5 Interior Design Hacks for Studio Apartments

Is it possible to fit a life’s worth of belongings into a small studio space and still have room to breathe?

While room capacity is limited in many studio apartments in Singapore, there's nothing that a little bit of creative design work and organisation can't fix. In the process of forming a functional, micro-living space, you might even be able to show off your personal style! Here are 5 design hacks you can implement into your studio apartment to overcome living space restrictions and while creating a safe haven that is your home.

1. Splurge On Versatile Furniture

When it comes to furnishing studio apartments, less is more! Invest in a few multi-purpose compartments and furniture. It can save you a lot of space and leeway to walk around without stumbling into your belongings.

Get a tall bookshelf that stores your pile of books while also being able to divide the bed and work area of your studio or maybe purchase a table that can act as both your dresser and a TV stand. Ideas like these come in handy when you are given minimal space. Don’t let the micro-living lifestyle hinder the practicality of your room.

Declutter your studio by creating hidden storage. You might encounter problems in organising the masses of clothing in your wardrobe. In this case, use tie hangers and pegs. Using these in addition to your hangers can maximise the space in your closet. Hmlet's studios provide you with wardrobes, all you need is to invest in some hangers and pegs! Another way is to start living with a capsule wardrobe. Capsule wardrobes are highly curated to you and support a minimalist lifestyle.

2. Retire From Being A Hoarder

With such limited space available, every inch of footage counts. When going furniture or compartment shopping, make sure you make purchases that you absolutely love! Are these baskets large enough to help me store and organise my items? Is this table really a necessity or am I just using this for decorative purposes? Questions like these can be helpful when filtering the essentials of your studio apartment.

Instead of browsing through the big furniture section, explore into the small compartment and baskets section. You might find that getting a hold of smaller items can ease your journey of categorising your belongings and make your studio organisation ultimately more hassle-free. Acquiring basket-bins or plastic containers may be useful because they are stackable and can be placed on top of your wardrobe.

3. Take Advantage of the Wall In A Rent-Friendly Manner

Sometimes going vertical with your storage method and interior design is the way to go. Install removable hooks, pegboards, stickable-shelves: things that can help get your items off the floor and organised in an efficient and stylish manner.

One way to utilise vertical space is by playing around with the functionality of the studio doors. Maximise the use of your closet or bathroom door by installing stickable hooks. You’ll soon come to realise the use of hooks and racks can be of significant help when you’re trying to find a home for your coats, jewellery, umbrella, and other miscellaneous items.

4. Avoid Covering the window

Dress your windows with curtains! Implementing some light, wispy curtains as opposed to blackout ones can prevent dust build-up while simultaneously allowing natural light to enter your room. Hmlet has got you covered with this. Many of our studios include wide windows and sheer curtains so you don’t have to worry about your studio lacking in light. Natural light can help any space feel more open and airy. Best of all, you can save money on buying less artificial lighting.

Placing mirrors around your studio would also help make your studio feel more spacious. Having mirrors leaning or hanging on the walls would create reflective surfaces in your studio which would help form the illusion of a larger space. This can also help allow daylight to reflect and brighten up all areas in your studio.

Finding the right spacing and arrangement for your mirrors can involve some trial and error. If you find yourself stuck in contemplation and unable to conclude with the best design results, you can always visit Hmlet Interiors to access virtual consultations with Hmlet’s expert designers and make your interior design process smoother.

5. Embracing Your Aesthetic

Hmlet’s studio apartments in Singapore are fully furnished but there are always personal touches you can do to make your studio feel like home.

Consider accessorising your surroundings. Decorating your space should be fun because you are embracing your own aesthetic. There is no harm in throwing a pop of colour and pattern into your home in the form of a vase or a rug. Or get yourself a set of pillows or cushions. Depending on your mood, you can always alternate the covers. You will be surprised with how much fabric can enhance the ambience of your home.

Moving into a new home is a great opportunity to also cultivate a green thumb. Incorporate pots of plants into your studio apartment. Hang them on hooks attached to walls or place them on your side tables of which Hmlet’s studio provides. The ways of assimilating them into your home are infinite. If you’re not too keen on taking care of plants, opt for faux leaves! You can place them in vases or pots – another way to spice up the colours and themes of your studio!

The list of effortless things you can do to make your studio more catered to your personal style, are endless. You can find more of these innovative ideas by following Hmlet on Pinterest.

The tips above may prove to you that living in a studio apartment the size of a shoebox does not mean you have to sacrifice your personal aesthetic or the necessities of living a comfortable lifestyle. In fact, it may show you how little you need to be happy!

If you are:

• Open to living a more minimalist and sustainable lifestyle
• Constantly travelling with a luggage’s worth of clothing
• Wanting to live a more independent lifestyle with a home just for you,

Then renting a studio may be a suitable solution for you! We have studio apartments in Singapore are located in Tiong Bahru and Tanjong Katong for you to pick. Happy designing!