apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

that seems like a disproportionately large dining room table. I would personally get a more compact one (expandable?) and then you could possibly get a small loveseat for more comfy seating, placed with the back to the eating area, defining the space a little more. What is the long thing next to/overlapping the table, a counter?

also, I forgot to mention, well done so far!

If Cozy but Puzzled is happy with single bed, how about a convertible chair and a half against the wall where the bed is now? A bed takes up a lot of room. And, I agree, a table that is usually small but converts to large would help.

A folding table, possibly mounted to that wall, or sized so that it can slide under what seems to be a shelf in front of the window.

...then some folding chairs.

I anchored my table to the wall & put it on hinges with a gate-leg type of affair so it folds flat against the wall. Works fairly well & keeps it out of the way when I don't need it.

here are a few ideas off the top of my head...

1. for the second closet, remove the door and use a curtain instead. allows for a little but more floor space

2. how about making your bed a daybed? I know somewhere in AT there was a post from someone who hacked an Ikea thing where they were able to add a lot more storage underneath - this might be a solution to folded clothing storage and if you have a dresser, you could eliminate it. Also, the daybed would go against the wall where it is now.

3. echo the dining room table bit... go smaller, perhaps something that attaches to the wall and folds down when not in use. What do you think about installing the table on that 18' wall, and using some pretty chairs that can do double duty of eating and lounging?

If it were me, I would try to open up as much floor space as possible and trying to mash double or triple useage for things would be ideal.

very cute closet re-do.

i don't know if it's possible/worthwhile, but i'm a fan of beds pushed against the wall lengthwise to create more of a sitting area. that would also prevent it from jutting out into the middle of the room.

Awesome closet office! Try removing your other closet's door (#7) and put a curtain up instead. That'll give more room and add some color.

A smaller, *square* dining table...

Elevate your bed some, and use the space beneath for storage. Cinder blocks work great for this, and add an extra 8" clearance...

Indeed, well done so far!

It seems to me that you have quite a few chairs in such a small place? Do you often have enough people over to fill them? Perhaps a chair or two less.

Would a wall mounted hinged table be an option? When not in use, it could lie flat against the wall. Also with the dining table, instead of chairs, using large ottomans (ottomen?) that could slide under the table when not in use would get you more space.

I have a similar-sized apartment I'm in the process of decorating, but I'm fairly reclusive, and am not expecting many guests, so I'm going to make do with my bed (a European size between a U.S. Queen and a King), an office chair at the desk, and a lounge chair. I'm going to use a console table that I'll custom build (a top of recovered wood wider than a standard console table, but shorter than a dining table, plus a set of stainless steel chair legs).

With a ceiling that height, I wouldn't for a second consider a loft - it'd turn the place into a Terry Gilliam set! Then again, I don't like loft beds - my place has 12 foot ceilings, and I LIKE having 12 food ceilings...

here are some table suggestions:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80091713

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20104718

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S99848706

daybed and drop leaf table. in a tiny space, everything has to do double duty.
love the closet office!

Hey there,

I have done a few of these for clients before, they can be tricky. To get the most out of your space i'll start from the wall the headboard of your bed sitting against.

Remove everything from that wall. Because you only have 200sqft, it's all about storage and layout. I suggest a complete wall and tv unit made from Ikea:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S99831230
or cheaper yet:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S59831232

Then add another row of shelving on to that unit all the way across. This should bring the unit almost to the ceiling. This gives you a place to store almost everything you need. One side can also become a closet for clothes, simply remove the shelves, add a clothing bar and close off with one solid door that is offered with this unit. This unit also becomes an entertainment station for a television and a focal point for the room.

Next find a small, shallow, glass table. Look for something long and thin and possibly on casters so that it can be moved out of the way for later. Glass gives a sense of openness.

Find a good daybed or sofa-bed. This piece will do double duty. It will give you an entertainment space for people to sit or watch tv and convert into a sleeping space easily for you later.

After that, add a counter table bench. Ikea makes one for the bedroom to give you an idea what I am talking about:

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80106502

or a smaller, cheaper version:

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/10120587

Push it up against the back of your sofa or daybed. You can even mount it right to the back of your sofa. Then add stools. This creates a place to eat, work, a table to set a drink while you watch tv, entertain or even an island for your kitchen. Stools can be stored underneath and out of the way when needed.

What you've done with your closet is perfect, I've done the same to a double wide in my hallway creating a space for both my girlfriend and myself to work when needed.

Lastly, add a few floating shelves to the back wall beside your entry. This gives you a place to set things when you come in. You can even add wall hangers just under the first shelf to hang coats. Again, Ikea offers the floating shelves:

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60103632

I have a ton of info for you. I can even draft it up quickly and email it to you if you like. This is just one quick and inexpensive way to make a small place look and work well.

Drop me a note if you need at:

findingmrsmith@aol.com

Not sure of your budget, but what about a murphy bed? Would help make the space feel more roomy during daylight hours.

