The green cabinets in the open-plan kitchen really stand out in this beautiful Swedish home. The color contrasts with the light-soaped hardwood flooring, the white subway tiles, and the two-tone walls throughout the living kitchen.
Green cabinets and metro tiles in the kitchen
The green color used in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and hallway is quite the bold statement in the otherwise neutral-colored interior. Green is a great color to add when you still want your home to look balanced and I think the effect has not been lost in this interior either.
The kitchen island is also a breakfast bar and has a spot for two bar stools and the part of the kitchen walls that have not been covered with tiles has been painted in two tones just like in the living room.
The TV gallery wall in the living room fits right next to the open doorway towards the kitchen.
Two-tone wall in the living room
The two-tone walls in the living room accentuate the beautiful wainscoting in the space. The wainscoting is covered with white paint, while the upper part of the two-tone wall has been painted in a warm gray paint color.
The warm wood color of the dining table and chairs in front of the window and the warm tones in the coffee table add a bit of warmth to the two colors on the walls and the white curtains frame the large window leading up to the balcony.
Painting walls is a great alternative to an accent wall and allows you to complement it with white paint to balance things out and create an effect that is subtle and balanced.
Green bedroom walls
The same green color as that of the kitchen comes back in the bedroom as well, where the walls have been painted entirely for a more dramatic effect. The green walls are complemented with elegant black wall lamps and contrasted by the light beige bed headboard and the white and beige bedding.
The wall-to-wall curtains consist of two layers just like in a hotel, which gives the bedroom a high-end look and feel. The wainscoting on the bedroom walls is painted in the same color for an integrated, classic effect.
Two-tone walls in the hallway and bathroom
The eye-catching green color comes back in the two-tone wall in the hallway, where the color also comes back in the built-in wardrobe that offers a lot of storage space.
In the bathroom, the same two-tone wall effect has been achieved with the green paint color on the upper part and on the ceiling and the bottom half of the wall has been tiled with simple white tiles just like in the kitchen. In every single room, this color is used, the color introduces an instant contrast in the space.
I’ve only recently written about this beautiful apartment with greige (a.k.a gray beige) paint colors and now I bumped into another inspiring interior with the best greige paint colors on the walls. This time the interior is a bit more eclectic, which makes it even more characterful and cozy.
The apartment gets a lot of natural light through those beautiful windows, which makes it an ideal setting for a darker greige paint color. I love the way this greige accentuates the white crown moldings on the ceiling, which is such a nice feature to accentuate in the space.
Greige living room walls combined with beige velvet sofas
I love the way the greige paint color scheme is combined with both beige and gray elements in the furniture and soft furnishings. The series of Ikea Ivar cabinets by the wall behind the sofa has received a lick of gray paint, which makes them stand out in front of the greige walls which brings out the cool undertones in the gray.
The brown fabric of the velvet sofa goes towards the warmer end of the spectrum and adds just a hint of warmth to the space which is enhanced by the warm wood tones of the coffee table.
The black table lamp and ceiling lamp, the black horse art print, and the other black accessories add a beautiful contrast to the wall color and I love that the old doorway next to the fireplace has been turned into a bookshelf. By painting this shelf black as well even more contrast has been added to the greige paint colors.
A warm gray kitchen
The wall color of the kitchen has been kept white, which makes the warm gray kitchen cabinets stand out in a lovely way. The white marble countertops and the stainless steel details combine so nicely with the gray cabinets and I think the layout of the kitchen works well.
Just like in the living room, the lighter shades of the kitchen have been combined with contrasting dark wood and black tints. The big round wooden dining table fits perfectly in the large space and the black dining chairs and the black vitrine add a wonderful touch of contrast to the gray paint on the cabinets.
Apart from the smart custom built-in storage solutions, this penthouse apartment in Sweden really stands out because of the black and white interior design which has been applied to the different rooms. This black-and-white scheme really makes elements like the hardwood flooring and the original wood beams in the ceiling stand out in such a nice way.
A spacious living kitchen with a black-and-white interior design
The beautiful living kitchen including a sofa area and a dining room really is the most impressive space in the apartment. The sloped ceilings come together at the point of the roof with these gorgeous wood beams to hold the structure. The architectural details in this place are very impressive and the modest color palette only accentuates this.
A black kitchen with marble countertops
The black kitchen is a real eye-catcher in the living space and I love the way it has been integrated underneath the sloped ceiling. The highest ceiling area has been used for tall cupboards that contain large elements like the fridge and oven, while the rest of the kitchen has a lower design, which fits underneath the ceiling. Note that the sink is placed in underneath the floating shelves where it’s still high enough to stand comfortably and non-essential elements like the coffee machine and wine cooler have found a place underneath the lowest part.
