.

A man opens a closet next to a window seat surrounded by built-in cabinetry. A bed with white linens can also be seen.
Photographed by Lala Llanes

Related Reading: Burt Little Home: Small House Design by the Sea

Those who lean towards maximalism have to account for scale and proportion. In an interview with BluPrint, Interior Decorator Ram Bucoy of Casa Buddha stated that proportion controls every choice you make when decorating small spaces. Intentional, larger statement pieces avoid overcrowding the interior space. Bucoy also recommended playing with textures that bounce light, such as satin or gloss paints, as they prevent small spaces from feeling flat. 

Read More: Maximalist Design for Small Spaces: How to Go Bold Without Overwhelming

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage beds maximize a small condo footprint by utilizing the large area a bed occupies for high-capacity, concealed storage. These integrated compartments are ideal for stowing non-daily essentials like linens and towels, effectively reducing visual clutter while keeping items organized.

Sliding partitions offer flexible design by allowing occupants to instantly reveal or conceal specific areas, such as libraries or sleeping quarters. This tactic creates visual depth and minimizes clutter, making a cramped studio feel significantly larger and more versatile.

Floating countertops improve functionality by clearing floor space while providing discreet storage for toiletries within integrated drawers or cabinets. Combined with multifunctional medicine cabinet mirrors, these fixtures maximize every square foot of the smallest rooms in a condominium.

A unified material palette, such as using bleached and tinted plywood panels throughout a home, creates a brighter and more cohesive environment. By minimizing visual breaks in color and texture, the interior feels more expansive and less fragmented, which is essential for 38-square-meter living.

Scale and proportion are critical because intentional, larger statement pieces prevent a small space from feeling overcrowded and disorganized. Utilizing textures that bounce light, such as satin or gloss paints, also prevents maximalist interiors from feeling flat or claustrophobic.

Technogym Sand Stone Gym Equipment

Protected: Inside Technogym’s Sand Stone Collection: Where Wellness and Refined Interiors Merge

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

In Chairs We Trust: A Showcase of Midcentury Design Somewhere in Nuvali

There are 197 chairs on the unfinished yet pristine concrete floor. Take a step forward, and you might accidentally step into a name card on the floor introducing the Panton Chair by Verner Panton in front of you. Back up a few paces in caution, and you run the risk of actually bumping into the […]

Designing for Comfort at Every Scale

Comfort is an essential consideration in bathroom design. In a compact condominium, it may begin with efficient planning and fixtures that maximize limited space. In a private residence, it may involve generous proportions, personalized details, and greater privacy. In hotels and commercial developments, comfort must also account for different users, frequent use, and operational requirements. […]

Sketching Modernity 07: The Meralco Building

Revisiting Jose Maria Zaragoza’s 1969 modernist landmark on Ortigas Avenue, where corporate architectureArchitectureThe art and science of designing and constructing buildings, structures, and spaces that are functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing. It encompasses the planning, design, materials, and techniques used to createGo to Architecture Glossary, performing arts, and personal memories come together. The Meralco Building […]

Protected: Architecture Across Borders: HAENGLIM on Golf, Leisure, and Designing for Place

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Caryll Ong

Contributor

Caryll Ong is a writer and researcher with a background in sociology and a keen interest in urban planning and human mobility. Her work explores the ways people navigate, experience, and shape the built environments around them.

Read the issues.
Collect the volumes.

Recommended Video

Tap to Unmute
Unmute
0:00
0:00 / 0:00
0:00

To provide a customized ad experience, we need to know if you are of legal age in your region.

By making a selection, you agree to our Terms & Conditions.