Defining Spaces in Your Studio Apartment

Turning that big empty box into a well-defined home.

If you love the cool industrial look of many studio apartments, or if a studio apartment is the right price to get you into your favorite neighborhood, you already know some of their advantages and drawbacks. While studios are often affordable and convenient, they can also be difficult to decorate because of the lack of multiple walls, and can tend to feel like one big bedroom or a hotel room rather than an apartment.

There are, however, some fun options that will help you better define the different spaces in your studio apartment, making it feel more like home and less like a dorm room. And the good news? They are not only affordable but also easy to do yourself. That means if you get tired of one look, you can always try another.

1. Use color. While accent walls are a little passe in many homes, in a studio apartment they can create very effective divisions between different spaces and better help to define the various areas. Check with your landlord, though, and see if there are restrictions on your ability to repaint or if you are allowed to do so as long as you return the walls to neutral before you leave. Alternatively, you can use color in the furnishings to define the space. Perhaps accessorize the bedroom with blue bedding and accessories, while the seating area is decorated in greens.
2. Use area rugs. Even if you have carpeting, you can use area rugs on top to define various spaces. This can also work hand-in-hand with a color-based strategy. Add different textures, patterns, or styles as well to create an even more diversified look between areas, like a solid color rug in the living room and a patterned rug in the bedroom.
3. Use furniture. Have a bed with a high headboard? Orient it so that the headboard becomes a de facto room divider. Place a sofa table with lamps and accessories behind a sofa floating in the middle of the room. This will create a visual cue that divides the seating area from the bedroom space. One very popular element is a bookcase that is open on both sides. You still get the pass-through effect and the spaciousness of the room as a whole, but the books and accessories provide a perceived division between spaces as well.
4. Use hanging elements. One simple way to create separation is a drapery or sheer panel hanging between areas. Moving beyond that, there are a number of other options for hanging elements including beaded curtains or other textured hangings. One fun idea is to attach a large canvas or framed poster to chains or cords and hang that from the ceiling in order to create a room divider that’s also a decor element. Make it two-sided for maximum impact.
5. Use plants. A grouping of tall plants, a chain-wall of hanging plants, or a DIY board filled with succulents creates a room divider that’s not only beautiful, but cleans the air and adds literal life to the room. Especially during the long winters or if you have an in-town loft, that natural, organic look creates contrast and softens the space.
6. Use lighting. Hang a group of pendant lamps or a spectacular chandelier as a way to divide spaces while also offering extra lighting. Alternatively, use a floor lamp or two to suggest a division and frame the entrance from one space into another.
7. Use storage. Not enough closet space? Create an external closet by filling a clothing bar with your (well-organized) wardrobe and use it to divide the room. Need more storage space? Use shelves and stack them attractively with patterned and colorful bins and baskets, towels, blankets, linens, or other elements you need to store. Use this option only if you’ll store these items neatly, though. The idea is to make it look decorative while also being useful.

Whatever you choose, creating well-defined spaces within your studio apartment will make it feel more homey and look more attractive. Looking for a studio apartment in your favorite neighborhood? Bostonpads.com has all of the best listings and can hook you up with professionals from real estate agents to movers to furnishing services to help you make your space look great. Get in touch today to get started!