Who designs a closet like that? Architect Fail. Can you build storage under your bed/mattress?

I would also say underbed storage, and also shelving along the long wall at the far left of the floorplan. A cost-effective way of doing that might be to build your own shelving if you're handy, and maybe hang a curtain halfway up to conceal some of the stuff that would otherwise be in closets. Could you potentially divide the bathroom space into bathroom and a kind of walk-through dressing area, or are there fixtures in the right-hand side of that space?

I think if the living/dining/work space were mine to design, I would get a table with fold-down leaves that I would keep, leaves down, against the right-hand kitchen wall. This would be prep space/dining for one/perhaps a little extra storage, and could be pressed into service as a dining table when necessary. I would do a little seating area in the upper left-hand corner, and a shallow desk against the window by the door to the bedroom, perhaps with wall-mounted shelving for work necessities between the windows.

It seems like there's some space (if awkward!) in the bathroom. Could you get a tall or narrow dresser/drawer unit for additional clothes storage and hide it in the bathroom? Even an affordable plastic unit might be okay. A round coffee table works well for a small living area that also serves as a dining room. Or, what about a little corner work table with a cute desk or library lamp that could also function as a small dining table if necessary? Definitely a unique challenge! :)

I don't usually care for those tall counter height tables, but it looks like this would be a good situation for one. A narrow rectangle with a couple of stools that would store underneath.

Hey, AT, neither picture of the layout shows properly (both partially obscured). Can you fix it please?

My apartment is similar, size-wise, so here are things I did:
1. You can use furniture to create separate areas in the main room, like putting a sofa backing to the kitchen and create two rooms in one and adding a rug to the living room area, to really define it.
2. Same goes if you need a working area - place a desk near the window and separate it from the rest of the room using a shelving unit (I got a cheap one from Ikea).
3. Try storing up-wards, meaning putting boxes on top of the closet / under the bed and trying to hide things you don't use often (or better yet, get rid of them).
4. Most importantly - try to keep it neat. My place looks twice as big when everything's in place.

good luck!

Well, first I'd get some of those bed lifters and a dust ruffle and hide stuff under your bed. (You could go fancy with purpose-built sliding drawers, go half-way with rolling under-the-bed bins, or just use luggage or other containers you have anyhow. In that space, here is where you can stash out-of-season clothes and things you want with you but don't need daily access to. (I am guessing if you are in grad school that you can store some long-term things with your parents or elsewhere??)

Command hooks on the angled wall of your bedroom would give you an opportunity to hang things like a lovely bathrobe or hats and bags which could both serve as storage and art. (Well, decoration if not "art".)

I'd tuck your bed into the upper right corner (of the floor plan as shown) so you maximize the floor space. You might fit in a small nightstand and dresser on the un-angled wall (with the door.) Measure to be sure, think compact, if you need a lot of storage, think tall.

After that, I'd wrap the living room furniture around the corner, put a small dining table and a couple of chairs on the wall between the main room and the bedroom (or maybe in front of the stove "free standing" if you want to keep the route to the bathroom clear), and put something interesting on the hall wall leading into the place. (And maybe more Command hooks for coats and jackets?)

It looks like there might be room for some kind of shelves or a little dresser just inside the bathroom for your towels and toiletries. Again, think shallow and tall...

It looks workable on paper! Good luck!!

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10098893/ --- I don't know if you have a boxspring/need one/are really attached to yours, but I think this could be a great solution. I looked into it when I was buying my bed, although I eventually settled on a Malm bed for the headboard style. I did test this out though, and even with a mattress on it it would be pretty easy to lift, and can store QUITE a bit.

The biggest design fail of this apartment is that closet. Ugh. But aside from that, I would look at building UP. Since you have very little floor space, but plenty of wall space, mount shelves for your shoes instead of keeping them on the floor of the closet and install hooks for commonly worn items (jackets, coats, purses). If you have heavy coats that need to be stored, look at using vaccuum bags and store them under the bed.

