Living in a studio apartment means that a person must embrace their limitation with creativity. Every square foot of a person’s studio apartment has a dual purpose, and the dual purpose of each square foot forces a person to consider the layout of the studio apartment. The difference between a person’s studio apartment that feels too small and too crowded compared to a studio apartment that feels livable has alot to do with how a person chooses to organize the single room that a person have within their apartment.
The good news is that a person does not need to spend a lot of money on decorating their studio apartment or have an interior design degree to make their studio apartment a success. With a plan and the existence of certain furniture arrangement, even a person’s smallest studio apartment can be transformed into a cozy and comfortable place to live. The text that follows will describe the eight different layout approach for people who have to live within one single room in their apartment.
Creative Layout Ideas for Your Studio Apartment
1. Bed Placement Against the Longest Wall
Bed placement is the first and most important element for a person to consider in the creation of their studio apartment layout. A person can place their bed against the longest wall in the studio apartment to allow for other activities to take place in the center of the apartment. Using this particular layout will allow for a sleeping area in the studio apartment while providing other living spaces for a person to utilize.
This method is best used for rectangular studio apartments in which a person can place their bed against the longest wall of their apartment and allow the remaining area for other furniture piece. Another important layout plan is to place the bed low against the wall and use the headboard as a piece of storage for the bedroom. A person can place a slim nightstand against one side of the bed and a larger dresser against the other side of the bed.
This arrangement provide sleeping space for the bed while also allowing for other functions of the bedroom to continue to exist in the same studio apartment. Any additional placement of a room divider or tall plant against the headboard will only enhance the sleeping space for the bed without sacrificing the openness of the room itself.
2. Floating the Bed in the Middle
Another layout plan is to float the bed in the middle of the studio apartment.
A person can use this layout for their studio apartment if the apartment contains windows on multiple walls. By positioning the bed perpendicular to the longest wall that contains a window, a person’s bed will help to create a divider between the sleeping area of the apartment and the rest of the apartment that contains the sleeping bed. The head of the bed will face the living area and the foot of the bed will point towards the kitchen or entryway of the apartment.
This layout plan is best used for square studio apartments because the corners of a square studio apartment are the most precious areas for studio apartment layouts. A person will sacrifice a small portion of the wall area of the studio apartment for the placement of art or shelves. A person will gain a sense of flow to the studio apartment that will make the entire apartment feel larger in size then it may otherwise appear.
A low platform bed or bed with drawers underneath the bed can be used to minimize the visual impact of the bed within the apartment. A narrow console table can be placed behind the bed to allow for the placement of lamps, books, and coffee for the individual who lives in the apartment.
3. Using Tall Shelving Units
Another important layout consideration is to use tall shelving unit within a person’s studio apartment.
A person can use tall shelving units to make the studio apartment feel taller to the individual who lives within the apartment. Placing a single shelving unit perpendicular to one of the apartment walls will allow a person to create an entryway to the apartment or a dressing area for the individual who lives within the apartment. The shelving unit can be used to hold the individual’s clothes or other items for the studio apartment that will otherwise remain uncluttered within the rest of the apartment.
Another benefit to using tall shelves is that the visual clutter of the apartment can be minimized. A person should use open shelving along the living side of the studio apartment and use closed cabinets for the bedroom area of the apartment if the items that will be placed on those shelves are not visually appealing to the individual who lives in the apartment. A rolling ladder or step stool can be placed to the top of the shelving units to maximize the use of the shelving without the need for a separate shelving unit for other items in the studio apartment.
4. Murphy Beds
A person will enjoy the use of this layout if they are willing to devote some time every day to tidying up the studio apartment. Using a Murphy bed in place of a regular bed will transform a studio apartment into a success if a person is willing to make the purchase of such a bed. Murphy beds can be seen as a bed that folds into a wall when not in use by the sleeping individual.
