Here’s how to make a small studio apartment feel like a mansion.
Living in a studio apartment has its own pros and cons. The price of a studio apartment is much cheaper than a landed home or even an apartment, you have a less surface area to clean and all in all, it’s just easier to manage because there’s only so much space you can work with.
But, studio living is not all rainbows and roses! One of the biggest downsides is the lack of space. Sometimes it can feel like you’re living, eating, cooking and entertaining in your bedroom. Worry not as there are plenty of ways to organise and decorate your apartment to make it feel bigger and more spacious than it actually is. Read on to find out how.
1. Height matters
Since what you’re lacking can be measured in length and width, consider using height to your advantage.
For your kitchen and dining area, opt for bar-height seating to visually divide the kitchen from the rest of the apartment. Additionally, install a few pendant lights above the dining area to help draw the eyes up. Alternatively, hanging plants are great too. These plants help to keep your space bright and airy while creating a visual divide.
2. Let the light in
Don’t underestimate the use of natural light for it definitely helps to brighten up your home. The more natural light you let into your studio apartment, the more welcoming it will feel. If you’re lucky enough to have a floor-to-ceiling window (or two!), throw open the curtains during the day and let the light in. If your studio is facing east or west where you’ll be getting direct sunlight either in the morning or afternoon, then we suggest hanging curtains made of sheer material to protect the eyes from the blinding light while still being able to enjoy that golden glow.
Read more: What is house orientation and why is it important
3. Double duty
Double-duty furniture is every homeowner’s best friend, especially those with limited square footage. These days, there are lots of furniture stores that sell double-duty furniture like a bed that can be transformed into a sofa or an ottoman that doubles as storage. If it has more than one function, then it should be in your apartment. It’s going to save you a ton of space.
4. Whitewashed
White-coloured paint should be your go-to colour for your walls. Not only do they make your apartment look more open and spacious, but lots of designers also claim that white walls help to reflect natural light into your home, making it feel much more welcoming. Working with a white wall also means that you don’t have to limit yourself to a set of colours because white works literally with all the other spectrum of colours.
Read more: 8 best paint colours for small rooms
5. Don’t be afraid to go with a pop of colour
Yes, it’s advisable to go white for all corners of your walls, but if you’re just going to leave it bare, then it can look a bit… lacklustre. Instead, dress up your wall with a small pop of colour — hang up your favourite piece of art, photographs, that personalised map you got from that trip or the patterned rug you ordered on one of your late-night shopping sprees (we’re all guilty of it!). Be careful not to overdo it though as you only have a limited amount of space to play with. Keep it clean and minimalistic to make your space look as large as possible.
6. Zone out
Living in a studio apartment means you have only one room for everything, and sometimes it can feel like you have no privacy of your own. If you hope to split your studio into different zones without spending a fortune, you can try putting a wall divider, a bookcase or something as simple as a curtain in the middle of the room. That way it helps to section your bedroom from the kitchen and you get extra storage space too!
7. Bring the outside in
The indoor plants’ trend has been going on for a couple of years now and it looks like it’s not stopping anytime soon. So kudos to the person who started it all because you’ve made our lives physically and mentally better. And best of all, there is a myriad of species to choose from. For plants that require minimal efforts, try growing succulents as they’re almost impossible to be killed. If you’re looking to spruce up your interior, try planting money plants, air plants, spider plants and aloe vera – aloe vera has proven to be an effective air purifying plant as well!
Read more: 6 cheap and fail-proof balcony plants you can grow
8. Let it float
Since wardrobes and shelves take up ample space in the living area, you’ll need storage alternatives like floating shelves. They work best in small areas as they don’t take up any of the floor space and occupy only a small area on your wall. When done right, floating shelves can even add character to your walls.
9. Mirror, mirror
Another easy and foolproof way to make your studio look bigger: Hang a mirror. Mirrors are great for creating an illusion of space by reflecting both natural and artificial light. You can place a mirror across from a window or choose a point of interest and angle the mirror towards it to create the illusion of depth. Always go for a large mirror as opposed to a collection of small mirrors to make your space look bigger.