People hear 60 square metres and immediately picture something tiny. A cramped box. Barely enough room to move around.
But 60sqm is roughly the size of a one-bedroom apartment in many Sydney buildings. Plenty of people live comfortably in spaces smaller than that, especially in the inner city. The difference between a granny flat that feels cramped and one that feels like a proper home isn’t the size — it’s the floor plan.
A poor layout wastes space on corridors, puts the bathroom in the wrong location, and leaves the living area feeling like an afterthought. A good layout can make 60sqm feel closer to 80. That’s not an exaggeration. The right 1 bedroom granny flat floor plans genuinely change how spacious the home feels.
Here’s what to consider when planning one.
Don’t Waste Space on Hallways
This is one of the biggest mistakes in small floor plans.
A long corridor running through the middle of a 60sqm granny flat can easily consume 6–7 square metres of usable floor area. That’s almost the size of an entire bathroom lost simply to moving between rooms.
The best 1 bedroom granny flat floor plans minimise hallways or remove them altogether.
Rooms open directly from the living space. The bedroom sits off the main area. The bathroom connects through a short passage that can also incorporate storage, such as a built-in linen cupboard.
Every square metre in a granny flat needs to earn its place. A hallway that only connects rooms isn’t working hard enough.
Three Layout Shapes That Work
The right building shape depends on the block. Not every backyard suits the same footprint.
Long and Narrow
Around 10m x 6m.
This is the go-to layout for many Sydney backyards. It fits neatly down the side of a property or across the rear boundary without overwhelming the yard.
Typically, the living and kitchen zone sits at one end, the bedroom at the other, with the bathroom and laundry positioned between them.
It creates clear separation between sleeping and living spaces and remains one of the most common forms used in 1 bedroom granny flat floor plans across NSW.
Wide and Shallow
Around 8m x 7.5m.
This layout works well when the block has width but limited depth behind the main dwelling.
Everything spreads horizontally, allowing the living area to gain more wall space and larger windows, which improves natural light.
The challenge is creating enough separation between the bedroom and living areas.
L-Shaped
This design wraps around a corner and creates a private courtyard where the two wings meet.
The bedroom can sit in one wing and the living zone in the other. The courtyard becomes valuable outdoor space without counting towards the internal 60sqm limit.
Some of the smartest 1 bedroom granny flat floor plans use an L-shaped layout to create privacy and outdoor living that a standard rectangle simply can’t achieve.
The Living and Kitchen Zone
At this size, open-plan living is almost always the best option.
Walls separating the kitchen and living room often create two spaces that both feel too small. A single open zone of around 20–25sqm provides enough room for a lounge, dining area, and functional kitchen without feeling cramped.
Three kitchen layouts work particularly well:
Single-Wall Kitchen
Everything runs along one wall — fridge, sink, bench and cooktop.
It uses the least floor space and leaves more room for living areas.
Ideal when maximising lounge space is the priority.
L-Shaped Kitchen
This wraps around a corner, creating additional bench space and storage without pushing into the centre of the room.
Galley Kitchen
Two parallel bench runs create an efficient working layout where everything remains within easy reach.
Allow at least 1 metre between both sides so the space stays comfortable.
One thing worth skipping? The island bench.
It looks great in magazines, but in a 60sqm granny flat it often interrupts movement and makes the room feel tighter.
The best 1 bedroom granny flat floor plans position the kitchen close to the entry. Groceries come straight in — front door, bench, fridge. Simple.
Bedroom Placement and Size
The bedroom should feel like a retreat, not an oversized cupboard.
A queen bed, bedside tables and built-in wardrobe fit comfortably within a room around 3m x 3.5m. Spacious enough to feel comfortable without taking more floor area than necessary.
Ideally, position the bedroom:
Away from the entry and kitchen
Against an external wall for natural light and ventilation
At the opposite end of the home from the living zone
A built-in wardrobe along one wall keeps the room organised. Even a wardrobe 1.5 metres wide makes a noticeable difference.
Bathroom and Laundry Layout
There are two common approaches, and the right choice depends on priorities.
Combined Bathroom and Laundry
The washing machine sits within the bathroom, either inside a cupboard or beneath a bench.
This saves 2–3sqm, giving more area back to living spaces.
It’s also the most common arrangement in compact 1 bedroom granny flat floor plans.
Separate Laundry
The bathroom remains cleaner and less crowded, while the laundry sits in its own small cupboard with a stacked washer and dryer.
It requires more space, but many people prefer keeping the two functions separate.
Where possible, place the wet areas in the centre of the floor plan.
This reduces plumbing costs through shorter pipe runs and also creates a sound buffer between the living and sleeping zones.
Storage Makes or Breaks the Design
A granny flat without storage becomes cluttered quickly. And once clutter takes over, a small space instantly feels even smaller.
Build storage into the layout from day one:
Built-in wardrobe in the bedroom
Linen cupboard near the bathroom
Full-height kitchen overheads
Entry cupboard or hook rail near the front door
Under-bench bathroom storage when combining laundry
The advantage is that most of these solutions use wall height and otherwise unused spaces rather than additional floor area.
Windows and Orientation Matter
Natural light changes how a small home feels more than almost any design feature.
Windows on two sides improve cross-ventilation and prevent rooms from feeling enclosed.
Ideally:
Living areas face north for winter sunlight
Bedrooms sit on the south side to stay cooler
Eaves block harsh summer sun while allowing winter light inside
The best 1 bedroom granny flat floor plans are designed around the block orientation, not just the internal layout.
A plan that looks perfect on paper can feel dark and enclosed if the main windows face a fence only two metres away.
Add a Deck
A small covered deck connected to the living area can dramatically increase the sense of space without increasing the internal footprint.
Even a modest 2m x 3m deck with sliding doors changes the way the home feels.
The inside extends outward. There’s somewhere to sit, relax and entertain beyond the living room.
Under NSW rules, an unenclosed deck generally does not count towards the 60sqm internal floor area, making it one of the smartest ways to add usable space.
The Bottom Line
Sixty square metres is enough for a comfortable and functional one-bedroom home — but only when the layout works properly.
That means:
No wasted hallways
Rooms positioned logically
Built-in storage from the start
Windows on multiple sides
Strong indoor-outdoor connection
The best 1 bedroom granny flat floor plans don’t try to squeeze a large house into a small footprint.
They design specifically for the size and make every metre count.
And that difference becomes obvious the moment you walk through the door.