The marble of the countertops goes well with the black and white interior design and comes back in the impressive marble kitchen island which includes the stove and also has a place for sitting at the bar.
White walls and exposed wood beams
Apart from the dark wall treatment around the fireplace and the TV, all the walls in this beautiful penthouse have been kept white, so as to add depth and contrast with the black light fixtures, kitchen, and coffee table. The white backdrop of the wall accentuates the black pieces, while the grey elements in the space soften this look out.
The rest of the palette has off-white, grey, and natural wood on the floor, with the wood tones of the beams and the cognac leather of the bar bench being the only touches of color in the interior. The bar bench combined with the marble waterfall kitchen island forms a beautiful focal point in the space.
The black and white palette continues in the bedroom
The hotel-style attic master bedroom follows the black-and-white interior design and color scheme of the living area, and also here you can find a beautiful custom-built black wardrobe solution that fits the space underneath the roof perfectly.
The solid fabrics on the bed, headboard, and on the floor soften out this look and add visual interest to the otherwise modest interior with black accents.
A bathroom and powder room with limestone
The black custom-built furniture elements really stand out against the limestone tiling on the walls in both bathrooms, which has a softer effect in these spaces. The free-standing tub and the shower with a niche space for soaps with the black fittings work wonderfully and I love the way the big mirror has cut-outs for the two wall lights.
Other black and white interiors to take inspiration from
Black and white is a classic color combination with which you can’t go wrong. Are you inspired by this interior and looking for more black-and-white interior design ideas? Have a look at this beautiful apartment with white paint on the wall, ceilings, and floors, and black accessories for a nice contrast in the home decor. Or take a peek into this bedroom with a black wardrobe and black and white photography on the walls.
This beautiful duplex apartment in Sweden (styled by Anna van Keppel, photographed by Elin Sylwan for Historiska Hem) has so much character and personality. The black kitchen and large dining area seem to be the heart of the apartment, from where you can take the spiral staircase up to the second floor where there is a bedroom and an office space hidden underneath the roof.
The asymmetrical living room layout features a curved sofa, a curved coffee table, and a custom module for the TV. The dining area in the adjacent kitchen has a color palette that complements the one of the living room.
On the second level, you can find a bedroom with a built-in wardrobe around the bed for optimal use of storage and a home office with a desk integrated into the window sill.
What is a duplex apartment?
A duplex apartment is an apartment that is spread over two floors, with a staircase that can be accessed from inside the apartment. Often the apartments underneath the roof don’t have so much usable floor space, so by connecting two floors together, you make one bigger unit.
Sometimes you will even have a separate entrance for the second floor, but that’s usually when two units are transformed into one unit with more space.
A kitchen with black cabinets and a beautiful living area
On the lower level of the duplex apartment, you have the living kitchen with a big dining table and a living room. The kitchen was fitted in a rather awkward layout, but works nicely with its U-shape and still leaves ample space for a large vintage dining table.
I love the style of the limestone wall by the sink, which has been covered with a plexiglass backsplash for an interesting combination of textures. The black cabinets add so much contrast to the warm undertones of the off-white walls and I like the wooden floating shelves and countertops for an effortless yet warm style.
The black kitchen is finished off with a butcher block countertop paired with a black countertop by the sink and floating shelves for keeping glasses, cups, and cookbooks.
The wall shelves are custom-made to fit the width of the wall exactly, making the asymmetrical layout of the kitchen less obvious.
A spacious kitchen dining area with an impressive wall rug
The large wood dining table paired with oak wood dining chairs in front of the kitchen window is paired with a black tulip lamp and an impressive hanging wall rug that adds a beautiful array of warm colors to the setting.
A living room with an awkward layout
It’s not so easy to decorate a room with angled walls, yet I love the way the owners of this apartment made the living room work. The angled sofa fits perfectly along the angled walls and the asymmetric coffee table makes the setting complete. It kind of feels like the furnishings were made exactly for this room.
The common wall between the kitchen and the living room is used for a custom TV unit which has been painted in the same color as the wall for a sleek tone-on-tone look.
A spiral staircase to the office space and bedroom
The black spiral staircase works so nicely with the black cabinets in the kitchen and the round shape fits the style of the space. From the kitchen, you can make your way into a rooftop office space and bedroom on the second floor of the duplex.
A custom home office space with a desk integrated into the floor plan
The office space is a great example of a custom storage solution that goes over into a desk. When you are working with sloped ceilings and angled walls, it’s often better to have someone install custom-built fittings rather than try and make regular furniture work.
The custom window sill desk includes storage cubbies on the bottom which are great for displaying objects and storing books.
