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We all want a happy place to go home too, even if it is short term. The studio look is ideal for both the young and young at heart.
It is also lightweight, achievable on a tight budget and easy to pack up.
So if you're a student or renting a small apartment, here are five ways to get the feel right:
Industrial Elements: brick walls & recycled wood
Nothing says studio quite like showing exposed brick walls. If you can’t chisel away some plaster, opt for brick patterned wallpaper, especially if you are renting. Choose a focal wall to keep the costs down.
For instant furniture with attitude, use old wooden pallets – search online or keep your eyes open for discarded pallets. Pallets could be joined together for a bed base, converted into a vertical garden, or a coffee or side table. The possibilities are endless.
Add a coat of paint without feeling guilty about ruining a family heirloom.
Industrial light fittings, a fan and an easel all add to the original studio look which imitates a photographic or artist’s studio.
Blackboard for instant art
A wall or a board with blackboard paint on has been popular in kitchens and children’s rooms for many years.
Although not suited for conventional living rooms, a blackboard is a fun and affordable canvass in a studio apartment. Instead of just the usual shopping lists and wording, try drawing something and change it often to express yourself.
Read more: How to distract the eye from ugly furniture pieces
Shades of white to lighten up a small space
The studio look gets a feminine touch with a monochrome colour scheme of white – from airy linen curtains, white walls, white bedding to whitewashed furniture. Add texture, light wooden accents and darker shades of white for warmth.
Display your quirky outfits as décor with a mobile wardrobe. An all-white colour scheme brings different styles of furniture together and makes small spaces appear bigger.
A brightly painted accent wall
Although most studio apartments are a combination of black, white, grey, metal and wood, the look also works with bright walls.
Keep the furniture industrial and choose a colour that makes your furniture pop and reflects your personality.
Optimise the space
The charm of studio apartments is often as a result of practical elements such as a ladder leading to a loft bedroom or warehouse type wall-to-wall windows.
Let as much as possible natural light in – forget about net curtains, rather opt for blinds that you can open during the day. If space is an issue, get a loft bed with a study or kitchen underneath. Decorate it sparingly and keep it neat for an uncluttered look.
Images: iStock
