Sharing a Small Home Sustainably, Without Overspending

When two siblings moved in together, their flat had to work harder on a modest budget. Here is how thoughtful choices, a few clever swaps and some well-chosen pieces turned a compact two-room home into something that suits them both.

Designing one home around two people's habits

When one sibling moved into a flat already lived in by the other, the challenge was fitting two lives into one small space without overspending or wasting what was already there. Every decision was made with both budget and environmental impact in mind, so existing furniture stayed wherever possible and new pieces were chosen to earn their place.

A few practical additions made daily life easier straight away. A MULIG clothes bar gave a second wardrobe spot without building anything in, while a KYRRE stool and a BURVIK side table added flexible seating and surface space that could move between rooms as needed. A RAKLEV rug helped define a personal corner within a shared room.

MULIG clothes bar, white, 60-90 cmRAKLEV rug, flatwoven, handmade natural/multicolour, 70x160 cmKYRRE stool, birch, 42x45x48 cmBURVIK side table, white, 38 cmSTOCKHOLM rug, flatwoven, handmade/striped black/off-white, 170x240 cmTÅNUM rug, flatwoven, assorted colours, 60x90 cm

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Making old and new furniture work together

Rather than replacing everything, the approach here was about combination. Instead of buying a new dining table, the siblings joined their two existing tables into one longer, extendable surface that suits meals together or apart. An existing bed frame already in the flat kept its job as a sofa, while new sleeping arrangements were added alongside it rather than instead of it.

To gently divide the living space without a costly renovation, a simple fabric screen was created using affordable textiles. A HANNELISE cushion added colour and comfort to the seating area, and a TINGBY side table on castors proved useful precisely because it could be wheeled wherever it was needed that day.

HANNELISE cushion, multicolour, 50x50 cmTINGBY side table on castors, grey, 50x50 cmNISSAFORS trolley, black, 50.5x30x83 cmGLADOM tray table, black, 45x53 cmNISSAFORS trolley, white, 50.5x30x83 cmLACK side table, white, 55x55 cm

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Advice for anyone furnishing their first flat

Choose furniture that can grow and change with you. People often talk about investment pieces as though they must be expensive, but a genuine investment piece is simply one that keeps earning its keep for years, whatever it cost. Modular storage fits this idea well, since shelving can be added when a kitchen needs more room, and the whole system can be taken apart again when life moves on.

In the kitchen and bathroom here, open shelving kept things flexible rather than fixed. In the work corner, a NISSAFORS trolley added mobile storage that could be wheeled between tasks, a TÅNUM rug softened the floor underfoot, and a RINNIG tea towel kept everyday essentials close at hand.

TÅNUM rug, flatwoven, assorted colours, 60x90 cmNISSAFORS trolley, white, 50.5x30x83 cmRINNIG tea towel, white/dark grey/patterned, 45x60 cm, 4 packINNER cushion pad, white/firm, 50x50 cmLOHALS rug, flatwoven, natural, 200x300 cmFJÄDRAR cushion pad, off-white, 50x50 cm

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Giving old furniture a colourful second life

Every piece of furniture deserves another chance before it is replaced. Old items can be passed on, sold, or simply reimagined with a bit of creativity. Colour played a big part in this flat, so existing wooden furniture was brightened with bold geometric embroidery rather than thrown out, proving that a tired piece often just needs a new idea.

A BAGGEBO glass-door cabinet became a display point for small treasures, finished with a HANDSKALAD decoration and lit by a NÄVLINGE LED clamp spotlight for evening warmth. A LOHALS rug tied the look together underfoot, while unfinished wood pieces were simply given a fresh coat of paint, a reminder that new life rarely needs a new purchase.

BAGGEBO glass-door cabinet, metal/white, 34x30x116 cmHANDSKALAD decoration, hand, naturalNÄVLINGE LED clamp spotlight, black, 34 cmRAGGISAR basket, set of 3, greyLOHALS rug, flatwoven, natural, 160x230 cmTERTIAL work lamp, white, 17 cm

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Small flats across Malta and Gozo often call for exactly this kind of inventive thinking, and Maltashopper is happy to help bring these pieces home.

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