A studio apartment is basically a residence
with a single room meant to serve multiple functions, but primarily as a
bedroom. They are either a single unit in an apartment complex, a
separate addition to a single family residence, or a separate building
or floor in a multi-family residence like a duplex. A studio apartment
can be both fun and challenging to decorate. First and foremost, you
need to keep in mind that you're working with one very large space. You
get to choose where one room ends and where another begins, so make the
most of it. You also need to remember to not crowd your studio with too
much furniture. Here are 6 tips to help you decorate a studio apartment:
1. Separate the Space
Before you do anything, you need to determine where the boundaries of
your space are. As easy as it is to let your guests feel at home in
your room, you don't want to feel like your territory is being
encroached upon. Make sure you arrange your couch to separate your
bedroom area from your living room area. If you have a couch and a
loveseat, it's a good idea to set them up in an L-shape, so they can act
as substitutes for missing walls. Use paint to define your space as
well. Paint the walls of your bedroom a different color than the walls
of your living room, and utilize clever wall dividers like wallpaper
strips, Japanese-style folding walls and chair rails.
2. Make Storage Your Best Friend
A studio apartment is the last place you want your clutter to show.
If you have clutter piling up in your living area or bedroom area, it
will be seen from anywhere in the apartment since it's...one room! Since
you don't have a lot of space to work with, use storage that doubles as
furniture like ottomans and tables with removable tops. Beds designed
with built in shelves, cabinets and drawers are also a good addition to a
studio apartment. Stackable storage bins allow you to get the most out
of closet space.
3. Be Kind to Your Kitchen
Don't let the mess in your kitchen overrun the living portion of your
studio. You want to make sure that you clean your kitchen as often as
you can, and that you maintain the garbage flow. It's much easier to let
a dirty kitchen get the best of you in a studio apartment, than it is
when you live in a much more spacious environment.
4. Buy a Sofa Bed
If you plan on having guests over, a sofa bed is practically a
must-have piece of furniture for a studio apartment. This way your
bedroom can double as a living room, and you won't have to divide the
room into two separate sections. Sometimes, cramming a couch and a bed
into the same room is impossible with smaller sized studio apartments.
Another alternative would be a futon that could be folded into a couch
for when you have guests over.
5. Use Floor Rugs to Your Advantage
If you have hardwood floors, you can use floor rugs to separate your
space. Two large floor rugs in different colors will act as makeshift
borders between sections of the room. They will also prevent your
hardwoods from getting too dirty with all the foot traffic they will
see.
6. Use Mirrors to Enlarge Your Space
Mirrors are your secret weapon in small spaces. Hang your mirrors in
places where they maximize the look and feel of your place. Large
mirrors are they way to go. They open up walls completely and make it
appear as though your space is double the size.
7. Build Up
Often times, the open air space of a studio apartment is overlooked.
Stop thinking two-dimensionally and start living three-dimensionally.
The square-footage of a studio apartment accounts for the size of the
floor space, but doesn't take into account the amount of space above the
floor. Utilize as much of that space as you can by stacking as many
things as you can. Get those plastic storage bins and stack them to the
ceiling. Remove the bottom bunk from a bunk bed and use the bottom
section for more storage or living space like a small desk. If you have
vaulted ceilings in your studio apartment, that's even more space you
can work with!
Bottom Line
More than anything, living in a studio apartment requires you to be a
bit of a magician. You need to be able to transform one type of space
into another, and make almost every item in the apartment
multi-functional. Make sure you're aware of how much space you have and
utilize every spec of it. If executed correctly, a studio apartment can
feel like a normal apartment with doors and partitions for every section
of living space.
