When a one-room house may be ideal for you​

One can have high-class one-bedroom house

In the developing world, when it comes to our homes, conventional wisdom dictates that bigger is better. However, for the developed world, even one-roomed houses suffice.

One-roomed houses in Uganda are common in slum dwellings. They are normally single rooms that serve as a living room during the day and bedroom at night.

However, David Kireli, a civil engineer says one can have an exclusively high class one-bedroom flat.

"It would have a toilet, bed and cooking area, all designed in one room. Such houses are referred to as bed-sitters," Kireli says

With the population increasing, cost of living and that of construction going up, such rooms are bound to be an option for many.

Use of space
One way of utilising small space is by using convertible furniture. Kireli says there is furniture which can serve as both chairs and bed at the same time. This would serve best in a one-roomed house.

The amount of activities that can be done in a single room depends on its size. A small room would ideally serve as a living room and bedroom.

For such a house, if any cooking has to be done, it should be outside, on verandahs or in a makeshift kitchen.

Other occupants, depending on the size of the rooms, usually use cloth curtains to partition the room into the living room and bedroom.

In hotels, these form part of executive suites designed with a cooking area, furnished with a living room, bedroom and furniture all in an open space.

Good for a family?

The one-roomed house is ideal for people who spend most of their time at work and only come back home to sleep. Such people usually leave work after having meals.

Another group of people who use such rooms are expatriates because they do not normally travel with their families.
 

However, it is not advisable that a family lives in a one-room house because it would be crowded.