Decorating a small place can be difficult. However, designing a tiny living space that is useful and appealing can also be enjoyable. Here are some smart design ideas for studio apartments that will help you make the most of your available space without sacrificing your creative flair.
If you live in a studio apartment, you completely understand the idea of making do with your little space. It can take a lot of effort to convert a single room into a usable living area that serves as a bedroom, living room, kitchen, office, and more. Fortunately, you can easily transform your small space into the perfect place you look forward to coming home to.
Here are fourteen tips on how to layout a studio apartment:
Tip #1: Create different zones
If you create multiple zones, it will be easier to give the impression that your studio apartment is larger than its actual footprint. You will feel as though there are numerous rooms within a single space if there are small, distinct zones for activities like sleeping, eating, relaxing, and working.
Tip #2: Use area rugs
To make each zone feel distinct, place area rugs under your desk, dining table, bed, or sitting area. Stacking carpets with various patterns, textures, and aesthetics is okay if you stick to a unifying colour scheme for coherence.
Tip #3: Define an entryway
Not all studio apartments have a built-in entryway, but if you have a hallway with some empty wall space at the door, you can create one. Set up a landing area with some straightforward wall hooks or floating shelves and, if there is room, a small bench. Place clear, movable hooks on the back of closet doors to store coats, bags, keys, and umbrellas. This will help keep you organized and keep the clutter out of sight.
Tip #4: Make use of lighting.
A pendant lamp over the table can easily define your eating area from above. You can create the illusion that your one-room apartment is filled with space by independently lighting your eating, kitchen, living, working, and sleeping areas. This way, you can spotlight areas used to help make them look larger than they are.
Tip #5: Hide your bed
Install a sofa bed, a Murphy bed, or a piece of furniture with several uses that converts from a bed to a desk or dining table. If hosting guests in a studio apartment with a visible bed makes you uncomfortable, or you don’t like looking at the bed while you’re awake, finding an option you can conceal will help.
You can also use chair beds for small spaces. This furniture converts from a seating area during the day to a sleeping area at night.
Tip #6: Choose the right-sized furniture.
Your studio apartment can look cramped and unpleasant if you select many small pieces of furniture. Be careful not to use excessive furniture, such as king-size beds and plush sectionals, and only choose the largest items you can accommodate comfortably. Good options for fashionable tiny space décor include premium kids’ furniture retailers and vintage mid-century modern pieces with slim profiles.
Tip #7: Add artwork
Your studio apartment may appear cluttered if too many small pieces of art are strewn about. By constructing a statement-making gallery wall above the sofa or a casually chic space-saving daybed, you can focus on a collection of miniature paintings and photographs.
Tip #8: Make use of wheels
A charming modern or vintage bar cart is a great multifunctional, space-saving item. You can keep periodicals, books, souvenirs, glassware, or plants. Alternatively, keep it open and uncluttered so you can move it as needed for more kitchen prep space or a serving station for entertaining.
Tip #9: Go up
Using vertical space will make your area appear larger than it is by directing the eye upward. Add shelves that reach the ceiling above chairs or hang decorations like art, plants, or pendant lights in the space above chairs. If your ceiling is tall enough, consider painting it a different colour to give the room an even bigger illusion of space.
Tip #10: Hang a mirror
The best decorative mirrors for a studio apartment are strategically positioned ones. A mirror next to a window will increase natural light and provide fresh viewpoints. A large leaning floor mirror will make your space appear twice as big by extending sightlines.
Tip #11: Don’t forget your bathroom.
Since the bathroom is typically the only room in a studio apartment that isn’t on display, it serves as an oasis and a space to decorate. You can transform a small bathroom into an art gallery with some inexpensive, vibrant photography or artwork. Install some bold removable wallpaper in an upbeat design, and add a shower curtain with a crazy pattern, odd colour scheme, or both.
Tip #12: Use a screen
Use room dividers like screens, open-shelf bookcases, drapes, or even huge potted plants to create a sense of seclusion. If you share a studio apartment with someone else or live alone but want the flexibility to conceal specific portions of your space, dividing the space can help.
Tip #13: Go outside
Don’t let your outside area sit unused if you are fortunate enough to have even a small one. Put a café table and chairs on a tiny balcony or a large pouf and an outside mat. You can create a second space for drinking, reading, or simply contemplating life by adding plants, outside string lights, or a portable USB lamp.
Tip #14: Hang your clothes
Remember that there are many alternatives to using a closet if storage space is an issue in your studio apartment. Installing a straightforward, fashionable clothing rack will be the quickest answer. It will give your carefully organized wardrobe the appearance of an organized home store (double as an eco-friendly drying rack).
