Is a 10x10 Bedroom Too Small for a 2BHK Apartment?

Is a 10x10 bedroom too small? If you're looking at a 2BHK apartment in Auckland or anywhere else, this question pops up more often than you think. A 10x10 foot room-that’s 100 square feet-isn’t huge, but it’s also not a closet. The real answer isn’t about numbers. It’s about how you live.

What does 10x10 actually look like?

Let’s get real. A 10x10 bedroom is roughly the size of a small parking space. You can fit a queen bed, a nightstand, and a dresser in there-barely. If you try to add a desk, a chair, or even a full-length mirror, you’ll feel like you’re playing Tetris every morning. In New Zealand apartments, especially in Auckland’s inner-city developments, 10x10 is becoming the new standard for secondary bedrooms. Developers cut corners to squeeze in more units, and buyers are left wondering if they’re buying a bedroom or a shoebox.

Compare that to older homes. In a 1970s bungalow, bedrooms were often 12x12 or bigger. Back then, people didn’t need five different storage solutions because they owned fewer things. Today? We have smart TVs, gaming setups, yoga mats, and three pairs of shoes we swear we’ll wear again. A 10x10 room doesn’t give you space to breathe, let alone store your stuff.

Is it enough for a bedroom?

Technically, yes. A queen bed takes up about 30 square feet. Add a bedside table (another 10) and a slimline wardrobe (another 15), and you’re at 55 square feet. That leaves 45 square feet for walking around. You can open the wardrobe. You can walk from the bed to the door. You can even fit a small rug. But you won’t have room for guests. You won’t be able to open both doors of a double wardrobe at the same time. And if you’re tall? You’ll brush your head on the ceiling fan.

One Auckland buyer we spoke to said, “I put my bed against the wall, then realized I couldn’t open the window. I had to buy a fold-down nightstand. Now I sleep with my phone on the floor.” That’s not living. That’s adapting.

How does it work in a 2BHK layout?

Most 2BHK apartments in Auckland today have one larger bedroom-maybe 12x14-and one smaller one, often 10x10. The master is for the couple. The smaller one? It’s labeled “second bedroom,” but in practice, it’s a home office, a guest room that no one ever uses, or a storage closet with a bed in it.

Here’s what actually happens:

• If you’re single, you turn it into a home office. Good luck finding space for a monitor, chair, and filing cabinet.
• If you’re a couple with kids, you cram a bunk bed in there. Now you’re sleeping three in 100 square feet.
• If you’re renting it out, tenants complain it’s “not a real bedroom.” Landlords lose deposits over it.

Real estate listings call it “perfect for a child or home office.” But that’s marketing speak. It’s not about what it’s *for*. It’s about what it *is*.

What’s the minimum size for a legal bedroom?

In New Zealand, there’s no national law that says a bedroom must be a certain size. But the Building Code requires that habitable rooms have at least 10 square meters of floor space-that’s about 107 square feet. So a 10x10 room (100 sq ft) technically falls just short. Most developers get around this by calling it a “study” or “flex space,” then slipping in a bed anyway.

That’s legal? Sort of. But if you ever sell, your buyer’s lawyer might raise a red flag. And if you rent, your tenant could argue it’s not a habitable room under the Residential Tenancies Act. That’s not a risk worth taking.

What do people actually need in a bedroom?

Let’s cut through the noise. You don’t need a walk-in closet. You don’t need a chandelier. But you do need:

• Space to move around your bed without bumping into furniture
• Room to open closet doors fully
• Space to store more than just clothes-linens, seasonal gear, maybe a small TV
• Enough clearance for someone to sit on the bed and put on shoes
• Headroom. Seriously. If you’re over 5’10”, you’ll notice if the ceiling’s too low.

A 10x10 room gives you just enough space to meet the bare minimum. No comfort. No flexibility. No breathing room. If you’re okay with that, fine. But if you want to live in a space that feels like home-not a warehouse with a mattress-you’ll want more.

What’s the sweet spot?

For a secondary bedroom in a 2BHK, aim for at least 11x11 (121 sq ft). That’s not luxury. That’s functional. With 11x11, you can fit:

• A queen bed (60x80 inches)
• A full-length wardrobe (24-30 inches deep)
• A bedside table on each side
• A small desk or reading nook along one wall
• Room to walk around without stepping on your socks

Some newer builds in Parnell and Mt Albert are hitting 12x12 for second bedrooms. They cost more, but they hold their value. Buyers notice. Tenants notice. And when you sell? You won’t be stuck explaining why the second room feels like a closet.

Is it worth buying a 2BHK with a 10x10 bedroom?

If you’re a first-time buyer on a tight budget? Maybe. If you’re planning to live there for five years? Probably not. If you’re buying as an investment? It’ll rent-but you’ll get more complaints, more turnover, and lower long-term returns.

Here’s the hard truth: 10x10 bedrooms are a compromise. They let developers fit more units into a building. They let buyers think they’re getting two bedrooms for the price of one. But they don’t make your life easier. They make it tighter.

Look at the floor plan. Walk through the space. Don’t just trust the listing. If you can’t open the wardrobe door and walk past the bed without turning sideways, it’s too small. You’ll live with that every day. And after a while, you’ll start to resent it.

What are your alternatives?

Instead of settling for a 10x10 bedroom, consider:

• Looking at 1BHK apartments with a larger main room-you can turn it into a bedroom and living space combo.
• Choosing a 3BHK apartment with a smaller third room. Sometimes the third room is 10x10, but the second is 12x14. That’s better than two small rooms.
• Buying in a suburb like Howick or Manukau, where older buildings still have decent-sized rooms.
• Waiting. Newer developments are starting to shift. Demand is growing for rooms that actually work.

There’s no shame in walking away. A 10x10 bedroom might save you $20,000 now. But in five years, it could cost you $50,000 in lost value and headaches.

Final thought

A bedroom isn’t just a place to sleep. It’s a space where you recharge, organize your life, and maybe even work from home. If it’s too small, you’ll feel it. Not in a dramatic way. But in the quiet moments-when you’re trying to find your socks, when you can’t fit your desk in, when you realize you’ve got no room for guests.

Don’t let a label fool you. “Second bedroom” doesn’t mean it’s usable. It just means it’s there. And sometimes, what’s there isn’t what you need.