Decorating and choosing a theme for a studio apartment can be quite a challenge – the apartment is small, doesn’t have enough space for extras, and has to be practical. But even so, we all want our dwelling to look welcoming and cozy, right? So, in this article, there will be different interior design styles mentioned, that go well with small spaces, as well as some tips you can use when renovating, or decorating your studio apartment, so, let’s get started!


Practical and cozy – scandinavian interior


This one is one of the most practical interior design styles. Light, spacious, calming, and simple – these are the words that best describe the so loved Scandinavian interior design. Scandinavian interior design is one that focuses both on practicality and comfort – these are the two things that are of importance for Scandinavians, who live in a cold climate and appreciate the combination of warm home comfort and practicality.

This clean-looking, minimalist interior design has become quite popular in the whole world – people love the blend of textures, the neutral tones, and simple furnishings. This design promotes eco-friendly living, usage of sustainable building materials as well as other items, and appreciation of nature in simple ways, that’s why the popularity of this design only raises. And it suits everyone – there isn’t a lot of excessive detailing in this design, it is clean lined, modern and cozy. It is just like with colors – if you aren’t sure what color walls you want, choose white, and if you aren’t sure what interior design you want in your house, choose Scandinavian design. Scandinavians love minimalistic interiors that are practical and provide a homely feeling, so, this is one of the interior design styles you can choose for your studio apartment.

Scandinavian interior style dresser


Vintage design – for cool looking interior


Vintage was created in the mid-20th century with a mix of modern and classic styles. It aimed to create a living space with the beauty of lightness, simplicity, comfort, and nostalgia. This style is quite a romantic style and it simply suits small, cozy spaces. And if you worry that you won’t be able to get fresh, new furniture for your apartment, vintage is what you definitely have to opt for - you can find cheap, old items online or in some flea markets. Or ask your grandparents if they have something they can give you. Either way, collect pretty, old stuff, save money, and create yourself a beautiful vintage studio apartment interior.

Complement the interior with patterned carpets, floral designs in your pillows, get glass tableware. As for decors, you guessed it, get antique, old stuff. Dig through antique stores, flea markets, online marketplaces and find yourself some statuettes, paintings, and mirrors (if you are not superstitious and don’t believe in curses). Also, since flowers are such a big topic in vintage interior design, you should get plants, or colorful, fake flowers - your interior will look extra romantic and cozy. Wallpapers are essential for vintage interiors. Floral patterns and creamy pastel tones are the ones that will look wonderful as wallpaper designs. Also, our damask wallpaper section is great for vintage interiors. The designs will give your place that vintage feel and classy looks.


Minimalism for the smallest of spaces


Minimalist design is about prioritizing the essentials. A minimalist interior has only the main necessities, the things and furniture you use daily. Decorations and ornaments have to be avoided at all costs in this style. Simplicity is the key and that’s why in minimalist design, there is a neutral color palette used, limited materials, excess is avoided, and simple forms are usually used. The main attention in this style is put on shapes, texture, and color, where all of them are simple and modest. And even though spacious rooms are characteristic to minimalism, you can also incorporate this style in your modest studio apartment.

For this style, use only the furniture and items you need - nothing more and nothing less. For colors use whites and grays, which will work just perfectly in your small space and will make it look wider. If you want a warmer color, use brown, but be careful with the tone - it may make your place look smaller than it is. And, since you don’t have that much space to waste for extra furniture pieces, you will do just fine when setting up your minimalist interior. As for decorations, there are none that we would advise you to get (but if you really want, you can get a modern artwork in neutral colors). Quite the opposite - try not to get any ornaments or stuff you don’t use daily. Minimalist interior is all about practicality and simplicity. Remember to include clean lines, monochromatic color palette, basic shapes, and you will be good to go.

Minimalism style computer


Tips for studio apartments


Since studio apartments are quite small and have everything in one place, there are some tips/rules you should take in mind. If you take in mind those, it won’t matter what kind of style you are going for.

  • The first tip would be to carefully choose your color palette. Before you choose your colors, take a look at the room - is the ceiling high, is there enough daylight available, how often does it shine through your windows? This will help you decide between light and dark tones, because you definitely shouldn't paint your walls deep blue, if you have no windows in the apartment, or if the ceiling is really low - you will feel as if you live in a cave. So, to make your studio a bit more spacious, airy, and cozy, choose light tones and pastels. But if you really want those dark tones, use them only as accents - in decorations, in an accent wall, get dark rugs and bed sheets. You can also try a dark peel and stick wallpaper design - the wallpaper can be easily removed, so you can experiment and see what suits the interior best.
  • Take care of storage places. We all have a lot of stuff that we need daily or just from time to time. It can be quite a challenge to find space for all the things in your studio apartment. And leaving everything on sight is not an option - the apartment will look cramped, chaotic, and unwelcoming. To take care of this problem, we suggest you get furniture that has built-in storage space, some pretty storage boxes that can be hidden under the bed or in the closet, or for smaller things, get pretty containers or boxes that you can decorate. Perhaps, some chests would suit your interior? You can get creative in your mission to find the best ways to hide the things that make your interior look messy. It is worth mentioning that you should always try to keep your apartment nice, neat, and clean, because in smaller spaces, all the chaos is much more visible and the few dishes you leave on the table can be a real eyesore.
  • Try to divide your room in different zones by function. For example, to separate your room into sleeping zone and living room, you can use beautiful folding screens, simple curtains, or a bookshelf that you use for storage purposes (preferably open type shelf, a see-through one. Avoid massive furniture). If you don’t have enough space for a nightstand, attach shelves above your bed. Use those shelves for your decorations as well as necessities. And this applies for the rest of the room too - try to use as much vertical space as possible.
  • Use as many mirrors as possible - those will help create the illusion that your place is a lot wider than it is in reality. Mirrors reflect light (daylight as well as artificial) and will illuminate the room, make it cozier and more spacious. If you choose vintage design, you can frame your mirrors in vintage, golden frames, but for the other interior designs, you can frame them in basic, neutral color wooden frames. If you don’t have much free space on the walls for mirrors, you can also try out decorations made from reflective materials. Those won’t make the palace look wider, but will at least reflect some light and make the place look warmer, cozier.


    Final words


    The three interior design styles mentioned above are just our best recommendations for you, of course, other designs can be applied to your studio apartment too, all you need is a bit of creativity. Every apartment is different, so you might even need a different approach to your studio.

    Just take in mind the last tips that are mentioned in this article - light tones are your priority, don’t clutter the place, use some mirrors, and take care of storage space. These are our universal tips for you, but, how you feel in your apartment and what you prefer is the top priority - you are the one who will have to live there, so make your place feel like your home, even if you prefer a dark colored studio with as much furniture as the place can handle! We wish you good luck with your renovation projects!

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