A bedroom with a custom-built wardrobe around the bed
On the other side of the staircase, you can access the bedroom which has a very nice storage solution as well. The bed was built into two storage units with a headboard and artwork in the middle for a sleek and cozy effect. This solution is something you could install with ready-made storage units as well and would make a great Ikea hack. You could even cover the entire bedroom wall with cabinets, just like in this example and if you are looking to implement a similar setup in your bedroom, make sure to take a look at this post which includes a full list of wardrobe ideas that go over the bed.
Take a look at this beautiful one-of-a-kind home that features many points of visual interest: a spiral staircase in front of a wall filled with custom floating shelves, a minimal white attic kitchen with grey limestone countertops, and a moody attic bedroom with an interesting wall texture in shades of brown. This space is the work of WTP studios and has been long in the making.
A white kitchen with limestone countertops and floating shelves
The crisp white kitchen is one of the most important rooms in any home and the design of the Nordiska Kök kitchen in this apartment certainly does not disappoint. The minimal white cupboards pair up nicely with the grey limestone countertops and backsplash, which adds an interesting texture and surface to the space.
The beautiful limestone backsplash goes all the way up, following the lines of the slanted ceiling. The limestone is used for a set of floating shelves as well, which adds an effortless style and elegance to the space.
Grey Limestone countertops
Limestone countertops are easy to clean, extremely durable, pleasant to touch and offer so much more texture and elegance than regular countertops because of the natural experience they add to the space. Limestone can stand the test of time and is a great material for countertops.
The grey tone of the limestone matches perfectly in a minimal kitchen design like this one and I love that it adds a cooler tone to the warm tints that can be found in the living room and bedroom
Floating shelves behind a spiral staircase
In the living room, the warmth coming from the custom-design floating shelving is striking and the wood surface is a perfect fit behind the spiral staircase. The wood shades of both the shelving and the exposed beam ceiling work really nicely together and the round dining table is the perfect fit to go along with it. Since the floating shelves take up so much attention, the area with the beige sofa is decorated very modestly in tints of white and beige.
Just like the limestone shelving in the kitchen, the shelves in the living room follow the layout of the room. Where the spiral staircase is located the shelves are less deep, which is a great space-saving solution and it ensures the shelving works in the space.
Various shades of brown in the bedroom
The bedroom has a deep and moody brown color on the wall, which is quite a daring color to choose for a small room, but it works great in this space. The design of the custom headboard matches the different shades of brown in the wall color and in the frame of the little antique mirror. The different brown shades are contrasted with a vintage wall lamp and simple white sheets finished off with a single beige throw pillow.
A unique design for a unique layout
The design of this small loft home is unique and features a combination of warm and neutral materials for a characterful and elegant look. The floating shelves in wood and limestone add a bespoke element to the space which works great with the style and elements of the architecture.
The clean white kitchen with limestone countertops has a light and airy style that is timeless and of great quality, which ensures it can stay in the home just as it is for a decade at the least.
A yellow kitchen and a pink bedroom are two very characteristic elements to be added to one single apartment, but the owners of this beautiful Swedish home (Styled by Clindholm Design, photographed by Jocke Ono for Historiska Hem) were able to pick out softer shades of pink and yellow for a color scheme that is elegant and sophisticated.
A yellow kitchen with white tiles and black grout
Is yellow a good color for a kitchen?
Yellow sounds like quite the daring color for a kitchen, yet it’s all bout the intensity and saturation of the paint colour. A bright yellow might be too bold for your taste, yet a more nuanced shade like these mustard yellow kitchen cabinets has a sophisticated look with a visual warmth coming from the area.
What color matches a yellow kitchen?
Combine yellow kitchen cabinets with natural elements to accentuate the visual warmth of the space. In this beautiful Swedish home, the yellow cabinets have been combined with a natural wood dining table and chairs for an eat-in kitchen and the walls of the adjacent living area have been painted in grey with green undertones.
The white tiles with black grout add a certain lightness to the space and the beige marble countertops enhance the visual warmth coming from the yellow kitchen cabinets. The layout of the kitchen consists mainly out of base cabinets, with a few open shelves added on the top for a lighter look since so much of the white backsplash is visible.
On the other side of the space you can find a large built-in cabinet next to the niche that has been turned into a pantry. This is something that was carefully planned out together with the kitchen renovation. Note that the white tiles come back in the pantry as well, which is a nice touch to this L-shaped layout kitchen.
In the same color as the kitchen, a custom mudroom bench was installed with ample storage space for coats, shoes and baskets.
The living room includes a TV gallery wall with a storage cabinet underneath it, which stands out against the dark wall color.