The alternative is that you make this into a studio because the one bedroom isn't very functional as a one bedroom. Sell the full sized bed on craigslist, make enough to buy a day bed (also off craigs list) and use that as a sofa and bed. Then use the entire bedroom space as a closet and storage (you must have books, winter clothing, etc. that needs a home).

I would consider a table parallel to the kitchen space, to double as countertop for cooking prep. You could slide chairs in at the ends while prepping, and move them to the middle for eating. You could place a couch or loveseat up against that table, facing a tv between the two windows. A desk along the left-hand wall would be perfect place for a desktop, especially if you use it to watch movies or tv. If you have a laptop, you may want to consider a smaller table that you can use while on the couch, and save that wall for shelving/storage. You could also forgo the desk in favour of more seating.

If you don't have enough space to roll/slide out storage from under the bed, you may want to look into a hydraulic platform bed. I have no idea what the price tag would be, but being able to easily access clothing could come in very handy! Other than that, think UP! High shelves around near the ceiling around the bedroom could offer good storage, especially for out-of-season clothes, shoes, and linens that you don't access daily.

This is a cute studio! I would love it - except for the no counter space in the bathroom.

Place the head of the bed on the wall opposite the door into the room. Then you have the space along the angled wall for one of those clothing racks on coasters (i'm sorry i don't have the proper name) that would roll around a sales floor... I haven't had a dresser in a while - I bought the Ikea expidit 8 with holes and bought baskets for panties, bra, socks, tanks, tees - everything else on hangers. You can stand it up on the short end so its taller and takes up less floor space. Maybe at the end of the bathtub?

In the living/kitchen place the couch so you walk into the back of it when you come out of the bedroom. TV stand (assuming you have a TV :) ) on the wall infront. Coffee table between. The Ikea Expitdit 4 hole makes a great TV stand with storage. Ikea also has a great table that is a smallish square for 4 chairs then the ends pull out from the middle. I would place that infront of/in the middle of the tiny kitchen arrangement and that would also be my desk. (...Is my kitchen table/desk at home - will probably never own a desk in an office again. Always prefer to be infront on the TV working anyways.)

A cute bench by the door with maybe a coat rack above = cute 'landing strip' and you're set :)

Promise I don't work for Ikea - I just went into a small apartment with nothing and then bought a small house and had even less. Ikea was an affordable 1 stop shop - great for someone with no time and a tight budget.

Have you considered getting a murphy bed instead? That way the bedroom could double as an office, and give you WAY more space!

@K.Luna - The word you're looking for is "casters," which are the wheels.

I got one of these kitchen carts from JC penny for my tiny kitchen area, it gives me lots of extra cabinet space, a good work space, and seating. I hung my pans on S hooks off the towel bar, which keeps everything handy.

http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom//sundance-kitchen-cart/prod.jump?ppId=1e0e1d7&catId=cat100240126&subcatId=cat100240019&deptId=dept20000011&selectedLotId=7753620&selectedSKUId=77536200034

Is there ceiling height to get a tall lofted bed? This would let you access the closets and set up an office under the bed, so can have a duel use space, instead of a bed that leaves the closet inaccessible. Often times used ones can be found on craigslist, since most people sell theirs once they're out of school.

+1 on keeping it neat, my apartment looks so much smaller when I leave things sitting out.
This is what I did as a "walk through" hall closet in my strange shape entry.
<img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/33b2scj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">

Here's the image link since the last one didn't work

http://tinypic.com/r/33b2scj/6

PI's idea sounds like a radical solution but makes a lot of sense to me actually - if you think about your space as a studio, suddenly it seems bigger and much more workable!

Otherwise, I'd go with having kitchen prep area/dining table/work table on the lower right wall parallel to kitchen sink with 4 chairs. That would give you a nice workspace with light plus, as others have said, kitchen prep + eating space. If you were to add a small couch to the left wall, then you could have a nice space for entertaining as well - some people on the couch, others at the table.

In any case, in the bathroom, the little nook right behind where the kitchen stove is seems precious! As for closet space in the bedroom, likes like IKEA's PAX may be your friend, and, again, underbed storage.

