apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Please tell me all about that beautiful white buffet/desk/storage...I adore it!
Thanks

This sort of affirmation is needed here. Frequently and lately, it seems that AT has moved away from apartment dwelling and into HOUSE dwelling. Nice to see this here.

I live in a 425sqft studio. The main room area is a long 11x20 foot room. The rest is a small kitchen, a bathroom, a hall, and a large walk-in closet.

I love that it takes me about 15 minutes to clean my apartment. When I am doing a top to bottom thorough cleaning, it may take me up to 3 hours. I don't accumulate much clutter, because everything has to be put away or it will instantly be in my way. The whole place is just so manageable. I also enjoy coming up with creative solutions. Like I keep a couple of bar height folding chairs on hooks on teh wall. I can pull them down if I want seating in the kitchen, or put them up on the wall out of the way. It is cool.

I live in a studio that is under 300 sq ft. I can attest to almost every single one of those points listed. I can afford to live in a "hip" part of the city (downtown San Jose) without breaking the bank.

Since moving into my studio, I have gotten rid of a lot the worthless junk that I have owned; keeping only the important stuff. Cleaning is a breeze, and my place is slowly starting to look more minimalist.

400 sq ft studio.
Lived here since the summer of 2003.
I love my apartment.
Thankfully, it's not a box per se. It has a distinct entryway, bathroom, then hallway (with two closets), separate kitchen (with a window!), and then the combined bedroom/living room (east-facing so lots of sun during the day).

I'm a do-it-yourselfer and have great fun caulking and painting and other little renovations that make a big impact.

When I first moved here it was very cluttered with the stuff I've dragged around for years. And there was hardly a sense of "here's the living room section and here's the dining room section". But with the help of Apartment Therapy, I've managed to purge big time, reassess each area, and create a functional and pretty little nest.

The room features a digital clock (on the computer) and a flat screen TV. These are industrial, mass produced, and soulless objects, although I grant their usefulness.

I have invented (if I may use that pretentious word) a better clock, and way to hide the TV when it's not in use.

Visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/29827359@N02/
to see my ideas. Please comment!

Ha ha ha ha! Of course this would be an Austin post! I have a teeny-tiny apartment in Austin as well. It DOES have all the benefits mentioned here, including being within walking distance of UT. :)

I have a 370 sq ft studio in LA and I love it! I downsized from a 1 bedroom so I could live on the west side and I'm very happy with my decision. I'm in the process of giving it a boutique hotel feel during the cure.

All of my friends think I'm crazy, but I really love it. You are forced to have less and buy less. Plus the money I save every month on rent really adds up!

Zhahira, I couldn't help myself to post this! I live right off of South Congress and would never be able to afford anything bigger than a studio, but I don't care! I really love it, and I agree with the above comments about enjoying getting to be creative and come up with solutions. Though I dream of owning a house, this is the third studio in a row that I've lived in and I thoroughly enjoy the lifestyle!

Ooops! Sorry everyone. That above comment is from me, Adrienne, not Maxwell! I must have accidentally been logged in as him. For shame! Apologies.

Wait... You guys can log in as each other?

I'm starting to love my 300 studio here in LA. I'm very close to loving the furniture arrangement and I'm hoping to complete the final configuration during the cure. Eek!

I've lived in a studio that was 400 sq ft.
I now live in a one bedroom that is 700 sq ft.
I find that I am no better organized.
400 sq ft. was just too much discipline.

I had a 700sf one bedroom and knocked out all the walls to make it 700sf studio. Much better. One room living rocks.

I live in a 465 studio with a great custom built in queen sized wall bed with storage on one side and above. It means the "living" space feels very open and is as large as the living area in many new one bedrooms. It is cozy, easy to keep clean and tidy, I don't like a lot of "stuff" and it is paid for.

It is well built with a gas fireplace, nice appliances, in-suite laundry, a sunny patio and a very convenient in-suite storage room so I can store my camping gear and other seasonal things without having to rent a locker, which I refuse to do. One of the best things is that I have my own front door off a beautifully landscaped courtyard so no interior hallways.

