apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

How high are the ceilings? The reason I ask is because it seems like your only option for bed placement is that far wall directly across from the front door (bad feng shui) and I think you would need to put a bookcase or a wall up (see: http://chicago.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/fall-colors-2006-midwest/fall-colors-2006-finalist-2-brookes-brave-blast-of-brightness-014579)

my first thought was a loft bed but that worked for me when i was in college. almost certain i wouldn't do that now.

Hi Dawn,

My first thought would be to invest in some sort of low, long chest or credenza that has additional storage for hiding your clutter (I find that the key to happy studio dwelling is conquering clutter, or at least putting it behind closed doors). You could use the surface area for display or a makeshift entertainment center for your tv, stereo, etc. I don't know what your taste or budget are but something like this one from IKEA might work: http://tinyurl.com/ya23tj

Bookshelves and art above this and voila! One wall of your studio is complete :)

Dear Dawn, Since you live in a small studio, I'm guessing you want to make your bedroom double as a bedroom and an entertaining area. Why not try a Murphy bed. Here is one place that offers them: http://www.murphybedcompany.com/

You could also try a fold out couch or futton. Just make sure you find one that is very comfortable.

Using either of those options would allow you to furnish the room as you would a normal living room.

Good luck!

It will be easier to know what furniture to buy when you have an idea of what functions you want your studio to serve. You've got the bed, so sleeping is covered. Does it fit along the wall next to the bathroom door? That way it is out of view from the front door.

Do you want to entertain? Have friends over for dinner? Watch movies? Work from home? It helps to have pieces that can serve more than one function. Like a small dining room table can also be a desk. A loveseat with coffee table can make it comfortable to have guests over so that they aren't hanging out on a dining room chair or on your bed (unless you want them too!)


Good luck!

Dawn,

That long wall offers plenty of space to allow you to partition things a little bit. I would suggest looking into something like the IKEA EXPEDIT bookcase. It can give you alot of valuable storage and create a "bedroom".

Click on the link to my name. I drew up a little sample floor plan of your space with a possible furniture lay out.

Good luck! Your place really isn't that small. I just moved into a 200 sq. foot studio!

Laura, how did you make that diagram?

One problem with Murphy beds, is that as a renter, the only thing I can use is a freestanding unit, and that doesn't sound very earthquake safe to me.

Hi, Dawn! I mapped this out much more clearly on paper, but am having technical difficulties getting it onto the computer, so I'll try to describe:

ENTRY: Coat rack in the far corner (behind the door when you open it, so not in your path). On that same wall, a bookcase for storage/landing strip, a small lamp, and any smaller art you have above it (photos, etc.) - much more interesting to look at here than on a big wall. A small bright rug might be good in the entry, too, even if just under the door.

LIVING: I'd map out the top half of the "big" room as your living area, with an 8x12 (or custom) rug defining it. Place 60-65 inch clean-lined sofa (NOT overstuffed!) along "long" wall, with your new side table at its left arm, closest to the entry. I'd put some very big bright art above the sofa to really draw your focus on the "living" portion of the room (which the rug would do as well). Place very small coffee table in front of the sofa that can also work as a footstool (the Room and Board Slim 12"x36" metal one woudl be great). Add comfortable (but NOT overstuffed) upholstered slipper chair, or barrel chair, on 7'8" wall, angled into the room, with incandescent floor lamp (not halogen/torchiere!) behind it, in the corner near the bath. A tall leaning mirror would be great on this wall (facing across from the windows). Place TV and media stand on the 3' wall between the bath and built-in dresser (facing sofa). Be sure to have something interesting on the wall above the TV for when it's off! One of two slim dining chairs goes next to the TV and a little bit in front of the built-in dresser, angling in to the rest of the seating area and easily movable.

BED/OFFICE/DINING: Place your bed in the bottom-left corner, facing into the room (so you'd be looking at the headboard from the apartment entry). I'd do the bed entirely in white linens, so it "disappears," then with bright bold throw pillows on top to capture the attention instead of the bed itself. Some nice art above the bed would be great, too. At the foot of the bed, I'd place a bench or low bookcase, which serves as additional side table to the sofa (just beyond), and a visual barrier of the bed from when you enter the apartment. Next to the bed, up against the windows, I'd place a 29"x29" or 34"x34" square table (could even be a folding card table) with a nice lamp, serving as bedside table, desk, and dining. The second matching slim dining chair stays under this table.

