Studio Apartment Design – Furniture Layout Ideas, Lighting

The design of a 320 square feet studio apartment incorporates a kitchen, dining area, living room, relaxation space, work area, and other functional zones. Through the rational use of such a space, it is possible to achieve a comfortable and unique interior.

320 sq ft Studio Layouts

In order to properly renovate, the nuances of the layout are thought through and an individual project, design scheme and sketches are developed first and foremost. When setting up a studio, its size, width, length and overall geometry of the space, which can have a square, elongated narrow and rectangular shape, are taken into account. A room in the shape of a square offers broader planning possibilities. It is very important that the overall design meets not only aesthetic requirements, but is also as comfortable and functional as possible.

Rectangular studios are also very popular. They often contain functional zones with unique layouts and only one window, opposite which is the front door. Such a layout may be small and have a narrow shape.

Zoning Options

There are several ways:

• A popular zoning technique is to use a floor or ceiling level difference.
• Lighting can also be an excellent space divider. For example, brighter light sources are installed in the center of the living room, and for the kitchen and sleeping area, they choose lighting that has diffused illumination.
• For a studio apartment, various furniture or accessories are suitable as a zoning element. This could be a beautiful aquarium, bar counter, sofa, or fireplace.
• Zoning with a partition is often used, in the form of an elegant shelving unit, a light screen, and other less bulky structures.

How to Arrange Furniture?

For this space, measuring 320 square feet, a transforming sofa is mainly preferred, or a small couch that doesn’t take up much space, or a bed equipped with pull-out drawers. You should also consider a storage system, such as built-in or bookcase wardrobes placed along the wall. It’s desirable to use built-in furniture and appliances, folding and flip tables, as well as hanging cabinets or shelves.

The photo shows the design of a 320 square feet studio apartment equipped with a transforming bed.

For the refrigerator, TV, microwave oven, or other appliances, additional niches are allocated, they are built into furniture elements or mounted on a solid partition or wall using special brackets.

The photo shows a storage system, in the form of a built-in wardrobe in the interior of a 320 square feet studio apartment.

Bedroom Design

The sleep area is generally located as far away from the entrance door as possible or even a corner is equipped with a separate bedroom, hidden from view. Sometimes instead of a bed, a fold-out sofa is chosen, which is more lightweight and compact in appearance and equipped with drawers for linens and other various items. Thanks to built-in storage systems, you can avoid buying bulky dressers or wardrobes.

In the photo is a bed, located in a niche, in the design of a 320 square feet studio apartment.

The sleeping area is separated by curtains, canopies or other zoning decor, which allows for privacy and more comfortable rest.

Interior Photos for a Family with a Child

If the family is living with a child, it is necessary to equip their own, albeit small, space for them. In its design, you can use a regular bed or a closet with a built-in bed, which is maximally convenient and ergonomic for a 320 square feet apartment.

To distinguish and diversify the overall design, a children’s corner is highlighted with cladding that differs from other areas of the room, equipped with brighter and high-quality lighting, and decorated in a unique and unusual manner. This area should be as separate as possible so that children playing and having fun do not interfere with adults.

The photo shows the design of a girl’s play corner in the interior of a 320 sq ft studio apartment.

Kitchen design ideas in a studio apartment

In such an apartment, the kitchen occupies about 6 sq m (approximately 65 sq ft), but despite its small size, it can be made as comfortable as possible. For rational use of space, furniture equipped with built-in appliances is suitable. Also, the windowsill, which organizes the workspace or dining area, is often expanded.

The photo shows a kitchen set with a linear arrangement in the design of a 320 sq ft studio apartment.

The kitchen design should be bright and spacious. More functional is the arrangement of the kitchen unit along one wall, and the dining area on the opposite side. For this area, stools that easily slide under the table, freeing up additional space, are especially suitable. It is important to provide for various storage systems for dishes, small appliances, and other necessary things.

How to set up a workspace?

Most often, this area is arranged next to the window, which provides quality lighting. Another great option is a compact extendable table with shelves that can be transformed into a real mini-office. If there is a niche in the studio, it can be boldly converted into a workspace. Such a zone is often isolated and highlighted with floor or wall coverings, thereby creating a certain accent on it.

Hallway Design Examples

A 320 sq ft apartment in a building of the Khrushchev type has a relatively small hallway. In most cases, the corridor has a closet, which, thanks to the use of sliding doors, can replace a wardrobe for clothes. To visually expand the space, a large mirror is placed on the wall.

If the hallway is not equipped with a closet, a corner or compartment wardrobe can be installed in it. All the furniture in this room should be narrower, not too bulky, and made in light tones. The presence of glossy or glass surfaces and bright sources of lighting is also appropriate here.

In the photo, the interior of the entrance hall with a small chest of drawers and a mirror in the design of a studio apartment 320 sq ft.

Bathroom Photos

In the studio, the bathroom and toilet are the only separate rooms. The bathroom, despite its separation, should blend in with the overall interior of the entire apartment and also be as functional as possible. 

In the photo, a top view of the bathroom located in a 320 sq ft (30 sq m) studio apartment.

