6 Ways to Design a Studio Apartment to Maximize Space

Your new high-rise apartment looked great online and even better when you went to see it in person. The landlord was great, and the place had great new fixtures in addition to being fiber wired and smart ready. The only problem is that you used to live in a spacious two-bedroom in Houston, TX where rent prices were much cheaper and your new place in in bustling Miami, FL where space is at a premium. You rented a studio, and now you need to know how to make it feel and look bigger.Try these six methods and get creative with you interior design.

Downsize

If you just piled everything into a cube and your belongings await you at a storage facility, you may want to open the cube there and take only the things you need. There are usually dumpsters available at storage units, and you may have to throw out the broken Fender solid state amp that sounded bad even when it worked. Other things to consider parting with are old electronics, books you hated but kept because your mom never threw away anything, and of course your collection of winter parkas. If your things are still in good condition, find a resale shop or a place that accepts donations for the less fortunate.

White

Make sure all of the walls are painted white. Dark colors may look exciting at first, but your apartment can look like a dungeon on a dreary day if all of the walls are painted dark colors. White walls reflect light and open up the space.

Windows

Rule number one: Always respect light and never cover up the windows! When installing your window treatments it’s best to frame the windows and doors. Keep your furniture, computer monitors and shelving away from the windows so that any available light is guided into your apartment.

Up Against the Wall

Keep things a few inches away from the wall. Yes, you will be sacrificing a tiny bit of space, but the negative space that will appear because big furniture items are moved away from the walls will present a totally different feeling. Try it—especially if you have everything butted against the interior walls already.

Go Shopping

No, not just because you are depressed at your new smaller surroundings. Go check out ways to compress your belongings into smaller areas. Remember your grandma’s ironing board that folded up into her tiny closet? Or your cousin’s little kid bed that had dresser drawers attached to it underneath? There are many innovative ways to combine furniture pieces in order to take advantage of previously under-used space, so take an afternoon to see what is now available.It can be a shock to realize that you now only have half the living space that you used to have, but by utilizing decorating tips and innovative furniture pieces, you can make your smaller space look very nice and comfortable. And don’t forget — keeping your new place clean (don’t forget the little things like in your bedroom) can have a huge benefit in helping create the illusion of a larger space when you’re downsizing. Guest Blog Written By: ABODO