More and more people are choosing a lifestyle and housing reduced and adapted to individual needs.
Sleeping near the stove. Work next to a comfortable sofa. The studio apartments are cozy, but also a challenge for the day to day. Especially today, when many people continue to work from home due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, studio apartments are still in demand as before, and the trend is increasing. This is because in some cities rental prices keep rising and large homes are inaccessible. The interior designer Eva-Maria Wüscht believes that more and more people are choosing a lifestyle and living space that is reduced and adapted to individual needs. For that very reason, small houses are a trend. And how do you live in a small space? Space-saving multifunctional furniture is not the only solution to the problem of studio apartments.
Before turning your home into a magic cube in which all the parts must fit together, it is best to plan in detail. An example: sofa beds are a practical solution to use the surface effectively, since they allow you to sit down to read and receive friends, but also to sleep. But Wünscht cautions that for many people it is a hassle arming and disarming bed every night and morning. Therefore, if the idea is to receive guests frequently, it is more convenient to get a larger table or armchair.
On the other hand, those who need to work a lot at home today and in the future should be clear about how much surface they need to be happy in the long run with their work space. And it is that in a studio apartment, everything must be reduced to a minimum and adapted to the space.
Even though the day-to-day always takes place in the same room, it is possible to create different environments and delimit them. For this they serve screens, curtains or shelves. The housing expert especially recommends wide shelves, although not too bulky, to separate rooms and, incidentally, to store things. On the other hand, platforms, rugs or different design colors help create visual islands within the environment.
If the room is high enough, raised beds are also an option. The space underneath can be used as a work station, seating area, or occupied with shelves.
Light and storage
The lighting should also be adapted to the areas: while clear and cool light is suitable for the kitchen and the workplace, the German trend analyst Gabriela Kaiser advises creating a cozy atmosphere with warm light for the living area.
On the other hand, dimmable lamps or mobile sconces provide flexibility. It is also important to have storage space in all homes. “As much as you have a minimalist lifestyle, you tend to put several things together,” says Wüscht.
Enclosed storage spaces allow the environment to look neater. According to the interior designer, for this Storage spaces under the bed are ideal. In fact there are many beds that come with drawers for storing things. Multifunctional furniture is always good, as long as it is used as the designer intended. That is, a sofa bed does not make sense if it is going to be open all day as if it were a bed. An alternative can be the beds that pretend to be a closet, built into the wall, and that are lowered at night.
For some time now, it has been possible to find them on the market after a time when they had disappeared. Their advantage is also that they are usually very easy to get off and back up.
Another important and versatile piece of furniture is, of course, table. Some models are not only flexible and can be folded or expanded, but can also double as a desk, according to Christine Scharrenbroch of the German Furniture Industry Association. Another alternative are folding desks or secretaries, as well as shelves with integrated desk plates. Some small pieces of furniture also offer multiple applications. Such is the case of footrests with storage space that can be transformed into mouse tables by putting a table on top.
Light colors
Kaiser also recommends bespoke furniture to make the most of space, both to the top and to the sides. “As it is about furniture that is assuming different roles throughout the day, it is important that they be of good quality”, Indian. However, it is still a challenge to make enough storage space and keep the place looking cozy.
For this reason, Scharrenbroch recommends not overfilling the shelves and choosing light colors and of a similar tone when assembling the interior of a studio apartment. For decoration, the specialist affirms that she would also opt for light tones, such as white and beige, so that the environment provides a feeling of calm. On the other hand, mirrors can help make the room look bigger. (F)
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