How Big Is a 700 Sq Ft Apartment?

When apartment hunting it can be hard to gauge how big space will be just based on square footage.

Layout, ceiling height, and furniture can all change how big or small a place will feel.

A 700-square-foot apartment is equal to about a quarter the size of a full-length tennis court.

They are usually available as studios or have one small bedroom

In order to figure out if a 700-square-foot apartment can meet your needs, we’re going to go over what it’s like to live in one, and different factors to consider whether renting or buying. 

To give you an idea, I live in a 1200 square feet apartment that has two decent-sized bedrooms, a small study, one kitchen, and a living area. A 700 square feet apartment would be enough to have a bedroom, a kitchen, and a small living room area

How Much Stuff Can I Fit in a 700 Sq Ft Apartment?

You can probably fit more than you think into a small apartment, especially if you get creative.

Installing floor-to-ceiling shelving will increase storage, as can wall hooks, and lofted beds.

As long as you measure and pick items carefully there’s no reason you shouldn’t have everything you want. 

Many apartments of this size have separate but small, rooms for everything. This means a place for your bed, dining set, and living area. Some are even divided into two bedrooms. 

You need to employ common sense when buying items for a small apartment. 

How much you can fit will largely depend on your personal style and lifestyle needs. If, for example, you have a preference for large heavy furniture, you won’t fit as much of it. 

Maybe you work out at home or use a wheelchair. If you require more floor space, then you will need smaller, lighter, pieces, and fewer of them. 

Also read: How Big is a 600 Square Feet Apartment?

How Many People Can Live in a 700 Sq Ft Apartment?

Since these are usually studios to one-bedroom apartments, 700-square-foot space is ideal for one to two people. 

However, like everything, this depends on your lifestyle. If you only sleep at your apartment it can be ok to share such a space with multiple people. 

If you and your partner work from home, then this may not be enough space for two people.

Two desks in what’s usually one living area mean you’ll always hear each other on the phone.

If you have a layout conducive to adding rooms, like an apartment with a nook, then you can block off the area as a second bedroom, office, or place a Murphy Bed there. 

Sometimes whole families live in apartments this size. Only you know how organized you are and how much space you can work with. 

Also read: How Big is a 500 Square Feet Apartment?

Decorating Hacks for 700 Sq Ft Apartment

Thanks to advances in technology and endless consumer options, there are a lot of ways to make your small space expertly organized and beautiful. 

Get Light furniture

A 700-square-foot apartment will benefit massively from lightweight furniture. This doesn’t only refer to actual weight but design. 

Clean lines, slim legs on chairs and tables, and small profiles will make a room feel less full. 

A heavy couch that goes to the floor will seem bigger than one with legs that has space left below it.

Multi-Use Furniture Will Save Space

There are a lot of options now for multi-use furniture. While Murphy beds are popular in small apartments, many only act as a bed that can be put away.

Queen Murphy Bed with Desk and 2 Storage Units with Drawers and Doors, Lumina Collection by Bestar

Some companies have created Murphy beds that can be folded into couches, or have pull-down tables or desks from the underside. Many have hidden storage. 

There are other pieces of fold-away furniture, expandable tables, and much more. You should consider what you need in your home and potentially find one piece that can do it all. 

Open Shelving

Open shelving is a very popular way to divide rooms while keeping an open feel.

If you have an apartment without any division you can put up a backless bookshelf to divide the space without cutting off the light from windows on the opposite side.

Tribesigns Bookshelf Bookcase, White 10-Open Shelf Etagere Bookcase, Simple Book Shelves Display Shelf Storage Organizer for Home Office (White)  

Even if you don’t use shelves as dividers, open shelves have a much cleaner and lighter look since they use less material. 

Of course, you can use these to house trinkets and essentials alike, so they don’t take up room elsewhere. 

Area Rugs and Wallpaper

You can use rugs and wallpaper to create clear-cut divisions where there is none. 

Even if your apartment is one room, an area rug to denote the living area, and different colored wallpaper in the kitchen will make it seem like you have multiple spaces instead of a box. 

A decorative screen to create privacy for your sleeping area (if you’re in a studio) adds style and purpose. 

You can also use another paint color or wallpaper behind the bed to frame it and mark the space. 

Depending on your taste you can use style and texture all over your small space. Or use minimal color and just a splash in a rug or chair to show different areas. 

Apartment Layout

The layout of a smaller apartment will make all the difference in how livable it is.

A few things will help make a small apartment not just feel larger but be more livable. 

Nooks

A 700-square-foot apartment that has corners and nooks will often feel better than one that is an open box.

This is because you’ll feel you have different spaces to set up and work with.

We mentioned using textures, rugs, and wallpapers to divide space. This is infinitely easier when the architecture already has some natural division like arches, walls, and partial walls. 

A fully open floor plan will seem bigger in some cases- usually with high walls and big windows. But when you can see your bed from your kitchen table it doesn’t feel like much space. 

Being able to turn a corner and have a dedicated area to work, sleep, or play will have the feel of any other house. 

Temporary dividers can help with this. If you entertain a lot it can be good to remove all barriers or screens to make room for guests, and then close them off again when you’re alone. 

Ceiling Height

Though it may seem strange a 700-square-foot apartment with high cathedral ceilings will seem bigger than one with 8-foot ceilings. 

Technically, high ceilings do give you more space, but it’s vertical. Because it’s so high you can’t reach the top without a ladder (though a wheeled library ladder in the home sounds like fun). 

So yes, you can install higher (and therefore more) shelves onto high walls but they won’t be very practical for anything other than long-term storage.

Of course, storage space is always welcome. 

You can potentially use this space to create a loft for sleeping too. But it’s not just about what you can fit. 

There’s a psychological component. Even if you don’t use it at all, there is more space over your head, so you don’t feel boxed in. 

The open and airy feeling is enough to make space seem bigger even if you don’t stuff more into it. Sometimes less is more, and not using it will automatically feel better. 

Windows

Large windows with tall ceilings are ideal. But, a lot of windows with short ceilings will help open the space too. 

This is partly because you literally aren’t enclosed. No, windows don’t give you more living space, but they do open up your walls to the outside world. Instead of a box, you have a room. 

Windows, natural light, and openness profoundly improve mood. If you find a larger apartment but it has windowless rooms or blocked views, you should reconsider. 

Also, in an apartment, some windows will have direct fire escape access. This can be a makeshift balcony.

If you use it, just make sure you don’t cause any blockage, it isn’t your personal space.

Conclusion

A well laid out and organized apartment can feel bigger than a poorly shaped 900-square-foot apartment.

A 700 sq ft apartment is as big as you need it to be. Make good choices when you furnish, get creative with decorating, and decide what you need to make it work for you.

Other articles you may also like: