How to design a STUDIO apt..?!?

snosno

snosno

Member
Sep 17, 2006
163
0
#1
I'm seeking all your creative help.
I'm moving into a Studio Apt...and...it's sooo tiny!!!
I want to make the most out of this 500sq ft. space. Just b/c it's small doesn't mean I can't have style right?!

I want a clean/modern concept...but I'm so clueless on interior designing... :shrugs:

How do your living spaces look like? Furniture and accents?

It'll be great if you can share your ideas n styles!! I'm going to be furniture shopping soon..btw...I never knew quality ottomans cost so much! hahhaa.. shows how much I know about furniture...

Sister in Help!:Push:
 
#2
I love walking around an Ikea store because the furniture is made for small areas and every item seems to be doing double duty!
Living in a small place myself short on storage space I am in love with bookshelves!
I like art on the walls and a mix of modern pieces an antique things and probably tend to have a more eclectic eye about my apartment and design aesthetic.
Have fun and move things around until they find a home.
And don't be afraid to have empty spaces until the right piece comes along to fill the space.
 
#3
I totaly agree with cfred! Ikea is a great resource since they have little modules of small apartments and how they are decorated and ways to maximize your space.

Have fun and good luck decorating :biggrin:
 
#4
I agree with cfred - Ikea is a great place to start since the furniture is so cheap and they always have studio-sized rooms that give you ideas on placement. Think about utililzing your wall for storage to clear up more space on the floor; having some sort of separator from your bedroom and living space (using a screen or a bookcase); finding double-use items (like an ottoman that opens and doubles as storage, etc). Have fun!!
 
#6
As far as decorating your place goes, find a painting that you love. You will most probably love it partly because of the colours in it. Go from there and pick wall colours and furniture/ accent pieces from colours in there. That way a smaller area will seem to flow better.

The last house I did (I am a decorator), I found a gorgeous guilt for the master bedroom, and went backwards from it. It had beautiful colours and shades that I could see the whole house having hints of those same colours (but to differing degrees) throughout. The owners didn't have a color preference and left everything up to me. I showed them this quilt and they LOVED it and the colours in it. You may not think you have favorite colours or know where to start, so finding a good painting (or anything that you love) will be a good way to *know where to start. Good luck! :smile:
 
#7
LOL, that's a HUGE studio!! I definitely recommend IKEA. I think they even have a dept. that shows "living in under 600 sq. ft." in ours. When I lived in NYC most of my friends had studios under 250 sq. ft. So really, they were just expensive dorms.
 
#8
Another source of inspiration is French decoration magazines - even if you can't read French, go to Borders or wherever and flip though - some of them have regular features on decorating tiny little spaces in creative ways.
 
#9
yay!! thanks for the tips!! I'm definitely going to check out those books!

I think for color....I came down to.....Neutrals (beiges, chocolates and whites)....I also like accent colors like cranberry/wine red or sage/lime green.... but I'm having a hard time integrating everything together w/o making it look like my room just threw up a blob...hahah

Since I have a small living area....do you recommend small/modern arm chairs...or a sleek chaise?...or even a sofa (too big??)

eeeek....so much i see and want...but...either too big or too expensive.......

THANKS AGAIN!!!

I appreciate all the tips...keep them coming!~

:woohoo:
 
#10
cfred said:
I love walking around an Ikea store because the furniture is made for small areas and every item seems to be doing double duty!
Living in a small place myself short on storage space I am in love with bookshelves!
I like art on the walls and a mix of modern pieces an antique things and probably tend to have a more eclectic eye about my apartment and design aesthetic.
Have fun and move things around until they find a home.
And don't be afraid to have empty spaces until the right piece comes along to fill the space.
Click to expand...

I think this bears repeating. Everything you said was right-on, imo. The best things happen sometime when you move things around. "Happy surprises," to quote a painter who used to be on tv, will happen when you put something like a vase on a table just to unload yourself of some things you're holding. Often that turns out to be a perfect place, and you wouldn't have thought of it there before.

Also, I like what she said about the eclectic mood of a room. I do this is every room in my house - mix antiques with more modern or streamlined pieces. It warms up the room and adds interest.

Another thing is to get a few accessories that have personality. Not cutesy - but things that will add your style to your place. Get things that will make you smile - everytime you look at them.
 
#11
My studio is 450 sq ft and I love it! Checkout HGTV.com. Mine is an antique medium colored wood theme. Only have a table that seats 4, full size bed, 1 night stand, beautiful antique stand up mirror, and wood chest that contains all my unmentionables! GOOD LUCK!
 
#12
RowanOak said:
I think this bears repeating. Everything you said was right-on, imo. The best things happen sometime when you move things around. "Happy surprises," to quote a painter who used to be on tv, will happen when you put something like a vase on a table just to unload yourself of some things you're holding. Often that turns out to be a perfect place, and you wouldn't have thought of it there before.

Also, I like what she said about the eclectic mood of a room. I do this is every room in my house - mix antiques with more modern or streamlined pieces. It warms up the room and adds interest.

Another thing is to get a few accessories that have personality. Not cutesy - but things that will add your style to your place. Get things that will make you smile - everytime you look at them.
Click to expand...

that's a pretty good advice. Remember, when you decorate your space also choose things that you'll definately be happy with.
 
#13
Sanguar said:
LOL, that's a HUGE studio!! I definitely recommend IKEA. I think they even have a dept. that shows "living in under 600 sq. ft." in ours. When I lived in NYC most of my friends had studios under 250 sq. ft. So really, they were just expensive dorms.
Click to expand...

haha, I was thinking the same - but I can't really visualize sq ft anymore...I've gotten used to the sq. meters system! :rolleyes:
 
#14
My first property was a studio about the same size, and I found that light colours (white and cream) brighten the room and make the atmosphere lighter, and glass top dining and coffee tables give the appearance of a larger space. Accent with your fav colours
 
#15
It all depends on how high your ceilings are. Mine are quite tall, so I have storage going up 9 feet. But the key thing is really storage space. You want to maximize organizational benefits of storage space, so that your stuff doesn't take up room in the middle of the room.

Here's some ideas:
- Pax closets from ikea are tall and very useful
- Ottomans that open up to reveal a storage cubby
- Bed with built in drawers where normally there would be an empty "under the bed" space
- Hang pots and pans from the ceiling
- Hang coats on a coat rack affixed to the back of your door
- Get rid of as many electrical appliances as you can. You will find that the non-electric versions of the same appliances are not only cheaper, and use no electricity, but also take up less space.
- Consider having a shelf affixed to any open walls along the studs, for putting books on
- Flat panel TVs take up a lot less space than the traditional units. Mine also doubles as my computer monitor.

There are more that I am forgetting. Good luck!
 
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