“Home” for most of us still conjures up images of a house, with a yard, an upstairs and a downstairs, dogs and cats. But whether out of choice or necessity, most of us, at some time or another, will find ourselves living in what is basically a concrete box.
With a population of over 10 million people, and over half under the age of 30, over the past few years, Bangkok has been growing up much more than out. In 1982 there were approximately 50 condominium projects under construction in the capital; in less than a decade that number had quadrupled. The next generation might not even know that there once were houses in the inner city that normal people could afford to live in.

We could choose to kick it in a tree-lined development along the outer ring road—there are still plenty of swamps yet to be filled in, apparently—but we’re city people. We’d rather be where the action is than “baan nawk.” And unlike our parents, we don’t have the patience for two- or even three-hour commutes. We’d rather not relive the days of the Comfort 100, thank you.

Why would anyone choose to live in a box? Location, for one. Wyn is a 34-year-old freelance architect who previously lived in a stereotypical small space, an apartment with an area of less than 20 square meters. He has since outgrown that tiny room, but he still chooses to live in a condo because location is more important to him than personal space. “Now I live nearby Siam, which is good for my job because I have meetings with my clients around this area regularly. I wouldn’t even think of living outside downtown. The traffic situation is like a war, and I don’t have time to waste every day traveling to work.”

The other main reason is the desire for personal space, no matter how small. Aoy, 28, moved out of her parents’ house into a condominium that is only 40 square meters—and only 10 minutes from her parents’ house. “The single door policy suits me much better. You don’t have to do anything, just lock the door when you leave. I just use this as a place to sleep and keep my clothes,” she says.

You win some, lose some

The biggest problem people experience living in a small space is where to keep all of their stuff. It comes down to priorities, making space for what’s really important.
“I have the same problem as everyone else who lives in a condo: limited space. I have a huge collection of shoes and bags as every good woman should have, and to fit them all I had to get rid of my washing machine,” Aoy continues.

Wyn has a similar story. “The thing is, you have to think in advance what it is that you want and what is absolutely necessary. Because of my job, I have a lot of books, so I decided that space for bookshelves was more important than a kitchen.”

What about the psychological effects of living in cramped quarters? Can we blame our insanity on our tiny little room? According to Dr. Yuttana Ongarjsakulman, a psychiatrist at Samitivej Hospital, the answer is no. (We’ll need to find another excuse.) “It’s not going to drive you crazy. People get mentally sick from other factors and mostly it’s in their mind,” he explained. But it can be stressful, and in this case the only solution is to get out, he said.

Rathanitha, 25, is a jewelry shop assistant who shared a tiny apartment with a family member. “I was a matthayom girl when I moved to my under-20 square meter apartment. It was OK at first ‘cause I didn’t have much stuff. But once I went to university, I changed. There were so many things I had to have, and I couldn’t get rid of any of it. Then my grandmother came to live with me. It was terrible. We didn’t have any private space, and we had so many arguments. Finally we realized that we couldn’t live together like this. So we moved to a bigger apartment, 50 square meters, and we stopped fighting.”

Tips for tight spaces

Instead of complaining about his cramped quarters, Wyn made the most of his situation. “I put everything against the wall, to give me more space to walk and move around. I didn’t have a real ‘bed’—it was a fold-up hide-a-bed that converted into a sofa. Most of my furniture was more vertical than horizontal—that was key,” he recalls.

The experts and people we spoke to agreed you can live large in a small space. You just need to put a bit of effort into it. Here are some basics.

Lifestyle. Think about your day-to-day life and how you’ll be using your room—and realize that you can’t have it all. Do you really need a kitchen? How often will you be cooking at home? If work is more of a priority than eating, you’ll need a desk, not a table for dining. Is vegging out to re-runs of Bad Boys II more important than sleeping (or sex)? Then maybe you want a big couch and a small bed.

Prioritize. Position your things according to how often you will need them. Pack things up in boxes, bags, cabinets or shelves. Clutter makes a room look smaller. Move your furniture to the side, along the wall. This will clear a path for your feet and your eyes. Buy fewer pieces of big furniture, and keep all your stuff inside.

