I'd suggest putting the bed in the lower right corner, head against the bathroom wall and pointing towards the windows. If you really want to divide the space, use some large bookshelves (those square ones with the cubes from ikea would be good here) to partition off the bed, but leave a large gap at the window end so it doesnh't feel too blocked off or like the window is being cut in two. Try to keep the bed area small, just slightly wider than the bed (you could use a shelf of the bookcase as a nightstand. If the kitchen ledge is bar stool height, you could probably get away with a couple stools instead of a table.

How about stretching a curtain wire across the space, something like Ikea's dignitet? Then hang lightweight curtains to allow light to shine through.

I like the idea of the curtain wire too - there is posts on AT that show how it's done. I would put the bed by the bathroom wall in the corner. Maybe put the curtain at an angle to form a bedroom triangle?

As for the kitchen, I would try a temporary backsplash, some colorful artwork, and possibly a rug.

I live in a studio about the same size as yours (14' square, also with a separate kitchen), and my solution was to get a canopy bed. (I know you said you already have a bed, so this is just FWIW.) I thought about using bookshelves as false walls, but I didn't want to lose the 15" (plus walkways on either side) that would be taken up by an EXPEDIT (or similar). originally I'd planned on hanging curtains that match my walls to really hide the bed, but now I sorta like just having my "bedroom" space marked off by the bed frame.

also, placing furniture in squarish studios is hard! I put my bed in the corner opposite the entrance because it was the only place it fit, but I like it there. for you, I'd either second the lower right corner suggestion, or maybe put it in the top right corner with the headboard against the 11'4" wall and tuck a nightstand against the window wall.

There's a small-space in the August House Beautiful that might have your solution. A designer "divided" his similarly shaped living/dining room with an etagere perpendicular from the windows, then put a big mirror on the wall across from the windows. You sort of have to see it to understand what I mean.

It's on the current issue's website (slide show image number 5), but I recommend getting hold of the magazine to read his explanation of how he put the space together.

The designer's space may be to "cluttered" for your taste, but the furniture placement is perfect for you. Just substitute your bed for his dining table.

I agree with the idea of placing the bed in the lower right corner. A long bookshelf would be great to separate the areas without having a curtain go from end to end - a folding screen might also work depending on exactly how much separation you want.

You wouldn't necessarily need to use the closet as an office because you could place your office in the right upper corner since there will be more than enough room.

I'd probably go with putting the dining area near the windows and the living area nearer to the entrance.

I think the canopy is a cool idea. you could make one yourself pretty easily, and bring some nice color/pattern in. here is a simple set of instructions:

http://interiordec.about.com/cs/canopybeds/l/aacanopybedsg.htm

I live in a one-bedroom in NYC with my husband which is smaller than your studio! I agree that the the best place for the bed would be the lower right hand corner, facing the windows. Since you have the MALM bed already, I would suggest getting the MALM headboard if you don't already have it- it's the one that pulls out to access storage. It will make your bed longer, but you have enough length on the right wall to use it, and then you will not need a nightstand, which would take up more room on the bathroom wall, where you might need more space.
I was also going to link to Jay Roberts apartment of a great example of using shelving to divide a room but someone beat me to it! If you can afford the money and space to do something like this, it could work well. Make sure the MALM headboard will still work of course...
I think the idea of hanging a curtain is best. It would visually divide the room while adding some drama, and would take up less space than shelving and provide more flexibility. You could hang two curtains along the side of your bed and keep them tied to perfectly frame the bed and allow you to get in and out of the side. You could then also watch tv from your bed when you need to. You could untie them and let the curtains (maybe a nice sheer white) form a "wall" that hides your bed.
I suggest using shelving with more depth and optional doors such as the EXPEDIT or BESTA (maybe on the bathroom wall) to hide all the random items- it really helps keep things uncluttered.
Good luck!

I lived in a similar studio in Boston. I slept on a futon which I folded in half (no futon furniture) added pillows and used that as a sofa. I used butterfly chairs and it worked nicely. I spent money on good custom blinds for the windows and I was very happy with the results.

I know you said you're interested in dividing your space, but as a fellow studio dweller, I'd like to make a plug for keeping everything in one, undivided living area. Not chopping your space up into tiny spaces keeps everything airy and open. Consider taking the money you might spend on dividers and investing in some really nice linens for your bed.

I think you should put the bed in the bottom right hand corner, with the foot facing the kitchen. You would have enough space then to put a room-divider shelf (like that Ikea Expedit suggested earlier) at the foot of the bed. This would then open up the whole window side of your apartment to living / working.

I actually think you should move your computer arrangement out into the main space, on the kitchen side of the room divider at the foot of the bed - it would be a much nicer area to work/surf and if you are starting from scratch you can invest in some nice workspace furniture. I also think one of the advantages of a studio apartment is that you're never stuck in a tiny room at the back, you're always in the biggest room no matter what you're doing. So you should take advantage of that.

This would also mean you could devote your whole bathroom-anteroom space to clothes storage, so you wouldn't have to have wardrobes/chests of drawers in the main room.

