Living rooms are defined as long-term living spaces, such as bedrooms, living rooms, or nurseries, where residents spend most of their time. Auxiliary spaces, such as kitchens, bathrooms, toilets, halls, dressing rooms, and balconies, serve additional functions: they support everyday life, but are not intended for permanent residence.

Total Area Compared to Living Area

The total area of ​​the apartment includes absolutely all rooms, including living rooms and all auxiliary areas (kitchen, bathrooms, hallways and loggias, if taken into account by the layout). While the total area characterizes the entire volume of the room, the living area represents only the part that is directly used for living. This parameter is important in determining the comfort of living, calculating the population density in the house and determining the market value of real estate.

The living area of ​​an apartment is usually determined by the internal perimeter of the walls of the living quarters and does not take into account auxiliary areas and partitions. The area of ​​such rooms as the bedroom, living room and children’s room is used for the assessment, which is reflected in the layout and cadastral documents for the housing.

Standards for Living Space

Standards for living space are minimum and recommended parameters of living space established by the state, ensuring comfortable living conditions for the population. These standards vary depending on the region, social programs and housing category. For example, in the USA it is 50-70 m² per person, in Europe — 30-50 m², in Asia — 20-40 m².

Standards are influenced by factors such as climate conditions, population density, economic development of the region, and cultural traditions.

Note that standards are recommendations, not strict restrictions. Minimum standards are used for social hiring. Standards are more flexible for privatized housing.