To save space, the bathroom is equipped with corner sinks, shower cabins that take up a minimum of space, as well as equipped with other compact plumbing and furniture. Light shades in the cladding and well-chosen lighting help visually increase the room.

Studio Ideas with a Balcony

If the balcony is located near the kitchen area, it can be used to place household appliances, for example, a refrigerator, microwave, and so on. A bar counter combined with a windowsill will look very organic.

In the photo, the design of a 320 sq ft (30 sq m) studio apartment with a balcony equipped as a workspace.

By combining the balcony with the living area, you get a real increase in the area of the room, as well as the opportunity to endow the space with additional natural light. In this case, the balcony can be a place to relax and be equipped with a small sofa or be a comfortable workspace with a table. To make the balcony a unified part of the apartment, identical cladding is chosen for it.

Apartment Lighting Recommendations

Here are a few key tips:

• For such a studio, you should pay particular attention to selecting lighting fixtures. Spotlights and decorative lamps, which are placed on the ceiling and in niches, will assist in proper light arrangement.
• It is recommended to install a multi-level lighting system that aids in creating primary and additional lighting. More often than not, this solution involves having a large chandelier that illuminates the entire area and zone lighting for specific sections.
• It is desirable that lighting elements blend with the overall design. Lamps should be placed on the walls, for instance in the sleeping area, which helps to save horizontal space.
• In the case of a low ceiling, it is appropriate to use lighting fixtures that have reflectors, which add height to the room. For excessively high ceilings, it may be beneficial to use elements equipped with shades directed towards the floor.

The photo depicts the use of spot lighting in a studio apartment design of 30 square meters (approximately 323 square feet).

Studio Color Palette Selection Rules

For a more harmonious appearance of the studio, in the tonal design, you should use no more than two to three colors and use subdued and pastel shades. Various decors or textiles in rich colors can help to bring bright accents into the interior design.

When choosing a calm achromatic or contrasting design, people mostly rely on personal preferences. The use of yellow, orange, crimson, or other warm tones can imbue the setting with comfort and colorfulness, while the presence of cool shades can create a serene atmosphere for relaxation.

The photo shows a 30 square meter studio (approximately 323 square feet), designed in a Provencal style color palette.

Original Studio Design Ideas

Here are some interesting design ideas.

Studios with One Window

For a small 30 square meter apartment (approximately 323 square feet) with only one window, lighting should be chosen especially carefully. You can add natural light to the room and create an unusual design by enlarging the window opening. One large window will have a very stylish and harmonious look and provide a beautiful panoramic view.

The photo features panoramic window design in a rectangular-shaped studio apartment.

With Two Windows

Such a room is distinguished by a large amount of natural light and due to this, it visually appears much more spacious. When there are two windows, they should not be cluttered with furniture items, it would be better to place them under the windowsill.

Duplex Apartment

If the ceilings are more than three meters (about 9.84 feet) high, it’s possible to use a second floor, which can be a sleeping area. A bold solution is considered to be the placement of a wardrobe on the upper level.

Photos of 30 square meter (about 322.92 square feet) studios in various styles

Options for decorating in various interior styles.

In Scandinavian Style

Nordic design is characterized by a light, simple and natural image, and is mainly performed in white, light gray, beige or bluish shades, visually expanding the space. For this direction in wall decoration, decorative plaster or solid color paint is used, parquet or laminate with the imitation of natural light wood species is laid on the floor. The furniture here has a quite simple and functional execution, for windows they prefer blinds or lightweight curtains, contributing to the abundance of light.

In the photos, a design of a 30 square meter (about 322.92 square feet) studio apartment, executed in the Scandinavian style.

In Loft Style

This style is characterized by open space, with a minimal number of partitions. For zoning, sometimes they use a bar counter or fireplace. Loft implies the presence of brickwork or tiles, with imitation of various aged wooden surfaces. As for the furniture items, they choose models that are distinguished by maximum functionality.

The photo shows a loft-style studio apartment with a zoning option in the form of a partition.

Classic

The classic style is characterized by the use of exclusively natural finishing materials, expensive wallpaper, and exquisite textiles. The interior is decorated primarily in light, warm, or golden shades. Here, the placement of mirrors is appropriate not only in the hallway, but also in the living space itself. For zoning a studio apartment, they choose a difference in floor or ceiling level, a fireplace, a sofa or elegant shelving units, with luxurious vases or candle holders placed in them.

High-Tech Style

This studio apartment will look particularly advantageous with such a modern and high-tech design. When creating an interior, they are guided by simple geometric rules. Furniture items in the room are made in the same range, chairs, tables, beds, lamps or sconces, characterized by the presence of tubular metal elements. Also, the furniture can have glossy, glass, steel inserts, or a mirror facade. High-tech is complemented by maximally bright light sources, which are installed not only on the ceiling, but also on the wall or even on the floor.

Photo Gallery

A studio apartment of 30 square meters (322 square feet), despite its size, implies a very profitable arrangement of space and a sufficiently stylish and thoughtful design.