apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Design by committee of unknown bloggers.

Or, how about spend a few dollars, hire an architect or designer, and get a singular, coherent vision. It'll pay for itself. I promise.


Architect

As a less expensive alternative to hiring a designer, take a look at www.younghouselove.com. They will consult on total room makeovers/designs, or work with existing furniture, all remotely (and less costly). They don't go out and do all the legwork for you, but they'll tackle all different styles, resources, and price points. And they've posted their past makeovers on their site, so you can see if it's even your style or not. Just an option.

Your question is much too broad.

You can do almost anything with this space, but not everything will appeal to you personally, and you've told us nothing about your style, interests, or currently owned furniture.

We're just taking stabs in the dark without more info about you.

"Design by committee of unknown bloggers.

Or, how about spend a few dollars, hire an architect or designer, and get a singular, coherent vision. It'll pay for itself. I promise.

Architect"

This made me laugh. Tho there may be some truth in it, the self serving nature of it was too hard to resist. Besides, this idea presumes that the owner is incapable of taking the best of the responses and discerning her own style and design from them.

And isn't your degree based on learning about disparate styles and philosophies and gelling them into what you find to be a coherent design philosophy? That's just a version of what goes on here, imo. Plus, it assumes that people are smart enough to create their own vision without having to pay someone for it.

Sometimes a professional does a better job more quickly, but that isn't an absolute. Besides, some of us like the learning curve. We enjoy the mistakes and figuring out the better choices.

The Plymouth and clarejr gave you excellent suggestions. However, if you feel you can’t afford to hire a designer I would suggest that you create an inspiration board. Find images/things you love. You can also check out www.livingetc.com or www.smallspacestyle.com You can use paint to be dramatic but don’t clutter with too much furniture. A small space can get crowed in a hot minute. Make your bed a focal point and add/subject furnishings from there. Good luck and I can’t wait to see your results.

Most important: fix the lighting (e.g., in-set ceiling lights). If you don't, no matter what you do with the decor, it will seem rather dark and closed-in. Number two: get a nice area rug that gives some elegance and softens the hard surfaces. After those two things are done, things will fall more easily into place...

I would say, in my amateur but well meaning opinion, to fill it with things you love first of all!

Second a round dining table with a over sized tray sideboard, large vases with larger greenery and a large mirror. On the opposite side of the peninsula.

Maybe constructing a half wall with either horizontal ipe wood, Sheetrock, bookshelves or a material that speaks to you. Put near the windows, putting your bed in between the window and half wall, which on the other side you can create more storage, on the side facing to the kitchen you can use this as a frame for TV or furniture.
I would def get some roller semi transparent blinds

Maybe a small white sectional with break apart ottoman for extra seating, a long bench to go along the left wall. Which could either support mixed art or entertainment gear.
Colour all depends in what feel you want, I would say a warm, soft neutral white, maybe a little grey,
as long as you have lots of light vibrant accents and lots of piled area rugs!

Have fun with this space!

Hmm...I think that you should get a small dining table, maybe a round one, and get a nice lighting fixture to put above so that the dining area truly is separate from the living area. But since your living area is also your bedroom, I suggest getting chairs for the table that can be used as extra seating for guests. Or, if you have a breakfast bar off the kitchen, grab some barstools (maybe adjustable ones). As for your bedroom/living area. What I personally like is taking whatever size bed someone has, and turning it on it's side, putting it up against the wall and making it more of a daybed. Ooh ooh ooh if you liked this idea, you could get some bookshelves or something of the like, and put it on other side to create a headboard and footboard. And then you still have the other wall to think about. So maybe a tv and extra storage. As for paint, I would paint the window trim white, and then choose a color that YOU like or that goes with your bedding and artwork. Hope this helps at least a little!

First, get a bed. Then put the bed on casters and find out where you want it by moving it around. You spend 7 hours a night there, you need to like it.

Next, get something to cover the windows, the sun will blind you.

Then decide what you do the most in your home (entertain, cook, craft, watch movies, whatever) and decide the best place for that area.

I speak from expereince because I too live in a big box with a wall of windows. I created small areas for each of the things I do, I know that is not in fashion, but I like having my tv watching area and my writing desk in seperate areas.

If the wall between the kitchen and dining area is a full wall, I would actually place your bed in the dining area with a bookcase, or curtain alongside it to create a hallway to the main space, and give your bedroom a sense of separateness. With 10-foot ceilings, you might be able to put the bed up on some storage drawers too.

As space is a premium, you might want to think about wall-mounted, folding options (like a fold-down buffet/serving tray of some sort).

I really hate questions like this. You want us to design your space for you (for free), without us knowing anything about your tastes or what functions you'll need for the space? Even professional designers won't work with that.

Thanks for all the advice so far everyone! More pictures here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30609635@N02/sets/72157621553337424

There are some fantastic small apartment tours on this site. (quite a few smaller than yours!). I'd suggest going through them and picking out a few ideas that you like (bed placement, storage concepts, etc) and then running with it. Then you can interject your own style with your favorite STUFF.

You can always do a Murphy Bed!

And I agree with everyone above . . once you figure out furniture placement . . get a good area rug that you LOVE. It'll really warm the place up. :) And don't be afraid of color!!

Almost all the planning involves knowing what your furniture situation is like and/or what you must have inside this studio.

As a broad look, there are a few ideas I'd like to throw out there:

-Try to go for either a two person or four person dining table and place it near the breakfast bar - give it some stools for extra seating. A long dresser would make a good sideboard and you could use the storage for your clothes. If you don't want a dining table, this could also be a good area for an office set up.

-Place the head of the bed up against the windows on the side by the closet. You could either float an office area here or have a small sitting area with a nice club chair.

