I thought the fold-down wall-bed was the go to answer for life in a studio. Get a queen size, with attached storage closets and drawers along one wall. Still have room for a sofa.

loft bed?

Murphy bed.

Having spent 5 months making up a bed each night I would say get a real bed but position it and dress it like a day bed. Think bolster and quality pillows etc etc. Unless you are a really organised team, a sofa bed ends up getting left out like a bed anyway and if you are like me, you will always get caught out with an untidy space when you don't want to be!

I have a bed (double) and a couch in my 400 sq foot condo. that being said, a queen size day bed sounds ridiculous, unless it converts to a twin when in "couch mode". I vote for a murphy or a loft.

Sofa beds tend to be crappy couches and crappier beds

I lived in two studios in the past both with sofa beds. They were friggin' miserable! VERY uncomfortable! Plus one of them chewed up my bed linens if I didn't strip everything every time I folded up the bed.

I would (having had that experience) try really hard to find a Murphy bed if I were in your shoes. Failing that, I'd just have a real bed, and figure out how to give a semblance of privacy with decor or ceiling hung curtains or something.

(After all, YOU are in your home many hours every day/night. But what percentage of the time is somebody ELSE there? You need to be comfortable and rested more than ready to entertain. At least in my opinion! )

THIS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozcNkM_7kW0

I vote for a loft bed as well - adds some visual interest to the room with levels, and there would be plenty of room underneath for a couch.

Just got an American Leather Queen sized sofa - - one of the rare brands that does NOT have bars in the bed design. They come in an endless variety of textiles--leather isn't the only choice despite the company name. I have had one in cream tweed fabric with tufted buttons. Jensen Lewis sells them as does Design Within Reach but Jensen has better prices. You sleep like a baby on these...well worth the price.

Invest in a good Murphy with storage like the ones here: http://www.resourcefurniture.com/nodeorder/term/41. I lived in an NYC studio for 10 years, and would've been much better off buying a good, functional Murphy bed with shelves instead of the cheap sofa and bed that didn't quite fit.

We recently installed a murphy bed from More Space Place and we love it! They did a great job, would highly recommend - it is pricy, but the installation only took a few hours, and voila! www.morespaceplace.com

I suggest you search apartment therapy's Small cool 2011 contest and go a couple a years back. This contest is held once a year. Good luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mik-KgWzME&feature=related

crate and barrel has an AMAZING day bed that is unbelievably comfortable (it's a full size i think, not a queen), and i'm sorry i don't know the name of it, but i would go to a store and i think you'd find it

If you can swing it, I'd invest in a really high quality futon-type thing from Ligne Roset. Their sofa beds (though they're really more like futons) are designed to be used every day so it's easy to convert from a bed into a sofa when necessary. I always see great deals on Craigslist on Ligne Roset sofa beds. I have no experience with Murphy beds but I imagine the nice ones are probably pretty pricey?

You can never skimp on sleeping comfortably. I would use a queen size bed, and get a large bookshelf (big enough to separate the sleeping area) to put at the foot of the bed to use as a room divider. Put a small sofa or loveseat on the other side of the bookshelf to complete the living room look.

I am sharing a 150 square foot master bedroom right now with myself and two small kids while we remodel. I have the room divided by a large bookshelf too. My queen Ikea bed on one side and their bunkbeds on the other. There is still plenty of room for toys, dressers and my small desk.

Murphy beds are expensive and the downside is you always have to move stuff to pull it out every night.
Good Luck! I am sure you will make it work out beautifully after a few different ideas and tries!

Personally, I would say to just go with a regular bed. I live in a 290 sq ft studio with a queen size bed and a couch -- and I did NOT purchase the bed for this apartment, but I was hesitant to downgrade and buy a new bed when my old one did actually fit. To me, the ease of climbing into bed without having to pull it down from the wall, unfold a sofa, or remove a million pillows every night made the regular bed worth it.

I do live alone, so maybe my priorities would be different if I had to share my space with someone else, but then again you'll have 110 more square feet than me so I am sure you could make it work!

(and with that said, I have slept in comfortable murphy beds and sofa beds in the past -- specifically the American Leather ones mentioned above are reeeeeeeeeally nice but very pricey -- so I am sure that whatever you decide, you'll be able to find an option that still lets you have a good night's sleep!)

Attn: FALLINGUP- I hope you don't live in earthquake country!

