Little space, an awkward floor plan with niches, sloping ceilings or lots of corners: making a small room functional and stylish at the same time is not an easy task. The renter or owner of a studio apartment has to fit multiple living areas into a narrow room, which can prove to be a challenge. When living space is limited, good planning comes first. With a clever room layout, multifunctional furniture and a well-thought-out storage concept, even a 20 sqm apartment can make a big impression. We give you useful tips and show numerous furnishing examples for living room and bedroom in one room.
With clever tricks you can create a cozy and chic interior even in limited living space. Whether simple in Scandinavian style, with an industrial touch for the loft apartment or with a vintage touch: even a small apartment can be transformed with the right decorationeffectively in the sceneset. In a small room, a clear division into different areas is possible and quite feasible. A consistent color scheme creates visual connection between the living areas.
In many densely populated cities, apartments are becoming smaller and smaller due to a lack of space. Studio apartments are traditionally preferred by students, singles, couples and families without children. Since renovation projects in a rented apartment are only possible with the landlord's approval, renovation projects can rarely be carried out. In these cases, creativity is required. Offering inspiration comes firstthe Scandinavian interiors, which fascinate with their simple and stylish furnishings. Then come the industrial-style loft apartments, which are particularly popular in New York. Asian interior designers also specialize in space-saving yet ultra-modern room solutions.
No matter what style of living, when it comes to interior design principles for a small one-room apartment, functionality comes first. White walls and light flooring provide the perfect neutral backdrop for imaginative furnishings and decorations. They make the room appear spacious and bright. Furnishing is rather sparing, with space-saving furniture in neutral colors. A two-seater sofa is of course part of the basic equipment of the one-room apartment. Ideally, it offers storage space for bed linen and is pull-out, so it can be converted into a guest bed if necessary. Together with designer armchairs and one or even two small coffee tables, the sofa forms a comfortable seating area that can be rearranged as desired. A small wool carpet in a plain color visually separates the area in front of the sofa.
1. Where to put the bed?
A comfortable double bed is a must, even in a small one-room apartment. There is a wide range of space-saving models available in stores, but which one fits harmoniously into a small apartment? Furniture manufacturers in Europe and the USA do not agree on this. Most European interior designers decide against a wall bed and opt for a high day bed with drawers for bed linen etc. However, the wall bed is very popular among their colleagues in the USA. In Scandinavian interiors, the bed becomes a real all-rounder that can be staged in different ways. A corner, for example, offers the possibility of acomfortable sleeping nicheto set up. This means the bed doesn't get in the way and takes up little space. If there is no suitable niche in the room, the bed can be arranged together with the sofa and armchairs to form a comfortable seating area. Traditionally, several wall shelves made of wood or metal hang above the bed, providing storage space for home accessories and your favorite books. If living and sleeping areas are combined in one room, a seamless transition should be created between the different areas. The color scheme and wall design visually connect the individual areas so that the zones flow into one another. Photos on the wall, hanging above the sofa and above the double bed, draw the eye upwards. Especially in old apartments, the high ceiling is better shown and the apartment appears visually larger.
Alsomodern four poster bedsare enjoying increasing popularity. Semi-transparent fabrics let sunlight through and at the same time separate the sleeping area from the rest of the living room. If desired, a small home office can be created right next to the sleeping area. Of course, the rest of the room also needs to be furnished appropriately. A vintage-looking interior with a velvet sofa, a tree trunk side table and matching home accessories in pastel colors give the room character. Gentle lavender and pink nuances bring a touch of romance into your own four walls. Vases and decorative bowls made of marble or in a gold or copper look also enhance the furnishings.
These double bedsare suitable for the one-room apartment:
1. The four-poster bed is separated from the rest of the room without a partition. The bed fits harmoniously into spacious apartments with a square floor plan. If you don't want to invest in a four-poster bed, you can achieve a similar effect with curtains. For this purpose, a rail is mounted on the ceiling. Not only can curtains separate the sleeping area, open shelves can also quickly disappear behind curtains and the apartment immediately appears tidier.
2. The storage bed, also called a day bed, is high and can therefore perfectly replace a sofa. Several drawers provide storage space for blankets, pillows and other bedding. Especially in tight spaces, the day bed is a space-saving alternative to the classic double bed.