---
On a self-interested sidenote, does anyone know if all "good questions" sent in are eventually posted to the site? I send mine in a month ago and nothing. And it *was* a good question, for me anyway :)

to seperate the living/kitchen.. i would suggest creating a sort of island.. it will give you more counter space and work as a study space...my sister got one of these
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/organizing-and-storage/kitchen-islands-carts/work-utility-cart-with-handle/s221752

and then put a table top from ikea on it (a long and narrow one similar to
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S59870902/

you just need brackets which you can get from any hardware store to fasten them together.. then grab 2 great stools. Might i suggest something like this.. you can get knock offs...http://www.gabrielross.com/bar-and-wine-85/counter-and-bar-stools-1030/kartell-charles-ghost-stool-1331.html
they will blend in and keep the place light and airy

shoot - i get that mixed up all the time.... thanks :)

If you have space in the living room, I really recommend this sofa bed from Ikea: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90198978/

it's got tons of storage and is pretty multi-functional. It looks like it might be a pretty tight fit though!

Everyone else has great suggestions (especially the under-bed storage). Have fun!

Great suggestions above but I would also consider a lift top coffee table. You would be able to use it as a desk, for dining and as a general coffee table. There are lots of designs available and you should be able to find something that would fit yours.

I like the suggestions about creating a kitchen counter and placing the couch with its back to the kitchen area -- if your couch doesn't back up to the long wall in the living room, then it gives you the opportunity to use that wall for storage. The ever-popular Expedit is cheap and functional.

Look up entries to the Small Cool contest here, too. They'll help inspire smart storage solutions that might work well in your space.

My bedroom is 9x11 and my full bed takes up less than 95% of the room. There's a small desk with a small antique chair, and a small antique dresser, too. And a small nightstand table (with open legs). It's tight, yes, but cozy and functional (plenty of room to pull out the desk chair and the drawers). That weird angle might prevent you from fitting as much as I have, but you should be able to fit one more piece of furniture in there without it seeming crowded. The key is minimal and "slender" furniture throughout -- on your (our) budget, from craigslist and Goodwill and Ikea.

There's an area just inside the front door that could hold a very narrow wardrobe. That long hallway is a terrible waste of space in such a small apartment. A fold up desktop of some sort that fits flush to the wall when not in use could turn it into an office? If you had a laptop and didn't mind removing all working materials from your desk, that is.

I once had an office that had a triangle closet like that. I ended up making custom, triangular shelves for it so nothing could get too terribly lost past its own shelf, but I could still use a lot of the space. (Take a large sheet of craft paper and fold it to fit inside the space to make a cutting template that doesn't require too much math or angle calculations.) I would probably look for a freestanding armoire or covered garment rack for hanging clothes, and a storage bed would be a great use of space instead of a bureau. Or a bed with rolling drawers underneath it - you can often find 2nd-hand bureaus for cheap - just add wheels to the drawers and use the body as a bookshelf elsewhere.

A garment rack that has a canvas cover you can buy separately:
http://www.amazon.com/Whitmor-6058-90-Supreme-Garment-Chrome/dp/B0007OBFA8/ref=pd_bxgy_hg_img_b

Okay...I've managed in a similar space in Chelsea before moving to the UK. Ideas:

Turn bathroom into Bathroom/slash dressing room. I'd mount closet rails on the back of the tub wall and get a small shoe rack from Ikea. Opposite wall consider putting in floor to ceiling shallow sheelves - say4-4.5 inches deep, using angle brackets, great for excess storage, grooming, etc. Also, consider a long shallow dresser to go along angled wall in bathroom, with shelves mounted above for open air storage.

That weeeee lil closet in the bedroom would make a Great office! Add shelves with holes cut in back to drop cables & multiple shelves above for books, papers, and resource materials, a comfy stool to slide under your "desk"...and best of all, when you can't stand it for a second longer you can shut the door and walk away.

Kitchen: Lord help ya, there is no space M8! - a tall and narrow island with storage shelves and a couple of barstools will give you eating space/kitchen work table/ or an alt desk.

