理想の部屋

I saw quite a number of videos posted by gaijins of their 1Ks.  Most are narrow spaces where it leads from the door straight to the balcony or window (if the 1K doesn't come with a balcony).  Quite a number who rent from a certain real estate company lived in 1Ks with loft beds which contained a walk-in wardrobe beneath or an elevated bed with storage space beneath the bed where one has to bend to get in.  Neither configurations appeal to me.

I might however, like it if a 1K has the following layout:

Upon entering, there is a shoe cabinet to the left and a little nook to the right of the genkan.  The nook would function like a door-less wardrobe, similar to to what I saw in some business hotels.  It would be fitted with a bar for hanging up coats and a bottle of fabric spray, so that smells on the coats from eating places stay at the genkan area.  The nook is a good place for airing shoes before they are kept in the shoe cabinet.  I've seen videos where genkans were full of shoes in a 1K, making it really easy to trip over.  The nook would also hold a stool (foldable or otherwise) for wearing and removing shoes.  

The genkan would lead to a larger nook - the kitchen.  There was just 1 video I saw out of so many where the kitchen is not located along the narrow corridor.

Diagonally opposite the kitchen nook would be another nook for the washing machine.  It would be nice to have a window there for sunlight to stream in for some light drying of laundry.  I've not seen a video of a 1K with a window in the area before the living area and I wonder how the occupants ventilate this part of their 1K when their doors are shut.  

Next to the laundry area nook would be the toilet and bathroom.  I originally thought there should be separate doors for the toilet and bathroom, much like how most 1Ks are.  However, I think there can be another configuration, whereby there is a door which opens up to a sink.  On the left of the sink is the toilet behind a sliding door, like that at the Hyatt Kyoto bathroom.  On the right is the bathroom with a foldable two-door.

Beyond the door separating the kitchen area and living area is a living/bedroom area with 2 wardrobes.  1 would be used for in-season clothes while the other would hold luggage and off-season clothes.

The transformation project by Lacaton and Vassal in Bordeaux is just something I would totally want to see in a balcony.  The large balcony with an additional set of sliding doors at the exterior simply extended liveable areas of an apartment right up to the second sliding doors.  Perhaps due to unfavorable orientation, I've seen many abandoned balconies which could become liveable, just with an additional set of sliding doors.

How might this ideal 1K be furnished?

The kitchen area would hold a sink cum cooker, with a hopefully space outside for a little pantry shelf.  Quite a number of 1K occupants added tables and shelves along an already narrow corridor, making the corridor really cluttered.  Else they built shelves above the cooker or fridge.  I'm not quite keen on having to buy and use a step ladder to reach things, so I hope there is enough space to have all furniture on the floor.  There would be space in the kitchen nook for a fridge, and a table next to it for a kettle, mug and glass and useable as a food preparation space or where I can sit and eat stronger-smelling food.  I would need a stool there too.  I would have liked a window there too.

For the laundry area, I hope there is space for a little shelving unit between the washing machine and the window, to hold washing detergent and hangers.  I might install a bar on the wall opposite the washing machine where I can hang lighter laundry or dry dish clothes and tea towels after use.

The toilet/bathroom area should have space at the sink area for a little shelf to hold extra bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body soap, and toilet rolls.  Some occupants build shelves for toiletries above the toilet, but I quite worried about things falling off during earthquakes, so I wouldn't even store additional toilet rolls in the toilet.  There should be space at the sink area for a stool too, when I just want to wash my hair at the sink.  The area beneath the sink would hold a laundry basket.  I've never seen a window in the toilet room of a 1K, but this would be something I might like.

There would be a bed, TV and table and chair in the living area.  Hopefully there might be space for a little bookshelf too.

If the balcony is large enough and sheltered, a large table could be placed there, or a two-seater sofa and coffee table and perhaps the TV can be relocated there, turning the balcony into a living room.

The ledge between the outer balcony doors and the balcony rails may be large enough for some plants.

My 1R+ has only 4 ceiling lights: 1 at the genkan, 1 in the living/bedroom area, 1 in the unit bath and 1 at the balcony (which I never turn on so I don't know if it is still working).  

For this ideal 1K, I think more ceiling lights might be needed.  1 at the genkan (in korean dramas, it seems like the newer apartments are installed with a motion-activated light at the genkan and the genkan is separated from the rest of the apartment by a sliding door.  While this is really hands-free, I think I can live with a genkan light controlled by a switch), 1 at the kitchen area, 1 at the laundry area, 1 in the toilet, 1 in the sink area, 1 in the bathroom, 1 in the living area and 1 in the balcony area.  I don't think a ceiling light is needed in the corridor beyond the living room, with lights already in the nooks at a window at the laundry area and I would most likely keep the door between the living room and kitchen open, but perhaps night lights might be needed.

Oh, and I think I would like to install noren at the entrance of the kitchen area, the laundry area and the door between the living room and kitchen too.