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Home tour: a small-space family apartment

Sebastian lives with his sister, Sanna, and her son, Reidar, in a compact apartment in Stockholm. ‘There’s only one bedroom but the living room doubles as my room so we make it work,’ says Sebastian. They share their smart, small-space home.

Combine your living room and bedroom

During the day, the living room is somewhere to relax, play and hang out together. At night, it becomes Sebastian’s bedroom. ‘We planned the space so that it worked well for both set-ups,’ he says. ‘There’s room in the drawers underneath the daybed to store bedlinen and pillows. Plus, the lamp becomes my bedside light and there’s storage for personal things in the white chest of drawers.’

Our shared kitchen and dining space

A mix of full-height cabinets and open storage looks ordered and welcoming. ‘We changed the oak cabinet fronts to light grey to make the space brighter,’ says Sebastian. ‘Now it’s our favourite place to spend time. We share the cooking, draw or make puzzles with Reidar at the table and love having friends over.’

Streamline your hallway

Make leaving and returning home more enjoyable and less time consuming. In the hallway, Sebastian and Sanna added welcoming colour, somewhere to sit and store shoes, plus hooks and baskets for coats, bags and accessories. ‘Our dad made the shoe bench for us and we added the wall storage,’ says Sanna. ‘Now it’s a welcoming and practical space for everyday routines.’

Add child-friendly organisation

Make it easy for children to get ready on their own with hooks at their height and personal details that boost their confidence and make them feel good. ‘Reidar loves having his own mirror and seeing pictures of himself as a baby,’ says Sanna. ‘He’s very proud when he hangs up his jacket.’

Sharing a small apartment between the three of us has been a big change, but it works. We’re pretty relaxed and understand that this home is for sharing
Sebastian, interior-design assistant, Stockholm

Create a bedroom to share

Sanna and Reidar’s bedroom is somewhere to sleep, play and store all their belongings. A simple approach to decoration, fresh bedlinen, plenty of storage and a curtained-off play area help keep it welcoming and ordered for mother and son. ‘I wanted Reidar to feel a sense of privacy and fun, but for the space to look grown-up too,’ says Sanna. ‘Having individual storage and the curtain gives us each our own space within the room.’

Our sibling apartment-share

‘Moving here from my own home was a bit of an adjustment as I have less space for myself. But, at the same time, being here feels good. We’re a very close family.’ says Sanna. ‘The payoff is also getting to live in Stockholm, which was a big dream for each of us,’ adds Sebastian. ‘And I feel lucky to spend so much time with my nephew, to watch him growing up.’

Our cosy, comfortable apartment share

‘As there are three of us living in just 53 square metres, function is really important and that’s where IKEA helps out,’ says Sebastian. ‘Probably 80 per cent of our home is IKEA! We like it because as well as being practical, it gives us the freedom to add our own style – a mix of vintage and modern elements.’

We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.

Made by

Interior stylist: Johanna Flykct Gashi
Photographer: Lina Ikse

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