Living in one of AMLI’s studio apartments may require a little more creativity because while there is not as much space, there is opportunity to experiment with nifty space-saving ideas. So, before you throw everything away in a frustrated effort to create more space, consider these tips to help you achieve a well-organized, spacious studio apartment or at least the allusion of one!
• Use multifunctional furniture such as a chest or an ottoman with storage inside as a coffee table. This way you can easily conceal throw blankets, books, candles or any other knick-knacks that are taking up space.
• Opt for fewer, larger pieces of furniture and accessories for your apartment to reduce visual clutter. One of the advantages of living in a studio is it will prevent you from becoming a furniture junkie.
• For the furniture you choose, Style At Home suggests you stick with plain or textured upholstery instead of loud, vibrant patterns. Keep the colors of your place somewhat similar so that each part of the space is seamless with the next. Visually, this keeps the space from appearing chopped up and feeling small.
• Instead of using small, short bookshelves to store books, magazines and pictures, get a bookshelf that runs to the ceiling. This will create the allusion of a higher ceiling and store more books that would create clutter somewhere else.
• To store the clothes you’re not wearing this season, get drawers to fit under your bed instead of a large chest of drawers that will take up more space.
• Display artwork and pictures on your walls in a vertical fashion. Using your walls will draw the eye up and allow a space to feel expansive.
• When it comes to painting, do just one accent wall to add depth and dimension. A cool color on one wall will create the allusion of a receding space.
• Apartment Therapy suggests having three points of light in each room because if an apartment is bright, it will feel bigger. Also, remember to keep your windows clean and open the shades during the day.
• Mirrors of any size can make small spaces double in size. Try various styles in different rooms to find what suits you best and opens up the room.
• Keep kitchen clutter off the countertops by taking Martha Stewart’s advice to use a cake stand to hold olive oil, salt, pepper and other frequently used seasonings. The stand makes it easy to find, and use basic ingredients and gives you space to put other things you need on the counter.
• Buy a handrail and several S-hooks to create a convenient pot rack. Handrails, available at surgical supply stores, can handle more weight than towel bars. With your pots out of the way, your cabinets can be used for all your other kitchen essentials.
If all else fails and you’re still feeling cramped, go through all of your things and determine: what to keep, what to sell, what to give away and what to throw away. Optimizing the space of an AMLI studio apartment can be a bit of challenge but it can also be rewarding to live efficiently and clutter-free!
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