It won’t feel like one room with these clever arranging tricks
Nena Farrell
1 /22Thomas J. Story, styling by Miranda Jones
One Room, Infinite Options
Scoring your first studio apartment might seem like a styling challenge, whether you’re a student sharing the space or a young professional living solo in the city. But the right styling tricks can expand a singular space, and we’ve rounded up some of our favorite ways to make your next studio apartment feel huge.
2 /22Thomas J. Story, styling by Miranda Jones
Furniture That Divides and Conquers
Create the illusion of multiple rooms with a few well-placed pieces of furniture. Use a couch to divide your living space and “bedroom,” or use a large bookcase to mimic a wall.
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A Modern Couch
A low couch keeps the room feeling open while dividing up the space effectively.
Skip the bedroom altogether by hiding it inside the living room. Play around with couch options, from a styled daybed to a hidden sofa-bed, or even a futon that can convert from bed to seating.
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Daybed
Add a row of pillows for this daybed to act as a sofa for company, and remove them to swap it into sleeping quarters.
A bulky coffee table can eat up valuable real estate in a small studio. Opt for a small one, or even a combo of two side tables or two ottomans instead, to keep the area feeling open.
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Slim Tabletop
This narrow choice won’t hold up the flow of the studio.
One (or more!) of these cubes can go beyond a coffee table proxy—they can act as extra seating, footrests, or hidden storage, and still balance a coffee cup.
No room for the furniture divider trick? Try using a few rugs to separate spaces in a studio, like living room from bedroom, dining area from kitchen, etc.
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Plush Rug
This modern take on the Moroccan shag rug can add a cozy touch to a living space or bed nook.
The uses are endless for this super versatile, yet small, piece. Transform it into a coffee cart in the kitchen, a bar cart in the living room, or even a shoe organizer or office supply cart to keep clutter at bay.
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Utility Cart
This IKEA classic has a range of colors to choose from, and a price point that tempts us to buy more than one.
When a space is already small, sticking with neutral tones makes it feel bigger. Add one piece of statement art you really love (like this woven piece from Meghan Shimek) to keep it from getting boring—plus, in a studio space, one big piece of artwork is all you’ll likely have room for!
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Neutral Sofa
This sofa is easy on the eyes and fitting for any cozy space.
With limited counter space in a studio, there’s no room for bulky tabletop appliances. Instead, focus on one or two small gadgets that you’ll get a lot of use out of in daily meals.
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A Small Blender
Love smoothies? This mini blender is a tiny yet powerful blender that can be used not only for your morning breakfast, but for cooking hacks like chopping veggies, pureeing a sauce, etc.