Moving into a small apartment usually starts with the same worry: how do you fit a whole life into 35 or 40 square metres without it feeling cramped?
Square metres matter less than most people think. Two apartments the same size can feel completely different, one tight and cluttered, the other calm and surprisingly open and the difference almost always comes down to design, not size.
That’s what good small apartment design does. It isn’t about owning less or living smaller. It’s about making every metre you have work harder, so a compact space still feels like a home rather than a compromise.
Oak & Teak Interior, founded by Dr. Morenike Molehin in 2013, has designed a good number of compact apartments across Lagos and Abuja, where every square metre has to earn its place.
If you’re staring at a small floor plan and unsure where to start, book a consultation early, before you buy furniture.
What Is Small Apartment Design?
Small apartment design is the deliberate planning of layout, furniture, storage, and light in a compact home, so the space feels open and actually works for daily life instead of fighting its size.
It’s different from simply decorating a small space. Our team’s approach to residential interior design starts with how you actually live, where you cook, where you work, where guests sit and builds the layout around that, rather than starting with furniture you already own.
A well-planned small apartment interior design also accounts for real Nigerian conditions: humidity, limited cross-ventilation in some buildings, and furniture that holds up to daily use without warping or fading quickly.
How to Make a Small Apartment Look Bigger and More Spacious
Light colours, consistent flooring, and a clear sightline from the entrance are the three fastest ways to make a small apartment look and feel bigger, without moving a single wall.
- Keep wall colours light and consistent room to room; changing colour at every doorway visually chops the space into smaller pieces.
- Use one flooring material throughout instead of switching by room, so the apartment reads as one continuous space.
- Keep the path from your front door clear, so the eye travels further before it hits furniture.
- Choose furniture with visible legs rather than pieces that sit flush to the floor; the gap underneath reads as extra space.
These are simple small apartment design ideas, but they matter more than an expensive renovation. A small apartment designed around light and sightlines will almost always feel larger than a bigger apartment furnished without a plan.
Furniture Layout and Storage Ideas for a Small Apartment
The best small apartment furniture layout keeps walking paths clear, groups furniture by activity sitting, working, sleeping, and pushes storage upward onto walls instead of outward onto the floor.
- Use wall-mounted shelving above eye level for items you don’t reach for daily.
- Choose multi-purpose furniture, such as a storage ottoman or a bed with drawers underneath, so one piece does two jobs.
- Keep the largest piece of furniture against the longest wall, freeing up the centre of the room for movement.
- In the kitchen, favour vertical storage over wide counters you don’t have room for anyway.
This kind of made-to-measure thinking is exactly what our in-house furniture makers build for, since off-the-shelf pieces rarely fit an awkward corner the way a custom one can.
If you’re not sure where to start, it’s often faster to speak with our design team than to guess room by room.
Small Apartment Design Ideas on a Budget
The highest-impact, lowest-cost small apartment design ideas on a budget are better lighting, editing down what’s already there, and repainting in one consistent light colour, all before spending on new furniture.
- Lighting first: layered lighting, a floor lamp plus an overhead fixture, does more for a small room than a statement furniture piece.
- Edit before you buy: most small apartments feel cramped from too much furniture, not too little space.
- Paint before you furnish: it’s the cheapest way to reset how a room feels, and it’s easy to change again later.
- Add one focal point, like a piece of art or a textured rug, instead of decorating every wall.
Small apartment design ideas on a budget work best in sequence: lighting and paint before furniture, furniture before decor. If a fuller home renovation is eventually on the table, it’s worth planning the phases early so budget spent now isn’t undone later.
How Much Does Small Apartment Interior Design Cost in Nigeria?
Small apartment interior design cost in Nigeria depends mostly on how much custom furniture and structural work, such as partition removal, the project needs, not on the apartment’s size alone.
| Apartment type | Typical scope | What drives cost |
| Studio / bedsitter | Light refresh: paint, lighting, storage, key furniture pieces | Finish quality and amount of custom joinery |
| 1-bedroom | Full furniture layout, some built-in storage, kitchen/bath updates | Custom vs off-the-shelf furniture ratio |
| 2-bedroom+ | Full interior design across living, bedrooms, and kitchen | Structural changes and multi-room coordination |
The most reliable way to know your own number is a site visit, because two apartments the same size can need very different amounts of work.
How an interior designer can transform a Nigerian home walks through what that process typically looks like from first visit to handover, and it applies just as well to a compact apartment as a larger house.
If you’d rather get a real figure for your own space, book a consultation and we’ll scope it properly.
Choosing a Small Apartment Interior Design Company in Nigeria
Oak & Teak Interior designs and furnishes small apartments across Nigeria, from studios to multi-bedroom homes, and is a strong fit if you want a company that treats layout and storage as seriously as decoration rather than only large statement homes. You can see completed residential work in our portfolio, and our why choose us page sets out how we approach a project from the first conversation.
If you’re deciding whether you’re even ready for a designer, 8 Signs You’re Ready to Hire an Interior Designer is a useful gut check, and Can an Interior Designer Save You Money? Here Is Exactly How is worth reading if a small budget is what’s holding you back.
Speak with our design team to talk through your small apartment design, whatever size you’re working with.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make a small apartment look bigger and more spacious?
Use light, consistent colours throughout, keep one flooring type across rooms, and keep clear sightlines from the entrance. These changes cost little and make more difference than most full renovations.
What is the best way to maximise storage in a small apartment?
Go vertical: wall-mounted shelving, tall kitchen cabinets, and multi-purpose furniture like storage ottomans or beds with drawers free up floor space without adding a single square metre.
How much does small apartment interior design cost in Nigeria?
Cost depends on scope, not size. A studio with a light refresh costs far less than a 2-bedroom with structural changes, so a site-specific quote is the most accurate way to know.
Which interior design company in Nigeria can design and furnish a small apartment?
Oak & Teak Interior designs and furnishes small apartments across Nigeria, from studios to multi-bedroom homes, with in-house furniture makers who build to the exact measurements a compact space needs.
