Living in a studio apartment can seem daunting from a design perspective — you’ve just got one open room to sleep, live and eat in. So how do you make it a functional small space on a budget? In this episode of The Home Primp, Chatelaine Home Editor Alexandra Gater sets out to make over a studio apartment — using only Ikea furniture.
This small studio apartment is tiny — as in around 400 sq.ft. tiny. The tenant didn't want to sacrifice comfort (who would!) but having a queen-sized bed meant that a couch wouldn't fit. And, because the apartment was completely open, there was no designated space for an entryway or dining area.
Gater took a trip to Ikea for some small-space ideas and left with lots of furniture to hack. Watch as she turns a mirror into a wall light (inspired by this genius light hack!), jazzes up a stool (that doubles as a side table) with chalk paint and makes an entryway organizer out of a spice rack. One perfect trick for small spaces is to style the bed like a couch when you're not sleeping in it — Gater takes you through how. Plus, a single Ikea shelf is the perfect way to divide the living space and even creates a little space for an entryway.
$498
Watch the full transformation, above.
Products featured:
Ikea.
Ikea.
Ikea.
Ikea.
Ikea.
Ikea.
Ikea.
Ikea.
Ikea.
Ikea.
Colour “Antoinette”, Annie Sloan.
In colour “Lem Lem”, Annie Sloan.
$5, Etsy.
Subscribe to our newsletters for our very best stories, recipes, style and shopping tips, horoscopes and special offers.
Chatelaine celebrates, inspires, informs and empowers. We know that Canadian women contain multitudes, and we cover all of the issues—big and small—that matter to them, from climate change to caregiving, Canadian fashion and what to cook now.