I am also a designer and I know hw much space we need: Tables, shelves etc..

I love scandinavian and I think you place has good bones for it..Look how nice this place is.. hope you get inpired!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/marie-bens-scandinavian-chic-shoe-factory-house-tour-179353

Hi Ida!

Wow, this apartment is gorgeous! The old-building charm, wonderful hardwood floors, tall ceilings, lots of light -- and a very spacious living area! So many options.

You mentioned that you were thinking about putting your bed in the right lower corner. Because it is the darker part of the room and there is definitely enough room to fit a bed there, I think this is the best place for a bed. I would suggest to put the longer side against the wall facing the kitchen. Parallel to this wall and next to the bed, I would put tall, long shelves to provide privacy, as well as some needed storage.

With bedroom defined, we are left to figure out what to do with the rest of the space. I think this place with these wonderfully tall ceilings (and your book collection!) begs for some larger-than-life shelves. I would utilize the entire right wall, all the way to the bed (and actually incorporate into this structure the shelves separating the bedroom, so they would together be and L-shaped shelving structure). These two shelves would then define your "living room", and you would have plenty of room to place your sofa, maybe a reading chair, coffee table, etc.

The left wall I would use to create a long work-station. I can envision a long white work desk with storage options, boards and work samples on the wall.

That's all from me. Best of luck and you should definitely post again about what you decide to do with this beauty of a place!

Lovely apartment! You'll have a lot of fun there!

Two suggestions.

Don't block one of your two windows with a "bedroom" area. I'd make a cozy nook for the bed only on the opposite wall. When you're sleeping you only need ventilation, not light, and being right next to a window also means street noise. Especially if you work from home, leave those two windows accessible for other activities.

And...if you buy or build shelves for work and book storage, make multiple sets of a couple of different sizes & shapes that you can reconfigure as the need arises. Say, a few units of very tall, deep, narrow shelves and a few sets of smaller units.

Divide and conquer! I like the idea of using tall bookcases to divide the space to make a bedroom. One idea would be using black metal frame shelving units (like the Whalen units at Costco, they have a nice black crinkle finish and the shelf pin holes are hidden). If you have a friend handy with wood, deeper shelves could be made (say 24") with a solid divider running the width. This arrangement would allow privacy and storage on both sides of the unit (one public area and one in the bedroom area).

One thing you can also do is browse some of the studio house tours on AT to get visuals as to how people created a room to be functional and pretty with 3 separate purposes. I think you can do a lot with this space, and some of the other comments are more helpful than me, but yes, browse AT!!

Since you have some other IKEA furniture, you're probably familiar with their PAX closet units. I'd put the bed on the wall next to the kitchen, as you suggested and cordon it off with at least two PAX units, one deep and the other of a narrower depth. The narrow one(s) I'd place with the doors facing your living space and for use as storage in your work space. Adjacent to it, I'd place a deep one(s), with the doors facing toward the "bedroom" for use as clothes storage. Here's how I'd treat the void created by having a narrow unit next to a deep unit. I'd face the back of that unit with something to coordinate with your bedding: fabric, wallpaper, a collage, etc. Then I'd attach a perpendicular ledge in front of it, attached to the wall at one end and the side of the deeper unit on the other end. I'd use that ledge as a bedside table for a clock, lamp, etc. Under it you could put a row of baskets for more storage, especially the books and magazines or extra blankets you'd want near your bed. On the back of the PAX unit visible in your work/live space, I'd make a covering out of cork and use it as a giant pin board. Does that make sense without a floor plan?

With those windows and those floors, you can't really go wrong.

Hello Ida, maybe I can help. Just offhand I think you would want your bed away from the line of vision from the main entrance, so I would put it on the opposite wall (i.e. the same wall the kitchen is off) but on the far side from the kitchen off course with your bed facing into the room. Basically you want to put the bed as close to the wall with windows as much as possible leaving only enough room between your bed and the wall for your nightstand.

I'm assuming you said your current bed provides enough storage otherwise I'd suggest utilizing the wall space above your headboard by installing shelves staggered kind of like they have in the images below. I'd be mindful though to mix up the items displayed on any one group of these wall shelves so it doesn't look too much. It's best to mix books with pictures and knickknacks as shown in the images below. So that takes care of your sleeping space.

http://decorationideas.wordpress.com/tag/wall-shelves-decor-ideas/

Okay so now for your work/living space. It really is up to you if you want your desk closer to the main entrance or the kitchen. Use the size of your desk as a guide. Basically I was thinking you have your pullout bed or sofa on the opposite wall to your bed facing into the room, kind of like diagonal to your bed, and your desk opposite that.

