Moving into a studio apartment often means having to deal with a small space that combines kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom in just a few square metres. However, with a few layout tips, it is perfectly possible to feel comfortable without feeling like you are suffocating. Here are some ideas that will allow you to optimise and structure the small surfaces of your studio to make it a cosy and functional place.
Furnished studio
Visually enlarge the studio space before moving in
Before you move your furniture and belongings into your studio, there are a few tricks you can use to make your space feel bigger.
Light colours
Whether it's a student flat, a young worker's apartment or a senior citizen's flat, a studio apartment, especially if it only has about twenty square metres, must be bright. To give this more or less cramped flat a feeling of depth, give preference to light tones on the walls and floors. White, beige, light grey or pastel paint on the walls will do the trick. Stripes can also be a real ally, as long as they are vertical. On the floor, a light-coloured floating wooden floor or a light-coloured PVC floor is ideal. This combination will not only bring more light into the house but will also visually enlarge the space.
Use light colours
Choosing the right lighting
While it is clear that studio windows are ideal for providing natural light, their effect only lasts during the day-time. Once the evening comes or the days are particularly dark, the right artificial lighting will help to ensure that there is enough light. In order to create a pleasant space, you should ensure that there are multiple lighting points in all your activity areas. For this purpose, it is better to use table and hanging lamps rather than floor lamps, which can clutter up the floor unnecessarily.
Focus on transparency
A very interesting trick to give a greater sense of depth and space in a studio is to use transparent materials (curtains, vases, transparent furniture, etc.). Strategically placing mirrors in front of light sources, for example, will immediately give your space an illusion of depth. Your studio will seem larger and you will also gain more light.
A sense of depth
Optimising your space
Once you have completed the decoration of your studio, it is time to move on to the furnishings! And here again, nothing should be left to chance. Everything must be thought through to make your one-room apartment a functional place in which you will enjoy spending time.
Creating distinct spaces
Just because you move into one room doesn't mean you can't structure it to create several areas. Depending on the amount of space you have available, a few inexpensive but very clever ideas will allow you to make your studio an intimate and functional place in which you won't feel suffocated. If the kitchen area is often isolated, the living room area should also be used as a bedroom. And let's face it, this is not ideal for privacy. Fortunately, there are now separation solutions to suit all spaces and budgets. A removable partition such as a screen, a storage unit or even curtains will allow you to separate your living area from your sleeping area. A glass roof will allow you to delimit your kitchen area. Ideal for limiting the diffusion of odours into the rest of your studio without having to partition, it exists in different colours and materials. Ideally, it should be transparent to give an impression of grandeur.
Separation of spaces
Focus on height
If the surface area of your studio seems too small to consider partitioning solutions, there is another trick that will allow you to delimit your bedroom area to maintain an intimate space. A raised bed, or better still, a mezzanine bed, will give you the opportunity to delimit your space. Moreover, this idea is perfect to avoid cluttering the floors but also to add character to your studio. There are many models of mezzanines that you can choose from according to your taste, of course, but also according to the amount of space you want to have. Some of them are perfect for housing the living room or office area under the bed without taking up too much space.
Adapted furniture
The choice of furniture for a studio apartment must be carefully considered. It must be adapted to the surface area of the flat but also be functional. And today, whether you are more of a contemporary, industrial or Scandinavian type, it is impossible not to find furniture that is both aesthetic and practical! In order not to weigh down the space, ideally choose low furniture in light colours and with sliding doors rather than handles. As for the lounge area, a sofa or bench with a storage box will prove clever for hiding all your cumbersome belongings. As for the lounge table, rather than choosing an imposing one, opt for a practical model such as a folding one or a 2 in 1 with integrated stools. A coffee table with an opening bar or with integrated footstools is also ideal. A small corner TV unit with storage will also keep the space free of clutter. In the bedroom, heavy and massive wardrobes should be avoided. If your studio does not have a dressing room, a headboard with shelves or cupboards will allow you to store all your belongings efficiently. If you can't separate your living room from your sleeping area, a foldaway bed is an ideal solution for optimising the space of the studio during the day. In short, modular furniture is the best solution to harmonise your room.
Coffee table Noora with stowable footstools
Use and abuse clever storage
Although it is necessary to sort out your personal belongings before moving into a studio apartment, having storage space is essential to avoid cluttering up the space in your home. And here again, there are some ingenious ideas that you might not think of, but which you can use.
Over-the-door storage
That's right! We don't always think about it, but the space between the door and the ceiling is an area that must be exploited. Depending on the height of the ceiling, it can range from about thirty centimetres to sometimes more than a metre. So don't hesitate to make the most of this space by installing one or more shelves on which you can store your books, knick-knacks, or even small green plants that will certainly brighten up the room. In a bathroom or shower room, this space will also be ideal for storing your towels in a clever way. For the bathroom again, you can install hanging shelves on the door. They take up little space and allow you to store all your toiletries without them taking up space, especially if the space is small.
Exploiting the height of the walls
Living in a small space means you have to know how to make the most of every corner. If you are lucky enough to have a high ceiling, you should make the most of it. Closed shelves or cupboards along the entire length of the walls will not only provide practical storage space but will also visually enlarge the space, provided, of course, that you opt for light colours. White shelves or cupboards with a glossy finish are ideal. The must: cupboards with sliding mirror doors that will create the illusion of a large space!
Take advantage of the height for storage
Minimalist decoration
As a reminder, a cluttered room quickly gives the impression of being cramped. Although living in a studio is no longer a foregone conclusion thanks to the many design solutions available, you should nevertheless ensure that you prefer a simple and minimalist decor. Avoid piling up or overloading your walls, furniture and shelves with useless objects or bulky pictures. On your sofa or bed, choose light colours that will make the whole look brighter and more spacious. Make the most of all your storage space to free up as much room as possible in your studio and avoid the feeling of clutter. You'll feel better there.
To conclude, the design of a studio relies on a few tricks and a choice of suitable furniture to make it a functional space without compromising on comfort.