I'm with the others who said Murphy bed. Just arrange the "living room" type furniture so that you don't have to move a ton of stuff around to fold it down. I vote for mounting your TV (if you have a flat screen) to the front panel of the bed, that way you will just naturally arrange your furniture around with enough room to fold down the bed. There is a tutorial on how to mount a TV to a Murphy bed here: http://www.ehow.com/how_7777356_mount-murphy-bed-front-panel.html

Good luck, and send in pictures once you've decided what to do and finished moving in. I would love to see the final product!

I'd go for the bed with tons of storage. Get some large sofa cushions for the backing against the wall and have an upholstery grade cover made for the mattress so you can convert it to a sofa when guests are around.

@jimc- No earthquakes in the heart of the rocky mountains! Even so; my shelf is modular Ikea laminate that has open shelves and is 1 foot deep, so no risk of falling down unless several people "tip" it over. If that is what you are implying.

How about a loft bed..you could even suspend it from the ceiling by chain, or cable...it would take no floor space at all, and would allow your sleeping space to be completely your own?

I'm with Nazz. I've lived in some TINY studios and what worked for me was putting my queen bed parallel against the wall and treating it like a day bed.

A frame like this will give you LOADS of storage underneath:

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/SwissLux-Euro-Flex-Queen-size-Foundation-and-frame-in-one-Mattress-Support-System/6212340/product.html

I have a frame like this now. I wish I had known about it when I was living in those itty-bitty studios.

I really think that dealing with opening and closing a day bed or murphy bed will get really tired after a while (so to speak).

^remove one of those redundant "reallys"^

Having been a guest on plenty of sofa beds, for the sake of your sleep, do NOT GET ONE. They're vile for sleeping in my experience (if the American Leather ones mentioned here are awesome, I will totally change my tune). Hands down, I'd rather sleep on the floor.

In your situation, I'd probably try for a murphey bed. Simple, comfortable and out of the way.

i've lived in two studios, and it's worth it to just do the bed, even if it means your bed has to be your sofa when guests are by. If you can find a way to section the bed off from the main area - a screen or something - it'll avoid feeling like just a big room. Good luck!

I've had this dilemma, I had a double bed with a body pillow which I placed along the long side of the bed during the day so that it was like a couch. Leaning against the wall got a little old, maybe use bigger cushions rather than just a body pillow. I also had a small armchair and comfy desk chair, which I turned around for extra seating when I had company. Hope this helps!

I can't find it but I seen it somewhere- what about a bed w/ wheels on the floor. with a platform build over it. (Think a false floor a few inches taller then the bed.) You can pull it out half way for a couch and all the way out for sleeping. You could bookshelf, desk, dresser, etc on the platform.

I have a full size bed and a Klippan loveseat with two ottomans in my 250 sq foot studio. The trick I have found is to put the bed in a place where it's NOT the first thing you see when you walk in- thus my bed is on the same wall as my entry, with a cube divider thing screening it off a bit and providing a 'landing strip' for my mail, keys and purse (as well as acting as a bedside table.) Across from the bed is the loveseat, so if I happen to have a number of guests, people can sit on the foot of the bed as part of a conversation group.

What I do NOT have in my apartment is a computer desk. I knew I would have to give up something to have both a bed and a couch- so I've got a few places where I can park my laptop (wicker chair/sewing machine table, kitchen table, or in bed on a bed tray), and my wireless printer lives with my tv. I have a small filing cabinet in one of my closets.

On AT, Erin and Danny living in 500 sq feet had a loft bed that they built in their apartment in San Francisco. It looked interesting and the apartment had the appearance of being bigger. Look them up and see if it fits.

I definitely would consider a loft bed. There are some really super ideas here on AT - there was one in Australia recently I do believe -- really cool (except for the steps getting up to it).
I say get your sleeping area off the floor - then you'll have plenty of space to entertain without staring at your bed.

I lived in a 170 sq ft apt in NYC.
I had a queen bed and a IKEA sofa bed.
You can definitely do both. I suggest it

I have been in a studio for 6 years. My beautiful handmade Murphy bed makes my studio feel like a suite. I call it my Zen sky cottage. My home is a sweet sacred space. My bed is a 3 column bookcase that swivels and opens easily. I love coming Home.

I second the recommendation to browse through previous small cool contest entries. Also take a peek at this clip from the Nate Berkus show, they did a really nice job with this woman's little studio (and a regular bed).

http://www.thenateshow.com/videos/detail/3295/dwell-to-the-rescue/

more "reallys"! more "reallys"!