Personally I'd keep the space white and incorporate color through the use of accessories and decorative items because of how small the space is and how much utility it providing. I'd also do curtains something light and airy, both in color and feel, but that provides some privacy too.

Finally I don't know if you've thought of this but you can create a bit of privacy or at least the illusion of it, but using a shelving unit like the Ikea Expedit to demarcate the space between your bedroom and office. This way there won't be a clear view of your bed from the doorway except off course your feet on the bed :).

I hope some of this rambling turns out to be useful. Good luck to you and be sure to share your after photos with us.

Valerie

It will call for more "construction" than you may want to take on, but all I can think of right now is, if you have 12' high ceilings, how can you not make a loft bed area? tucked into the corner in front of the kitchen, and no, do not block those great windows! Cabinets, shelves,etc, could be the "base" of the bed and make it really secure.
Lucky,lucky you to have all that wonderful space! Good luck!

I have11 foot high ceilings and use a 4' tall shelving unit to divide off the bedroom area of my loft. This keeps the space visually open, hides the bed pretty much, and doesn't block the light from my large windows. With a 12' ceiling, you might need something a touch higher - play with the proportions if you like the idea. It could be a single wall or an L shape, depending upon whether you want to enclose the bed or not.

Think carefully about how high you want the shelves. Remember: high shelves will need to be anchored correctly to the wall to prevent them from tipping over, especially when you're up there and happen to grab one to steady yourself. You will also need a real ladder, and a lightweight one., which is expensive. I have a 4 step stepladder that I've never seen again, very light and JUST oK for 10 1/2 feet - for 11, I need a taller friend (I am 5'7").

You will have trouble finding shelves even 8' tall and Ikea, and everyone else, will tell you not to stack anything on top of a full height bookcase.

I don't know where you live, but if it is cold, those huge windows may be very drafty - they are single pane and old wooden frames, from what I can see. Think about that when planning your window treatment.

I keep seeing a counter running the length of the right wall, because of the depth near the window, maybe with a work counter near the windows, high shelves for several feet, and then another counter to give you more space by the kitchen, if you cook. It would unify and divide the space while adding an architectural element.

Enjoy your new space! It is lovely!

Looks like everyone else has some splendid ideas but I chuckled when I read that you feel 373 sq. ft is LARGE. I'm not being mean spirited ..just wondering where it this exactly?

Thank you everyone for your ideas and tips! It got me very inspired!

My work desk is white, I built it myself, it's basically made from three table tops and underneath I used IKEA kitchen cabinets, also in white. I can attach them either in U-shape, in L-shape or in a long straight shape. WIth this desk I chose white because I usually work with a lot of different colors in fabrics etc, so keeping the desk simple seemed like a great idea. Thanks to you guys, I think what I definitely wanna do is have white shelves, I was thinking maybe BILLY from IKEA, they are affordable and simple looking. SO I can keep up the "scandinavian" white theme as well.

I live in Austria, Europe, and yes it'll get cold pretty soon. The windows are old, but the landlord had double window panes installed, I don't know how you call those exactly, but they were built into the old frames and basically have one pane on the outside and two on the inside - very common in Austria and great for sound- and weather blocking.

I totally get why someone would want to install a bunk bed in order to have more space,
but I decided against it. I used to have one when I was younger and didn't like it at all, the climbing up and down at night when you need to pee... ;) also, changing the bedding was exhausting. I still think even with the bed on the floor I can separate it with shelves and it will be cool.

Thank you everyone!! I will be sure to post photos once I have settled - probably in January, the move will be shortly before Christmas.

@lyonstill: it is large for what I can afford and for what I pay in rent, let's leave it at that! ;)

I'd make a long 2-station work desk against the entire window all, with a book case on top between the windows all the way up, low cabinet below the surface under the book case for work materials and storage. Bed at the other end, of course, sequestered with some sort of shelving/closet. Living area in-between. I wouldn't run counters or shelving along the non-window walls as I would feel somewhat claustrophobic.

The space looks interesting. I wish you the best of luck.

You don't mention if you own or rent, which can make a big difference, as can your budget. However, I have one idea you should check out..I just borrowed this book--200 Small Apartment Ideas-- by Chistina Parades Benitez- (Publisher-Firefly Books) from my local library. It was just published this year and is a treasure trove of beautiful pictures of modern apartments from all over the world. It is written from both a design and an architectural perspective and many of the ideas would only be possible if you owned your place. Nevertheless, it will give you lots of inspiration...Good luck!! PS The book would also make a fabulous holiday gift!!