A soft pink bedroom
The blush pink wall color has been used on almost every single surface in this small bedroom, apart from the ceiling and the door and window moldings, which have been kept white. The soft pink paint color has been complemented with wood accents and rustic textures in the many natural baskets that are spread throughout the space.
The open shelving in the little niche at the foot of the bed was painted in the same pink paint color, which gives the space a very cohesive look enhanced with little details in natural shades.
Is pink a good color for a bedroom?
You want your bedroom to be a place of rest and tranquility, so while a nude or soft pink works nicely, a hot pink would be way too stimulating in my opinion. Another aspect to pay attention to is pink tones that remind of little girls rooms, which pastels tend to do. Make sure you find the perfect shade and your bedroom will look sophisticated.
If you are unsure about making the commitment, you can always try an accent wall instead of a full pink room. Pick the wall behind your bed and this wall will serve as a pink headboard of sorts which you can match up with throw pillows in terracotta tints for a cohesive look.
A pink headboard is perfect for adding a touch of pink to the bedroom without having to paint your walls. Since a headboard is quite a large surface, it will have a similar, yet more subtle effect in the room.
Which pink colour is best for a bedroom?
The pink walls in this particular bedroom turn the natural light coming from the window into a soft glow, an effect you would only have with a nude pink paint color on the lighter spectrum of the color wheel.
I you are thinking about pink walls in your bedroom or another room in your home, it’s really important to settle for the right shade (you don’t want to end up with anything nearing hot pink or too pastel), so buying a tester is absolutely crucial as the shade of the paint can depend on the direction of the natural light coming into the room.
some pink paint colors you might want to buy a tester from:
Templeton pink from Farrow & Ball* is a subtle pink when much natural light hits the space, yet has a deeper touch when used in rooms with low light.
Sulking room pink from Farrow & Ball* is a warm, powdery pink for a more intense look which will add depth and pairs up nicely with whites and green.
Other pink bedroom ideas to take inspiration from
If you are looking for more inspiration, check out these other pink bedroom ideas to turn a boring white space into an interesting interior with pink walls:
A pink bedroom with pink drapes to separate the bedroom from the rest of the space here
A pink bedroom with blush pink walls and black accents in a gorgeous turn-of-the-century home here.
An eclectic pink bedroom with a pink headboard and vintage pieces here.
A classy bathroom with white tiles and black grout
The subtle pink drapes that are used in this bathroom are a hint to the colour scheme in the bathroom, which is such a nice touch. The green tiles and the classy freestanding claw foot tub add so much character to this space and the same white tiles with black grout from the kitchen can be found in the bathroom as well for a coherent use of materials.
Scandinavian interior design and eclecticism might not be the obvious combination your mind goes to when thinking about styles to combine. With its clean lines, light color palette, and nordic cultural influences, a Scandinavian style couldn’t be more different than the eclectic interior design. Yet opposites attract and I think it’s exactly the contrast between the two styles that work well. Take this gorgeous apartment for example, where eclectic home decor adds character and personality to the otherwise clean look of the Scandinavian interior.
An eclectic dusty pink bedroom
While the living room of this characterful Scandinavian apartment interior has a few interesting pieces, the bedroom is definitely the most eclectic room in this home with its bold color choices. With its dusty pink walls, sculptural bed headboard, vintage art pieces, and blue sideboard, it has a very characterful and cozy look that I’m sure was carefully thought out and experimented with.
A subtle eclectic living room with a built-in bookcase
While the living room has been designed more modestly, here the vintage dining table and chairs forming the dining room combined with the large-sized artwork on the wall also look very personal and interesting. The vintage pieces really draw attention in the room and I love the addition of the Valerie objects wall lamp in this setting. The big corduroy pouf serves as a coffee table as well and the blue vintage lamp on the stool next to the curtains is a lovely addition.
This beautiful Scandinavian apartment has a gorgeous living room, which has been styled in black and white for a beautiful contrasting effect. The eye-catcher of the living room is certainly the fluffy area rug, which pairs up nicely with the white linen sofa and the sheer white linen curtains in front of the windows.
While there isn’t a trace of color to be detected in the living room, the bedroom combines a muted blue wall with a soft beige velvet headboard for a soft look that can be seen from the living area. In between the living room and bedroom you can find a round dining table combined with a walnut sideboard, which doesn’t have any direct natural light coming in, but I’m sure the round mirror on the wall reflects some of the daylight coming in through the other rooms.
I love the color blue for bedroom walls. Cool tones tend to work well in bedrooms and I think in this particular room, the blue elements harmonize in such a lovely way with the tints of beige and natural wood. The blue linen duvet cover* works so nicely together with the color on the wall and I love the little desk in front of the window where you can look out on the street from while you work.