Go vertical. Instead of buying a typical six-foot-tall bookshelf, go for eight feet. Open furniture, such as metal shelves without backs and sides are best, as they won’t block your view. Or instead of a bookshelf, install shelves into the wall. Put things you rarely use on the top shelves.

Think big but stay small. There are plenty of products that are particularly designed for small space use. Most of them are multifunctional like a sleeper sofa or daybed. Consider a bed with drawers beneath it, which will give you extra storage space and look a lot better than shoeboxes under the mattress. Do you really need that huge refrigerator? Consider a small one that you can fit under a counter or below a table.

Get low. Low tables and furniture will make the room seem bigger. Spread out some big pillows and a comfy rug in the middle of the room, and keep the sofa next to the wall.

See the light. There are times when a cool, dark cave is ideal, such as when you’re recovering from a big night out. But in general, the more light the better, and lighter colors are better as well for making a room look more airy and spacious. Shine light on your walls to help open up the room. Track lighting is better than floor lights, which take up space. Instead of institutional white, try painting your walls a light cream or cheery yellow. Or go cool with light blue or light green.

The magic mirror. More than just a tool for checking out your hot bod’, mirrors also make a room feel bigger and more inviting. Buy the biggest one you can afford, or try several small ones of different shapes and sizes hung on different walls for a striking effect. As for mirrors on the ceiling, proceed at your own risk.

One for all. Go monochromatic. Match the color of your furniture to your walls: Either choose paint that matches your furniture or paint your furniture the same color as the walls.

Choose wisely. Easier said than done, but when you’re shopping around for a condo or apartment, try to get one with the most natural light. The ideal would be a corner room with windows on more than one side. Look for high ceilings. And if you can find one, choose a room where the sleeping and living space are at least partially separated by a wall or a tall cabinet.

Tips: Home Sweet Home

If you have to stay in room less than 20sqm, having your own balcony could make a huge difference.

Don’t know where to start shopping for furniture? Try the home office section, where many pieces are collapsible or multi-functional.

For those in a rented room with a “no nail holes” rule, try using a freestanding easel or over-the-door hooks.

Avoid creating a sense of clutter by using too many small items.

8 of our experts’ top picks for furniture

Chatuchak weekend market (Kamphang Phet 2, Rama 6 and Phahonyothin Rd., MRT Kamphangphet) is the king of all markets in Bangkok. Make sure you shop around to compare prices, and bargaining is a must.

Suan Lum Night Bazaar (corner of Wireless and Rama 4, MRT Lumpini) has a surprising amount of cutting edge furniture, lamps and home décor items “inspired” by international designers.

The Bang Po (Krung Thep Non Rd.) area is famous for made-to-order furniture. Just bring your design to one of the roadside shops and the craftsmen will do the rest—but prepare yourself for how baan baan they are.

Soi Pracha Narumitr (Krung Thep Non Rd., a.k.a. “wood street”) is home to numerous wood furniture shops from the top to the bottom of this soi.

HomePro (try 55 Wireless Rd., 02-655-3400, BTS Ploen Chit) is a one-stop home product department store where you can find pretty much everything. It also has a made-to-order service, which is OK as long as the design isn’t too complicated.

Homework Furniture (try G/F, Central Rama 2, Rama 2 Rd., 02-872-1471) is not in the city center but is worth the drive for reasonably priced made-to-order furniture as well as mass-produced items.

Sofa So Few (11 Thong Lor Soi 25, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-712-6157/-9) makes ultra comfy and high quality sofas for export. The showroom also has a snazzy collection of armchairs, loveseats, daybeds and dinner tables. Free delivery for custom pieces.

Kong Ha Furniture (154/22 Sukhumvit Soi 48/4, 02-331-0681) does custom furniture including sofas, tables, chairs and chests of drawers as well as accessories such as pillows, chair pads and cushions. You can make up your own design or pick one from the extensive catalog. They do all sorts of materials: fabric, leather, wood and steel.