Decorating Mistakes You Should Avoid In A Studio Apartment

A studio apartment is fast-becoming the best living solution and situation for the younger generation. Sometimes, downsizing is the only way of having an apartment with both a good location and great rent value. For example, a studio for rent in kl will definitely cost much less than a two- or three-bedroom apartment. The only trade-off that comes with a studio apartment is the smaller square footage, which leads to the whole issue of how tricky decorating a small space can be. Think about it: you need to maximize storage and fully utilize the available square footage. How you use your space will be of utmost importance.

When you’re living in a small space, especially in a studio apartment, it’s hard to know what decorating tips to listen to and to avoid. Often, sharing what not to do can be much more helpful that advice on making the most of your studio space. Read on for mistakes to watch out for when decorating your studio apartment so you can avoid learning this lesson the hard way.

1. Treating it as one room

Studio apartments are usually open-planned one-room apartments. Your first instinct might be to decorate it as one open room rather than divide the space into smaller spots. However, treating it as one room will cause you to have a jumbled-up mess of a space. Rather, splitting your space into delineated zones will help maximize your space by giving each zone a sense of purpose. You can consider using room dividers (such as short bookshelves or benches) or rugs to carve out specific zones, such as zones for entertaining, sleeping and working. This doesn’t mean that your space has to serve only one function. You can incorporate multi-functional furniture pieces, like a dining table that also can be used as a work desk – to really pack a lot of utility and get the most out of your smaller space.

2. Hanging curtains too low

Curtain placement can impact the visual perception of height. Thus, some correctly placed curtains can transform a small studio space, drawing the eye upwards, making the windows appear larger and visually elongating the height of the room. The key is that you need to mount the curtain rods or rails as far up on the wall as they can go. Try to get it as close to the ceiling as possible. You should also make sure that your curtains reach all the way down to the floor to get maximum impact.

3. Not paying attention to proportions

One of the biggest mistakes in any space is not thinking about the scale and proportions of furniture that you choose. Furniture pieces that are too large or too small can end up making your space feel even smaller than it actually is. If space is an issue, consider choosing only a few larger pieces. Concurrently, make sure you avoid crowding your space with too much furniture.

4. Being afraid of pattern

Just because you live in a studio apartment, doesn’t mean that you can’t still liven it up. You might think that patterns only add busyness and messiness to an already small space, but it isn’t always so. You can still be adventurous! For example, consider experimenting with different colors and patterns to really enhance your space. Dramatic patterned wallpaper can really create interest and depth in the design of your space and make it feel much larger than it actually is.

5. Trying to do an accent wall

When you are dealing with less space, it helps if the walls are painted one unified color. This helps pull everything together and maintains a constant flow to the space. Accent walls work better in larger spaces. For a studio apartment, keeping everything clean and unified and keeps everything tied together and cohesive. However, this does not mean that accent walls are unachievable in studio spaces. While it is better to keep your studio clean and basic, you can still layer with colors and textures. You can even incorporate a gallery wall with a mix of artwork and wall hangings to add depth and interest.

6. Leaving your bed out in the open

Although with studio spaces, the norm is to just leave the bed exposed and in the open, you should try to shy away from this age-old practice. Create some visual separation by creating a dedicated sleeping zone. You can do this by creating a bed nook with cabinets, a bookcase as a divider or even a folding screen to make it feel like you have a room within a room.

7. Accent pieces that fall short

The accessories you pick for your studio can make or break your space. Choose too many and you might end up with a cluttered and hoarded situation. Choose too few and your space may look too spartan. Make sure that there is intent and purpose in every pieces you choose. The key is to pick pieces that add the illusion of more space. For example, you can consider incorporating pieces that are taller and more oversized to elongate walls (both vertically and horizontally) to visually open up your space.

8. Buying the wrong furniture

When you have limited space, the furniture you choose becomes even more important. Do try to make sure your furniture that can do double- or even multiple-duty. Murphy beds are a good choice. So are ottomans that open up as storage inside. Sofa-beds are a good idea too – although they might not be as comfortable as a real mattress. In a small space like a studio, having furniture serve multiple purposes helps you consolidate and keep things manageable.