I installed engineered hardwood flooring in my 45-square-meter flat three years ago. Not because I was staging it for sale. Because I was tired of the way carpet trapped cat hair and the smell of last night’s curry. The moment the planks clicked into place, the whole room breathed. Light bounced off the oak instead of sinking into beige fluff. You could hear the difference too. Footsteps became a clean tap instead of a muffled thud. But here is the catch. That beautiful, seamless surface immediately exposed every single furniture compromise I had made. My fold-out guest setup looked like a camping accident. The sofa bed I had bought online was a flimsy metal frame wrapped in fabric that slid on the hardwood like a hockey puck. The floor demanded better.

The problem with small floor plans is that every square centimeter serves double duty. Your living room is also your dining room, your home office, and occasionally your spare bedroom.