This contrasting bedroom with white furniture and walls painted in a dark grey wall color has a few of pops color that really draw the eye. I like that next to the inevitable wardrobe you can find an antique desk combined with a deep blue bentwood chair. This home office corner is eye-catching and adds character to the space.
I think the warm color palette works so nicely in this room and the colors of the walls match the warm hardwood flooring very nicely. Even though the decoration is rather modest, the peg rail and the vase with beautiful flowers that have been placed on a pedestal really add something special here.
Another great combination of bedroom and workspace with black accent pieces adding contrast to the otherwise grey and beige setting. I think the wall lamp in combination with the art print and the round mirror works lovely above the bed and the white desk in front of the window looks like a great spot to sit and get some work done.
The sage green walls combined with the white and beige color palette in this turn-of-the-century bedroom lighten up the black hardwood flooring in such a lovely way. I love the way the single artwork above the bed matches the color palette of the bedding and the way the sheer white curtains frame the window.
The daylight coming into this beautiful bedroom with a rather awkward layout is simply amazing and the fact that the walls are painted in such a dark color enhances this even better. The dark grey curtains match the color of the wall and for a great tone-on-tone effect, the plinths, door, and window have all been painted in the same dark grey tint.
This bedroom has a bit more of an eclectic touch, yet the beige and pink color palette makes it very calm and tranquil at the same time. The mineral wall treatment adds an interesting texture to these turn-of-the-century walls and the headboard adds a lot of personality to this room.
You don’t often see green and pinks combined, but this combination works so nicely in this Swedish bedroom. The sage green wall combined with the beige and wood elements makes the look very calm and inviting, while the pink lamp adds a little something special.
The pastel pink walls in this bedroom set the stage for a bright and light, slightly feminine look which is paired up with a velvet nude pink pouf, pillows, and natural wood tints. I love the way the green plants in the terracotta plant pots add a fresh touch to the room.
Apart from the beautiful turn-of-the-century details in this bedroom, it’s the mixture of textiles on the bed that takes away all the attention in this space. The linen bed skirt, combined with the mixture of beige, white and brown textiles on the bed is really a winning look in combination with the wall lamps, the gallery wall, and the subtle accessories.
I live in quite a small apartment myself (not a studio apartment, yet I always have to pick and choose very carefully which furniture pieces I select), so I always find it most inspiring to find great studio apartment design ideas that I can apply to my own apartment and save space in the process.
What is a studio apartment?
Studio apartments are small apartments where the living room, kitchen, and bedroom are all combined in one single room.
How to decorate a studio apartment
Making a studio apartment design work is all about making the right design decisions and finding the right solution to be able to combine the main functionalities in an apartment: the bedroom, dining room, living room, and home office depending on whether you need it or not. Kitchen and bathroom functionalities should also be fulfilled, but usually, they are included in the apartment, especially if you are renting.
Studio apartment ideas
A smart studio apartment design makes the layout look spacious even though there is not a lot of floor space to work with and makes smart use of a room divider in any form or shape to visually separate the functional areas from each other.
I’ve listed my favorite studio apartment design ideas and inspirations below and while I was looking for studio apartment inspiration, I tried to include both functional solutions, as well as easy design and color choices that can be applied to rentals and small apartments that you use temporarily.
From a micro-apartment to a smart use of hidden closets, to places with slightly larger square footage, this post is filled with smart tips and tricks to make studio apartments work and ample studio apartment decor inspiration to give you a head start into decorating your studio space.
How to separate functional areas
If you are planning your interior design from scratch, you might want to consider functional separators like a partition or a custom-built module that separates the functional areas, yet makes the space feel like one. A glass door with a black metal frame can be a great focal point in your small apartment and if the space is really tight, it might even include a sliding door.
Studio apartment ideas with great visual separation between areas
a glass separator between the bedroom area and the living space
This Scandinavian studio apartment has a partition separating the bedroom space from the sofa area, which fits the bed exactly and is closed on the side by subtle white linen curtains*. This is one of the best studio apartment design ideas to invest in, as it creates a division without forming an obstruction for daylight, which makes your space look bigger.
The living space is decorated in light colors with peach accents in the throw pillows* and by the wall opposed to the bed, there is even space for a small home office area, such a must-have for so many of us these days as well. The elegant color scheme makes the contrasting black glass separator stand out even better and the open-plan space has a very elegant, sophisticated look.
Notice the modular sofa in the living area as well (this is Ikea Soderhamn), which can be enlarged with other modules once you move from a small space to another, larger apartment. The combination of a small coffee table in wood and another one in white metal works nicely in this studio apartment and in general, combining smaller tables looks more spacious rather than opting for a big coffee table.
