Wall art can do many things for a small space: anchor furniture groupings, provide color and texture, conceal flaws in walls, draw attention to attractive elements of an apartment and express yourself – and adhesive wall hanging products make outfitting it without harming its walls easy!
1. Paint the Walls
Studio apartments often feature either a linear layout or box-shaped floor plan, meaning there are no natural dividers to divide up their interior spaces into distinct rooms. You must get creative with furniture placement, storage solutions and colors in order to make each area seem separate without using traditional room dividers.
Painting the walls in your apartment can add a great splash of color. Opting for light hues such as white, cream and pale gray hues or neutral tans can make the room appear larger and open; stay away from dark tones that could overwhelm such an intimate space.
Add an accent wall for a more subdued statement in your apartment that also expresses your personality! Keep in mind to coordinate it with the rest of the space so as to prevent overcluttering the look.
If your studio apartment needs more storage space than it has available, consider choosing tall shelving units as storage. Shelving helps keep clutter off the floor, creating more openness in your apartment. Furthermore, selecting shelves that sit higher up can create the illusion that there is more openness within its boundaries.
Studio apartments often feature low ceilings, making the room appear cramped and disorganized. To counteract this effect, opt for lighter paint colors and choose furniture pieces with lower profiles – mid-century modern pieces are great examples as they often sit close to the ground while maintaining clean lines that help give a studio apartment its desired tidiness.
2. Hang Mirrors
Studio apartments may have limited wall space, but there’s still enough room for strategically-placed mirrors to brighten and add dimension to their rooms. Larger mirrors are particularly effective because they reflect more of the light bouncing off your walls, making the spaces seem larger. Hanging a floor-length mirror in the entryway or using multiple smaller ones for gallery arrangements are two simple ways of adding dimension.
Art can transform a small space, providing furniture groupings, drawing attention away from flaws and reflecting your individuality and style. Although many apartment communities don’t permit nails in walls, adhering wall hangings with adhesive products allows you to decorate without marring the drywall or risking fines from your landlord. If possible, combine sculptures or paintings with mirrors for an impactful display that’s easier to move when making changes in the future.
Use zone division in your studio apartment to make it feel more like home by creating cozy living areas, stylish sleeping nooks and functional workstations. Use screen dividers, curtains or bookshelves to achieve this without hindering light transmission or restricting airflow between spaces.
If you don’t have the budget for an expensive hutch or buffet, try turning an old dresser into a dining table by covering it with table cloth and adding decorative items on top. Not only can you save money but this hack also brings vintage charm into your home while providing space saving storage that saves valuable floor space.
3. Hang Curtains
No matter if it’s your first studio apartment or an established one, decorating and designing it with care to create the atmosphere you envision is key to making it feel like yours and inviting guests in. Too much variety with wall colors and designs may become disorienting over time and make the space less cohesive and welcoming.
Curtains offer an inexpensive and simple solution for dividing up a studio apartment. Unlike walls, these freestanding room dividers can easily be relocated if it comes time to move out or can even create cozy reading nooks in the bedroom area.
Curtains and drapes can be suspended from a rod above windows, or they can also be fixed directly to the ceiling. Placing them there helps draw attention upward and make ceilings appear taller; for lower ceilings, consider hanging your curtains higher so as not to block sunlight from passing through them.
Curtains can help visually define zones in a studio apartment, too. Most Lovely Things has provided this NYC apartment as an example; using color to divide off a bed nook from the rest of the room by means of curtains that frame its dark gray wall and white curtains that frame its niche wall, helping visually divide these two zones while still maintaining an open atmosphere in the room.
Bookcases can be an ideal solution for creating the ideal bedroom nook. Not only can they store books, photos, and other objects – they can even conceal your bed when entertaining guests or just providing yourself a peaceful corner to unwind in!
4. Style Low Furniture
Studio apartments don’t allow for multiple rooms, so any furniture taking up too much space must serve multiple functions. When searching for furniture to fill up the space in a studio apartment, focus on pieces that fold away when not in use – such as Murphy beds and drop-leaf tables – as well as those offering built-in storage (ottomans with extra compartments or coffee tables with hidden drawers for board games, puzzles or video game controllers are perfect ways of keeping everything tidy). Employing creative ways of keeping organized will help the studio apartment feel cleaner and larger overall.
Though high ceilings don’t add square footage, they do create the impression of expansiveness that will make a studio apartment seem larger. Draw attention upward by hanging curtains above windows or creating a gallery wall of vertical art pieces – either way will help emphasize height and openness in your apartment.
As studio apartments often serve as bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms all in one large space, it’s vital that traffic patterns be established clearly to prevent guests from making unscheduled detours around your space. Define your space using paint or curtains; install shelving above doors or windows so as to use empty air space as storage for belongings.
Studio apartments typically have limited closet space, so investing in clothing racks and shelving that maximizes what storage you do have. Divide clothes into categories to help make getting dressed simpler; keep frequently worn items near the front for easier dressing. If your apartment features exposed brickwork or pipes, soften its industrial vibe by adding wood tones and live plants as natural contrast. Create visual balance through stripes on an accent wall or bold pieces such as bold-colored statements pieces to draw the eye elsewhere in the room.
5. Hang Vertical Posters
Explore the untapped potential of your studio apartment through clever layout ideas and space-saving furniture solutions. Bring out your inner designer, and add an irresistibly cozy sense of style for a true retreat feel in your cozy little space.
Don’t underestimate the importance of understanding your studio apartment as a canvas by mapping its dimensions and noting key features like natural lighting and traffic flow. Doing this will enable you to make informed decisions when creating distinct living areas and an overall design scheme that works for you.
No matter what shape your apartment takes, creating distinct zones will help maximize functionality and avoid an “archean” feel. Use area rugs, furniture placement and creative dividers to visually delineate zones for sleeping, working and relaxing.
Experiment with different color palettes and textures to add depth and visual interest. Don’t be intimidated by unconventional accents such as bold accent walls or patterned rugs; just ensure that overall look reflects your personal style.
If you’re uncertain how to hang art in your apartment, be sure to first consult with your landlord to make sure all rules regarding wall decor are clear. Otherwise, use Command Strips or similar double-sided adhesive hooks which allow for unmarked hanging of pictures without leaving marks behind; these products can hold artwork up to 50 pounds while being easily removable – an excellent solution for renters!
Your studio apartment should reflect your individual personality and aesthetic. Don’t be afraid to break rules, experiment with styles and trends, and express yourself creatively as you seek to make it truly yours.