I often get asked if my bed sheets smell of cooking or if it’s weird waking up in my kitchen…The answer to both is always no. See, living in a studio flat has a few negatives, but when I say a few I mean one or two and they are probably that it’s hard to entertain guests in one small space, or the fact my kitchen worktop space is limited…but for one person needing to live in a city centre where rent on 1 bedroom flats tops £650 without bills…a studio flat makes so much sense financially… for me anyway.
I have lived in a studio flat for 18 months now (Actually a little longer if you include my studio flat in London the first studio was a teeny, tiny space where there was barely any room to swing a cat, but it was my space and nobody else’. My current studio flat is much bigger and nothing makes me happier than opening my front door to the cheery space with enormous sash windows and my belongings all having a place of their own.
I’ve touched upon living on my own before but never really how I make use of the small but ample space that I have. Yes, you could say that I sleep in my kitchen, but you could also say I have my office in my living room or my bedroom in my dining room. With a studio flat, you have to work in sections. I have a desk area which doubles up as a dressing area, a chill area where my bed and sofa are, a dining area housing my table and chairs, my kitchen nook, my bathroom which is completely separate and still space left over to roll around on the floor, practise yoga or whatever takes my fancy.
F U R N I T U R E + S T O R A GE
The first thing I did when I moved into my studio flat was to assess how I could best use the space with the furniture that came with it. I moved my bed into a better position which opened up a whole area to build extra storage.
Storage is crucial, make use of under the bed, any cubby holes, on top of wardrobes etc. Once I had a reshuffle with the furniture I had the room to fit in two extra wardrobes, slimline ones from Argos that were cheap, look nice and fresh and most importantly store my clothes without being imposing in the room. I chose white units to reflect the light from my windows and give for a sleek appearance. In such a small space I have three wardrobes, which mean none of my clothes have suffered a cull and everything has a place.
Shelving is also useful and whilst I have trinkets on some of my shelves, they are perfect for housing practical items such as the kettle or food away without taking up worktop or floor space.
C L E V E R A C C E S S O R I E S
I am currently in the process of devising a way to temporarily section off my kitchen area, I originally wanted beads to hang from the ceiling to not only add colour to the room but also to look pretty whilst making my kitchen feel separate. Because of the odd shape of my room, this may not be possible, I’m still working on it. But in the meantime, a cool, oriental style screen works just as well. That little bit of separation can make all the difference.
I love living in a studio flat, I feel safe and it keeps my possessions edited, I am a fiend for hoarding and whilst I have cactus plants, a terrarium, antiques, a Chinese lucky cat, photos and artwork all dotted around the space, it isn’t cluttered and its part of the charm of the place. Genuinely, if someone gave me a 1 bed flat for the space price I pay for my little studio, I’d turn them down. I freakin’ love it, the only thing I wish it had is a bath…But you can’t have it all eh?
