How to furnish a studio flat so it feels bigger

In a studio, one room has to be a bedroom, a living room, an office and sometimes a kitchen. The trick isn't to fit in less furniture. It is to give every part of the room one clear job, so the place feels like a small flat rather than a big bedroom.

Start with zones

Even 25 m² can hold three zones:

1. Sleep: the bed, ideally furthest from the door and out of sight as you walk in.
2. Live: a sofa or two chairs, a rug and a lamp.
3. Eat and work: one table near the window that does both.

Separate the zones without walls: a rug under the living area, an open shelf as a room divider, a curtain on a ceiling track in front of the bed, or simply the back of the sofa turned towards the bed.

Choose furniture that does two jobs

• A bed with drawers or a lift-up base replaces a chest of drawers.
• A sofa bed only if guests stay often. Otherwise a good sofa and a proper bed are worth more.
• A drop-leaf or extendable table: one person on weekdays, four on Saturday.
• Storage ottomans as seats, footrests and side tables.
• Nesting side tables instead of one large coffee table.

Let storage go up

Open floor is what makes a room feel big, so keep it clear and use the walls:

• tall, shallow shelving (25–30 cm deep) instead of wide, deep units;
• a wardrobe that reaches the ceiling, in the colour of the wall so it disappears;
• hooks and a narrow shelf by the door for keys, bags and coats.

The sizes that make a difference

• Keep a clear path at least 60–80 cm wide from the door to the window and the bed.
• Pick a sofa on legs. Seeing the floor beneath furniture makes a room feel larger.
• Go bigger with the rug than you think: in the living zone, the front legs of the sofa should sit on it. See how to choose the size.
• One large mirror beside or opposite the window doubles the daylight.

Keep the look calm

Small spaces look best with a short palette: walls, big furniture and curtains in similar light tones, and colour in a few cushions, a throw or one piece of art. Light wood and natural fabrics keep it warm rather than bare.

For more ideas, see small living room ideas. If you would like a plan made for your own flat, with every piece measured to fit, Gaudi plans it around your room and your budget.