By utilizing a Murphy bed, a person will gain the benefit of having their entire studio apartment as a living space rather than having a sleeping area that takes up the majority of the square footage of the apartment. Murphy beds often come with built-in nightstands and shelving units that the sleeping person and their sleeping area use. The use of Murphy beds is best for studio apartments that are to be used as an office or creative studio during the daylight hours.
The placement of the Murphy bed will require some sacrifice from the individual in that they must clear the area in front of the bed each night when the individual goes to sleep. Once a person has experienced sleeping in a completely open studio apartment, it is nearly impossible for that person to go back to using a permanent bed in their studio apartment. Many Murphy beds now come with a sofa or desk on the opposite side of the bed.
These additions allow for a person to gain two functions of furniture from the purchase of one Murphy bed.
5. L-Shaped Layout
An L-shaped layout is another consideration for the individual who lives in a studio apartment. A person can utilize an L-shaped layout for their studio apartment if their studio apartment has an alcove or one corner of the studio apartment that is shaped in an unusual fashion.
A person can place their sofa against one of the walls of the alcove and place their bed into the alcove that is perpendicular to the wall upon which the sofa is placed. Using a tall plant or folding screen in the corner of the studio apartment will allow the individual to soften the look of the corner of the apartment. The benefit of an L-shape layout is that it creates three different zones within the studio apartment.
The sleeping area, the lounging area, and the area for eating or working can exist within the studio apartment. A person can use an area rug to define the living area of the apartment and another rug of smaller size can be used to define the sleeping space of the studio apartment. The center of the L-shape can remain open to the individual who lives in the apartment.
The open L-shape will allow a person’s eyes to travel along the corner of the apartment to the other end of the apartment.
6. Multifunctional Furniture
Multifunctional furniture is a great idea for studio apartments. A storage ottoman can hold blankets when a person is not using the ottoman as seating.
An ottoman can become seating for friends who come over to the apartment. A coffee table that can be raised to a dining height can be used for both dining and other functions of the coffee table. A daybed with a trundle will provide one sleeping area and another sleeping bed for a guest without having to take up the floor space within the studio apartment.
These items all look like normal furniture for the apartment rather than items that are used as space-saving items for the apartment. Another benefit to utilizing multifunctional furniture in a person’s studio apartment is that the visual clutter of the apartment will be minimized. A slim dining table that can be placed against one of the walls of the apartment can be used to seat two individual for meals.
The same dining table can be used as a desk in the studio apartment to allow the individual to work while they are in their home. Adding a couple of lightweight stools to the dining area will allow a person to solve the problem of having an area for eating and working in their studio apartment.
7. Varied Lighting Solutions
The use of different types of lighting in the studio apartment will have a great impact upon the individual’s comfort in their studio apartment.
A person who uses only one fixture for lighting in their studio apartment may experience harsh shadow in different areas of the apartment. A variety of floor, table, and wall sconces can be used to provide different lighting for different areas of the same studio apartment. For instance, a reading lamp can be provided by the bed, another light fixture can be placed near the work area of the apartment, and an ambient light can be placed near the sofa in the living area.
Using warm lighting in the living area and sleeping area of a person’s studio apartment will make the apartment feel larger during the sleeping hours of the individual. String lights or LED lights that are hidden behind the tall shelving units in the kitchen area will help to provide additional depth to the studio apartment. Additionally, the addition of string lights or LED lights behind tall shelving will make the ceiling of the apartment appear higher than it is.
Another consideration for a person who is looking to decorate their studio apartment is to create a layout that works for their needs. If a person cooks in their studio apartment every night, they should focus on creating an open area for the kitchen. For those who use their studio apartment as an office from home, they will want to provide the desk with the best lighting and privacy in their studio apartment.
A couple of different arrangement can be tried for one week to see which works the best for a person before committing to that studio apartment layout. One of the best qualities of the best studio apartment layouts is that they work as a series of rooms that have the same ceiling as each other. Each studio apartment layout will have an element or feature that draws the individual’s eyes to an element of the apartment before they realize how small the living space is.
This sense of order and the sense of intention behind each of the best studio apartment layouts will make individuals look forward to entering their apartments every day.
