Client Story 1 : Why a Bigger Apartment Can Look Smaller (And How We Found the Perfect Fit) 

Project Location: Kandivali East

The Lesson: Good design beats a big number every single time.

The Outcome: Saved money, avoided wasted space, and won a permanent nature view.

The Big Secret: Numbers Can Lie

When you shop for a flat in Mumbai, you are taught to look at one big number: the square footage. We are told that a bigger number automatically means a bigger, better home.

But here is a secret most sales agents won't tell you: A poorly designed big apartment can actually feel smaller and more cramped than a well-designed smaller one. Space utilization is everything.

I proved this to a close friend when I helped him look for his home.

The Setup

My friend was living with his mom in a tiny 1-bedroom flat, and they desperately needed an upgrade. At first, he wanted to jump straight into a big, expensive 3-bedroom apartment.

After looking at how he actually lived, I convinced him that a 2-bedroom was a much wiser choice. It gave him all the space he actually needed, without the financial stress of heavy monthly bills.

Then came the real test. We found a great project in Kandivali East.

The Illusion of the 822 sq. ft. Flat

The sales agents at the site aggressively pushed him to buy the largest 2-bedroom unit available, which was 822 square feet. My friend was ready to sign. He thought, "It’s bigger, so it must feel grander."

But when I opened the architectural blueprints and studied the walls, I told him to stop and buy the smaller 766 square foot apartment instead.

He thought I was crazy. Why would a smaller number be better? Here is why the bigger apartment actually felt smaller:

1. The "Dead Space" Trap (Why 822 felt smaller): In the larger flat, the extra square feet didn't make the living room bigger or the bedrooms wider. Instead, the space was eaten up by long, dark hallways and awkward, useless corners. You couldn't put furniture there, and you couldn't walk there comfortably. It was just wasted space trapped inside brick walls.

2. The Open Layout (Why 766 felt bigger): The smaller 766 square foot apartment utilized every single inch perfectly. There were no long corridors. The moment you walked in, your eyes travelled straight through the living area out to the windows. Because the layout was open and clean, it actually felt significantly larger and more breathing than the 822 square foot one.

3. The View Illusion: The bigger flats faced directly into the windows of the next building wing—meaning his curtains would have to stay closed for privacy. A closed curtain makes a room feel tiny. The smaller flat opened up to a massive, completely unrestricted view of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Looking out at miles of green trees made the apartment feel like it extended forever.

The Bonus: Future Value

On top of a better layout and a permanent nature view, the wing with the smaller apartment was structurally closer to the upcoming Borivali-Thane twin tunnel project. This means his beautifully utilized flat is going to shoot up in value very soon.

The Result

My friend trusted the design layout audit over the brochure numbers. He bought the 766 square foot home. Today, he is incredibly happy, his home feels massive, and his bank account is completely safe.

Why I Do This

I didn't make a rupee from that deal because I was just helping a friend. But it made me realize how many people buy bad spaces just because a salesperson showed them a big number on a piece of paper.

That is why I started Simplified Properties.

Don't buy a flat based on the size of the number on the brochure. Buy it based on how well the space is used.

Are you looking at a few apartments in Mumbai right now? Bring me your shortlists. Let me audit the floor plans for you so you don't accidentally buy a big flat that feels tiny.

👉 [Get a Free Layout Audit for Your Property Today]