For this family of four, living in a second home wasn’t what they had in mind when they acquired this 40-sqm-studio unit. “This is really more for an investment,” reveals the homeowner. “The previous owner who bought it on pre-selling offered it to us.”

Since the family already lives close to the children’s schools and their places of work, the condo unit serves as an extra space to accommodate their visiting relatives, or as a venue for their children’s soirees—a fair amount of usage for such a small space. But for some who actually live in spaces as small as this, or even smaller, a studio unit presents a lot of limitations in terms day-to-day living.

Browse through the gallery to see how the family decorated their home to make up for the limited space.

(First published as “One-Room Wonders” in the “Real Home” section of Real Living Philippines' May 2011 issue. Styling by Issa Villar. Photos by Vincent Coscoluella. Adapted for use in Female Network.)