Small Space Furniture Buying Guide

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In a small home, every piece of furniture costs floor space, and floor space is what makes a room feel calm. Good small-space furniture fits the room, gets through the door, and does its job without taking more room than it needs. This guide sets out how to choose, and links to the detailed guide for each kind of furniture.

Measure the room and the route

Measure the wall, then mark the piece on the floor with painter's tape and live with it for a day. Leave about 30 inches (75 cm) for main walkways. Then measure every door, hallway, stair and lift on the way in.

• Will it fit? How to measure for a sofa
• Furniture fit calculator

Choose pieces that earn their space

Ask what each piece must do. If it can do a second job you need, such as storage or a guest bed, that is a bonus; if the second job compromises the first, skip it.

• Sofas: best small apartment sofas and best sleeper sofas
• Beds: best storage beds
• Tables: best compact dining tables
• Desks: best folding desks and best compact home office desks

What makes a room feel bigger

• Visible legs. Seeing floor under furniture makes a room feel larger.
• Slim arms and frames. More seat for the width.
• Fewer, larger pieces rather than many small ones.
• Light colours for large pieces; colour in cushions and rugs instead.
• Furniture off the window. Daylight matters more than one more chair.

Arrange it

Place the largest piece first, keep the path clear, and float furniture off the walls where you can. In a studio, use furniture to divide the room into zones: studio apartment layout ideas.

Putting it together

Measure, decide each piece's job, buy the smallest piece that does it well, and check the route in before you order. Felt sliders under heavy pieces protect the floor when you rearrange.

Keep reading

• Will it fit? How to measure for a sofa
• Best small apartment sofas
• Best sleeper sofas
• Best storage beds
• Best compact dining tables
• Best folding desks

New or second-hand?

Second-hand furniture is often better built than new flat-pack at the same price, and solid wood can be refinished. Check drawers run smoothly, joints are tight, there is no sign of woodworm or damp, and upholstered pieces have no stains or smells. Measure it before collecting, including the route into your home. New furniture is easier to return; read the terms, because large items often carry a collection fee.

Flat-pack tips

Assemble large pieces in the room where they will live, because finished wardrobes often will not fit through doors. Follow the instructions in order, keep fixings in a bowl, and do not fully tighten bolts until the frame is square. Fit any anti-tip strap supplied; ask your landlord about the fixing it needs.

Furniture that earns its space

In a small home, pieces that do two jobs are worth more: a storage bed, an ottoman that holds blankets, a bench that is also a shoe store, a drop-leaf table, a sofa bed. Raised legs make furniture look lighter and let you see floor beneath, which makes rooms feel larger. Light colours and glass or open designs also help.

Measure everything

Measure the room, the doorways, the stairs and lift on the way in, and allow space to walk around each piece: about 90 cm (36 in) for main walkways. Mark the footprint with tape on the floor before buying.

Order to buy in

Bed and sofa first, since they set the room. Then storage, then a table, then lighting and rugs. Smaller pieces are easier to choose once the large ones are in place.