Design Question

Hi there, I’m moving into a 282 sq. ft. open efficiency apartment and am having much trouble trying to figure out what will fit where. I have a twin bed, dresser, armoire, teakwood chest to put my TV on, filing cabinet, my chair and ottoman with table beside it and lamp, small desk and chair for laptop computer and perhaps a bookcase.

Bearing in mind that there is a kitchenette, bathroom and small closet…do you think this is going to fit with out being cluttered???…in that small 20 x 10 space???? Should I delete the bookcase or anything else? Your suggestions would be MOST APPRECIATED!!!!

Design Answer

Smaller living spaces do provide their own unique decorating challenges. But with a little creative thinking, there are ways to decorate an efficiency (also known as a studio) apartment that will transform it into as comfortable home as possible for you.

The first thing you should do before making the actual move is to measure each piece of furniture. Not only will this give you exact measurements to work with when arranging your furniture, it will also help to ensure that you will get your furniture both through the door of the apartment building and the doorway of your new home.

As when arranging any small or awkwardly shaped living space, start with the largest pieces first. You’re list of furniture pieces with their corresponding measurements will come in handy now.

In such a small space, you definitely don’t want to sacrifice any pieces of furniture that provide storage such as your chest or armoire. Find a corner for the armoire; this will free up floor space in the center of the room.

Map out zones and then plan to arrange the furniture accordingly. Two zones, the kitchenette and the bathroom, have already been “marked” out for you. You will most likely want your sleeping area directly opposite from the TV/chest so that you have the luxury of watching television in bed. See if the desk and chair will go on the same wall as your twin bed; if it does, it can also do double time as your nightstand.

Don’t forget the walls. Of course, you should first check that you can drive nails into them, but if you can, they are a great way to increase a small apartment’s usable space. For example, rather than have a freestanding bookcase take up valuable floor space, choose a wall-mounted hutch or display cabinet that will hold a small, select collection of items.

Thanks for writing in. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck with the move!