Small Space Solutions

Most people living in Czech cities — Prague, Brno, Ostrava — inhabit apartments that were not designed with twenty-first century lifestyles in mind. Panel buildings from the communist era, inter-war apartment blocks, and converted historic buildings all present their own spatial challenges. Yet with thoughtful design, even the most compact flat can become a genuinely comfortable and beautiful home.

Start with a Plan

Before buying a single piece of furniture, measure your space precisely. Draw a floor plan to scale — even a simple sketch on graph paper will reveal possibilities and constraints that are invisible when you simply stand in the room.

Consider how you actually use each space. A dining table that seats six may be aspirational, but if you eat alone most days, a smaller table that folds out for guests will serve you better and leave room for the things you use daily.

The Power of Built-in Storage

In a small apartment, built-in storage is transformative. Bespoke joinery fitted to the exact dimensions of your space eliminates the wasted gaps and awkward angles that come with freestanding furniture. A floor-to-ceiling wardrobe in a bedroom, a fitted kitchen with integrated appliances, shelving built into an alcove — these solutions make every centimetre count.

Czech joinery workshops offer high-quality bespoke furniture at prices that are competitive by European standards. Investing in a single well-made fitted piece is often more effective than buying several cheaper freestanding items.

In a small space, every decision matters. A poorly chosen sofa or an oversized dining table can make a room feel impossible. The right piece, in the right position, can make the same room feel generous.

Choose Furniture That Works Harder

In a small apartment, furniture must earn its place by serving multiple functions. Some principles to follow:

• Sofa beds — a good quality sofa bed in a studio or one-bedroom flat allows the living room to become a guest bedroom when needed
• Extendable dining tables — compact for daily use, expandable for entertaining
• Ottoman storage — a coffee table or footstool with internal storage adds seating and hides clutter simultaneously
• Wall-mounted desks — fold down when needed, fold away when not in use
• Beds with drawers — the space under a bed is valuable storage that is often wasted

Use Light to Expand Space

Light — both natural and artificial — is the most powerful tool for making a small space feel larger. Several strategies work particularly well in Czech apartments:

Maximise natural light. Keep window sills clear of objects. Choose light, translucent window treatments rather than heavy curtains. If privacy is needed, frosted glass film on lower window panes allows light in while screening the view from outside.

Use mirrors strategically. A large mirror on a wall opposite a window doubles the apparent depth of a room and reflects natural light into darker corners. A mirrored wardrobe door in a bedroom can make the room feel twice its actual size.

Choose light colours. White and pale neutral walls reflect light and make walls recede. Dark colours can work beautifully in small spaces, but they require careful handling — they are best used as an accent on a single wall rather than throughout a room.

Vertical Space: Think Upward

Czech inter-war apartments often have ceiling heights of three metres or more. This vertical space is an asset that many residents fail to exploit. Shelving that runs from floor to ceiling draws the eye upward and creates the impression of greater height. A tall bookcase in a living room, a high-level storage cabinet in a kitchen — these solutions use space that would otherwise be wasted.

In panel-era apartments, where ceilings are typically lower, the same principle applies but requires more restraint. One tall element — a floor-to-ceiling bookcase, for example — can be effective; multiple tall elements in a small room will feel oppressive.

Define Zones in Open Plan Spaces

Many Czech studio apartments and open-plan flats benefit from gentle zone definition — creating distinct areas for sleeping, working and relaxing without erecting walls. Effective techniques include:

• A rug to define the living area within a larger open space
• A low bookcase or shelving unit as a room divider that allows light to pass through
• Different lighting zones — a pendant over the dining area, a floor lamp in the reading corner — that activate different parts of the room at different times
• A change of flooring material to signal a transition from one zone to another

Last updated: 21 February 2026