5 Tips For Arranging Your Studio Apartment

In this month's Home and Garden UK they ask a bunch of designers how to incorporate living room furniture into bedrooms a la a really fancy hotel room. And although we certainly don't have space like that in our bedroom, we thought the tips could work applied to a studio apartment where your bedroom is your living room (and dining room and office):

• Multiple Uses: Desks do double duty as dressing tables (and dining tables) and Ottomans provide storage, a place to sit and a place to set things out.
• Divide and ConquerDivide and 'zone' the space with shelves (like ) and credenzas. If you stick with light colors and keep the shelves organized you can cordon off some private space and keep your office from invading your bed.
• Think Scale: the same giant living room furniture might not fit into a studio, you may need to downsize to a loveseat and a footstool instead of a coffeetable, or 2 armchairs and a side table instead of a sofa.
• Focus: Try arranging around a focal point, either putting your bed front and center or with shelving that covers one wall with all the furniture oriented around that. If you're lucky enough to have a fireplace use that as a focal point, do not use your heater as one.
• Lighting: Dimmer everything. Illuminate shelving and underneath your cabinets with interior lights or the small stick on lights from Ikea. This will make the space feel larger and more open at night. For a luxurious look (and a focal point!) use a chandelier or pendant light above the bed (or table) for overhead lighting and then add lamps around the room for tasks.
• Bonus Tip: This tip comes from our own experience: if there is a way to not have everything tucked around the side of the room, hugging the walls, do it, it will make it feel more spacious. For example if you can get into bed from either side of the bed or if your desk/table can float in the center of the room, this will give the illusion of more space. Of course if you doing this means you have to climb over other furniture, use common sense!

[Tips from House and Garden UK]
[Image from Private Spaces: Creating a Peaceful Space of Your Own at Home]

Comments (16)

Love it!

posted by PrairieDawn on October 28th 2008 at 5:15pm
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this post is very much appreciated!

posted by jesscon0202 on October 28th 2008 at 6:46pm
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love the photo above. anyone have suggestions for a "shoebox" studio? break it up into two rooms or create one big room?

posted by avianmission on October 28th 2008 at 7:00pm
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My bedroom/living room/office is tiny so thank you so much for posting this :)

posted by girlonthem00n on October 28th 2008 at 8:06pm
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Thanks for this post, Laure! I always feel like everything is so limited living in such a small space, but then I come here and stumble upon another new idea. :)

Avianmission, I think you can really do either. It depends on what you like and what exactly you want to do in the space.

posted by sparkle on October 28th 2008 at 9:02pm
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avianmission, here are some ideas:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/main/archive-000829

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/small-cool-2006-entries/50-vinces-high-tech-hideout-007462

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-really-cool-divider-tips-018105

posted by *heather leaf* on October 29th 2008 at 4:02am
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I love the photo above, but, really, who keeps limes by the side of their beds?

posted by david on October 29th 2008 at 4:10am
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love that bedspread, any info?

posted by pinstripeprincess on October 29th 2008 at 4:48am
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Hi, avianmission!
My midtown NY studio is a miniscule 10 x 17, and it is both my living space and work space (I have an interior design company specializing in NY apartment renovations). It's always, always about the floorplan - if you can post yours, I can help you make the most of your space!
I treat my studio as one room, and the key is the Sofabed Of Bliss - it has a nifty air mattress which inflates in 2 minutes to be the comfiest bed I've ever slept on ($300 for full size from Jennifer Convertibles). My sofa/bed is across the width of the room, and even in my tiny space, I have several "zones" - entrance, kitchen/bar/dining, living/sleeping, and home office/media/display center. Keep your walls light (mine are pale aqua), have all your furniture do double duty, and you will be amazed at how much functionality you can achieve while still keeping a feeling of spaciousness. Let me know if I can help more!

posted by everydaydiva on October 29th 2008 at 5:53am
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avian, just a handful of Jennifer Convertible nightmare stories:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/furniture/jennifer_lifetime.html

posted by peahen on October 29th 2008 at 6:24am
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despite jennifer's astounding history of fraud, i bought a small sofabed from them for $400. it came a few weeks later than agreed but otherwise the transaction was smooth.

posted by Lady J on October 29th 2008 at 7:34am
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david - As explained in the post, oftentimes in a studio apartment, rooms have to accomplish more than one thing. In this case, the room is also the bar, and the limes are for your vodka tonic. They do double-duty in this case as a decorative element. Without limes, this room would be too lemony.

posted by K T G on October 29th 2008 at 9:07am
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david-
I thought it was pears - convenient breakfast in bed!

posted by Aimi on October 29th 2008 at 9:37am
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I think this link is wrong...

posted by Jess2nola on October 29th 2008 at 10:49am
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I know that some people are very anti-murphy bed, but after five years in my studio I took the plunge. It feels like a brand new place.

Now, I am working on rearranging my furniture to get it out from the walls a bit. Thanks for the tips!

posted by avocado on October 30th 2008 at 8:03am
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I think I'm going to get some limes for the side of my bed

posted by charlenemcbride on November 3rd 2008 at 2:20am
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