-I'd float the sofa in the middle of the layout to serve as the separation of living room and bedroom. Use a long dresser as your TV stand (if you have a TV, if not for a stereo or to just stand up artwork on). Add a side chair on either side of the dresser for extra seating. You should be able to fit a narrow coffee table in.

Hope I helped.

copy this house tour

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/house-tours/house-tour-jays-chelsea-loft-new-york-city-089223

get an Expedit to use as a room divider and storage

You should also definitley check out LOFTwall!!! The best purchase I have made so far for my studio apartment! Really! It gave my apartment a whole new feel and a lot more privacy. www.loftwall.com I'm sure you will feel the same as I did when I discovered them! Good luck!!!

This won't be popular with most folks, but if it were my place, I'd rip out the closets. They make for a cramped awkward entry, and if they were gone, you'd have a spacious vista into the room. I'd create floor-to-ceiling storage on the wall between the dining room and living room and use beautiful armoires or other case furniture for storage.

I'd also put doors on the kitchen entry, unless it's a spectacularly well-designed kitchen. You want to feel happy when you first come in the apartment.

Well, aren't there a bunch of nasty little fussy pants on this site today! You all just HAD to share how annoyed you were that your precious time was taken up by this person's simple question. The nerve! I think what this person is asking is NOT "Design my apartment" but "HELP! Where do I start?" I think Jacqui is looking for ideas not dictates, so she (?) can get her own juices flowing. Best idea I've heard here is: put your bed on casters and move it around. I would expand that to include all your big furniture, and then you can play! Also, as another poster commented, what do you want to use the space for? is it retreat/refuge from your work day? are you going to entertain? Anyway, good luck!

Hi everyone! Just as an FYI: I am REALLY starting from scratch here - I have a wrought iron bed and a pale green couch and that's it as far as furniture and I am totally open to all suggestions. Limonata hit the nail on the head as far as what kind of advice I'm looking for....

I don't spend a whole lot of time at home, but when I do I need a space to curl up with a book/laptop. I also like to have friends over for drinks/dinner but I think the wide bar that separates the kitchen from the rest of the room will be perfect for that if I get some counter stools.

Thanks again for all your help! I'll send in some After photos in a couple months.

Man, it seems like everyone on the internet is cranky today! If you don't like the question why take the time to comment on the post?!?

Anyway, I like the idea of putting your bed on casters and moving it around. You could also try putting it in the biggest closet - I'm bad with visual measurements so I have no idea if your bed would fit but that would give you more floorspace for a living area. I think a round dining room table would work best. Most people on here would probably hate my saying this, but I'd take a trip to your closest Ikea (if possible) and check out their small space set ups. You don't necessarily have to buy their products, but they do have good ideas and it's cheaper than hiring an interior designer.

@jacquim - your flickr page is coming up as private (at least when I try to view it)

I would love to see the additional photos but can't get access because it says it's private page. Any way to make it public?

Thanks! I love the space and looking forward to seeing what you will do with it!

Start with what your functional requirements are-
sleep/bathe/eat/entertain/work
Then what the space offers- there is a natural progression already evident in the apartment- the only place you have flexibility is the open living/bed area
You have windows on one side only- which will end up as that living/bedroom area. Make sure you have plenty of additional artifical lighting for the kitchen/bath/dining areas.
You will need furniture that multi-tasks (also depends on your lifestyle) -use the breakfast bar as a sideboard plus a couple of bar stools in lieu of a dining table?
Like the idea of the Expedit as a room divider.
By all means look to Ikea if that is what your budget allows- there was a really neat apartment on AT a while back that was nearly all IKEA- well scaled and graphically coherent.
If you think you would like to create this piece by piece- plan for the larger sofa/bed items first since they will set the tone for the apartment.
Best of Luck

@JennyLicht... no, inman, not allston (no offense allston.) and also your post made me ever so thankful for my ridiculous family... grandma's the one that finally made me pull the trigger on buying my shoebox!

@jonnap those loftwalls are GORGEOUS! not in the budget right now, but absolutely something i'm going to save up for. Probably taking the Expedit advice for now.

@home body (and anyone) will get the flikr site unprivate ASAP.

Ikea was hugely inspirational - craigslisting like a fiend to find everything.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40509528@N02/sets/72157621463828953/

that should do it!

Jacquim, ignore the grumpies who are posting, lucky you with so much natural light! Here are my thoughts for your space:
1. The best advice I could give you is to define HOW you want to live in the space, list the activities, then decide where you’d like to situate those activities (office work, sleep, watching TV, reading, etc). You might prefer a desk by a window, for instance, or be able to do away with a desk entirely and work from the countertop using something portable to hold your supplies.
2. I’d seriously consider combining two of the closets, and using only the door from the kitchen area to enter (if they’re wide enough but at ), if you block up the short living wall closet door you could install full length shelves from that area to the living area window wall. Those shelves could hold everything from a wall-style bed to an office to entertainment unit to library.
3. Across from the 15’2-1/2” wall situate a sofa and pair the sofa with two side chairs (think narrow, armless, or something that has a gap between the backrest and seat – it’ll keep the space looking larger if you can see around or through the furniture easily). How much you add will of course depend on whether you opt for a wallbed.
4. Consider using a drop-leaf table, so you can move it out of the way or use it as a sofa table when not needed, looks like you could comfortably design most of the time at the counter with the addition of a few barstools.
5. Take your time collecting furniture, even live in the space for awhile, living in it will help you decide what you truly need and you're less likely to overbuy or buy the wrong scale.
6. Conceal as much as you can in cabinets or closets (and the space will feel larger).