Did you see this studio tour? I thought the bed looked nice and divided from the other areas. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/natalies-beach-girl-meets-book-nerd-nest-house-tour-164628

There is also a picture of a great murphy bed design in House Beautiful magazine, February 2011 but I couldn't find the image online.

Have a regular bed be it separated by a divider, loft, or murphy bed. In my experience (as interior designer) I've never found a sofa bed that would work for day to day sleeping for years on end.

Go with a regular bed with a bookcase (like those big square type from Ikea) separating it from the living area. I've been in tiny apartments in NYC (lived in by two people) and this was the way to go. Sofa beds are uncomfortable and loft beds aren't that convenient if you need to get up and down at night to go to the bathroom (not to mention that you need a high ceiling to avoid feeling claustrophobic). Nothing is as important as good sleep and the "day bed" scenario isn't that practical unless one of you doesn't mind sleeping next to the wall and crawling over the other person to get out of bed. That will get old fast!

I lived in a tiny NY studio for 3 years. I used a sofa bed, and pulled it in and out every day with no problem—pulled out, it came within 1 inch of touching the bookcase on the opposite wall, so I clearly didn't have room for even a day bed in that apartment.

Just be sure you invest in a good sofabed mattress—mine was a Sealy mattress, and guests always said it was the most comfortable sofabed they'd ever slept on. I think sofabed mattresses are extra uncomfortable when they're too thin or haven't been used often, so if you buy a new one with a good mattress, you should be fine. I always liked having the area look like a living room when I wasn't sleeping.

This might sound insane to non-NYers, but 400 sq ft is plenty of space to have a real, queen bed with a simple room divider up (even just curtains) and then the rest of your living room/dining area. Check out past AT Small Cool contests for tons of ideas.

@LIEFIE / also the first thing I thought of when I saw this post:

the CB2 sleeper daybed goes from chic daybed to double sized bed

http://www.cb2.com/sofas/furniture/lubi-graphite-sleeper-daybed/f5939

My partner and I lived in 375 sq. ft. studio in Brooklyn for 2 years - yes, a real bed - queen. Definitely figure a way to partition the space into sleeping and living room area. We had a sleeper sofa (also queen) which worked for guests on occasion - we had floor to ceiling curtains on either side of two matching bookcases which were the 'back of the bed'.. facing the living room. It gave a sense of privacy when guests came over or stayed for the weekend. I lived in another studio with a sleeper sofa, I came home everyday to an unmade sofabed - I hated it. Good luck!

It's a little expensive and not everyone's style, but I love the sofa daybed from Restoration Hardware. It looks just like a very deep, luxurious sofa.

http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod80463&categoryId=search

I currently live in a 480 sq. ft. apt and have managed to fit a double sized bed and small sectional sofa; I've come to realize I really appreciate having a separate sofa and bed so there is some concept of different functions within the space. Especially with two people living in the apartment, it might be nice to for when you both need to sprawl out (I often use my bed as a desk to spread out papers and my laptop) but it really depends on the layout...do you have floor plans?

I also say a modern Murphy bed from morespaceplace.

Hi Steph,
Congratulations – Great Skyline (Windows – Done); Keep it light and "loungy zen" for you and Boo

Ikea
Kivik Sofa Bed w/extra slipcover
Strind (Clear glass round coffee table)
(2) Ikea Stockholm Floor Lamps w/dimmers (either side of Sofa Bed)
Ikea Lack TV Unit
Appropriately sized Flat Screen Internet TV (Tivo, Internet theater system, wireless network router)
Very comfortable and easy to move chair
Use can lights w/dimmers to set night mood (either side of windows)

Room&Board
Metro Slipcover Sleeper Sofa
Nelson™ Coconut Chair (in front of HVAC Unit); Sleeping - move to front of floor to celing window)
(3) Nelson™ End Tables (use all for Coffee Table Arrangement; move to ethier side of sofa; 1 table beside Coconut table
Burton Console Table
Appropriately sized Flat Screen Internet TV (Tivo, Internet theater system, wireless network router)
(2) LuxMaster Floor Lamps (either side of
Use can lights w/dimmers to set night mood (either side of windows)
Appropriate Sized Tufenkian Artisan Throw Rug

I had a blast with this - Thanks for the memories, smiles.

I've lived in two different studio apartments and always had a real bed, plus either a sofa or a couple of armchairs. Sleep is important and you need a comfortable bed.

