Wondering how to decorate a small studio apartment? Saving on space doesn’t mean you have to compromise on comfort and style. Try out these 10 simple ideas to help make your apartment awesome and unique to you.
If you’re hooked on home improvements and want to dive deeper, you can find out more about making the most of your studio with our ultimate guide.
10 ways to make your studio apartment more homely
1. Go Green
Bring the outside in with potted plants. They’ll provide colour, change and fresh air to your home. Finding the right leafy companion is easy enough, whatever the climate in your apartment.
Plants come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with varying amounts of care required - so whether you want something that needs your tending, love and care or a robust succulent who can hold its own in the corner, you can find the right one to brighten up your space.
You also get to pick your favourite colour pots for them to live in!
2. Your home, your story
Personalise your home - framed photos of friends and family, pressed flowers from a walk or maps of your favourite holiday destinations will bring your unique story to the space. Surround yourself with memories and mementos of the people and places you love.
Planning your next adventure? Check out our offers so you can enjoy that homely feeling while taking a break and exploring the heart of London.
3. Art and Sculptures
Whether you love natural photography, wild abstract pieces, bright colours or minimal monochrome - adding some art into your surroundings will bring them to life and further express your own style.
Scour markets and small art exhibitions - and of course the internet. You might choose copies of the classic pieces you’ve always loved or you might opt to support independent artists. Or both! Browsing art by local creatives is a great way to engage with your community and find items which are truly one of a kind.
Developing your own tiny gallery will not only make your apartment beautiful, but also bring you a dose of joy every time you pause to take it in.
4. Boutique Furniture
Expression isn’t limited to works of art that require extra space. Show off your taste and preferences through how you furnish your apartment. Sleek sofas, distressed drawers or big shag pile rugs - whatever your style, surround yourself with your favourite pieces.
Have a look at our blog for more studio flat decor ideas, including suggested items and good spots to get them around London.
5. Lighting
Ask any filmmaker - lighting is crucial. You can change the atmosphere and ambience of a space with just the flick of a switch, so having a range of options makes a big difference.
Making sure you have enough bright light to work or read by is vital for productivity, but the last thing you want is a glaring overhead light when you’re trying to relax and get cosy in the evenings.
Think about the styles and colours of lamps and bulbs that you want your space bathed in.
6. Underlying Comforts
Make your home comfortable and cosy, you deserve it.
Give yourself that hygge hug by choosing pillows and cushions for your sofa or too plush up your bed. Comfy rugs for cold toes in the morning and soft sumptuous throws for when you’re snuggled up in your favourite chair.
Not only will these keep you warm and feel great, but they will also soften visual edges - making for a more inviting and homely feel. Check out this article for more ideas on creating the cosy in your sleeping space.
7. Accessorise surfaces
Maybe you’ve got a bit of Bond in you and you love your gadgets or perhaps you’ve got a treasure-trove of jewellery. Rather than hiding these away in drawers and boxes, why not get them out and show them off?
Make a centrepiece of your vintage camera, hang your favourite jewellery for all to see or arrange your diving-watch collection on your shelves. Whatever it is and however you choose to do it, use this opportunity to express your passions, start conversations and enjoy your favourite items every day.
8. Add a Mirror
Adding a mirror, big or small, will make your studio apartment feel more spacious and it’ll multiply your lighting choices. A large mirror hung on the wall can really extend the room and make it feel much more open.
You can also, as ever, have fun expressing your taste with this - pick your favourite style and colour of frame or go frameless for simple, clean-cut edges.
9. Keep Technology out!
A top tip from interior designers at the moment is to keep your home space sacred from the screen. As everything around us is becoming more digital and online, having a small oasis from this can be great for mental health, stress levels and sleep hygiene.
If you’ve got a screen out for Netflix or gaming consider having it in a cupboard that you can close. That way it’s not always lurking in the corner tempting you.
If you’re one of the many working from home, minimising the tech around you gives you a chance to draw a line under the working day. Put your laptop away and your phone down, take a deep breath and enjoy being present in the room you’ve made your own.
10. Try Different Layouts
Call it feng-shui or just shaking things up, it’s amazing how much of a difference can be made by changing how your apartment is arranged. You might have all the bits you want in your studio - but the angle and placement of your furniture can either open the room up or help divide your living spaces.
Try rotating your bed or moving your desk and see how it feels. You might find the perfect place for things you didn’t realise you were missing or just enjoy the change of perspective. And if not - you can always move things back again!
Homes are for living in
So have a go at some (or all) of these tips. Personalise your studio apartment and make it chic, cosy or lightly lit and leafy. Little touches in a small space make a big difference.
Have fun expressing yourself through your choices and create an environment you enjoy spending time in and will relish coming home to.
If you can tear yourself away from your own comforts and you’re planning a trip to London, come and join us. At Dolphin Square, we understand how important it is to have a space where you feel at home, even when you’re away.
