You’d think that furnishing a studio apartment would be easy. After all, less square footage means less furniture and less furniture means less hassle. Right? Not exactly. When it comes to smaller spaces, you must be strategic about your furniture: what you need and where it should go to maximize your space. Learn what furniture should be on your studio apartment checklist and what you can live without.
How to Furnish a Studio Apartment: Dos and Don’ts
Do: Select furniture that can divide your studio into “rooms.”
It can be a bit of a puzzle to figure out the ideal studio apartment furniture layout. You may be stuck wondering how to divide a single space into a living room and a bedroom or a dining room into a mini-office. Using pieces like bookshelves, clothing racks, entertainment centers, or the appropriately-named room dividers can create the feel of a multi-room space (and without the price tag).
Don’t: Overdo it with furniture.
Just because everything can fit doesn’t mean everything should fit. Take a look at professionally furnished studio apartments. You’ll notice that each piece serves a purpose or makes a statement, and things don’t look cramped or overcrowded in the space. It’s never more important to choose your pieces wisely than when you’re furnishing a studio.
Do: Opt for vertical shelving.
Floor space is a precious commodity in a studio apartment, which means you’ll want your storage to go up, not out. When considering storage ideas for small spaces, vertical space pieces can also make your ceilings appear higher. Pick tall, narrow bookcases over short, wide ones. Using a tall, stately chest will free up more floor space than your typical lengthy dresser.
Don’t: Buy fun-sized furniture.
When moving into a micro-apartment, your gut instinct may be to furnish it with micro-apartment furniture. However, filling your space with small furniture can make it feel even tinier. You don’t need to rush out and buy a twin bed or a dollhouse-sized couch. Instead, focus on furnishing your studio apartment cleverly with normal-sized pieces, even if you’re going for a sleek, minimal studio apartment look.
Do: Look for furniture with built-in storage space.
You won’t have a lot of room for extra trunks, cabinets, and shelves in a small studio apartment, so it’s great to invest in furniture that comes with built-in storage. For example, you can store extra linens and clothing in a bed with storage functionality, and the perfect ottoman can serve as additional seating, surface area, and storage space all in one!
Don’t: Buy oversized furniture.
A studio apartment probably isn’t the best place to showcase a California King bed or a sprawling sectional. In other words, you’ll want to aim for a happy medium while furniture shopping! If you have an oversized piece of furniture that you simply can’t part ways with, consider that you’ll have to scale other items back to make it fit.
Do: Embrace expanding or nesting furniture for studio apartments.
When you’re hunting for studio apartment furniture, pay close attention to anything with descriptors like “nesting” or “expandable” – these are your friends! Nesting tables can provide an extra surface area in a modern studio apartment when needed and be tucked away when not. Use an extendable dining room table as your desk during the week, and extend it to make a spacious table for entertaining guests during the weekend.
Don’t: Leave everything out in the open.
When you live in a small studio, it can feel like your entire life is on display for guests. After all, a Friendsgiving potluck in the “dining room” is also in your bedroom! Plus, leaving all of your stuff in visible storage, like sitting bare on shelves, can make the space feel cluttered. Consider stacking crates in fun colors, fabric bins that can fit on your bookcase or shelves, or even woven baskets that can double as pretty decor. These simple storage solutions can help keep your everyday items within reach while consolidating the visual noise.
Do: Consider a kitchen island on wheels.
Preparing a home-cooked meal can be tricky in a studio with limited kitchen space, which is why a kitchen island on wheels can save the day. Roll it into your kitchen space when you’re chopping up your mise en place, use it as a buffet table for dinner, and park it back against a corner when you’re done with it.
Don’t: Completely sacrifice your preferences for functionality.
Should you be strategic and furnish with functional pieces when possible? Absolutely. Should you fill your space with furniture you don’t like simply because it’s practical? No way! Your studio is still your home sweet home – and it should feel like it. Just because a Murphy bed, a foldaway desk, and rail-thin bar stools might save you a little bit of space — doesn’t mean it’s what your studio apartment needs. Make sure to balance functionality with your taste.
Do: Furnish Your Studio Apartment With CORT Rental
Still not entirely sure how to furnish your new studio apartment? After years of helping renters furnish spaces big and small, we can help! Turn to CORT for professionally-curated furniture rental packages designed to fit your space. Not only can you pick the perfect furniture package for your space, but you can also design a custom package. After you decide how to furnish your studio apartment, simply schedule a delivery date and CORT will handle delivery and installation. And when it comes time to leave, schedule a pick up date and we’ll take it away. Start building your studio furniture package today!
