Hello everyone, I recently bought the Ikea Platsa system and now face the challenge of fitting it into my apartment in a practical and effective way. The modules offer a lot of flexibility, but that also makes planning more complicated. My room is rather small (about 15 m² (160 ft²)), and I want to separate the living and working areas as well as possible—without making the space feel overcrowded. I want to create storage without visually overwhelming the room. Do you have any tips on how to best plan and integrate PLATSA so that it remains functional but also stylish and airy? Are there any experiences with optimal combinations for small to medium-sized rooms? I'm especially interested in creative ideas for combining it with other furniture or wall decorations so that it doesn’t look too bulky. Thanks for your advice!
Hey jebar41, that’s a great question! 🙂 I personally really like PLATSA because it’s so flexible – but yes, that can also lead to trying to include too much, making the room look more like a furniture store. For small spaces, I recommend considering the appearance: choose tall, slim units to keep the floor space small while maximizing storage vertically. Combined with simple fronts and mostly light colors, this can create a really airy feel.
That’s why I suggest measuring the room carefully first and making a sketch on paper or with an app. Also, try to create several small zones instead of one large wall unit. This makes everything feel more homely. Half-open compartments with nice decorative elements give a sense of openness, and plants fit in really well too. I often supplement PLATSA with wall shelves – just to avoid overloading the space.
Good luck with your setup!
jebar41 schrieb:
The modules offer a lot of flexibility, but that's exactly what makes planning complicated.
That’s why I suggest measuring the room carefully first and making a sketch on paper or with an app. Also, try to create several small zones instead of one large wall unit. This makes everything feel more homely. Half-open compartments with nice decorative elements give a sense of openness, and plants fit in really well too. I often supplement PLATSA with wall shelves – just to avoid overloading the space.
Good luck with your setup!
Hello jebar41, I’m adding a few more detailed considerations that might help you fit your PLATSA system optimally into the available space. First, you should carefully measure every cubic meter of the room to get an accurate spatial profile. PLATSA offers various widths (from 40cm to 80cm (16 to 31 inches)), heights, and depths, which really means plenty of flexibility – but it also means it’s easy to lose track.
It’s also important not to calculate storage space just by volume, but also by usage: What do you want to store? Clothes, files, books? Different compartments and interior fittings help a lot – for example, drawers for small items or open shelves for binders. If you want to visually separate the workspace from the living area, you could use a taller unit as a room divider, but it shouldn’t be completely closed off to avoid creating a solid wall.
Doors with glass inserts or narrow shelving units are practical as well since they provide storage while maintaining openness. Regarding fixing: tall PLATSA modules should always be secured to the wall, which increases stability and safety – especially in households with children or pets.
I’m interested in how exactly the floor plan looks or how your planning is going so far? Then I can give you more precise advice.
KNUTGI schrieb:
That’s exactly why I recommend you first measure the room carefully and make a sketch on paper or with an app.
It’s also important not to calculate storage space just by volume, but also by usage: What do you want to store? Clothes, files, books? Different compartments and interior fittings help a lot – for example, drawers for small items or open shelves for binders. If you want to visually separate the workspace from the living area, you could use a taller unit as a room divider, but it shouldn’t be completely closed off to avoid creating a solid wall.
Doors with glass inserts or narrow shelving units are practical as well since they provide storage while maintaining openness. Regarding fixing: tall PLATSA modules should always be secured to the wall, which increases stability and safety – especially in households with children or pets.
I’m interested in how exactly the floor plan looks or how your planning is going so far? Then I can give you more precise advice.
TEBILO schrieb:
I’m interested in seeing the exact floor plan or how your current design looks. Then I can give you more precise advice.Exactly, that would help me respond more specifically. If you like, please roughly describe how the windows and doors are positioned in the room. I would also recommend not running PLATSA along a long wall in one continuous run, but rather creating small islands or separate modules. This breaks up the look and makes the space feel more inviting.
Also, depending on how much workspace you need, you might consider incorporating one element as a small desk area—there are suitable inserts available. This way, you use PLATSA not only for storage but also functionally as a workspace.
I combined the system with a few simple, low-profile plants and a warm light. It creates a cozy atmosphere without clutter.
Looking forward to seeing your floor plan!
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