bostadsrum

Bostadsrum, literally “residential rooms,” is a term used in Swedish housing to describe the rooms within a dwelling that are intended for living and can be used year-round. In practice, bostadsrum include spaces such as living rooms, bedrooms and other rooms that are designed for daily living. Rooms that are not typically counted as bostadsrum include kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, storerooms, laundry spaces and balconies. In real estate listings and cadastral records, the number of bostadsrum is used as a simple indicator of a dwelling’s layout and living space.

Regulatory context: The term is used in building regulations and housing law to distinguish habitable rooms from non-habitable spaces. According to Swedish byggregler (BBR), a bostadsrum must be a finished space that is suitable for year-round use and provides basic conditions for living, such as daylight, ventilation and safe access. The exact criteria are defined by current regulations and can vary with dwelling type and renovations.

Examples and usage: An apartment with a living room and two bedrooms typically has three bostadsrum. The term is commonly used in real estate descriptions, municipal planning and statistical reporting to convey the amount of usable living space in a dwelling.

Terminology note: Sovrum is a specific term for a bedroom, whereas bostadsrum is a broader label for habitable rooms used for everyday living. The distinction helps describe a dwelling’s layout beyond the narrow designation of individual rooms.