Really is quite perfect for me at this stage of my life (I am older I think than many of you).

I bought a studio that is less than 300 sq. ft in Center City, Philadelphia. Actually, I think it's less than 250 square feet. I call it my New York City Apartment. I love it because it is on the most desirable street to live on in Center City, within walking distance of anything and everything, I don't accumulate a lot of "stuff" and I am able to afford more upscale items because I'm only furnishing 1 small room.

I really miss my old bachelorette studio. It was 370 sq. ft. top floor corner of an old brownstone, surrounded by old trees. The windows were right in the treetops and I used to call it 'my little treehouse.' It had built-in shelving, lovely wood floor, and a long, narrow, skinny galley kitchen with a fat old white mini-stove/oven. It actually had good counter space and a floor-to-ceiling pegboard on one side. I could roast a whole Thanksgiving turkey in that tiny oven.

My brother in law built me a sturdy, wooden queen loft bed that I painted white. The windows were huge and I grew herbs on the fire escape. I had guests all the time, I would crash on the couch and they got to re-live their childhood bunk-bed memories, climbing up the ladder to bed. My bathroom had a mini-clawfoot tub and black and white checkered tile floor. All in miniature. I LOVED it, and lived there for only 2 years. It was a breeze to clean, air out, and forced me to stay organized.

QUITE the departure from the 1300 sq. ft. converted warehouse loft I own now! But I still carry the minimalist lessons learned from back then!

305 sq ft studio right on the beach in Santa Monica. How else could I afford a panoramic ocean view? But even more fun than the great location is the joy of being ingenious about fitting in what I need and figuring little systems for small spaces, like my folding laptop garage that fits snugly into my bed, my custom platform bed built to hold a dresser and tons of storage, my combination bookcase/pot rack and office/home theater, and best of all, the mirror I've rigged so that I can see how big the waves are from my bed!

And then there's the deliciously romantic and sexy snugness of a beautiful luxury hotel room. I love having that in my own home.

My husband and I live together in a rented 400 sq ft apartment. Choosing a smaller space in New York allowed us to be in a doorman building with laundry in the basement, close to the Express subway stop, close to Central Park, with a new kitchen and new bathroom. Because we are able to save, we're hoping to buy our own place soon (a real challenge in NYC!) I love that we have to choose only the most beautiful and useful items and that it is so easy to clean.

Two people and two cats in 350 sq. feet downtown Boston. Going on year 3. Frankly, it's the only place we can afford in our favourite location, allowing us for a great urban experience. We have many space-saving storage ideas, and we created a separate office and dining areas in the studio, so it never feels cramped. While we don't expect to remain in a studio when we start a family, minimizing effects is the way to go!

Where did that adorable clock screensaver come from?

I gotta find that clock screen saver as well. Anyone have a clue?

Found it:

Clock screensaver

http://www.9031.com/downloads/screensavers.html

As a footnote, I'd really love for AT to set up a Flickr group or do a continuing feature with comprehensive photo tours of people's studio places. I think it would be useful to see how people manage in truly small spaces even if it means they reveal a few (or many) design warts.

And when I say "comprehensive", I mean the whole area, not just the spots that look cool. As someone who lives in a 350 sq. foot place with a husband, I'd love to see how people in similar situations make it work for them.

Lenoshka
the table is from IKEA Bathroom line
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40089707
witha top shelf

nice photo...cool drapes...

I live in Akron (OH) in an area called Highland Square. My apartment is, I believe, closer to 400 sq.ft. - 1 large room, stand alone kitchen/dining area, walk-in closet and a bathroom. The building was built in 1928, so I have original crown moulding and baseboards, radiators and wood floors. It's awesome! So cozy and enough space that Im not accumulating junk. Plus, its cheap!
I actually got tired of my bed being in the main room, so I put it in the closet (I know there's some amount of awe with people in regards to that concept). It's a queen bed and its fits nicely. I also took the door off the hinges and hung a sheer curtain so there is some type of separation from the main room.
I don't know what I'll do if I ever move into a house - I'll be lost! lol

I recently moved in to a beautiful studio apartment in the upper beaches of Toronto, and I adore it. Everything is within reach, less cleaning and the location can't be beat.