You could have a cafe-sized table in the top left corner, close to the kitchen, and the rest of the window side would be your sitting area.

I do think some kind of partial curtain, at the head end of the bed, would create a mental divide between the sleeping and living areas, but this may not be possible for you. Do try to make room for even a tiny bedside locker though, as it will help take the "squashed in" look away. If you put a lamp on it, it will also give soft lighting to the living area. And I think you should invest in some bed cushions even if that's not normally your style, as it will give the bed area a visual identity of its own and stop it looking like a necessary afterthought.

Re the kitchen itself, because it's such a little cave and the walls don't seem to be tiled, I think you should paint the walls midnight blue. It will really accent the cosiness of it and give contrast to the cupboard doors you're probably not allowed to change.

But most importantly, resolve now to make the bed every single day as soon as you get up, I can tell you from experience that it takes the least time and makes the most difference.

OK here's my 2 cents. It think the lower-right corner is the best bet, but try this: Instead of the head against the bathroom and the foot of the bed towards the windows, try rotating the bed 90d so that the foot is against the 11'-4" wall and the headboard is facing the kitchen. I wouldn't put the bed directly against the bathroom wall but maybe /- 18" off it so someone can get in and out on that side. Malms have kinda high headboards so I feel like that would visually divide the space on that side. Then, I think I 'd do a round dining table behind the headboard of the bed. This would free up the entire other side of the room for living room-type stuff. If you still want to cut off the bed then maybe a long, low shelf next to the bed, parallel with the window wall?

Good luck!

oh yeah, definitely make the bed every day. (my routine is start coffee-brush teeth-make bed, and by then the coffee's done.)

Mini-loft?

First of all, why would you want to be stuck in a back closet as an office? Is there enough light? Enough outlets? Is it because it's right by the entrance to the studio? Where will your clothing go? It might get very warm in there w/ the computer equipment in an enclosed space. Plus being next to the bathroom to me doesn't sound like a good idea.

Since you have access to Ikea...they do offer 'lofts'..we had one that had the computer area on the bottom, and the full sized bed on top. NOT fun to assemble, but it worked well in our daughter's bedroom. Desk was a nice size, and under the bed, there were plenty of areas to attach things like bins/baskets/lamps.

Ikea also has those sliding screens that attach to the ceiling, so you could attach some to give your office/sleeping area privacy.

Do you like to sit at a table when you dine, or just sitting on furniture good enough? If you need more seating, I'd suggest something like a multipurpose coffee table that stores seating underneath.

Bookcases will do double duty by dividing areas, and storing things.

Good luck!

Hi,
My 2 cents thrown in with a picture included.

Use the kitchen counter for dining

Your bed On the right bottom corner, Leave 18" from the wall, for a night stand. On the other side leave another 18"
for walking and place a dividing bookshelf around 12" deep . This would act as a table to keep behind the L shaped sofa. Have a narrow coffee table

You can have 12" deep shelves.

Please refer pic here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rashminvijay/3749088739/
Hope this helps
All the best
Rashmi
Bangalore India

i think, given the size and shape of your space, that you should forget closing off the bed. it's too limiting and will only make your place seem cramped. my studio is similar in size with 9'7" ceilings. i have not found any arrangement that allowed the concealing of the bed without making me feel tight.

the best option is to find the widest possible view of the apartment itself that also incorporates the view out of the window: i worked this out in powerpoint and it looks like you should either place the sofa at an angle to the right of the windows (best view of the apartment, facing the door, you can see out the window); the bed would be in the corner against the bathroom wall (or centered if you prefer) and your media could go on the 11' wall in the middle. there's still room for a coffee table or ottoman and a chair for guests (which would have a grand view out the windows)

OR, you can place the bed beneath the window (sideways only), the low profile should keep the view clear; media in the same spot, and the sofa along the bathroom wall (or better - angled in that lower right corner) still allowing the best view of the windows/apt and a sense of space across the room.

light colored or clear/metallic stools under the kitchen pass through, of course.

you'll need 2-3 lamps around the room to set up proper lighting. two should be floor lamps, i think.

sometimes, you just have to embrace the bed. given that your place is 11'4" wide and your bed is 5' wide and almost 7' long, either way, it eats a lot of floor. if you block it off, however sheer the device, you will feel like you are sitting on a balcony instead of in a living room.

good luck!

Here's what I'd do -

Go hotel chic. Think like a hotelier... as a fellow studio-dweller in an L-shaped studio, I literally had to figure out how to arrange my apartment so that it didn't look awkward and so that my bed was not open to the kitchen.

As for your desk.... You have a LOVELY walk-through closet (just like me) for storage and hanging stuff. Use it for that purpose! Use the entry closet (the slim one in the bottom left) as a tiny-office. Build a desk into it, set your computer on the desk, and find a chair that can roll away completely and allow the door to shut over it. You can still hang coats in there when you have company, but meanwhile, the small space keeps your office from overflowing into your home.

