Studio apartments may be synonymous with small-space living, but with the right frame of mind, you can get a lot of space and use out of a studio or any other small apartment.
Here are 15 hacks for making your studio apartment into a spacious home.
Best tips for studio layouts
A studio apartment will never truly feel large, but you can maximize the space you do have if you think carefully about the layout. Here’s how to maximize the space you have.
Carve out zones
When you think about your studio apartment in terms of zones, you’ll have an easier time thinking in terms of living room, kitchen and bedroom. It will also help you think about what kind of privacy you’ll want around your apartment. If you have a queen-sized bed, then you’re going to need to consider how you’ll want to make it a little more private. After all, you don’t want guests sitting on your bed when they’re visiting.
Use room dividers to create privacy
A studio dwellers best friend is always a room divider. These accordion-style dividers are skinny, which means they don’t take up much space, and they can easily be moved when needed.
Room dividers can be great for creating privacy in the bedroom zone where you’ll probably change your clothes. If you want to go bold with a pattern or keep it monochromatic, check out these dividers from The Inside. These customizable dividers come in nearly every fabric shade under the sun, which will give your studio a little extra pop of style.
Float the sofa to create a divide
Now that you have these zones in your head, you can use your furniture to help section off the different zones. Instead of shoving your sofa up against the wall, float it in the middle of the room to divide it between the sitting area and the bedroom space.
You can use other pieces of furniture to create divides as well, but don’t over-invest in too many furniture pieces. It might become too difficult to get around your apartment when you have too many pieces.
Maximize every inch of space
With studio apartments, every single inch of space counts. Built-in bookcases are great for creating storage. Small alcoves or nooks near windows can be transformed into large or rounded benches for extra seating.
Empty walls can become useful with shelves installed or hooks hung. Don’t let any wall or nook go unused.
Move the bed as far away from the door as possible
The best way to protect the privacy of your bedroom in a studio apartment is to move it as far away from the door as possible. This will keep people from sitting on your bed when they should be sitting on your sofa, and it will be less likely that guests will wander over to that zone of your apartment when it’s so far away from the living and kitchen zones.
Furniture for studio apartments
The right furniture can make or break a studio apartment design. Here are some tips to keep in mind when furnishing your studio apartment.
Skip the traditional bed
Not every studio apartment needs a traditional bed — in fact, not having one can save you a ton of space.
If you own your studio apartment, consider installing a Murphy bed. These beds fold up inside the wall, which means they can be put away during the day. This will free up a ton of space and add a little privacy.
You could also choose a daybed over a traditional bed. Daybeds have sides on both short sides and one of the longer sides, much like a sofa, but there’s a mattress instead of a cushion. By day, the daybed functions as a regular sofa, but when it’s time for bed, the mattress makes for a comfortable night’s sleep.
Choose multifunctional furniture
In a studio or small apartment, no piece of furniture should only serve one purpose (expect maybe the bed, unless you choose a daybed). Instead of a regular coffee table, choose an ottoman, which can function as a footstool and offer additional storage. A sofa with a pull-out bed can be your primary bed or one for guests.
Bring in poufs for extra seating
You might be able to fit just one sofa in your studio apartment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have more seating. Instead of chairs, try adding poufs and floor pillows. Poufs are small and lightweight, so they can be moved around the apartment and function as side tables when needed. Floor pillows make for comfy seating, and they can be stored under the sofa when not in use.
Opt for an island over a dining table
The one piece of furniture that most studio owners agonize over is the dining table, but it’s one that should be skipped entirely. A dining table will take up space, and it won’t be used nearly as often as you probably think it will be.
Instead, choose a kitchen island with a folding leaf for eating. Add two stools that can be stored in a closet and now you have space for food preparation and eating. Check out these options from Crate and Barrel.
Decor and more for studio apartments
A little decor goes a long way in a studio apartment. Here’s how to maximize your decor without making your apartment feel cluttered.
Hang curtains for privacy
If a room divider takes up too much space for you, great creative with curtains to add privacy around the zones of your studio apartment.
Curtains can work as a closet or hide your bed when you have guests over. If you can’t hang artwork on your walls because you’re renting, curtains can also add some style to your studio.
Add multiple mirrors
While you can’t make your studio apartment any bigger, you can trick your mind into making your studio apartment look just a little bit bigger and brighter.
Mirrors are essential for studio apartments. When you have more than one, they reflect the light coming in, making it bounce off the other mirrors in the room. This makes the space a little bright, and it feels a little bigger.
Skip the decor, go for wall art
Candle holders and vases may look nice, but when you don’t have a lot of space, they look more like clutter than anything else.
Skip the decor purchases, and look for artwork that speaks to you and makes you happy. Find prints with bold colors to brighten up your space or make it feel a little moody with black and white photographs in stylish gold or copper frames.
Lighting up a studio space
Even if you have plenty of natural light in your studio apartment, you’re going to need something to light your way at night. Here’s how to think about lighting up your space.
Choose skinny floor lamps
The skinner the floor lamp, the better for a studio apartment. You probably don’t have a lot of floor space to sacrifice, so find a floor lamp with a very small footprint and a base that can partially slide under a sofa or chair.
Install wall sconces
Wall sconces are perhaps the best form of lighting in a studio apartment. They take up no floor space because they’re anchored to the wall, and they provide a little style on a normally blank wall.
If you own your studio apartment, then you can buy your own sconce and have a professional install them. If you rent, you can find sconces that can be plugged into a wall and hung up. You can take the sconce with you when you move out, and you won’t need to relinquish floor space to a lamp.
Keep the ceiling fan
A lot of studio apartment owners decide to ditch the ceiling fan in favor of a more decorative chandelier or pendant — ceiling fans aren’t exactly the most stylish fixture. But you shouldn’t ditch your ceiling fan. You’re going to need something to cool down the space.
If you do decide that you need extra lighting from the ceiling, consider either pendants or canned lighting. Pendants are usually thin and can be hung together to add plenty of light. Canned light fits directly into the ceiling, so if your ceilings aren’t the tallest, then you won’t be sacrificing space.
Ready to make a rented studio apartment into your perfect home? Contact the experts at Atlas Lane today and we’ll help you find that small space that fits your needs.
