For as long as I can remember, the thought of a Studio Apartment - that's one room for
all rooms (the bathroom is occasionally private!) has made me a little uncomfortable. I have never been a fan of small spaces, I
like open plan, but it has to be
large to compensate for the lack of division for the different activities that are carried out in each room. However, after some extensive research and polling I found that actually, studio apartments
can work! All they need, is a personal touch. Maybe the touch of an interior designer! Check out the pictures below and see what you think of what I found during my research.
This is an image of a Studio Apartment in a complex of recently built luxury apartments called Beaufort Park in North West London. My fiancée and I had an apartment here, we lived in it for over a year, although we had a 2 bedroom, a lot larger than the Studios. Looking at the studio apartments, because they are so nicely done it almost takes away from the lack of space. The design is stunning in the show homes, and the blank canvas that you get if you purchase one of these apartments allows you to make of it what you wish. The amount of natural light helps light the room so much that it appears larger; throw in a couple of mirrors and a light, neutral colour theme and you can virtually add a good few square feet to the room. What you have to remember is that once your guests have left for the night, the room is yours again, and only yours (and whoever you choose as company) so that is when you can turn it from a living room into a bedroom, and it doesn't have to disrupt anyone elses living room activities. (What else changes other than a sofa into a bed? Not a huge change anyway!) Studio apartments are designed for one, at a push two people, so there is no need to worry about the traffic flow in the room. it would be kept to a minimum as it is one space with few if any obstacles, and 1-2 people. If you look at this floorplan of a Studio Apartment (Apartment 1244) it shows the space used for dining, living, kitchen and bedroom. The bed is cleverly and stylishly hidden away, masqueraded as storage in beautiful white high gloss - it folds down to a double bed which fits beautifully in the space. there is still an element of a hallway, storage for laundry, kitchen space and furthermore the balcony adds extra seating space and is perfect for social events such as house parties and dinners. It is still within speaking distance but it is able to be closed off for smoking or privacy. It has everything you need to live, it is just more confined and compact than your regular house/apartment. I think that these types of apartments are perfect for students or young couples getting started on the property ladder. They are in high demand because not only are they cheap to buy, they are cheap to run. Think of how cheap the electricity will be, only having to light and heat one room rather than several. This is just one of the many benefits to having a studio apartment.
I love this Studio Apartment for many reasons. One is that it still has its defined sections despite being one big room. The kitchen is kept to one side of the room and is sectioned off with the bedroom being on the other side of the beam, set a little further back than the kitchen giving a bit of privacy to the bedroom area. The living area is in front of these two areas, in the middle of the room with the sofas acting as dividers to separate the kitchen and bedroom. I really like how this is set out because it provides strict sections for each area of the room but it is sociable for parties and dinners, and it is also functional because everything has its place and is exactly where you need it. The decorating is also very stylish, dark, which I usually wouldn't suggest for smaller spaces, but it works with the bright highlights such as the high gloss white kitchen, the accents such as cushions and bedding, and the mirror. It is very modern which I love.
I am absolutely in love with this studio apartment. in this case the bed folds out from the corner sofa - bar the bathroom, this is the only space in the apartment, with some storage along the wall of the camera's point of view. I
love the decoration, it reminds me of an art gallery scene, it is very art déco but very very modern and crisp - white everythere with hints of charcoal. The space is organised beautifully and logically - if you look carefully you can see the sink alongside the dining table. Everything is there it is just very compact, but I am coming round to this idea, although I could never see myself being comfortable in such a small space.
Studio Apartments Polls
I created a poll to see who was for and who was against studios. I was surprised by the result as I did it before I did my own research on studios and realised that they actually weren't a bad idea - the result now doesn't seem so shocking to me!
I asked:
Do you think that Studio Apartments are a great way of compacting all living amenities?
The results were:
YES - 74% NO - 26%
I was shocked before doing my research - it just goes to show, you shouldn't judge a situation you know little about! I have learnt a lot and I must say my opinion has been changed. If you feel the same way I did and this hasn't changed your opinion, I suggest you have a look round some show homes which have Studio Apartments to view, this way you can see them in the flesh and their practicalities. That is what I did which helped me to understand how they are very functional!
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