Living space: Opt for a couple of upholstered chairs or a single chair and a love seat. Comfort is king when you get home and you need a space to relaxe and shut out the city. Of course a small flat screen, a dresser/side board will give you dvd and gaming storage and a place to put the tv!

Paint paint paint...go with airy open colours and mirrors work wonders to reflect light in a small space!

Cheers from Jamesy in the UK!!!

Storage in small apartments is a huge issue, so my first recommendation is maximize storage. A sectional will provide as much lounge seating as possible, while dividing up the different functions of the space (kitchen and adjacent bedroom).

I recommend dividing up the space in the bedroom as well. Add two bookcases to extend the closet space, and paint the back (most commercial bookcases provide fiber-board backs) to match the walls. Add a sconce for lighting over the bed and run the wiring hidden inside the bookcase.

A freestanding headboard, supported by the weight of the bed should be used to avoid the bookcases being knocked over by leaning on them.

I've blogged about your problem, made some drawings for you and some product recommendations. Take a look at the link below. Hope this helps!

http://designindependence.blogspot.com/2012/06/angled-apartment-issues.html

I would love to have a go at that. I like the angles. Some great ideas have been posted above. I do agree that it might be an idea to get a smaller bed. Our bedroom is about the same size - maybe a little larger - and we have a wall-to-wall high Expedit. Most have doors, and we keep loads of stuff in there; clothes, books - some are even empty! If you have part of your Expedit wall low, can you position it so that can be desk if you sit on the bed?

Or as others have said, a futon or sofa bed in the living room would do the trick. Then you can have the bedroom as your office and storage.

The lack of work surface in the kitchen is no problem - unless you're cooking five course dinners for six every night. Just make sure that you have a cookie sheet or large chopping board that can sit on top of the stove or the sink. Have a folding table that you can store in the bedroom/office. Use this as a dining table and emergency kitchen work surface.

Can you add shelves above your doors? If so and if they are about nine or more inches wide, you can store loads of stuff there in baskets.

Please, please let us see photographs once you've finished!

If there is a proper outlet (might test outlets to see how many things are on each circuit) on the wall between the kitchen and bedroom, you might try moving the fridge over there and then putting a freestanding island perpendicular to the wall where the fridge was. This will create counter space as well as a sense of a complete kitchen area. A bookshelf next to the new fridge location could act as half pantry - half bookshelf.

You will need tons of underbed storage - depending on how high your couch sits you may be able to slip at least one underbed storage container there as well. Normally I hate bar height tables.....but a long slim one (about counter-height) right in front of the kitchen would likely do wonders since it could double as countertop space and be your dining space though I'd only use a stool at each end. I'd then back up the couch to meet almost up with the table (now it can function a bit like a console table as well) and your couch overlooks the windows. If you have a TV and can run a cable long enough, there seems to be space between the two windows. Pop in a chair in the far left corner with a small side table.

I have two ideas for a desk area......one would be right outside the bathroom on the wall that meets up with your bedroom. Personally I'd want more storage there, but it all depends on your needs. The other idea is since the closet in the bedroom is so tiny, maybe you could build a desk in there and have shelves above it. You would then need to add an armoire/wardrobe outside the bedroom on the wall by the bathroom though.

I would put a tall table near the kitchen and put two stools up to it, making a breakfast bar for working at. You could get two other folding stools (store under couch) for when guests come over. I think that will fit with a loveseat and TV in that room. I would put a small dress or armoire in the bathroom in that gap before the shower. I think you can also fit a bed and dresser in the bedroom.

What do people keep in under-bed storage?

hi its Treese: wow...you all have been so helpful! i really like the idea of a round table, facing the chairs (i am not getting a couch) towards the windows .Update: no i don't have a TV... i prefer it that way. This is a historical site so "building stuff " is limited. i placed the bed facing the doorway so not on the angled wall which give me more than enough space for night stands. i dont have many clothes so they can hang up or fit on the shelf in the closet. i do own a LOT of shoes so they are living in the in a bin for now.