The Formakami papershade pendant* is the perfect statement lamp for this small space, as it draws attention, but has a light and minimal design at the same time.
A glass partition to close off the bedroom from the rest of the studio apartment
The glass double door in this beautiful Scandinavian studio apartment allows the natural light to flow into the small space with an open layout, yet the door can be closed to separate the rooms in a high-quality fashion without having to build a solid wall that makes the space look smaller. You can even place a curtain behind the glass which can be closed for complete privacy when necessary and the glass partition wall will also offer sound insulation in case you need it.
Note that the hallway of this studio apartment has a complete wall of storage space, which is such a crucial element in a studio apartment. Nothing makes a space appear smaller than having clutter around, so you better invest in some good quality closed storage space. If the space available is super small, you might want to use sliding doors for your storage solution as you will have more space to pass by when the closet is open. Clean lines work best for big storage modules, preferably even without handles so it blends into your open-space studio apartment.
Your studio apartment’s layout will highly depend on the floor plan, but with some custom solutions, you can make the layout work to your advantage. When designing small spaces, makes sure to measure everything before buying (also do this when decorating a bigger space) and utilize vertical space and natural light as much as possible.
A custom-built room divider in an attic studio apartment
While we covered the main advantages of glass partitions above, they can also be a great solution when you have beautiful structural elements in your architecture that you don’t want to cover up. The bedroom area in this Scandinavian studio apartment has been separated from the rest of the space, yet the view throughout the living and sitting area have not been obstructed.
This is also a great solution for a guest bed in a shared area, that you want to leave open when you don’t have guests over. The daylight coming into your studio apartment will not get obstructed, yet the guest room can be closed off when needed.
studio apartments with custom space-saving solutions
A studio apartment with the kitchen block as a separator between rooms
In this small apartment, the kitchen block itself functions as a separator between the two rooms, and when you walk behind the kitchen cabinets, you find a small, yet super cozy and light-flooded bedroom with a double bed that fits the space exactly.
The small kitchen even includes a home office integrated into the niche with floating shelves on the wall, combining three functionalities in one small space.
A studio apartment with a loft bed that creates extra floor space
When you live in a small space or studio apartment, like so many of us do, you have to find solutions to make it work and save space. This often includes a smart combination of both open and closed storage space so that every object has its place: either stored away in closet space or on display in a special spot. The owners of this beautiful studio apartment took it to a whole other level and turned their home into a treasure box full of smart space-saving solutions, optimizing the layout with great studio apartment design ideas for you to take inspiration from.
The kitchen, bedroom, and wardrobe are one module. By the window, you can find the kitchen with a built-in breakfast bar. On the opposite side of the window, the combination of both open and closed cabinets forms the base for the loft bed, which has been added on the second level, utilizing the space beneath the bed as extra storage. Underneath the bed, you have a hidden closet, which can be accessed from the other side. The loft bed utilizes the vertical space available in this beautiful studio apartment design and the use of wall space is done in an efficient way.
The storage wall in the hallway provides spots to store shoes, jackets, and bags and is made out of the same material as the elevated bed for a cohesive design language.
Create a loft bed on a second level to save floor space
When you have to plan a tiny apartment layout, yet you can work with high ceilings, it makes a lot of sense to build a loft bed so you can create another level. This tiny studio apartment utilizes the space underneath the loft bed as a small sofa area including a TV and open shelving built into the wall.
The grey walls combined with a color scheme of warm accessories and soft furnishings is a great choice for such a small space and the white flooring makes this tiny home seem bigger.
A loft bed with integrated functionality in the steps of the stairs
A bit similar to the previous example, yet in this beautiful studio apartment with nude pink walls throughout, only part of the space has been covered with a loft space and the stairs leading up to it are also an open shelving solution for storage.
When going up the stairs you reach the bedroom area of the studio space and underneath the loft, you can find a small dining area with a built-in bench. By painting the walls and all the custom-fitted solutions in the same nude pink paint color, you get a very cohesive effect. Note that also the wardrobe module beside the sofa area has been painted in this same color.
Styled by Lind, photographed by Ostling for Historiska Hem
A studio apartment with a canopy to separate the bedroom from the rest of the apartment
This studio combines the apartment living room and bedroom in one big space, and even though it would be easy to add doors in between the two areas, the open plan makes the apartment look spacious.
By adding a canopy above the bed, the two rooms are visually more separated and the area where the bed is placed becomes its’ own space. While a canopy works best with high ceilings, it can be used as a visual separation in any room and it also does double duty as an atmospheric element in cozy living spaces like this one.
