Some tips on optimizing space in a studio apartment

At key stages in our lives, whether we are a student, new professional in a costly city, recently separated, or moving into a retirement facility, a studio apartment may be our best (or only) option for accommodation. We would then need to sleep, work, cook, relax and entertain in a single room. This can be quite challenging, physically and psychologically, as the boundaries between different parts of our lives may become blurred. We may feel constrained because of the limitations of our space. In today's blog, I look at some simple and economical strategies that we can use to optimize space, enjoyment and liveability of a single living space. 

A common problem with single-space living is that the bed tends to dominate the room, especially if it is one undifferentiated space. One approach is to look around for multi-functional furniture, such as a sleeper couch - there is quite a wide range of styles and prices to align with your taste and budget. The advantage of a sleeper couch is that you can transform the whole space instantaneously from a bedroom to an entertaining space. It is also a good idea if you work from home or are studying, to be able to have a clear separation between your sleeping and daytime activities - you will be far more productive and if you have an online meeting, your background will be of a daytime space. The down-side of a sleeper couch is that they often are not as comfortable as a normal bed. You may therefore want to consider whether you have space for both - a relatively small bed for you to sleep in, and a sleeper couch for visitors to use; or to style a normal bed with cushions and a headboard so that it can function as a couch in the day.

Example of a sleeper couch from MrP Home (image from MrP Home advert linked)

Another way of separating sleeping from your daytime activities is to divide the room vertically by acquiring a raised bed with a desk and/or storage below. The bed is now out of your direct line of sight! The vertical space where the bed sits, which normally has little amenity, now houses your space to work and valuable storage. As with the sleeper couches, there is quite a range on the market, not all of which look like they would only suit a pre-teen bedroom. 

Example of bunk-bed with desk under from Furniture Warehouse (image from Furniture Warehouse advert)

If you own the space, or have a landlord who is willing to allow you to adapt the space, you can also look into installing a built-in fitting to create a mezzanine or loft space for sleeping. One of the smaller units in my apartment block did this, but you need a reliable person to construct this to ensure safety, and it is important to check whether you need to obtain permission from your apartment building to do this. 

Capitalising on the features of the space 

An L-shaped room often offers the opportunity to divide the space into a sleeping area and a separate zone for working and entertaining. Think quite carefully about how you subdivide the space - you may want to try out different arrangements of your furniture to come up with the optimal solution. Think about how your guests will perceive the space - would they feel like they are walking through your bedroom to get to the entertainment area? How does the entertainment space relate to your cooking or meal preparation facilities? Also consider your own amenity and enjoyment of the space, as you will spend a lot more time there than any of your guests. Where does the natural light come from? Where does furniture feel well-positioned for your ease of access and feelings of comfort.

Ideally, a dedicated sleeping area should be in the darkest part of the room, provided that there is adequate artificial light or a plug-point for a lamp. This is often in the part of the room in a direct line between the cooking area and the window, where you may want your entertainment space. Think about ways to deflect attention away from the bed - maybe a couple of large pot plants or partition can screen off the sleeping zone.

Room dividers, screens and partitions

If you are allowed to make permanent changes to your space, the options here are endless, from a full-scale constructed partition through to the simple installation of a curtain rail. The downside is that you need to be absolutely sure that you are locating the new divider in the optimal position. It may be an idea to try out a temporary solution, such as a borrowed screen, for a few months before committing to your final solution. 

As you can see in the video, you can achieve the screening effect with a fitting that does not completely enclose a part of the room or shut out the light entirely. The trick is to put in just enough to deflect attention from the screened-off area, so an effective installation is one with visual interest without looking too cluttered or claustrophobic.

An important aspect of any screen, whether moveable or fixed, is how it affects the light in the space. You may want to look at a translucent solution or an open piece of furniture such as an open-back wall fitting or bookcase. 

Example of bookcase room divider from Mr P Home (image from Mr P Home advert)

For a much lower-cost approach, you can look at installing a fabric or beaded curtain, with the ability to open up the space into a single continuous room or partition it. This simple solution has been used effectively for centuries and has lost none of its appeal. Your choice of fabric is important to convey the right mood - avoid very dark colours that will tend to make the space look smaller, and likewise very bold patterns. 

Fold-out furniture

There is a wide range of ingenious designs from simple drop-down tables, through to entire rooms of furniture that pack away into a minimal space, but these tend to be quite expensive to buy new and are often customised to fit a specific location, so only worth while if you plan to live in the same place for many years. One option is to explore the second-hand furniture shops - you could find a beautiful piece that just needs a bit of TLC to restore it to its former appeal. 

Fold-up chairs are a very convenient way to allow for entertaining, while maximising the space when the guests have gone. I have a pair of deck-chairs that live folded up in a corner of my balcony and are only used when I have visitors. I also have a fold-up metal table and chairs.

Example of fold-up table and chairs from Leroy Merlin (image from Leroy Merlin advert)

Storage

One of the biggest challenges of living in a one-room space is storage - it requires a very disciplined approach to be able to have an environment that always looks inviting. When I was a student I lived in a bachelor-flat (one living room with separate bathroom and kitchen) which housed an enormous drawing board from the 1930s and all the chaos of an architectural student! I made a point every evening of setting aside 15 minutes to "restore to factory settings" so that I could sleep well and wake up to a pleasant environment that was not dominated by my architectural production.

I was fortunate enough to have needed very few possessions, so it was not too much of a challenge to keep everything relatively tidy. But for most of us (myself included, post-student days), we have a wealth of possessions, not all of which warrant being on display at all times. We can use this as an opportunity to sculpt the space while accommodating life's "extras" by partitioning the space with free-standing cupboards. 

Some storage solutions can also be multi-function, such as an ottoman that gives valuable storage while doubling up as a bench seat.

Example of ottoman from Makro (image from Makro advert)

Bringing it all together

An important design consideration when working with small spaces is to bring visual coherence - a simple way of achieving this is by working with a limited colour palette, such as all green tones. Greens and blues tend to make a room look bigger, as do lighter colours, while reds and dark colours will make a room seem smaller. Mirrors can also be effective in making a space seem bigger, but be careful of huge expanses of glass that can be intimidating to your guests and give the impression of a hair salon. Pot plants can be an excellent addition to your environment, whether as visual accents or as room dividers as a vegetated wall or on shelving.

An affordable way of providing visual coherence, while giving your older furniture a new lease on life, is to repaint it all in the same colour. New additions can be chosen to blend in. When you are done, take a critical look, as if you were a first-time guest - where would you like to focus their first impression and where would you like to hold their gaze? These are the areas to target with accent colours, but again beware of overkill - a terracotta scatter cushion in a green palette can be more subtle and effective than a screaming orange or magenta.

Most important, with any space where you live or work, it should be comfortable to you primarily - this allows you to grow with the space and add to it in a coherent way over the years.