47sqm and three rooms in a vintage apartment with a smart layout
This colorful, vintage-style three-room apartment, measuring just 47sqm manages to fit two bedrooms and an open kitchen within its space
The Årsta neighborhood, south of Stockholm, was largely built in the post-war period, between 1947 and 1950. And while it may not have the charm of the city’s historic neighborhoods, it features well-designed buildings surrounded by greenery, sought after by residents looking to raise a family. In this classic setting, this apartment offers three livable rooms within 47sqm thanks to a smart layout. And as a bonus, a terrace. What else?
The entryway flows directly into the living room, in a corner of the room that discreetly accommodates coats and shoes behind a sheer curtain. The living room opens onto a large picture window facing the street. Outside: trees, the sky, morning light, and a pleasant terrace. Peach-colored linen curtains soften the light and provide a bit of privacy for this ground-floor apartment. And on the wall, a typical Japanese straw from the 1970s was placed.
Since this is a fairly small apartment, it’s essential to make the most of every available space for storage. A custom-built bookcase reaches all the way to the ceiling, providing space for displaying objects and books while hiding “what shouldn’t be seen” behind the lower doors.
The U-shaped kitchen opens onto the living room in a classic layout. With its mustard-yellow cabinet fronts and anthracite countertops, it has a charming retro look. It’s a bold choice, but in this retro interior, it’s entirely justified. The living room’s overall decor is rich in warm colors, and this yellow coordinates perfectly with the other elements in the room. It pairs beautifully with the IKEA rug under the sofa, from the Stockholm 2025 collection, made of wool and highly regarded for its quality. This yellow is also featured in the coffee table.
The round birch table and Artek Aalto 69 chairs, made of light wood with gray seats, are a classic of Nordic design. They are timeless and suited to the spirit of this mid-century apartment. A touch of yellow is found in the pendant light hanging above the table.
On the wall, a black-and-white ink drawing depicting naive figures and animals contrasts with the yellow of the kitchen.
In this 47sqm apartment, sleeping area is located opposite the living room, the terrace, and the street, and overlooks the courtyard. This ensures a certain tranquility for resting when it’s time to sleep. The master bedroom features a very different color palette from the living room. Warm beige walls, powder-colored bedding, and sky-blue pillows create a much softer atmosphere than the yellow. But we still see that color in the two small bedside tables.
The second bedroom is a child’s room. A classic white loft bed has been installed to free up floor space. A multicolored diamond-patterned rug and low shelves are all that’s needed to furnish the room.
This is where the apartment takes on a whole new dimension. It is small, yes, but the natural wood terrace keeps it from feeling too cramped. It is comfortably furnished with a dining area, a lounge chair with a mattress, flower-filled planters, climbing bougainvillea, and hanging paper lanterns to provide light at night. And a navy blue striped awning above the bay window provides shade on very sunny days.
This apartment is perfectly optimized with few hallways and minimal wasted space, such as the non-existent entryway. For an apartment of this size, the layout is objectively remarkable. Three true rooms, a functional open kitchen, a well-placed central bathroom, and a terrace. It may not be very large, but you don’t feel cramped.
47sqm
This 47sqm three-room apartment with vintage decor and a smart layout is for sale at Historiska
An entryway leading directly into the living room
The entryway flows directly into the living room, in a corner of the room that discreetly accommodates coats and shoes behind a sheer curtain. The living room opens onto a large picture window facing the street. Outside: trees, the sky, morning light, and a pleasant terrace. Peach-colored linen curtains soften the light and provide a bit of privacy for this ground-floor apartment. And on the wall, a typical Japanese straw from the 1970s was placed.
The custom bookshelf
Since this is a fairly small apartment, it’s essential to make the most of every available space for storage. A custom-built bookcase reaches all the way to the ceiling, providing space for displaying objects and books while hiding “what shouldn’t be seen” behind the lower doors.
A bright yellow kitchen full of cheer
The U-shaped kitchen opens onto the living room in a classic layout. With its mustard-yellow cabinet fronts and anthracite countertops, it has a charming retro look. It’s a bold choice, but in this retro interior, it’s entirely justified. The living room’s overall decor is rich in warm colors, and this yellow coordinates perfectly with the other elements in the room. It pairs beautifully with the IKEA rug under the sofa, from the Stockholm 2025 collection, made of wool and highly regarded for its quality. This yellow is also featured in the coffee table.
The dining room, of course, in Scandinavian style
The round birch table and Artek Aalto 69 chairs, made of light wood with gray seats, are a classic of Nordic design. They are timeless and suited to the spirit of this mid-century apartment. A touch of yellow is found in the pendant light hanging above the table.
On the wall, a black-and-white ink drawing depicting naive figures and animals contrasts with the yellow of the kitchen.
Two bedrooms opposite the living room
In this 47sqm apartment, sleeping area is located opposite the living room, the terrace, and the street, and overlooks the courtyard. This ensures a certain tranquility for resting when it’s time to sleep. The master bedroom features a very different color palette from the living room. Warm beige walls, powder-colored bedding, and sky-blue pillows create a much softer atmosphere than the yellow. But we still see that color in the two small bedside tables.
The second bedroom is a child’s room. A classic white loft bed has been installed to free up floor space. A multicolored diamond-patterned rug and low shelves are all that’s needed to furnish the room.
The bonus of the terrace
This is where the apartment takes on a whole new dimension. It is small, yes, but the natural wood terrace keeps it from feeling too cramped. It is comfortably furnished with a dining area, a lounge chair with a mattress, flower-filled planters, climbing bougainvillea, and hanging paper lanterns to provide light at night. And a navy blue striped awning above the bay window provides shade on very sunny days.
What stands out about this intelligently laid-out 47-square-meter three-room apartment
This apartment is perfectly optimized with few hallways and minimal wasted space, such as the non-existent entryway. For an apartment of this size, the layout is objectively remarkable. Three true rooms, a functional open kitchen, a well-placed central bathroom, and a terrace. It may not be very large, but you don’t feel cramped.
47sqm
This 47sqm three-room apartment with vintage decor and a smart layout is for sale at Historiska
Comments