Friday, September 25, 2015

Living in a Small Space: Three Things that Make a Big Difference


Rent to Own.ph: We cannot stress is enough, lighting, storage and efficiency works for small space living.

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Do you live in a small space? Do people sometimes confuse your bedroom for a closet? Can you reach your kitchen sink from your couch? If you're looking for ways to make your space more livable without spending a ton, you've come to the right place. Here are three classic ways to make living little work for you:

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1. Lighting

Small is one thing, but small and dark is quite another. Almost nothing has the power to transform the a room like good lighting.
Work with the natural light available to you by keeping furniture low and out of the light’s path, using window treatments which let in as much light as possible, and by using reflective surfaces like mirrors to increase the light’s throw. In terms of artificial light, make sure you have sufficient general, ambient and task lighting for all the ways in which you use the space. Once it’s properly lit, even a small room can feel spacious.


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2. Organization & Storage 

It goes without saying that in a small space, storage, and more importantly, organization, is key. Furniture with added storage and built-ins are a great way to achieve the former, and the latter comes down to habit forming and learning to live with less. (And don't just thing built-ins are for the living room: they work great in bedrooms too!) It's a constant struggle for many of us, but tidying regularly and paring down will make a big difference in fully embracing your small home, not simply making do with it.

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3. Versatility & Flexibility 

In a small space with multiple uses, having a flexible layout and/or furniture can be a saving grace. Search out pieces with multiple uses: a desk/dining table hybrid (or even a DIY wall-mounted breakfast table), a comfortable and stylish sofa bed, nesting tables and rolling pieces can all make life a little easier for the small apartment dweller.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Minimal Design

from: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/


Rent To Own.ph: Nominated as one of Apartment Therapy's Small Cool Homes in 2013, this condominium has everything in its 31 sq meter area.
  
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Name: Kin
Location: Hong Kong SAR
Square Feet: 337
Division: International

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Compact Cube Home: Storage Unit Turned Micro Apartment


Rent to Own.ph: We've featured silos, garages and container vans turned into stylish homes, why not an old storage unit? You really only need imagination and nothing is improbable. 

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A compact space with thirty years’ history as a storage unit is now a sleek, modern apartment outfitted with everything a single occupant needs with the addition of a built-in bed platform with storage. Architect Karin Matz purchased the unit in a state of total disarray, as the previous owner had begun a renovation in the 1980s that was never completed. When she began, it was a mess of peeling wallpaper, no electricity and “a bathroom only with signs of rats as inhabitants.”

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The new architectural volume consists mostly of IKEA kitchen units, extended beyond the food preparation space to form a storage-filled platform for the raised bed. A small void under the bed offers a closet space, and a glass partition gives the little loft a sense of separation from the kitchen.

www.renttoown.ph

www.renttoown.ph
Aside from the bathroom, which was modernized, the rest of the apartment has been left virtually as Matz found it, with all surfaces remaining the way they’ve looked for the past 20 years. The rough, weathered surfaces of the walls contrast with the smooth new wood of the floors and furniture. 

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Says Matz, “In a city like Stockholm with enormous housing shortage and with every square meter increasing in price by the minute, this story was somehow impossible to understand and resist. The finished apartment is the result of a fascination for this; a try to let the previous layers and stories of a space live on and at the same time fill the requirements for the new story that will take place.”

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Small Remodel, Big Ideas: Tiny Townhouse into Cool Condo

from: http://dornob.com/ and http://www.archdaily.com/


Rent to Own.ph: A narrow space isn't a useless space. Find out how this small, narrow townhouse in Singapore was converted into a ultra chic, modern condo.
  
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The exterior facade of this structure speaks to age and dignity with floral decoration, soft white coloration and classic structural proportions. 

Friday, September 11, 2015

Ingenious Design Solutions in a Cozy 39 Square Meter Apartment

from: http://freshome.com


Rent To Own.ph: Simple lines and a monotone color scheme makes this apartment a refreshing retreat in busy Hong Kong.
  
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Clifton Leung Design Workshop sent us photos and information regarding a practical apartment design the studio completed in Wampoa Garden, Hong Kong, China. The warm lighting and creamy surroundings highlight the overall atmosphere of this small house: simple and peaceful. No colors other than white and beige are chosen for the color scheme to replicate the subtle warm glow in the house, including track lights that are hidden underneath the floating cabinets that evoke a spacious and dreamy ambience. With a design brief to minimize clutter and maximize space, the residence was designed in a minimalist style with clean lines.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Chic Portable Micro Home Exudes Simplicity and Sustainability


Rent to Own.ph: Wouldn't it be cool to be able to bring your home anywhere?!


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Offering creative and aesthetic solutions to those on the lookout for affordable housing, modern tiny homes have captured the imagination of design aficionados across the globe. The art of building tiny homes is all about bringing together form and functionality in an ingenious fashion that makes the most out of the available resources. Designed by Spanish architecture studio ÁBATON, the portableAPH80 fits this billing perfectly. This transportable micro house can be located pretty much anywhere, thanks to its prefabricated design that ensures you have a complete home on site almost instantly!

www.renttoown.ph

www.renttoown.ph

www.renttoown.ph

Designed to meet the needs of a family of two, the small home is spread across 27 square meters and has a gabled roof that gives the interior an airy vibe. The exterior of the tiny home is clad in grey cement-wood board panels, giving it a unique and striking form. Some of these panels open up, revealing sliding glass doors that act as an interface between the living area and the landscape outside. The design of the interior itself is simple and contains a small living area with a kitchen in the corner. A double bedroom and a bathroom complete the smart home.

www.renttoown.ph

www.renttoown.ph

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www.renttoown.ph

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Friday, September 4, 2015

10 Tips For Small Space Living

From:  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com


Rent  To Own.ph: Tips to put your apartment on a diet.
   
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As we leave kitchen and bathroom month we'll be diving headfirst into our 5th Annual Smallest Coolest Contest and a month full of inspiration and tips for small spaces. Lots of people are choosing to downsize or are just tackling some spring cleaning in their small spaces. So to kick off April we've compiled atop ten list for living large in a small or just smaller space: