So many cities are moving to smaller housing models, and with the trendiness of tiny living spaces and minimalist lifestyles right now, there’s no better time to move into a studio apartment. Studio apartments aren’t just for college kids anymore—they’re available in great neighborhoods for working adults, too. The key to making a studio apartment feel spacious and homey lies in the design. Check out this guide of helpful tips for designing a studio apartment to make your space useful and appealing.

Layer the layout

Even though a studio apartment is typically only a single room—some lucky studio renters may get a separate kitchen, but not many—there are several ways to create the illusion of separate rooms. Division can help your space feel more dynamic and less cramped.

Divide and conquer

Putting up a form of division between sections or “rooms” can make you feel as though you have more space than actually you do. Your first option is to use physical room dividers to partition areas of the studio. There are multiple options for room-dividing materials, depending on your space and style preference:

• Room dividers: Use glass panel room dividers to divide space without making sections feel cramped or closed off. These are perfect for studios with limited natural lighting because they divide without blocking light.
• Bookshelves: Dividing a room up with bookshelves is a great way to indicate separate spaces while allowing for storage space, décor, and a bit of light in each section. This is the perfect choice for a studio with limited storage space.
• Floor-to-ceiling curtains: Floor-to-ceiling curtains are customizable and relatively easy to hang. Go with light and airy curtains to let light through, or get blackout curtains for daytime sleeping. These are perfect for studios with limited space, as you can easily place them right up against the side or foot of a bed.
• Clothing racks: Clothing racks also make for great room dividers. Place them along the “room lines” you wish to create and fill them with clothing. This is perfect for studios with limited closet space. For more style in your studio design, place all of the same-colored clothing on each rack. This gives the dividers a sleek and intentional look while limiting the feel of distraction and clutter.
• Furniture: Putting a couch up against the footboard of a bed is a great way to signify you’re entering a new space. This method is best for oddly shaped spaces that you might have trouble dividing otherwise. Set up each “room” as a separate space so that it feels distinct from the other spaces.

Use pops of color to create division

If you want to keep your open floor plan layout, another way to create division is to vary the color of the paint on the walls in each subsection of the studio. For example, you could paint the “bedroom” section an off-white color, the “living room” a light blue, and the “kitchen” a dark blue. This way, you keep the same overall tone and cohesion within the space while differentiating between rooms.

Factor in functionality

Functionality is key in any living space, but the need for a usable space is essential to studio apartment living. Most furniture pieces and even decorations should have multiple uses to save space.

Invest in multipurpose furniture

Multipurpose furniture is the single most helpful investment a studio apartment-dweller can make. It saves space, and it’s functional and typically quite stylish. There are multiple ways to add multipurpose furniture to your home:

• Futon: Investing in a really comfy futon is key to balancing functionality and style in a studio. You can use your futon as a couch as well as a bed. Simply invest in a futon cover to protect your purchase, to keep your bed/couch cozy, and to add a pop of color.
• Sneaky storage: Sneaky storage solutions include furniture items that appear normal but that really act as secret storage agents. For example, a trunk that doubles as a coffee table or an ottoman or kitchen bench with hidden storage space inside are all good sneaky storage options.

Open up to organization

Organization is one of the most important factors in making a small space feel large. When you’re designing your studio apartment, think about how you’ll organize the space and your belongings for the most logical yet aesthetically pleasing manner.

Hide everything you can

Stash away anything you can store in a basket, decorative box, closed cubby hole, or other out-of-sight storage option. The less items you have lying about, the less cluttered and overwhelming your space will feel. Try to keep this storage system organized by keeping similar things in similar places.

Avoid over-decorating

Decorating is a way to express yourself in the home, but too much of a good thing can be bad. When you live in a studio apartment, the interior design should be minimalist. Hang some art to catch the echo, put a few cute decorations on a bookshelf, throw down a fluffy area rug, and call it a day. Too much décor can make a home feel cluttered and small.

Keep up, don’t catch up on clutter

Once you have an organizational system in place, don’t stray from it. As temping as crawling back into bed after a long day of doing laundry can be, resist the urge to abandon folding or hanging your clothing. This type of task can pile up and become unmanageable if you leave it alone for too long. Here are some tips on staying ahead of the clutter:

• Take care of tasks as they arise: If you notice dishes are piling up, stop what you’re doing and load up the dishwasher or wash the dishes by hand. Don’t spill something and tell yourself you’ll clean it up later—"later” becomes “never,” and “never” leads to a cluttered and unlivable home.
• Finish the tasks you start: Once you start a task, don’t abandon it halfway through. If you leave a project half-finished, you may as well have never started it in the first place.

Slipcovers make sleek and stylish additions to any home or office space. They offer a multitude of benefits and can solve many issues. Check out this guide to the top reasons to invest in slipcovers.

They allow for matching furniture sets

Matching furniture sets can be tricky. They can be really pricey, and not all the pieces in the set may suit your specific style or space. Every home has a different layout and requires different sizes and setups of furniture, making sets a bit unrealistic for many homes. Slipcovers allow you to pick out the perfect furniture pieces for your home without sacrificing style. You can simply order slipcovers in coordinating colors or patterns or even mix and match flattering ones.

They can extend the life of furniture

Slipcovers can help your furniture last longer. They protect the fabric of your pieces, which lowers their risk of developing signs of wear, damage, stains, and fading. This is especially helpful for households with pets or children, who tend to be rougher on furniture and cause more damage. You can even use patio furniture slipcovers to extend the life of your outdoor furniture and protect it from further damage from the elements. As a bonus, the slipcovers will update your outdoor space and give new life to old cushions.

They’re easy to clean

Slipcovers are much easier to clean than an entire piece of furniture. If a spill happens, you can simply remove the slipcover, put it in the washing machine, let it dry, and put it back on your furniture.

They’re customizable

Slipcovers are completely customizable. You can choose the color, pattern, and style or even custom-make a slipcover to perfectly fit your furniture. You’ll never have to worry about your furniture matching your home again, because you can make sure every aspect of your slipcover fits with your space.

Leather furniture has a sleek and timeless look while also boasting both comfort and charm. If properly cared for, leather furniture can last for many years. Luckily, cleaning and maintaining leather furniture is a less cumbersome task than it may seem. There are a few steps to take to properly care for and, ultimately, extend the life of your leather or leather-upholstered furniture. Here are the main steps to properly caring for your leather furniture.

Determine the leather type

Leather type plays a role in how the furniture should be cared for and the care it requires. Different types of leather have differing needs and can handle different cleansers. Here are the types of leather and how to determine your leather furniture’s type of leather.

Unprotected

Unprotected leather is also commonly known as unfinished leather. It is the softer of the two types of leather and is typically more expensive. Unprotected leather is leather that is dyed but there is no surface pigment added. This makes the leather more natural, which makes it more sensitive to stains and marks. To see if your furniture is unprotected leather, feel the surface and inspect the markings. If there are many markings, it’s extremely soft, or there are natural surface grains, chances are you have unprotected leather.

Protected

Protected leather is also commonly known as finished leather. It’s the more durable leather type and is typically more stain-resistant than unprotected leather. Protected leather is the most common type of leather used in furniture upholstery. It’s dyed and then a surface pigment is added for an extra protective layer. This coat is the main difference between unprotected and protected leather. To see if your furniture is protected leather, feel the surface and inspect for markings. If there’s an absence of or very few markings, or the leather is firm or stiff, you probably have protected leather.

Care Tips

Avoid DIY cleaning solutions and instead opt for a dependable formula that’s designed to care for leather furniture. Using too harsh or too mild of chemical compounds could damage and even potentially ruin your leather. To clean your furniture, use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment—for unprotected leather, be very gentle during this process. For cleaning and stain removal, try a leather cleaner or a mild, unscented body soap, and gently rub the leather with the soap. Then, rinse with a soft microfiber towel. Bonus Tip: Unprotected leather should be cared for simply by wiping with a clean, dry cloth regularly and occasionally with a slightly dampened cloth to avoid damage from harsh chemicals or over-cleaning. If you’re concerned about your leather, you can always invest in replacement slipcovers to mask your nice leather and protect it from scratches, tears, and stains. Our slipcovers come in different shades of leather, so you can keep that classic leather look and feel without worrying about damaging your furniture.

If your home has an outdoor space, you best make use of it. Whether you have a large outdoor space complete with a pool, patio, and full garden, or a simple city balcony, there is a way to make use of your spot. Many people with outdoor spaces allow them to go to waste because they don’t know how to make the space useful. One of the first steps to making an outdoor space functional is by investing in furniture. Here are the top reasons to get outdoor patio furniture.

It’s an extension of your home

A patio, yard, or balcony is simply an extra room for your home. This doesn’t mean you can simply open up the doors and watch a movie outside during a downpour—although, maybe you could. This simply means you have more space than just your home’s interior to work with and spend time in. Spending time outdoors is good for your health, and having furniture to spend that time in is essential to getting outdoors more. Along the lines of extending your home, keep the décor consistent for a better flow from indoor to outdoor. Try to match the base and accent colors without making the spaces overly similar. For example, if your indoor couch is solid beige, try a patterned beige for your outdoor seating that incorporates your accent color. Bonus Tip: We make slipcovers for outdoor furniture so you can protect your perfect outdoor furniture set from the elements while still choosing a complimentary color to your décor.

It’s relatively inexpensive

Compared to buying a brand-new living room furniture set, purchasing an outdoor furniture set is a breeze. We recommend finding pieces you like and ensuring the materials will hold up well in your specific climate prior to committing to them. With cushioned furniture, make sure to bring cushions and throws inside or out of the elements during rain, snow, or storms. Bonus Tip: Give used or cheaper furniture new life with slipcovers to update their design while maintaining their old-world charm.

It’s useful

Patio furniture is useful. If you’re not currently purchasing patio furniture because you rarely use your outdoor space, think about why you don’t use it. Many people avoid their outdoor spaces simply because they aren’t designed for enjoyment. Adding patio furniture gives you—and potential guests—a sunny and comfortable place to sit and enjoy your time spent outdoors. Bonus Tip: Don’t get too much furniture that your space becomes difficult to maneuver, but don’t get so little furniture that guests fight over chairs or shout to hear each other. Find a setup that allows for easy conversation and maneuverability.