Hanging a sheer white curtain* in between two functional areas is one of the simplest compact studio design ideas to visually separate the apartment layout. The entire space consists of a small living room that is also a bedroom and it’s the textiles that make all the difference. The living room furniture and soft furnishings have been picked out in modest colors, with an area rug adding an extra dimension to the compact studio design.
Surround the bedroom area with a curtain to separate it from the rest of the studio apartment
This is one of those easy studio apartment ideas that doesn’t cost you a lot of money, yet it has a great effect. You can easily separate your bedroom area from the rest of your studio apartment by adding a curtain around the bed.
The curtain will visually create another room and it will also keep the sleeping area dark which is an added benefit.
Create a loft bedroom area on top of another functional area
Another example with a loft bed, yet the area underneath the bedroom area is not open like in the previous example, it contains the bathroom. The color scheme of the small studio apartment is based around the beige wall color, enhanced with blacks, greys, and warm tones.
The module with the loft bed is painted in the same wall color (try out Farrow & Ball Jitney* or Oxford Stone* if you are looking to try out something similar), which integrates it nicely into the apartment layout.
A loft bed with storage underneath the stairs above a compact kitchen
This must be one of the best efficiency apartment decorating ideas I have seen so far. The loft bed is built above the tiny kitchen in such a smart way, allowing for extra storage underneath the stairs. The small kitchen has been made to fit the area underneath the stairs perfectly and the small dining table with bar chairs fits nicely together with the kitchen. On the other side of the studio home, there is still ample space for a small sofa area.
A Murphy bed to optimize the studio apartment design and layout
A Murphy bed is a great space-saving solution for combining functionalities in especially small spaces. This allows you to use a regular-sized bed during the night, yet turn the unused floor space when the bed is stored away into a living or dining room area.
Optimizing the apartment layout to fit all functionalities
While most studio apartment decorating ideas in this list focus on smart built-ins or ways to visually separate functional areas from each other, we might have missed one of the best apartment decorating ideas altogether: optimizing your furniture selection and layout towards the functionalities you need and the size of the space.
This beautiful studio apartment inspo combines a bedroom area with a living area and a home office space in such a natural way while still achieving a layout that looks spacious since the furniture has been picked in so carefully.
The small bed fits exactly in the space by the door, while still allowing a small stool to be placed next to it as a bedside table. Instead of a desk, the String system* with an integrated bookshelf was used to provide space for books in the home office area and a small daybed was used instead of a big sofa to still create a cozy seating nook, without taking up too much floor space.
a light color palette enlarges the apartment visually
A studio apartment with a light yet warm color palette
A light color palette enlarges a space visually. While white might be the obvious choice here, you can also go for a warmer palette and work with a mixture of beiges, natural materials, and a spot of yellow. I love the way the Ikea Kallax bookcase by the bed has been decorated in a subtle yet elegant way, combining wonderfully with the area of the bed and the sitting area.
Both functional areas feature soft tints of yellow for a vibrant, yet calm look. Even though limited space is available in this studio apartment, the light palette makes it look spacious.
Sometimes it can be a little bit tricky to make a white space like this one, with white walls, floors, and ceilings look cozy and inviting, but I think this cozy studio apartment makes it work really nicely. The color palette of the main furniture items has been kept very light, which makes the apartment appear larger than it actually is. Some contrasting pieces are added as well to give the look more character.
The white (It’s an old Ikea model customized with a Bemz slip cover*) sofa combined with the white fluffy area rug, white chairs, and coffee tables set the stage for a bit of color in the linen pillowcases* on the sofa, the art print on the wall, and the small accessories on the table. The darker color of the bench against the wall adds a lot of contrast and the light beige curtains* soften out the light coming from the windows.
Keeping the room white is one of those easy-to-apply studio apartment design ideas that will contribute the most for very little effort. Introduce a cozy seating area into the apartment, combine with a few contrasting elements and you will have a stylish home that looks spacious and inviting. Low furniture like the bench works well with low ceilings, as there will be a lot of white space above it. Hang some wall art above the bench to finish off the look.
A studio apartment with light beige walls and blue and pink accent pieces
When it comes to decorating small apartments, it’s important to thoroughly consider the color palette of the space. This studio apartment design consists of a living space combined with a bedroom area all on quite a small surface, yet by selecting a light beige wall color that highlights the crown molding it still looks and feels spacious. The blue and pink elements around the bed and sofa add interest and character to the look.
