How To Design The Perfect Studio Apartment
Designing a studio apartment can be divided into three broad areas viz. home Décor, flooring and furniture.
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Ketan Sheth - MD/ Goldmine Projects Consultant
-- Once upon a time, studio apartments were looked down with the same fervor that MHADA colonies. Not anymore. With rising prices of real estate and constant transfers of employees across the board, many young professionals have found that a studio apartment is the perfect answer to their living standards. Like each home however, a studio apartment too has its own way of appealing to its owner.
Before talking of design, let's define a studio apartment. To put is simply, Studio apartment are like is a small version of any flat. The idea of having Studio apartment is to save on the space and budget and should also offer amenities of a regular flat. These apartments are usually between 250 sq ft and maximum 650 sq ft in size.
Studio apartments present obvious decorating difficulties that call for great interior decorating tips. The difficulties center around the need to fit the functionality of every room - living room, dining room, bedroom, and kitchen - into the formality of one room without making it cramped. Sometimes this small space has to accommodate several different activities: sleeping, entertaining, cooking and an office area. Simplicity is the dictum one must follow in all aspects of interior whether on flooring, lighting or furniture.
Designing a studio apartment can be divided into three broad areas viz. home Décor, flooring and furniture.
WALL S & HOME DÉCOR:
1. The overall home décor for a studio apartment is normally sparse or minimalistic with light and subtle colors like pastel, beige dominating the walls. Wallpapers, though a tad expensive, go a long way in giving the studio apartment a very modern and sophisticated appearance.
2. Use mirrors to reflect light. A large mirror or several small mirrors placed strategically can make a small space feel lighter and larger. For a more modern style of decorating, furniture and tables with metal or glass can visually expand the space.
3. Don't block the light. Covering every window with blinds and draperies can make a small room feel dark and crowded. Light always makes a space seem larger.
4. Keep clutter at bay. When you have a small area, clutter is not an option. Too many knick-knacks and too much furniture crowd everything together too much. Keep your necessary items, such as extra bed linens put away in a dresser or wicker baskets. Kitchen counters should be kept clean with everything in the cupboards as far as possible.
FLOORING:
1. Dark colors tend to make a space feel smaller. When painting your studio apartment, choose an interior color that is light and bright. You don't have to use white, but using paint colors that are lighter in color expands a space more than dark colors. Pale greens are known for their soothing effect and also help to brighten a space. Yellows are also great to make a small space feel larger, cleaner and brighter.
2. Interior lighting is also a key ingredient. Properly lighting your small space is important. It is also important to choose interior lighting that does not take up floor space. Track lighting or halogen ceiling lamps are some great options that provide lots of light without taking up space. Also, use interior lighting to separate different areas of your studio. Put one set of track lights in the bedroom area and another in the living room area. This will put the focus on the right spot when guests are over.
FURNITURE:
1. The most important aspect of your design is choosing the furniture for your studio apartment. When designing for a studio, dual functioning furniture is great and will save you on floor space. Check out small end tables with bottom storage. Place an end table next to your couch. Add a personal touch with some fresh flowers in a glass vase. Store some magazines or coffee table books in the bottom storage area for your guests to peruse over.
2. Provide enough storage. Try to find furnishings for your apartment that will do "double duty." You can even find chairs and ottomans that have storage areas inside of them. Just lift up the top and there you will find space for blankets, pillows or other items.
3. Use containers to hide clutter. Buy wicker baskets or old steamer trunks to store out-of-season clothing, linens and towels. They will look great and contain all of those small items that make a room look cluttered.
4. The furniture that you choose for your studio should be in proportion to the size of the apartment. Huge sofas or long dining room tables will make your apartment feel small and cramped.
5. Try to create specific areas for specific activities. Put a bed and dresser in one area for the bedroom and a sofa and coffee table in another area. Having your apartment furnishings put any-old-way can make it cluttered and uninviting. You might have to leave out the bed and use a sleeper sofa if your apartment is super-small.
6. Create a focus. Even if you don't have a natural focal point, create one. Painting just one wall a different color will draw the attention into the room and make it seem bigger. Put a large entertainment center on that wall and decorate it with beautiful accessories.
7. Use dividers for larger apartments. You can find beautiful dividers in both thrift shops and high end furniture stores, depending on your budget. Use them to enclose specific areas of your apartment.
8. Another trick for a small space is to buy furniture with legs and that are higher off of the floor. The human eye will look "under" these pieces of furniture and add visual space. Furniture that is blocky and low to the ground makes a room appear more crowded.
9. This is the age where furniture is also programmed to multi-task, so invest in something that saves on space. There are many ways to do this. Starting with a sofa set that will double up as a bed to smaller bathtubs that fit quietly into a corner. If you are willing to go the extra yard and search, you will always find a good deal on smart gear.
Designing a small apartment studio into a cozy little hub is not a very easy task. A successful makeover requires imagination, patience and an ability to be highly resourceful. These simple steps along with specific solutions for individual spaces will surely help you get over your small scale designing woes.
Notes to Editor
Ketan Sheth - Managing Director, Goldmine Project Consultants (An ISO-9001:2000 Certified Company) founded Goldmine a division of Sheth Associates in the year 1989 with a vision of providing world class 'Interior Creatives' to the Indian real estate space. With an industry experience of over 20 years, Ketan Sheth has pioneered the Studio Format of Interior creatives and has worked closely with Evershine Builders, Ajmera Builders, Satra Group, Prime Builders and many more to give a series of world-class residential and commercial signature creations.