My first choice would be a Murphy bed. If that's not an option, get a regular queen bed. The trick is to not dress it like a bed--no fluffy comforters or anything else that looks bed-like. Get more tailored covering, that works with the rest of the decorating scheme in the apartment, so that the bed reads as just one more piece of furniture and doesn't scream "Here's the BED!" I used a boiled wool blanket in one studio and a dark colored matelasse bedspread in the other.

You really need to know yourselves and how much work you are willing to do on a daily basis in order to go to bed. Getting into a regular bed? Easy. Pulling down a Murphy bed? Still pretty easy. Sofa bed? Starting to get complicated. Making up a day bed? Even more.

And how much work/time do you want to put into putting the bed away in the morning? I know more than one sofa bed user who has ended up leaving the bed out during the week, because they just don't have time in the morning to make up the bed, fold it up, and put all the sofa cushions back in place. It's much easier to make a regular bed, or to put up a Murphy bed.

To be honest, I find even twin size day beds uncomfortable as a sofa. They are too deep to sit on comfortably without having to move back pretty far to get some back support--you usually need to be sitting against the wall to get any back support, unless the sides of the day bed are solid wood--and many aren't. I'm having a hard time picturing how many pillows you'd need on a queen size day bed to make it easy and comfortable to sit on for long periods of time. Pillows that will need to be put somewhere else every night.

I had an Ikea futon the beddinge Remso mattress when I lived in a tiny studio. It has a fold in the center but otherwise it's a regular mattress on a futon frame. It was comfortable and was very easy to open and close. the duvet cover served as the couch cover during the day and there is storage underneath for the pillows during the day and the extra throw pillows at night. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90103584/

I think this is a really, really (:D) good solution:http://ploefff.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/040210small02_rect540.jpg

Personally I have a queen sized boxspring I'm building armrests and a back for. The armrests are just 2 spuare mdf boxes either side and the back is a plank of wood with a sheet of mdf on hinges fixed in between the armrests where it rests on a couple of angled battons. There's no back on the back because the bed is pushed up against a wall. The hinges are so you can lift the back and hide you bedding behind it. All the parts are covered in padding and a nice fabric. A big DIY sofa sort of speak.

Zoom room murphy beds seem like a good solution for you guys:

http://www.zoom-room.com

Also, these murphy beds look really nice:

http://www.resourcefurniture.com/space-savers/queen-space-saving-beds/lgm

Consider Zoom-Room. the electronic, remote controlled, retractable Murphy Bed. It has several advantages over a regular Murphy Bed: 1) you can put a flat screen TV or shelves in front of the cabinet (it rolls up behind instead of folding down like a traditional Murphy Bed); 2) it's undetectable - you can't tell there's a bed in there - which is important in a small space - you can choose from standard or custom cabinets; 3) it's effortless to operate - just press the button on the wireless remote; and, 4) it's way cool. Check it out at www.Zoom-Room.com.

The living/sleeping area in my studio is about 272 sq. ft. Kitchen, dining, closet, and bathroom are separate.

The idea is to open your mind from conventional furniture placement and forget that there are no walls.
Use bookcases and curtains for walls.

My bed is placed sideways against the wall, has a book case on one end and curtain on the other side. I crawl into my bed each night, covered on three sides, it's like a cozy cave. I have a queen sized bed and also a full sized couch, still with enough room to do yoga and not move anything around!

I am lazy and don't like making my bed as it is. Imagine having to fold, unfold, take sheets off, put them on, ew. Stick to a bed. It's all about creative placement.

Use lots and lots of wall space -- shelves, storage, tv mount, as much stuff as you can (tastefully) use the height of the room for.

What is wrong with you people and your obsession with how many times they use the word really? Really..?

Get a real bed. I live in a similar apt situation. It's fine! I wonder how many who suggest the murphy bed have lived with one. You may also need to check your lease to see if you can install a murphy bed, depending on model.

LMV: I love your flat!!! A very good use of space.

I was lucky in that my studio was about double that size and it was just me, so I had a full sized bed, and I brought along my childhood smaller-than-a-twin bed to use as my "couch" that also served as a guest bed from time to time.

If I had to do it again, in 400 sq feet with a second person and more money and less furniture coming in, then I'd definitely go for the loft style bed and then put a pull out sofa underneath.

The reason why is because having to expend much effort to pull out your bed will often result in just leaving it out whenever you don't have guests coming over. It's easy to use a bed as a couch, when there's no one else around. So with a loft style bed, you can keep your bed "out" the whole time, and when your guests come over, they won't be tempted to sit on it.

