Home Tour: A Minimalist Apartment In Turin With Unique Home Office Space

A minimalist apartment in Turin, Italy

Open plan living has been a popular choice in home design for several years now. But there is something to be said for the new trend for broken-plan living. It gives us different areas to break off into when we want a bit of quiet time and privacy. In addition, it adds element of mystery when you can’t see the entire layout of a home all at once. And as a result, can make a home appear to be more spacious.

That’s exactly what happened with the renovation of this exquisite minimalist apartment in the heart of Turin, Italy. The home forms part of a Palace dating back to 1800 close to the historic Piazza Castello. Here, broken-plan living and warm minimalism were brought together in a design that combines open areas with walls and sliding doors to provide both space and privacy – and a very unique mezzanine home office space.

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How To Maximise Small Outdoor Spaces

How to maximise small outdoor spaces

During the summer months, it’s such a pleasure to be able spend more time outdoors and make the most of the warm weather.

Whether you have a garden or balcony, what could be nicer than sitting and relaxing outside with a book,  spending a balmy summer evening entertaining friends or having a candlelit dinner for two? And even if you have only a small outdoor space, it doesn’t have to preclude you from enjoying it to the full.

There are design lessons and tricks you can learn both from Scandinavian homes, where great value is placed on spending time outdoors. And also from Mediterranean regions, where the outside living space becomes an extension of the home during the summer.

So here are some ideas on how you can maximise your outdoor space, use it to its full potential and turn it into your own little oasis.

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Home Tour: How An Apartment Was Transformed From Small To Spacious

The living room and kitchen area of a small apartment transformed from a studio to a one bedroom apartment by Sfaro Architects | Full story on mochacasa blog

What do you do when you need more space in your home but soaring house prices make it too expensive for you to move?

This is the dilemma one resident living in a studio apartment in Tel Aviv had when she found that her home had become too small for her needs. Although only measuring 40 square meters in size, she wanted to turn it into a one bedroom flat and increase the storage space – all on a limited budget.

In other words, she wanted to move into a bigger place without moving at all.

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7 Alternatives To Bedside Tables For Small Spaces

Pacco Floating Drawer bedside tables from mochacasa.com

If you have a small bedroom it can be a challenge to find bedside tables that will fit the space. Naturally, though, you’d still like a place to store your book, cup of water and all the other essentials that you keep next to your bed. So what’s the solution?

Here are some alternatives to standard bedside tables, that can perform the same role beautifully, without taking up too much space. And moreover, they’ll also add some style and interest to your room.

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How To Use Shelving Units As Room Dividers To Maximise Space And Storage

How to use shelving units as room dividers to maximise space and storage

The idea of open plan living is that it opens up a small space to make it feel larger and give you greater flexibility over its use. However, sometimes it can have the opposite effect.

The problem with open plan spaces is that because you have fewer walls, there’s often less space for storage. In turn, that can have a knock on effect of making your home look more cluttered – especially if it’s a small apartment.

Then there’s the issue of privacy. Sometimes we would prefer to sit in a secluded corner of our home. You might want to relax in the evening with a book or watch a film without a view straight across to your kitchen. Or want a measure of cosiness that an open plan room doesn’t always provide.

Shelving units can be the answer to both these issues. In addition to being a storage solution, you can use them as room dividers to zone up an open plan space. So in one fell swoop they solve two design dilemmas.

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Introducing A New Interior Design eBook About Small Spaces

Interior Design ebook - Move Into A Bigger Place Without Moving At All - Small Spaces - Mocha Casa

What is the biggest interior design dilemma you have with your home?
If it’s to do with not having enough space, then you’re not alone.

A study carried out by the University of Cambridge found that homes in the UK are among the smallest in Europe with the average new build now covering just 76 sq m!

And when I sent out a survey to some of our blog readers and customers, asking a question in a similar same vein, the replies I received correlated with this.

The question I asked was: “If you could make some changes to your home, what would you choose?”
The number one answer was more storage space, followed closely by get rid of clutter and in third place, to have bigger rooms.

It was because of those replies that I finally decided to write a book I had been considering for a while. An interior design ebook giving you space saving ideas and storage solutions to make your home look bigger and maximise your space.

So I’m delighted to announce the launch of: Move Into a Bigger Space Without Moving at All – 52 ideas to make your home look bigger and maximise your space.

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Why Scandinavian Homes Look So Spacious (And How To Copy The Look)

Why Scandinavian Homes Look So Spacious

Have you ever noticed that Scandinavian homes usually look so airy and spacious?

You might therefore be surprised to learn that the average apartment in a city like Copenhagen or Stockholm isn’t particularly large. In fact some of them are downright tiny! I did some quick online research of properties for sale in those cities, and discovered that a typical apartment is frequently less than 75 square metres in size.

So why do they look so spacious?

The short answer is because of clever design techniques. And of course Scandinavian design is renowned for its style.

But you too can learn their design secrets.

If you live in a small apartment or house, you’ll find these tips especially useful to create a feeling of more space. And as an added bonus, not only will your home appear larger, but it will also look effortlessly stylish and cool.

Let’s delve into some the design tricks frequently used in Scandinavian homes.

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A Small Duplex Apartment That Will Take Your Breath Away

Airy duplex apartment in Gothenburg

Have you ever noticed that the interiors of small homes are often far more creative than larger ones? When space is limited, you have to be very inventive with it.

I recently came across this breathtaking little duplex apartment. And it illustrates perfectly what can be achieved with well-considered, innovative design.

Located in Gothenburg, Sweden, in a building dated from 1906, this unique one bedroom apartment measures just 62 square metres in size. But a combination of meticulous planning and styling together with amazing natural light and architectural features gives it a spacious and airy feel. And makes it appear much larger.

The epitome of Scandinavian design, there is so much to love about this apartment.

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5 Smart Interior Design Ideas From An Attic Flat

Interior design ideas for small spaces from an attic flat

This flat in the attic of an old tenement house in Poland was designed as a live / work space for a couple who are both graphic designers.

Compact in size, and with a sloping ceiling, the flat could have felt small and cramped. But with smart use of space and interior design techniques, Sabina Królikowska of INSIDE home design has created a beautiful airy apartment which feels very spacious. And aspects that could have made it an awkward space are transformed into features which turn it into an extraordinary home.

The apartment is full of inspired decorating and interior design ideas. So I thought I would highlight some of them that you could use in your own home.

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Why Design Constraints Can Give You a More Creative Home

Fallingwater by architect Frank Lloyd Wright

What would your dream home look like?

Is it by the sea, in the mountains, or surrounded by a forest of trees?

Everyone has their own vision of a dream home. But one thing they usually all have in common is that they are spacious and everything fits in perfectly.

In reality, though, it may be the total opposite. Perhaps there are space constraints in your home that make it challenge to fit in all your furniture and belongings. Or it might have unusual features that are difficult to work with.

However, it is those very design constraints that can result in a more creative home.

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