In that funny way people have of naming things in the most inappropriate way possible, apartments are actually buildings in which a lot of people live very, very close together*. They are excellent places for people who can't afford furniture for the simple reason that there just isn't enough room for furniture in the first place.

Of course, the reason the occupants can't afford furniture is generally because they're spending far too much on rent.

People who live in apartments for a long time gradually have their sense of scale warped by the experience. Thus, when an apartment dweller describes their apartment as 'large and spacious' they really mean 'small and cramped' and when they describe their apartment as 'small and cramped' they really mean there's only enough room to stretch out if you open a window first.