Guide · ZAIA Design

Studio apartment design: how to fit everything into 25–40 sqm

In a studio apartment, one room is the bedroom, living room, office and sometimes the dining room too. The secret isn't cramming in more furniture, but dividing the space into clear zones and using every wall to its full height.

Divide the room into zones

Even without walls, a studio works better with distinct zones: sleeping, relaxing, working, eating. You can define them with rugs, different lighting, an open bookcase used as a room divider, or a change of colour on the wall. If possible, the bed goes in the most secluded spot, away from the door.

Bed or sofa bed?

If you often have guests and need open space during the day, a sofa bed or a wall bed that folds into a cabinet are good solutions. If you sleep in it every night, a proper bed in an alcove or on a platform with drawers is more comfortable and gains storage underneath.

Vertical storage

Floor-to-ceiling wardrobes with fronts in the same colour as the walls, so they “disappear”.
Shelves above the door and the window.
Dual-purpose furniture: a storage bench, an extendable table, a bed with drawers.
Make the most of the hallway: an enclosed coat cupboard, a slim shoe cabinet, a large mirror.

The compact kitchen

In many studios, the kitchen is an alcove or a single wall. A single-wall kitchen with floor-to-ceiling units, built-in appliances and a small extendable table or a breakfast bar on the opposite wall covers almost every need. More details in our small kitchen guide.

Colour and light

Light, warm tones used consistently make the space feel bigger. Layered lighting — general, task and ambient — lets the same room look different by day and by night. Large mirrors placed perpendicular to the window double the natural light.

A studio for renting out

If you're furnishing to rent, choose hard-wearing, easy-to-maintain finishes, custom furniture only where it gains you space, and a neutral palette that suits anyone. A well-thought-out studio rents faster.