I'd put the bed right across from the windows, dead center on the bottom wall, so that the foot points toward the windows and you can see the panoramic from bed. I'd employ a high platform so that you can enjoy that view with a cup of coffee and a good book from bed on a Sunday morning. I would also go with some wispy drapes all around to give it a romantic feel in a mock-canopy feel, able to be tied or knotted at he corners. You don't want to close it in (quite the opposite - you want everything to seem light and airy).

I love and adore the Editor's idea of color in the kitchen - I'd match it to the bedspread and accents around the room. I'd set a pair of stools at that bar there for dining and employ a hanging flatscreen for entertainment on the righthand wall of the bedroom. If you want to get fancy, you can rig a sliding piece of art to cover it when not in use using a Bygel track or so on in the ceiling and some fishing wire. Think moving picture rail.

Employ a couple of comfortable, soft chairs and ottomans around the room for seating (again, think hotel here), side tables for drinks or books or papers. In studios, it's generally best to avoid couches and such, but if you require one, find something that will balance the platform bed.

You're going to have a TON of light in the apartment, so be sure to plan accordingly with drapes based on which direction the windows are positions (N, S, E, W), and depending on your color/gender preferences, you can make this as flirty or masculine, as chic or casual as you want.

One last thought - it looks like you have outlets in the hallway - two? Those might be switches, I'm not sure. IF they're outlets, though, you could totally do sconces in the entry.

The main room in my studio is nearly the same size. I didn't want to risk making the room seem smaller by using a divider such as a bookcase or curtain. I found that grouping the "living" furniture worked well, using a small area rug to anchor it together, and it took me a while to figure out that the seating didn't have to be placed against a wall -- try to utilize the floor space in the center of the room. Also, I positioned the seating so it doesn't face the bed.

i have to agree with the desk/closet comments... based on the dimensions, it would be highly claustrophobic in there, no?

i don't know how much time you spend at your desk, but even if it is an hour or so a day, that would be a very uncomfortable time.

i would use it as a large closet to help de-clutter the rest of the space and incorporate it into the living space. i absolutely love what Jay Roberts did - if you haven't done so, click on the link that was provided!!!

Attempting to create separate spaces is just a bad idea.

I'd get rid of the sofa and invest in a daybed that could be used as a sofa by day with lots of pillows.

or just a few very large bolsters to keep it clean and calm looking - and manly.

i also think you should consider, if not a daybed, swapping your loveseat for chaise or armless sofa.

instead of floor lamps, look for wallmounts and if you have to bring in accent tables make them clear or the thinnest legs possible.

I just bought a studio apt in SF that is square with one wall of windows too, and an even smaller kitchen.
I definitely would put the bed in the lower-right corner with the headboard against the wall so you are facing out the window. You can use curtains or full size or half-size bookshelves as a room divider (I have the half size EXPEDIT). I really think that when sitting in the bed you would like to be looking out the window, so it's seems cheerier and more like a separate space- also so it's a little more hidden from company. I don't know why anyone would suggest your bed facing the kitchen, brings up dreary and yucky thoughts (I grew up in LA where my bedroom was next to the cockroach infested kitchen).
I would not recommend using a daybed/couch combo unless you are actually going to make it into a couch everyday. It's nice to to have a separate living/lounging area. I can send you the floorplanner I did of my studio if you want. Good Luck!

Thanks for all the GREAT advice guys! I was really in a rut about the moving process and this really helped me get back into it!

I did think about placing the bed so it faced the kitchen, as a couple of people suggested, but once I assembled the bed frame again, it jutted too far into my living area. I moved it back facing the window this morning, where most of you suggested I put it.

I bought a set of HEDDA RUND (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20117481) curtains, as well as some blue-green SARITA (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50145430) ones. I'm going to put them up so one type faces into the living room and the other faces into the bed area. This way, when I'm in bed, it feels like a different space. I'm thinking of combining this solution with the expedit solution.

bfootnovellista, you have some amazing insight! I would LOVE to put my computer in the coat closet, but when the door is open, it blocks the front door... I'll need to remove the door or consider another option.

Maybe I should remove both closet doors?

I'm still moving in, unpacking and assembling furniture. I will be posting pictures as soon as things start coming together. I'm a flight attendant and NEVER home, so the moving in process has been quite slow. :)

p.s. I am actually female (though not a "girly girl"), just with a unisex name. Sorry if that confused anyone.

in addition to all the great comments above,
re office in the closet, take a look at the "Fitting a home office in a small space" article
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/roundup/fitting-a-home-office-in-your-small-space-small-space-solution-113382

i vote for the expedit solution to wall off your bedroom - they are deceptively large in terms of storage capacity and you can add the drawers, doors, baskets or leave empty - so much flexibility!

also, we live in a small apt. and i am a big fan of "pop up" tables - it looks like you could put one under the kitchen bar if you wanted to create a bigger seating area for when friends come round and then stash it back down when not in use.
this website http://www.newtableconcept.com (sorry its not so convenient for you - the company is in italy - we live in luxembourg) will give you the idea - i made one with stuff i picked up at the hardware store and attached it to an IKEA kitchen drawer/island unit.

hope you enjoy your new home!