A well-planned 70m2 apartment layout can make an average floor plan look and feel as open as 100m2 — without touching the structure. The secret lies in handling colour, light and circulation from the drawing stage, rather than trying to squeeze in more furniture. Here are five easy-to-apply principles for the typical two-bedroom 70m2 apartment.

1. Choose a light base palette

Light tones such as white, beige, cream and pale grey reflect light better, visually pushing the walls outward. A few pointers for a mid-sized apartment:

  • Neutrals should cover roughly 60–70% of wall and ceiling area to preserve the sense of openness.
  • Dark accents at only 10–15% — one feature wall, an armchair or curtains — so the space never feels heavy.
  • Floor and ceiling in matching light tones stop the eye from “cutting” the height, making a 2.7–3 m ceiling look taller than it is.

A 70m2 apartment in a light-dominant palette that feels spacious

2. Use mirrors and glass partitions

Large mirrors and glass partitions bounce light around, visually doubling the space and adding depth. Place a mirror opposite a window to “pull” daylight deeper into the apartment; replace solid walls with glass between the living room and the balcony or study so sightlines stay open. It is a familiar trick in minimalist apartment design — and especially effective on small, narrow floor plans.

3. Favour compact, multifunctional furniture

Every piece should earn its floor space by doing more than one job:

  • A sofa bed turns the living room into a spare bedroom.
  • A bed with storage drawers or a raised platform replaces a bulky wardrobe.
  • A cabinet-mounted or wall-folding dining table suits a small kitchen–dining zone.
  • Built-in wardrobes and wall shelving replace freestanding cabinets, keeping walkways wide.

Choose pieces with minimal lines and slender legs so more of the floor stays visible — it makes the whole room feel lighter.

Compact multifunctional furniture maximising space in a 70m2 apartment

4. Keep walkways clear

One of the main reasons apartments feel suffocating is furniture blocking the circulation routes. Leave a minimum clearance of 60–90 cm between functional zones — living room, kitchen, bedrooms — and never let furniture protrude into corridors. A clear circulation flow keeps the space tidy and makes the apartment feel larger than it measures.

5. Decorate minimally, with chosen accents

Minimalism lets a space “breathe”. Instead of layering ornament, keep just one or two refined accents: a wall artwork, a pendant light over the dining table or a small potted plant. A few well-placed pieces always deliver more visual impact than a room crammed with accessories.

Minimalist styling with refined accents in a small apartment

A good layout is only complete when built correctly

These five approaches deliver their full effect only when carried consistently from drawings to construction: built-in wardrobes fitted precisely to the walls, glass partitions positioned to catch the light, and lighting circuits planned zone by zone. This is where a single-point design-build contractor saves you from the “drawn one way, built another” problem and keeps the budget under control. See our apartment interior design and build service and read how to renovate a small apartment into an optimised living space.

AIC works to a single-point design-build model, with over 10 years in the trade (since 2016 under the predecessor Nhân Việt; AIC was founded in 2019) and two in-house factories (1,200 m² and 600 m²). From an apartment floor plan, AIC can produce a BOQ estimate within roughly 4 working hours so you can size your budget; projects are handed over with a warranty of up to 24 months.

Frequently asked questions

How many bedrooms should a 70m2 apartment have?

The most common 70m2 configuration is two bedrooms, suiting a family of three to four. If you value a larger shared living area, consider one bedroom plus one multifunction room (a study doubling as a spare bedroom) separated by a glass partition or sliding door.

Which paint colours make a small apartment look bigger?

Light, neutral tones such as white, beige, cream and pale grey reflect light well and visually expand the space. Keep neutrals as the dominant base and reserve dark colours for small accent areas only.

Should walls be removed to make a 70m2 apartment feel bigger?

Solid walls between the kitchen and living room can be replaced with glass partitions or an open layout to improve flow and daylight — but load-bearing walls must stay. Any structural change should be reviewed by your design-build contractor to guarantee safety.