The black bedside table adds contrast to the sleeping area, yet it also functions as a visual room divider between the bed and the lounge area. The apartment layout even includes a section for the TV and a narrow Ikea Pax wardrobe painted in the same color as the wall in between the bed and fireplace functions as the main storage space inside the living space.
a bold or dark color palette adds character and personality to small studio apartments
A studio apartment with dark grey walls
This beautiful studio apartment has darker grey walls, which makes it a little bit more on the dramatic side, yet the tints of peach, beige, and terracotta soften it out in a nice way. The warm beige curtains* warm up the daylight coming from the windows which makes the peach tints pop.
The large antique mirror by the bed reflects the space and the light coming from the window, which is a great trick to make a small space look bigger and one of those studio apartment design ideas that will transform your space and bring it to another level. The peach-colored bedsheets* combined with the burned orange throw* match the color palette in the print above the bed. This color combination adds so much warmth in this corner and ties the bedroom area together.
The round dining table in between the kitchen and the living area works so nicely with the white bentwood chairs, the chequered tablecloth, and the pop of light blue in the art print. The dining area is placed in between two open spaces, which visually separates them from each other and provides extra seating when you have guests over and want to hang out in the living room.
This small studio apartment with rounded windows has these mesmerizing deep green walls (similar to Farrow & Ball Beverly*), which makes the otherwise modestly colored furniture and accessories stand out in such a beautiful way.
The light wool area rug, which covers a large portion of the room adds a soft texture to the white-soaped hardwood flooring. The white linen sofa (it’s an old Ikea model with a Bemz custom linen slip cover*) combined with the linen pillows* and the light oak furniture pieces in the sitting area enhance this soft look, while the red autumn arrangement on the coffee table and the graphic art prints on the walls add a subtle contrast to the space.
Even though this studio apartment has some great architectural features, to begin with, I think the green wall mixed up with the neutral furniture pieces is a design that can work in other small spaces as well to add some extra character and personality.
A studio apartment with an olive green accent wall
This home has one of the nicest studio apartment design ideas of all: an olive green accent wall (similar to Farrow & Ball Studio green*) to visually separate functional areas from each other. The studio apartment is planned in a very open way, with a doorway between the kitchen and the living space and a niche for the sleeping area.
I love the fact that the bedroom area is visually separated from the living room because of the dark olive green wall color of the niche only, such a lovely interior design detail.
The sofa area has a beautiful mixture of beige textiles and prints as well and I love that there is space for a small dining table in front of the windows. When you peek into the small kitchen from the living room area, you can see a little curtain underneath the sink, which has the same tint as the wall of the sleeping area. It’s touches in the color scheme like these that make the interior design in this studio apartment so special.
Bold color choices in a small and efficient studio apartment
This is one of those apartment designs that are truly unique and it really doesn’t matter that it’s a small studio apartment, does it? The kitchen is the central element in the space and it really stands out because of its gold surfaces.
The bedroom has been placed behind a half wall combined with one of those glass dividers for studio apartments that still let daylight into the bedroom area. Since the ceilings of this historic apartment are very high, a loft bed was also built into the space, which can be reached by using the metal ladder in the kitchen.
The entrance has been painted in a bold pink combined with gold details and a big wardrobe provides ample storage space for the small apartment. The wardrobe has mirrored fronts, which reflect both the space and the light for an optically bigger look.
Deep faded blue walls make a bold statement on a small surface
When it comes to how to style a studio apartment, you have to think a bit outside of the box. If you want your studio home to look stylish and unique, you have to make some bold choices because you have limited space and opportunity to make the apartment designs stand out.
This turn-of-the-century home has a layout with a small niche space for the bedroom, and the walls of the entire studio have been painted in a beautiful pale blue that makes both the studio apartment furnishing, yet also the historic architectural details stand out in a lovely way.
Things to consider when designing your studio apartment
visually separate functional areas from each other
How to setup a studio apartment will depend on the space available and the functionalities you need in the space. Whether you use architectural features like a glass separator or a strategically placed kitchen block, a murphy bed or loft bed to save space, it’s smart solutions like these that will make it possible to include all functionalities in one area.
Make sure to think about storage space when you plan the layout of your studio apartment
Whether you built a full wall of closed storage, hide storage modules underneath the bed, or behind a curtain, you will need a way to keep your studio apartment clutter free and organized. A murphy bed is a great solution for the smallest of spaces, but other flexible furniture pieces like folding chairs or a sofa bed can be great companions in a small home as well.
Studio apartment beds are usually as small as possible, to make room for other functionalities in the space.
pick a color palette that fits the space
You can achieve great results in your interior design by picking the right colors for your space. Go for a lighter color palette if you want to make the space appear larger, or go for darker, bolder colors to add character. Use an accent wall or paint certain walls to visually separate areas from each other solely by using the color scheme.