Then you have room for a couch underneath. I suggest a pull out couch just because you may end up with guests. Trust me, you tell them you live in a studio, and some people respond with "Oh, just give me a place on the floor!" So this way, you don't end up feeling like a bad host. I don't suggest sleeping on a sofa bed long term because I ended up having to do that for 6 months when I was in high school, and it was so uncomfortable and miserable that after a while, I stopped pulling it out and just slept on the couch as a couch.

Oh my God just move to Brooklyn.

I live in a 473sq ft studio. I have a queen sized bed and a sectional. I chose not to divide the space with more furniture. Instead I separated areas by painting different shades of color. Sleeping area is a dark grey, living area is a much lighter grey. There is a clear distinction.

If you choose to do a conventional bed and sofa, most stores have what they term "apartment" sofas. They are shorter in length and width than traditional sofas. Check out Macy's, West Elm, CB2, etc

You would be nuts to NOT do a murphy bed. If you did it right and invested a bit in to it you could fit in a unit that had shelving and drawers on the side that could double as a night stand for the bed and then you could hang a cheap but vibrant piece of art (check out Zgallerie.com. They used to have a store on Bway but it closed) so that when the bed is closed you have something to look at. and just geta small love seat (try Room and Board for something sleekish). Find a lucite table online from CB2 and keep your footprint small. You can do it and it will look Amazing. Good luck

nice windows! I have a 500 sq ft studio. I hate the idea of sleeping on a sofabed so I have a full bed and loveseat with the 5x5 expendit shelf to separate the two. It works for me but I don't like alot of people in my house at once so i never worry about additional seating.

eh...while a murphy bed always seems like a good idea to me, every time I think about getting one for my teeny place I force myself the remember: you gotta leave room free to open it up.

Which means my layout remains almost exactly as-is, but with a big empty space where my bed used to be

=/

(I'm guessing that if you're renting a studio, then budget concerns are paramount, and you may not have a few grand for a nifty murphy bed- if i'm wrong, then ignore this post, because murphy beds are awesome.)
For about $400 the Hemnes day bed at ikea is actually pretty incredible- it has a "trundle" that is the same height as the main mattress and pulls out to the width of two twin beds (which is about the size of a king!) If neither of you are too tall to sleep comfortably on a twin-length mattress, I would definitely consider it.

I live in a 400 sq ft cottage with a separate bedroom, so it is definitely possible to have a bed plus a sofa in that size space. My bedroom is snug, but cozy & fits a queen bed perfectly. My living space holds a small sofa & several bookcases. Get some graph paper & play around with different layouts before you buy anything.

I lived in a very tiny studio that looks a lot like yours. My issue with any type of fold out bed (aside from the nuisance of having to set it up when you're exhausted and put it away when you're in a rush) is that you can't actually use that extra space you gain for anything other than walking through. It's not like you can put a little club chair and coffee table in the space, unless you feel like (and have room for) pushing those pieces aside every night.
I recommend looking at it like a hotel room. Hotels never feel weird for having the bed in the main space, and you don't often get a full sofa in there. I had a queen bed with the Mitchell Gold Mona Sofette at the foot of my bed. It was good for 2 people to sit there, then me and whoever else would be up on the bed, for watching a movie. Then I had a little table (though I could have actually gotten a small sectional or pair of chairs instead) to the right of the bed where we could all sit together.

If I were you, I wouldn't over think this. Just get a bed and try to somehow divide it from the rest of the room. Having a bed will increase your quality of life and most importantly, your hidden storage space. I have a small apartment and propped an IKEA Lillesand (<a href:http:></a>) up on bed risers and then sewed a long bedskirt. I only have a mattress and not a box spring, so the bed is not too high, but there is a TON of storage. I can fit like six 16" high sterilite bins under there. I think when you live in a studio, hidden storage is way more important then how you feel when people visit.

umm... and apparently I can't edit my comment on this site to fix my html attempt... that's weird for a blog page like this.

I have a one room studio apartment less than 100 square feet. My full size mattress is on a sturdy steel smart bed frame which holds up very well and provides plenty of storage beneath (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Spa-Sensations-W-SBBK-T/15739163). I have a loveseat, 2 small bookshelves, a bistro table and 2 chairs, coffee table, end table and an entertainment center which is deep enough I've put extra books, my DVD & CD storge cases and I still have plenty of room. I think you can have a bed AND a loveseat, maybe an armchair, too.

@PAMELA L
Here's another idea found in the vaults of old AT posts.. west elm cushions that convert a bed into a sofa.. perhaps if it doesn't fit the budget, a DIY project would probe successful

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/good-questions-540-94544

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