How to convert an apartment: turn a 1 bedroom into a 2 bedroom
Whether the family has expanded in the meantime or you just want an extra room for the guests who come over often, turning a 2 bedroom apartment into a 3 bedroom one is a choice more and more people are turning to in search of space. Of course, the overall living space remains the same, but an extra room brings the much-sought after discretion for any of the reasons mentioned above. So here are some practical advice showing you how to turn a 2 bedroom apartment into a 3 bedroom apartment which also involves some bureaucratic effort, other than financial.
Of course, the solutions here are general since every apartment has its own structure and layout and, consequently, available options are also different from case to case. Since any structural change brought to a building requires a permit, you will have to go through the filter of local authorities. In some cases, the file contains a plan done by a specialized company with a final approval of a structural engineer.
Secondly, have a vision for the new layout of your house. Try different options and weigh the pros and cons of each and ask yourselves questions such as: does the new layout make a bathroom more or less accessible? Is the layout symmetric? What are you giving up by adding an extra bedroom? Hire a professional architect to discuss the different alternatives and get some sketches made. You will need these when applying for a permit anyway.
But what choices are there to make three out two rooms? The first option is to remove the closets and add this space to the hallway so that to get yourselves a new living. The former and original living room will become the master bedroom. In some cases, the new living gets extra space from the kitchen, but that involves moving the latter into the balcony, which is pretty hard to do since new connections to utilities are required.
Anyway, even if you confine to turning closets and corridors into a new living, experts say the new apartment will feel more spacious than the previous configuration, even if there are more rooms. Do not forget to rely on light and neutral colors and plenty of natural light so to make the place feel more spacious. Finally, go for multi-purpose furniture and intelligent storage spaces.
Here is a video showing how to turn a 1 bedroom apartment into a 2 bedroom apartment.
Sources: Wall-street.ro, Quora.com