Um..wow!! It can be done but you'll need to be brutal in editing. First, I'd cordon off the triangle closet a little further into the room. Take the door off, run a shower curtain rod and put drapes in front. On the drapes, see panels like behind-door shoe holders. This is for socks, undies, shoes, etc. make that bed high off the ground to stuff your stuff underneath. Now, make your own headboard so you can put a little depth to it and use that behind-the-headboard box for seasonal clothes....

Another thought...try to use that bathroom corner for clothing by setting up a garment rack with shelving on top. I need the ceiling height! Still, there's room for some stuff there. If this is a no-go, stack a tall rack that holds plastic boxes. These are only 18" deep but can hold a ton and are customizable. For the kitchen, get a couple old base cabinets and paint them. (Restore has them cheap). Make a sawhorse arrangement with them by spacing them as far apart as your kitch will allow and put a couple of 1" boards over top to make a then tabletop which can also be an office and an ironing board. Barstools go under.

Last thought...(sorry. I'm slow thinking tonight! ) You now have kitchen base cabinets plus a tabletop. How about a small pot rack along the wall where the bar would end? Or open shelving for dishes, books, etc.
The best way to handle your sitting area is to get yourself some type of seating that flips open underneath like in kitchen nooks or campers. These hold a ton! Even just the "chair" would help by be sure to get an opening coffee table to store stuff in there. Old crates with foam and fabric to make an ottoman would be nice and look comfy, too. Also, base cabinets for end tables. You'll need either a love seat or a big chair but maybe you can have your kitchen chairs do double duty when you have guests. Just throw pillows in them. Hang the TV along with some floor to ceiling open shelving on that dividing wall between the LR and BR and you'll be all set to store anything you need. Shop at yard sales, Craigslist, freecycle, Restore, Goodwill, etc and ask for some stuff for your birthday. Good luck !

@Amaranta -- For us, extra blankets, some out of season clothes, shoes, etc. There wasn't a coat closet, so we had to fit our coats and cold weather gear into our closets. This took up valuable real estate. We have a tiny little linen closet - as in if I took out the shelves I might be able to fit my vacuum in there. So it was filled easily with towels and sheets, especially since the apartment also has a tiny bathroom so we had to use up one shelf for storage for random things like toilet paper, extra loofahs, etc along with emergency candles. Going back to when we rented I now realize we should have passed due to lack of storage, but we loved the layout.

I love @SHAGELAU's idea of cordoning off the triangle portion of the bedroom with curtains to create a dressing room closet area. You could fit a long, open garment rack along the angled wall and use the closet for shoes and such, and it would be like having an enormous walk-in closet. Could even hang a pendant light in there - lux!

Hi. I know your pain I am a NYC dweller with minimal space and I have to say ELFA systems from the container store have saved my life. You take this exact plan to them and they will help you design for your space. Then you can either make the purchase from them or use their design to find something more affordable if that's a better option. Also I had to train myself to think as things as multi function, like a cute IKEA 6 drawer dresser as a media console AND storage for clothes and sheets. And finally Room & Board ( furniture store) has a bed for sale that is super comfortable that has storage under the mattress. The mattress actually lifts up.....now this is a little pricey but to me worth every penny.
Good luck and I can't wait to see the results.

Also....one last thing: think vertically! :)

I too am a NY small living dweller (luv it). First thing I learned moved from a 700sqft rental to my 560 condo...purge! You must seriously decide what to keep & what to toss. I had ALOT of clothes, and had to get rid of quite a bit of items that I hadnt worn & probably wouldnt (consign, donate, ebay, etc).
Ive learned that you literally have to look at your space beyond face value, and think creatively. A long shelf along the ceiling, a high bed with storage (got mine at Gothic Cabinet), coffee table with storage, etc.
Once again....purge dishes, pots/pans, silverware (really are you ever gonna have 20 people over for a formal dinner?).
Its also important to have items that serve dual purposes, my bathroom wastebasket is also the bucket I use to mop with (I use trash bags).

Enjoy it...its not weird, its different.