This kind of arrangement would give you good clear walkways, comfortable areas to entertain (even just yourself!), and the view out of the window when you eat/work (my personal favorite) that's also convenient to the kitchen. My guess is that the vast majority of the time, you'll be in the apartment alone, and I think this would be pleasing visually for you - and efficient... but still gives you plenty of flexibility.

Don't forget to buy yourself a bright orchid or something, and other plants, to keep the place feeling fresh and alive - and install dimmers wherever you can! There are lots of opportunities to add your own style in colors, throw pillows, art, etc..

Let me know if you'd like me to fax you the drawing, or if I can make any of the above more clear.

Hope you really love your new space - congratulations!!

Cat,
I'm an interior designer. I just used Autocad really quick and saved it as a jpeg.

Hey Dawn, one idea that I saw once and thought about implementing myself - when I lived in a San Francisco studio - was to build a platform and store the bed (well, mattress really) on rollers beneath that platform. You could then use the platform for many things, depending on how large you built it and how strong you built in. In theory you could "split-level" your space, placing furniture atop the platform (say, a desk and chair, or even your living room furniture). You just need to leave enough clear space in front of the platform for your mattress to roll out into (the mattress could roll out lenghtwise or sideways, depending on what works best in your space).

This would work well if your ceiling is high enough. You could get fancy and finish the top of the platform with a laminate flooring, or just use heavy, pre-finished white (or black, or wood) laminated particleboard for the top of the platform.

Earthquake safety could be an issue, depending on what you have atop the platform. One solution might be to build a railing on the edge of the platform, to keep larger pieces from falling off during a quake. If you simply use the platform itself as a large seating area, with cushions and pillows on top, this won't be an issue. That's practical if you're sleeping on a small twin mattress, since the platform won't have to be much deeper than the mattress.

You could build the platform as high as you want. The mattress would be housed in an open-topped box on wheels that slides in and out, and you can place a front on it to hide the mattress and bedding when not in use. Just make sure to get a mattress that works without a box spring (or build a REALLY high platform and sturdy drawer to hold it in).

Obviously there are downsides to this scheme, depending on the size of the platform. The materials cost could go quite high, it'll take time to construct, and unless it's fairly small it won't be easy to move. You could construct it in such a way that it's easy to disassemble, though that will up the expense somewhat, and possibly recycle the platform in part or whole in your next apartment.

The big plus is this idea allows you to essentially convert a studio apartment into a one bedroom apartment, which in San Francisco can save several hundred dollars a month. That'll pay for a lot of particleboard and screws. It can also get you a cool split-level effect, depending on how you implement it. And you may never have to make your bed again – just slide it out of sight!

Laura, You should post pictures of how you've made the most of your tiny studio. I want to see!

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. This really, really helps me a lot. I have been in the dark for so long. I can't tell you how many magazines, books, and websites that I have gone thru.

LAURA...How can I thank you? The sample floor plan that you designed left me speechless. It's wonderful. I moved my bed tonight. Thanks to you, my studio will finally feel like home.

HELLOAT...That would be awesome if you could fax your idea to me. I'm very curious.

SUNSPOT...Great ideas. I like them as well.

Again, thanks everyone for taking the time to help me.

Sincerely,

No longer clueless. :)

Dawn, email me your fax number at helloat (at) gmail (dot) com, and I'll be happy to fax it to you!

Hope you'll post again along the way to let us see all your progress. Enjoy!

Dawn,
You're so welcome. I'm glad I could be of help. I hope you can make something out of what you have. It really isn't a bad space. Please show us what you come up with!

Julia - I just moved into the 200 sq. ft studio last weekend but it's almost finished (for now.. my apartments are always a work in progress). I'll take pictures soon and share. I can't wait for the smallest coolest contest! If only they'd make a category for REALLY small and cool. :)

You folks who live in these incredibly tiny spaces are MY HEROES! I don't know how you do it, but it never ceases to amaze me!! Wow.