Make Your Studio Apartment More Spacious With 5 Tips

Singapore Jun 15, 2022

When thinking about renting a studio, the one thing that comes to mind is space – specifically, how much of it will you have and how to maximise it. It might seem challenging to fit all of life's necessities into a studio, especially if you're moving from a larger apartment. Challenging, but not impossible.

To add, the square footage of your apartment does not always equate to live-ability. The key to maximising space is to simply shift your mindset. Instead of looking at your studio as a smaller space, look at it as making every inch of space earn its keep!

Can you be a minimalist?

When a room — or a vast space for that matter — is cluttered, it feels closed in. When things are kept in an orderly fashion or hidden from the eye, the space in view will automatically feel more open and wide. For example, go for a large painting instead of a few smaller ones that might cause the apartment to look messy.

Embracing minimalism does not necessarily mean getting rid of everything. It means keeping items that you genuinely use or as Marie Kondo describes it, ‘spark joy.

Give a lot of thought to colours

Making a coherent colour palette for your apartment helps bring the studio together and make it feel more spacious.

Choose a colour palette that blends in with the aspects of your apartment you can't modify, such as the trim, cabinets, or countertop. To tie your palette together, focus on paint colours and furniture, as well as textiles like carpets, beds, and curtains.

Here are some of our favourite colour palettes for inspiration:

Neutrals: Don't be afraid to give neutral tones a try to create a serene atmosphere that also feels bright. White, cream, and greige (that's in between grey and beige) are some of our favourites for a studio apartment. For a sophisticated, city vibe, complement neutral colours with raw wood grain furniture.
Bold and bright: Just because you have a limited space doesn't mean you can't inject a pop of colour! Use bold and bright colours sparingly in your furnishings and artwork, like kelly green, cherry red, mustard yellow, and cobalt blue, with an all black and white accent, can really liven your apartment without taking up too much space.
Pastels: This palette guarantees to bring light and airy to any space. To create a feminine ambience with plenty of breathing room, mix blush pink, steel blue, light grey, cream, and a buttery yellow.

Using neutral colours in a Studio at Hmlet Tiong Bahru Rd

Super-sized artwork

To make your studio feel lighter and bigger than before, try adding a few well-placed prints, paintings or sculptures that would visually maximise your space.

Is it contradictory to hang massive art in a small space? It certainly is! In a lot of cases, the smaller your space, the bigger the art should be. Find a few large, striking pieces to hang on a wall or two. Consider engineer prints for affordable large-scale art, or you could also let your inner Picasso out and paint a meaningful art piece.

Maximise storage

Storage is one of the most important aspects of a studio apartment. We're not talking about adding a couple extra baskets to store your items. We're referring to utilising any and all available storage options that at first might not be considered as a storage option. I.e. every piece of furniture you own can be used to store your belongings.

Some of these include:

Shelves: Not only do they house your beloved items and give character to your home, they also free-up your floor space.
Empty spaces: The space under or behind your bed can be used to house storage boxes for items that you don’t use often.
Multifunctional furniture: Purchase furniture that has more than one use. E.g. a coffee table or a sofa that doubles as storage space.
Hooks: Coat hooks or any type of hooks for that matter, can be useful for crockery in the kitchen or clothes, freeing up cupboard space for more items.

Add extra mirrors

Mirrors may make a space appear bigger and more open. To create the appearance of depth, choose a focal point and tilt the mirror toward it. Mirrors also reflect natural and artificial light, making a room appear brighter at all times of the day and night.

Mirrors on the walls and glass table tops, as well as mirrored cabinet doors, will also help to open up your space.

The benefits of a smaller space, like a studio apartment, might not be as obvious as those of a 2- or 3-bedroom apartment. But these tips and a little imagination will help transform your space!

If you are looking to live in a studio apartment in Singapore, then check out these hidden studio apartments in Tiong Bahru. Want an accommodation that is hassle-free with all-inclusive rent? Get in touch with us and we'll find a studio for your lifestyle.