Can anyone recommend any good sites (other than AT, of course) that have good ideas for decorating studio apartments?

@parrishnut: thank you very much :)

marc, I don't know of many resources but I just stumbled on this tour of creative ideas:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1629897,00.html
most of the folks on this site will cringe at the overall effect but this resident has heaps of great ideas for small space living.

here are other galleries:
http://search.thisoldhouse.com/search.html?&type=et:gallery;&Ntt=Small Space Solutions&src=toh

question to all you studio people.... one of the big deterrents for me from a studio has mostly to do with entertaining and most importantly cooking. how do you find the one room situation with cooking smells/entertaining messes?

between slow cookers, long braises, making stocks from scratch, deep frying, etc.... i'm always conscious of these scents seeping into everything i own, especially clothing. do you find this is a problem? how do you deal with it? sometimes the hood just isn't strong enough....

pinstripeprincess, my kitchen has a window so my apartment building is not legally required to put in a vent. It also helps that my kitchen is separate from the main living space as well. It doesn't have a door but it does have a doorway where I used to suspend a long curtain on a tension rod. When closed, with the window open, all the odors and heat escape from the window. Shop around for a studio with a separate kitchen (with a window) to make the search for a studio easier. You'll love having a studio I think!

178 sq.ft studio, three years running! I love living in a studio because I detest living with other people. Plus I can decorate it however I want!

I do not have a separate kitchen, just one of those multi-unit kitchen things sunk into a wall. It has a vent but I find I do continue to smell strong odours for a couple hours afterward, especially if I let something burn, eugh!

So as was mentioned above, make sure you get a studio with a separate kitchen space! My next studio will have a separate kitchen (and a view of something other than the building next door)!

Cool, I live in a studio. It is like an artist's pallette to me. I can create themes and it's fun since I'm dealing with one main room. My studio is a nice size with a walk in closet attached to the bathroom. I like having everything around me and enjoy finding clever decorating ideas. Right now I'm jazzed about the grey look in decor. I want to get crinkle grey blackout curtains (I'm across from the downtown fire station!), a silver futon frame with a soft, grey futon cover, and a raspberry colored shag. I think it would be so soothing. I have full size furniture in there since I was in a one bedroom but it works since it's open style such as futons and bookcases with cutouts. I even have a Lazy Boy which will be covered in a soft grey cover.

I was fantasizing about a large studio loft when I move. Living in a studio is so much fun. The trick is not to have a lot of junk lying around or too many small objects and leaving "white space" on the walls. I faced this challenge this weekend and will be going home to it as well. Getting a computer and bringing home extra office toys took me over the edge but I'm coming up with ideas.

Also, I decorate my bed to not look quite like a bed. Most people think I live in a one bedroom; although I've never been in a one bedroom with a bed in it or two dressers sitting in the kitchen with bowls and a rice cooker sitting on top!

The studio looks modern but the kitchen cabinets are dark brown and unattractive. I found some cool beaded curtains I may use for that one.

best part about living in a studio: hands down, LOCATION. I can walk to work, stumble home from bars, and feel totally safe (even if WDC has its share of violent crime). I also like the design challenge: keeping clutter at bay, having a well thought out design aesthetic. Sadly, I am definitely not saving much money, but it is at least "affordable." A little bit about my studio: 550 sq ft, separate entry, kitchen, bathroom (obvi) and two walk in closets (such a luxury!). My challenges probably have more to do with living in a rental than living in a studio.

http://www.centralparkhirise.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=28
I am moving into this condo and have items I cant part with.
China cabinets will go in kitchen against wall, a antique china cabinet will go in hall way for folding clothes storage.
Full size bed, 7 foot leather sofa, bistro table/chairs, 2 end chairs, 1800's asian desk with book shelf, 38' round drum cocktail table, 42' TV with stand and exquisite art work.
The rest I am giving away. I need arangement ideas.