Did you ever think of maybe moving the dining area to where your bed is? I also agree on making the bed more of a daybed so that it can perform double duty. Great job with the closet office!

:o)

I'd recommend a day bed placed between the front windows - and instead of a separate dining table and chairs, why not get a small vintage tea-height table and place it in front of the daybed, then choose a pair of slipper chairs to pull around for eating meals/playing games/visiting?

On the far wall, I'd choose a modular system of bookshelves with doors and drawers (one can never have too much storage space and display area) some parts of the bookcases can be left open with mirrors in back to reflect the room.

Alternatively, you could look for a low-loft bed, which is sort of mid-height. Enough room for lots of storage underneath, but not pushed right up to the ceiling. Hang a curtain and voila! Separate bedroom.

Whoa findingmrsmith! I wish you could work out my layout! smart, fast, easy... Probably out of budget range for someone in a studio in Vermont, but I think it could be easily and cheaply adapter to her budget.

I'm impressed!

I have a 300 sq foot rental apt, and I have been thinking what to do recently. I saw this post and think this could be modified cheaply. I would use Ikea base cabinets and cheap cover panels and countertops to do this. Seems to me if you used 2 24 inch deep base cabinets one behind the next and mounted ganged together this might work. I would brace it all with wood attached to the walls and vertically between cabinets. I would use countertops on top 48w x 8 foot to accomodate yout twin bed.. If you used this method you would end up with a 48 inch depth. I would put a mattress on top and still have room to walk. you would have tons of storage underneath. see this example
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/beds-mattresses/tiramolla-loft-bedrooms-058652

Good idea with the low loft bed - you could put a couch under it, table chairs, shelving/wardrobe...

One other thing I see is a ton of space in your bathroom. I would try and put a tall unit in there and put my clothes in there. Take quick showers and leave a window open for ventilation, you should then have no problems with smell on your clothes.

I lived for a year in a 200 sq ft studio as well. IKEA was definitely the key for me to make it work. I had a kitchen table that folded out from a triangle to a square. I left it triangular most of the time and folded it out when I sat down to eat a meal. I had two stackable chairs for this table, also from IKEA. And finally, IKEA now offers the tiniest loveseat ever that looked like it was custom made for my place. It's about $100, and no less comfy than any other IKEA couch. This could help reduce your chair count.

Chairs everywhere ??? Buy bike hooks use 2 per 2 chairs and mount unneeded folding chairs on the walls or even on doors. think of unused space vertically to gain tons of storage

It seems like you mostly pushed all of your furniture up against the walls and left a big open space in the middle. Don't be afraid of putting furniture in what feels like the middle of the room. You should try arranging your furniture in a way that creates "areas."

Getting a smaller, collapsable table will help a whole lot. Something like this: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20104718
But you are in Vermont, I'm sure you can find a version of this that's not Ikea and probably be cheaper.

And obviously a daybed, sofabed or murphy bed will give you more space but I can understand not wanting to give up your bed.
Me and my queen size bed just moved into a 280sq foot studio and I have to face the facts and downsize the bed... but only to a full size bed! Having a large bed is important to me, so I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of space for it.
If your sleeping space is really important to you, then you can make it work, but if it's not then I say go for a cute and cozy daybed.

I'd suggest a convertable sofa/bed. You could move the table closer to the center of the room by the kitchen, and then be able to open your front door without any problems. With a small space, there's wrong with making the table the gameroom, workroom, dinner table, aka center of attention. I'd get chairs that could fit very snuggly to the table.

Great job with the office!

Having lived in a comparable space, I have to vote for "Morocco" style. Put two twin mattresses on an angle to each other on the floor, for both seating and sleeping. Use small, low portable Moroccan tables (or similar tables) instead of a dining table. A wonderful large tray can hang on the wall and be pulled out to serve a meal to a bunch of people Bedouin-style.

Traditional Japanese interiors -- with futons and low tables -- are also good inspirations because they are designed for tight quarters, and low furniture will make the ceiling look higher.

it looks like there is too many chairs in there. and I agree with the daybed/sofa bed solution.

MURPHY BED!
i live in a 250sf apt. and i know myself better than to think i would ever fold up a futon/sofa bed every day.
Also, i have had bar tables, dining tables, folding tables, and tossed them all because they have either turned into shelving or were never used enough to justify the floor space. i now have an over sized coffee table that i use for everything.
Lastly, building up has helped.
My floor to ceiling shelving on the bed wall with ladder and rail along the top saves me trying to rock climb the bookcase.
i would just say resist the urge to Ikea your whole place, nothing says dorm room quite like a small space chock full of it.

Is it possible to put the bed against the wall to the right of the entry door? under window? (I am not sure what the beige-orange thing is in your diagram?)

if it fits it would make the far end all living space - better to integrate with the (wonderful) office so you can use that chair for seating, and it would mean that your bed is not the first thing people see on coming inside.

