Living in a 400 square foot studio apartment can feel like an individual is trying to fit an entire life into a large walk-in closet. In a 400 square foot studio apartment, every square inch of the floor space is of importance to the individual who live within the apartment. One chair placed incorrectly in the apartment can block the path to the refrigerator, or a single tall lamp can make the apartment feel like a dark cave.
Despite these potential downsides to living in such a small apartment, there are various ways for individuals to make the most of there 400 square foot apartment. Many individuals do not find ways to make the apartment work by purchasing smaller version of the items they may need for the apartment. Instead, they find ways to make it work by thinking with creativity about the needs of an apartment.
One way to approach living within a studio apartment is to treat the apartment as a series of zones rather than one large room. By treating the studio apartment as a series of zones, the individual will not fight the small size of their apartment. Instead, they will create it to work in a way that best suit the size of the apartment.
There are nine ideas that can make a large transformation to the apartment while spending less money and effort. Individuals who desired to make their studio apartments into homes instead of place to camp tested these ideas within actual 400 square foot apartments. One of the first ideas is to purchase furniture that serves two purposes.
Smart Ways To Maximize Your Studio Space
1. Furniture That Serves Two Purposes
For instance, individuals used to place heavy machines called Murphy beds in the studios during the 1980s. Moddern Murphy beds, however, fold down from the walls of the studio apartment. These beds can serve as sofas or coffee tables during the daytime. The queen-size Murphy bed will take up 60 square feet of space, which can be used for a dining table or reading nook.
2. Murphy Beds
Beyond the benefits to the individual, the Murphy bed also has a satisfying mechanism that operates for those who learn how to use the bed. Storage within the Murphy bed can hold seasonal clothes or blankets. While it may be true that the Murphy bed requires an initial investment of money, it is less expensive to purchase a Murphy bed than to purchase an additional sofa bed that may break after only a few months of use.
Another idea is to incorporate vertical storage into the studio apartment. One can place vertical shelving along the longest wall of the studio apartment. This will allow the individual to stop their belongings from taking up space on the floor of the apartment.
3. Vertical Storage
Shelving at the top of the apartment can be used for items that are used every two years. Additionally, a person can purchase a rolling library ladder if the ceilings of the apartment are eight feet or higher. Using tall shelves will make the apartment feel taller, rather than more narrow.
Shelving that is painted a color that is the same as the walls will allow the individual’s belongings to appear to float within the apartment. This idea alone can make the individual’s 400 square foot apartment feel like 500 square feet. Another idea is to use room dividers in the studio apartment.
4. Room Dividers
Dividers will allow an individual to feel as if they have more space within their studio apartment. For instance, using a wooden screen that is placed at an angle will allow an individual to define a portion of the apartment for sleeping, while still allowing the morning sun to reach into the kitchen area. Using a thick curtain on a ceiling track will allow individuals to open the curtain during the day, but will allow individuals to block the light from entering the apartment if they choose to.