That's a great idea, I haven't even thought of that. I was aiming for free access to the windows, but it sounds interesting! Aaaahhh, so much to consider! ;)

The place is rented!

I just installed a desk in front of the window and its so nice to look outside while working! if you're working from home, it might be nice to have the best light and view while working. I think it would be worth having a customized desk that looks built-in. Maybe the expedit could be used for seperating bed and the rest of the room? I do think that expedits usually look nicer than billies, although you could customize the billies so that the look more built in. https://www.google.com/search?q=billy+built+in&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:de:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=HgixUL-6L4rLsgbrk4DoBg&biw=1063&bih=553&sei=IQixUJ7rL46Wswau3IE4

That looks cool! I was thinking of painting the back panel of the BILLY's in a light grey - so they look a bit more chic - and the back of the BILLY's, that would separate the bed from the rest of the room, in white also.

Consider using the height to put up shelves high up on the walls and free space you'd otherwise use for bookshelves or storage. It's incredible how much a single shelf along the ceiling can swallow and two would definitely be able to replace any need.

Hmm, have to warn you that the new backs for Billy are a lot more flimsy than the old ones. Still could work though.

This looks like a nice space. I would use the sofa bed only and get rid of your bed. If you can cover one entire wall floor to ceiling with shelves for storage, speakers, tv, and art I think that would allow the rest of the space to stay fairly open. Stolmen system from Ikea is inexpensive, and you could save up and add on pieces over time.

Hi Ida,

Lovely space, gorgeous windows (I guess we would call them thermal windows - 3 panes, that's great, I wish mine were like that) and a beautiful floor.
I would probably situate the bed on the right side, alongside the kitchen wall. I was immediately thinking about blocking it off with either shelving units or wardrobes (I think that would be a better solution as the doors would hide all sorts of sins). But I also like the idea of lower units. It's up to you.
Have fun making the space yours and I do hope you will post pictures when everything is done. Congrats on your new home!

For eating and working, you want to be near the windows. So I'd put a long worktable (the ones you describe owning would work, though depending on their length, you may wish to add more) across the room in front of the windows. Natural light makes working so much easier - you'll realize this even more as your eyes age and let in less light as you get older, trust me - but even if you are young and not yet personally aware of it, it will help your eyes not to be tired to put your work area where the natural light source is. For eating, you also want to be sitting where you can look out the window - it will make your relaxation time of eating more relaxing, truly. The work/eat table area does not need to be right up against the windows - you can easily pull them out a bit from the windows, which will leave room for you to sit on the window side (as well as on the side facing the windows) while working or eating. You can preserve access to the window side by having a break in the table/desk space somewhere in the middle, or at both (or either) end(s) of the room. This will also give you room to get to the windows to open/close curtains and blinds, and to put plants, if you like them - I'd stick a large tree or two in pots in front of those windows myself. You can use the same desk/table space for work or eating, of differentiate them with one part clearly a desk, and another clearly a dining table. If they are separate pieces, with a break in the middle, I'd try to make them such that you could push them together well enough to host a long, narrow dinner table of friends across the room if you were to get so inspired. I would tend to put one really long narrow table there (or perhaps two, with a break in the middle, depending on the room's width) and work on most of it, and leave one side clear for eating, but as you already have furniture you want to use, it will work to use what you have already.

Everything else follows from this. The bed, as others have mentioned, doesn't need natural light so much as a work area does, and can be on the opposite side of the room, which also cuts down on cold drafts and street noise when in bed. You will figure out if you have room for both your bed and sofa. One good studio trick is to put the head of the bed up against the wall opposite the windows, and place the sofa at the foot of the bed, facing out the windows, if you have room for this. This divides the room into sleeping and everything else area, without visually dividing the room with anything tall, which I think is a good idea here. I would not divide a room with windows on only one wall with tall shelves or closets. I'm not sure I would divide a room this size anyway, if I could avoid it. This layout leaves the two side walls for shelves, wardrobes, everything else. If your room is deep enough, you will have room then for a fairly large living area, with a rug and perhaps a chair, between the sofa and your work/dining area by the winsdows. And your room will not be divided into a warren of small areas, some without light. Of course, we are all different - I like a long vista and a view to the windows at all times. Some like their bed to be a closed, dark space, but not me. The above is what I'd do, just my opinion. Good luck - nice space!

That's a really great suggestion

Wow thank you, that is really great advice! I love the idea of using the space without having to divide it but I might have customers over every once in a while to discuss their order, so it might be a good idea to have the bed kind of hidden.