My apartment is about the same size. I second the mid-height loft bed idea - you can even buy a cheap one from Ikea and get the legs cut at Home Depot. I did that and my "closet" is under my bed because my only built-in storage area is a closet that's too small to fit adult clothes (really.)

Also second the get-rid-of-chairs comments. Or, if you really need all those chairs for some reason, get stackable stools (that can then double as tables) or folding chairs.

I agree with maximizing the use of vertical space. I have a teeny tiny bathroom in my apartment and have recently found that putting a shelf directly above the door and stacking towels up to the ceiling has saved a ton of space. Although bathroom space doesn't seem to be your main concern, maybe you can use this idea elsewhere in your apt. Great job so far!

Expedit Book Case (the Huge One in white)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60071358
199.00


Muddus Drop Leaf Table (white or orange depending on your bedding colors and other accent colors)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30127007
49.99


Lack Wall Shelves (2)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60103632
19.99 each

This Covers all of your major pieces for 657.93 plus tax. Add a few lamps and accent pieces and you can have the whole apartment done on $1000 and it will look much more expensive.


OK Now The Arrangement

put the head of your bed between the windows and put the malm table against the bed like a console table find two really cool sculptural lamps to put on either end of the dressing table instant wow fator.

take the two tv concoles and place against the back wall into the corner with the windows (put the little one in the corner that way where they but up against each other won't be as obvious.) put the gigantic expedit book case next to those. the three pieces lined up will look like a custom wall to wall storage system very clean and modern. You can put a tv on the tv unit so you have a viewing area from your daybed/ bed. then use the tons of storage in the expedit unit fill with baskets and boxes to hide the ugly bits and mix in pretty display pieces. I recommend painting your back wall an accent color to really make the space pop also you will want to get your tv units and your bookcase in white (it's the only olor thety all have in common)

take the best looking one of your current chairs and place it atan angle in front of the expedit storage unit to create a bit of a conversation area with your day bed.

Now the dinding area:

place the muddus drop leaf dining table in front of what I am assuming is your big radiator with wood top and metal cover. keep one chair with the dining table and let your desk chair do double duty as your second dining chair.

put the alkov chests under the malm table, they will function as extra seating for a party and also store blankets and towels and things.


Place two Lack Wall Shelves behind your entry door and hang hooks under the bottom shelf for coats and jackets. I would go with the black brown to echo the color of the console table.

Good Luck!

edit to previous post here is the shopping list again it got cut off

The pieces:

1. Malm Dressing Table (black brown)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80106502
179.00

add two or three baskets with lids beneath this to create storage for bedding and towels etc.

Alkov Storage Chest
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60071075
39.99 each


small lack tv bench (white)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10105346
39.99

Long Lack Tv Unit (white)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40105340
69.99

Expedit Book Case (the Huge One in white)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60071358
199.00


Muddus Drop Leaf Table (white or orange depending on your bedding colors and other accent colors)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30127007
49.99


Lack Wall Shelves (2)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60103632
19.99 each

This Covers all of your major pieces for 657.93 plus tax. Add a few lamps and accent pieces and you can have the whole apartment done on $1000 and it will look much more expensive.

Hang the light in your office closet or mount one on the wall for more desk space/less clutter.

i love good design, especially as it relates to small spaces. but i'm also a numbers person...and i can't find #2. am i missing something? (very well could be...it's been one of those days!) ok...now i'm going back to look at what appeared to be very good comments as i scanned quickly to leave this comment. my OCD wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks so much for all the helpful comments! My space has undergone a lot of changes, and I'll post pics and a new floor plan soon. Weckster- you were right! I moved the bed by the door, which is working out great. I put up a canopy to separate it from the rest of the room and create my own tiny "bedroom." In accordance with popular opinion, I got rid of my table & chairs. I put a desk in the middle of the room that can double as a table with the sweep of a tablecloth, and I have my chair collection down to three, with a few more in storage. Ikea has been great, as suggested, with a wall mount dish drainer, file holders and a sweet wall mount wine rack all making big dents in what I need for my space. The closet has turned into a nook for my art and turntable, terrible feng shui, facing into a closet! I'll send pics along soon so you can all see how helpful your comments were. Thanks thanks thanks! Jill in Burlington

ahhh, I just saw your comment about #2 JayDub. You're right. It should be on the orangey thing to the right of the entrance door.

Try getting a friend to build a box (8-10 inches high, length and width of your mattress) with a drawer that pulls out from the long side. Use the top of the box as the seating area. You probably want to use OSB and paint it. At night you pull out the mattress and "nightie-night". Depending on the size of your mattress, you may want to use heavy duty rollers at the four corners and the center rather than the normal drawer pull setup.

tarheel, that's an awesome idea about the floorbox to store a mattress! do you have an example/picture of something like this??