Small but good enough
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Good planning and efficient design of the interiors can transform a small apartment into a fabulous living area, says R. Balaji
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Sprawling living rooms with large patios, spacious bedrooms overlooking expansive terrace gardens, kitchens big enough to accommodate a separate breakfast section…these were some of the highlights of the apartment units that featured in the market not too long ago. Incidentally, such units were also lapped up by the booming market no sooner than offered.
With the global meltdown and recessionary trends in place, affordability has become a major point of contention, questioning the saleability of such luxury apartment units. The present market condition thus ushers in a new concept of dwelling, hitherto popular in cities such as Mumbai but almost absent in a city like Bangalore.
These units are nothing but studio apartments, compact in size, dispensing with all the frills that includes even standard features like balconies. Built to a size ranging from 600 to a maximum of 1,100 sq.ft., these units incorporate the basic features — living, dining and bedroom(s) and kitchen. The rooms are typically small in size, built to suit the basic requirements of a nuclear family.
So far, the mindset has been to opt for units that offered spacious rooms that included one for guests. The idea of a small apartment in the range of 600 sq.ft. was unthinkable to many. But with high prices and low liquidity factor, the market is bound to open up a huge demand for such housing in the coming years.
While opting for such downsized apartments may be a painful proposition for many, a closer look at the way most cities have developed and in turn offer residential units inside the Central Business District (CBD) would put this in a better perspective.
Though living in a small unit calls for a different mindset, good planning and efficient design of the interiors can transform this space into a fabulous living area. For instance, the living room could accommodate a hi-tech open kitchen, thus giving the illusion of a larger expanse of space.
For ventilation
The living room could feature large windows to let in more light and ventilation, making up for the absent balcony. The kitchen could be efficiently planned to accommodate the washing machine too besides the refrigerator, with cabinets structured ingeniously to pack in maximum storage options.
The furniture should be sized down to meet the needs of a smaller living area with bunk beds and sofa-cum-beds or cots with ample storage options beneath featuring in the bedrooms. The rooms should be kept clutter free and carpeting should be minimal, as tiled floors give the appearance of a larger expanse of space.
With demand for such units rising, developers are bound to cash in on it, offering complexes that are more efficient and utilitarian than fancy. This means that the common areas too would see a change, with facilities restricted to those most sought after. This changing trend is likely to impact the carpet area, making it more efficient at 80-85 per cent as compared to the present 75 per cent.
The tax incentives planned by the government for low cost apartment units will further aid the mushrooming of such complexes in the New Year.
(The author is CEO, Propmart, an end-to-end property solutions provider)
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