Moving often causes stress. It’s not just moving day that fills you with work and tasks, but the days and weeks leading up to it also include preparation. You have to decide what you’ll move, donate, and throw away, and you’ll need to organize and pack everything you’ll take with you, prepare your furniture, decide how to pack it into the moving truck. This is a lot for a person to handle, even if you hire professional movers to help. It’s especially difficult to decipher what furniture needs to be packed in which way to avoid damage throughout the move. It’s important to properly wrap your furniture to protect it from the many dangers it will face throughout the moving process, such as tears, rips, dents, and broken elements. We provide this guide to moving day and how to protect your furniture so that you can enjoy a successful and easy move.

Wood furniture

When moving solid wood furniture, you need to keep a lot of considerations in mind. Wooden furniture is typically quite heavy, and it usually requires multiple people to lift and move it properly and safely. Before you get to the moving step, make sure to remove any removable drawers, knobs, and other elements. Keep these wrapped safely in moving blankets and in a separate bag all together. Label the bag to easily reassemble when you arrive at your new home. Once you secure your loose pieces, you should wrap your wooden furniture with moving blankets. Make sure every part of the furniture is covered to avoid scratches and damage to the furniture and flooring. Pro Tip: Make sure not to use bubble wrap or plastic wrap directly on the wood furniture, as they can both cause permanent damage to the wood surface. Use softer materials like packing pads and moving blankets.

Upholstered furniture

Moving upholstered furniture has a few steps. Similar to wooden furniture, you’ll want to remove any removeable elements of the piece, such as cushions and pillows. If you use custom slipcovers, you’ll want to remove them as well. They could rip or tear during the move. Instead, cover your furniture with moving blankets, then add a plastic furniture cover over the blankets. Tape it down to prevent the blankets from shifting during the moving process. If possible, you should avoid putting plastic materials directly onto the furniture, as it can suffocate and damage the upholstered fibers. Make sure to put a buffer layer in between your furniture and the plastic furniture cover. This cover is simply to protect from dirt and the elements, not to protect your furniture from damage. Pro Tip: Measure all your doorways and furniture pieces before picking them up to move them. This can save your door frames, save you time, and save you a headache. Also, don’t move anything too heavy without proper help. Doing this risks back and leg strain, and it can lead to injuries and damage.

Plastic furniture

Moving blankets are key to properly moving your plastic furniture. Plastic furniture can damage easily, and it’s not easy to repair. To prevent this, pad it as much as possible. Put on moving blankets and furniture pads, if you have them. Secure the blankets with plastic wrap or tape to ensure the blankets don’t fall of or move. Also, do not to put any tape on the plastic, as it may damage it or distort the color. Plastic furniture is typically lighter weight than most furniture materials. Pack with intention in the moving truck, and make sure not to stack heavy objects or too many items on top of your plastic furniture. Pro Tip: Pad any sharp edges with bubble wrap and furniture pads to avoid accidental injuries or damage to walls, floors, door frames, and other items you move in the same truck.

Metal furniture

Metal furniture, while sturdier, is more prone to dents, and it can easily damage floors, walls, and door frames in your old and your new home. Prevent damage by properly wrapping each leg and component of the furniture piece. The best material to wrap metal furniture with during a move is bubble wrap. Bubble wrap will protect your piece of furniture from damage, and it will protect your home too. Use a dolly to avoid scratching the floors. Even if it’s a small piece of furniture and you don’t think you’ll need to put it down during the move, it’s safer to opt for a dolly anyway. Metal furniture can do a lot of damage to wooden and tile flooring when moved improperly or dropped during a difficult move. Pro Tip: Secure the bubble wrap with tape. Make sure not to tape the metal—only tape bubble wrap to itself. It’s also important to tightly wrap the bubble wrap around the piece of furniture to ensure it won’t move.

Leather furniture

When moving leather furniture, you’ll need to follow special procedures to preserve the leather and to ensure the leather doesn’t sustain any damage. Make sure to condition the leather to prevent cracks or tears. You can condition your leather with a leather conditioner, and you’ll find one available at most furniture shops or online. Conditioning the leather takes time, so leave yourself at least a week prior to moving to complete this task. After the leather is conditioned, remove everything you can, such as cushions, pillows, handles, and cup holders. Bubble wrap all of these removable parts, then wrap them in moving blankets to further protect them from damage. Put all properly wrapped removable components in a bag or box together and clearly label it for easier assembly when you move in to your new home. After you pack up all removeable components, wrap what’s left of your leather furniture piece in moving blankets. Then secure the blankets with a layer of bubble wrap. Add tape to the bubble wrap to ensure it and the moving blankets all stay in place and intact. Pro Tip: If you will store your leather furniture prior to the move, make sure to keep it in only temperature-controlled spaces. Leather is a more high-maintenance material than most, and you should handle it with care. It requires a cool and dry environment, so a storage facility with those qualifications is a must.