Compact Living and Layout for Studio Apartment

[Coconut Water]

This is related to my "" thread but different enough to start anew. 

 

 

 

 

I am fascinated with "studio tours" and organizing clips on youtube, where people show how they have organized their small apartments, and why they've done this or that, etc. Never thought I'd be so into seeing other people's knicknacks, cabinet contents, even the "corner of shame!"

 

And so my new hobby is learning to efficiently utilize space on a dime without going crazy from what it ends up looking or feeling like. I do not consider myself to be a personal-space-conscious person, have rarely been into decor. Most important has been is if it works/pretty much fits/isn't a big commitment/doesn't look disgusting. However, I realize I am at a stage where I just need my space to feel kind of nice (and comforting in the process), not thrown together and messy.

 

Right now I have added to my bargain hunting list: a folding screen or curtain to partition one section from another. For example, block off my sleeping area from the kitchen. But if curtains, I need to find a way to secure it from the ceiling without damage, pretty sure my housing contract prohibits drilling holes anywhere. I am going to drive around thrift stores or college towns around move-out time to see if I can score a folding dining table because I refuse to eat at my desk anymore. I want to utilize wall space, but again is the issue of not drilling holes. Will look for tall shelving units, if nothing else. I don't love hanging things on doors though, but might have to put a laundry bag on a hook or get an Ikea toy mesh bag and use it for extra storage of who knows.

 

Other ideas or suggestions? Success stories?

 

 

 

[mandarin.orange]

To save some money and situate myself very close to lab, I temporarily shared a 1-BD with another woman, where we each took a room. I had the living room.

 

I bought this at IKEA -- slightly lofted bed. It's from their children's department. Only drawback is it's a twin size only, so I had to do the traveling/visiting to see my long-distance partner for those 4-5 months; he could not stay due to the size of the bed and the agreement I made with my roommate. There is a celestial-themed tent/cover you can purchase put over it. It was pretty cool...anyone who came over and saw the setup raved about it; it was like a little fort.  

For the space under the loft, I found that a certain size of IKEA's very popular and inexpensive modular bookcases just fit. It's here -- the 4x2 squares one, and you can get baskets, fabric drawers, etc. at IKEA too to make it entirely or partially like a dresser. I filled it with my books and kept it flush with the front of the bedframe. This left a small corridor behind for a ton of boxes, camping gear, and other storage. 

In my new apt, I ultimately kept the shelving unit. It's our entertainment center now and holds our DVD/cookbook collection. I also kept the twin mattress from the loft bed -- it was so comfortable and we can store it handily for our guests. I left the loft behind...once assembled, it was too wide for any door...but I sold it to the next incoming roommate for that apt. 

Edited July 20, 2014 by mandarin.orange

[mandarin.orange]

Also: as a partition, perhaps IKEA's biggest modular unit rather than a screen? A friend has this in her studio apt.; I had a half-one and it holds a shit ton of stuff. It can serve as a base to ground one of their desks as well. 

[dat_nerd]

What size is the studio?

 

I recently moved into a 400 sq ft studio. Sadly, I couldn't find much furniture that was suited for a small apartment and inexpensive. I found that every piece of furniture needed to have at least two purposes, otherwise the space felt too crowded.

 

Another option you may want to consider is building your own furniture as a DIY project. I decided to use this as a chance to learn how to build my own furniture and ended up building:

- a console desk that converts into a dining table

- a platform bed frame that doubles as storage and a bookcase

- a paneled room divider

- a set of chairs that stack and double as storage when not in use

 

It did take a while to build everything… but it was definitely worth it! (not to mention cost-effective) 

[Coconut Water]

To save some money and situate myself very close to lab, I temporarily shared a 1-BD with another woman, where we each took a room. I had the living room.

 

I bought this at IKEA -- slightly lofted bed. It's from their children's department. Only drawback is it's a twin size only, so I had to do the traveling/visiting to see my long-distance partner for those 4-5 months; he could not stay due to the size of the bed and the agreement I made with my roommate. There is a celestial-themed tent/cover you can purchase put over it. It was pretty cool...anyone who came over and saw the setup raved about it; it was like a little fort.  

For the space under the loft, I found that a certain size of IKEA's very popular and inexpensive modular bookcases just fit. It's here -- the 4x2 squares one, and you can get baskets, fabric drawers, etc. at IKEA too to make it entirely or partially like a dresser. I filled it with my books and kept it flush with the front of the bedframe. This left a small corridor behind for a ton of boxes, camping gear, and other storage. 

In my new apt, I ultimately kept the shelving unit. It's our entertainment center now and holds our DVD/cookbook collection. I also kept the twin mattress from the loft bed -- it was so comfortable and we can store it handily for our guests. I left the loft behind...once assembled, it was too wide for any door...but I sold it to the next incoming roommate for that apt. 

I would have probably gotten a loft bed like you described (what a space saver) but my place will be furnished - a pro and a con.

 

I used to have a larger version of that popular IKEA shelving unit when I had a business, I had been assuming that it would be out of my budget, but the one with two columns might work.  The key will be if the depth will fit! Great comment to use it as a partition, as well!

[Coconut Water]

What size is the studio?

 

I recently moved into a 400 sq ft studio. Sadly, I couldn't find much furniture that was suited for a small apartment and inexpensive. I found that every piece of furniture needed to have at least two purposes, otherwise the space felt too crowded.

 

Another option you may want to consider is building your own furniture as a DIY project. I decided to use this as a chance to learn how to build my own furniture and ended up building:

- a console desk that converts into a dining table

- a platform bed frame that doubles as storage and a bookcase

- a paneled room divider

- a set of chairs that stack and double as storage when not in use

 

It did take a while to build everything… but it was definitely worth it! (not to mention cost-effective) 

Wow, you built a lot!

 

I am loving the DIY craze. You've got me hooked on watching DIY clips on Youtube!

 

It's just under 400 square feet (385 or so), so smaller than your's! I should have mentioned the studio will be furnished. It will have the basics: 

* full size bed with some drawers underneath

* work desk, chair, and work lamp

* floor lamp

* loveseat

* coffee table

* 2 end tables that nest into each other

* short bookcase

 

I think the bed might have a wooden frame of sorts, but I might look for a combo bookshelf/headboard that's like a hutch but over the head of the bed, or maybe will try a partial DIY for that. I guess I could look into seeing if I could elevate the bed to make more storage underneath, but I have a feeling the given frame is really heavy and cumbersome.