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BDI Blog

Millennial Urban Dwelling: Home Furnishing For Small Spaces

The American Millennial has grown up. In their 30s, they are more established in their careers and interested in purchasing real estate and quality home furnishings. 

In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, 35% of all home purchases last year were made by Millennials, making them the largest share of homebuyers in the country. 

While some Millennials are looking for ‘starter homes in the suburbs, many young professionals live and work in large cities and urban areas where real estate downtown is available at a premium, often at the sacrifice of square footage.  

Key Takeaways: Furnishing Small Urban Spaces

Small-space living does not require sacrificing style. Thoughtful furniture choices can maximize limited square footage while supporting work, entertaining, storage, and everyday routines.

  1. Use digital platforms to define your design direction. Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram, and other visual tools can help organize inspiration and identify furniture that fits a modern, streamlined, and minimalist aesthetic.
  2. Choose furniture with a smaller physical footprint. Slim cabinets, compact tables, and intelligently engineered designs can preserve valuable floor space without sacrificing style or useful features.
  3. Make entertaining at home easier to organize. A dedicated bar cabinet can keep bottles, glassware, and serving tools contained within a relatively compact area.
  4. Prioritize furniture that can perform multiple roles. Lift-top coffee tables and other adaptable pieces can function as dining surfaces, workstations, storage, and everyday living-room furniture.
  5. Use shelving to take advantage of vertical space. Open shelving can provide storage and display space without the footprint of a larger cabinet.
  6. Let furniture help define open layouts. Freestanding shelving can divide a loft or multipurpose room into more distinct zones while maintaining an open, connected feeling.
Millennial man sitting in a blue chair next to a Bink Mobile Laptop Table by BDI

Whether they are buying or renting, one thing is for sure: while urban-dwelling Millennials may not be going big on square footage, they are still going big on style. 

According to research by Furniture Today, 77% of Millennials have redecorated their home in the past two years — more than any other age group.

Here’s a look at what’s taking shape in urban Millennial abodes and how those looking to redecorate can make big on small space design:

A modern, sleek, and minimalist-style of design millennial apartment.

Design App-titude

Millennials are often seen at the forefront of the latest social media and style trends, often becoming the trendsetters themselves. Through image-based mobile applications like Pinterest, Houzz, and Instagram, they are liking, sharing and purchasing furniture that fits a modern, sleek, and minimalist-style of design.
Corridor sv slim tv console 7128 BDI furnishing small spaces 720

Sizing Things Down

Because space is limited, Millennials are looking to maximize every available square foot. Intelligently engineered furniture—brimming with innovative features—without sacrificing style and that occupies a smaller footprint - is a good bet.
Corridor home bar cabinet furnishing small spaces bdi blog 720

Home-tainment Essentials

According to a survey from the wine app Vivino, 47% of Millennials say they would rather drink and entertain at home than at a social gathering, bar, or winery.

Home bar cabinets are a great way to keep the good times flowing.
Reveal table BDI lift top coffee table furnishing small spaces blog 600

Double Duty

When space is at a premium, furniture that can play multiple roles is a big plus in urban dwellings.

Millennials have embraced the notion that a coffee table isn’t just a table; it’s also an eating surface and a workstation. Furniture that can handle multiple functions is a must-have.
Linea shelf BDI walnut room divider furnishing small spaces 720

Shelving

Shelving is a great way to create unique room and storage solutions for any space requirements or limitations, from dividing a room in a downtown loft to a custom design that fits your needs perfectly.

Let us know how you are furnishing your small spaces in the comments below.