3. The loft bed is not suitable for a small one-room apartment. Although the living space can be used optimally and there is still space for a sofa, desk, etc., a loft bed offers less sleeping comfort for adults.
4. The wall bed is currently causing a sensation in New York. When folded up during the day, it sticks outspace saving designonly a few cm deep into the room. At the same time, modern wall beds are in no way inferior to the double bed. The purchase costs for a wall bed are approximately higher than for a four-poster or storage bed and the construction is mounted on the wall. That's why this bed is only partially suitable for use in rental apartments.
2. Furnishing examples for living room and bedroom: bed or sofa, or both?
If the one-room apartment is only 20 m² small, most tenants ask themselves the question: Should I opt for a double bed instead of the sofa? Sometimes it makes more sense to go without a sofa. In many cases it is not necessary. There is a wide variety of space-saving two-seaters available on the market, many with storage space. So it's less about the available living space than it is about the clever distribution of the furniture in the room. A well-thought-out concept makes it possible to combine living room and bedroom in one room. In a small apartment, every centimeter counts. So it's worth creating a sketch and distributing the furniture in the room.
Try different variations in oneOnline room plannerto find the best fit for your own living conditions. Or you can line the floor with boxes and see if the room seems crowded or if the furniture is in the way. First, place the bed where you will feel most comfortable lying down. Place a side table next to the bed and after it – the sofa. Then try to separate the bed from the sofa. This is where shelving systems, screens, wardrobes, etc. come into play. Small or larger pieces of furniture can serve as a room divider and shield the bed.
Bed opposite the sofa
It is not possible in all rooms to shield the bed with shelves or screens. With rectangular floor plans, the bed and sofa are usually placed at two corners. A desk can be placed in between or a small dining area can be created. A neutral color scheme creates visual connection between the different zones in the studio apartment while relaxing the eyes. For example, the colors cream, camel, light gray and snow white harmonize perfectly with each other. They create a comfortable ambience where you can relax after a long day at work.
There are also non-colors such as gray, white and black or anthracitepopular color partnersin the one-room apartment. Green plants, fresh flowers in a crystal vase and modern pendant lights with gold accents add splashes of color and loosen up the strict living image. With cozy bedspreads and soft pillows you can make yourself comfortable both in bed and on the sofa. Perfect for hanging out on cold winter weekends. You can also create another positive effect with textiles: they at least visually connect the bed and sofa and ensure a seamless transition between the sleeping and living areas.
Bed behind the sofa
There is also an optional variant: you can position the bed behind the sofa. A chest of drawers with shelves can serve both as a room divider and as a bedside table. In this case, you don't have to “hide” the sofa in a corner and the bed in a niche, but you can display them in the middle of the room. Since the couple is guaranteed to attract everyone's attention, you should keep the walls simple. It's better to opt for handleless wardrobes that remain discreetly in the background rather thanfor wall shelves.
At the front, the sofa and a designer armchair form a cozy seating area in front of the television, while at the back the double bed offers a place to retreat. The facility presents an exciting eclectic mix of old and new. Retro furniture is skilfully usedmodern pieces of furniturecombined to create a harmonious interaction. Similar natural materials – wood, leather and cotton – help to find a balance between modern and country house style.
The next example offers another interesting idea for a bed behind the sofa. In this case, the sofa and double bed are separated from each other by a glass wall. If desired, curtains can completely separate the sleeping area from the living area and protect the resident's privacy. It is the perfect space distribution for singles who like to invite friends over at home.
Whether modern, Scandinavian simple, vintage or perhaps eclectic: yourselfin a few square metersyou can create a functional and at the same time stylish interior. In the photo series below you will find more exciting examples of successful room layouts in the sleeping and living areas. Let the suggestions inspire you and create your own oasis of peace and serenity.
Living room and bedroom in neutral colors
The bed fits harmoniously into the furnishings
Furnish the one-room apartment in a Scandinavian style
You can also build room dividers yourself from recycled wood: the perfect addition to your vintage or shabby chic style
A partition with sliding doors separates the sleeping area from the living area
Shelving systems not only offer space for books etc., but can also serve as room dividers
Furnish a loft apartment in an industrial style
Gray and white form the perfect background for a modern interior with exotic accents
Pictures on the wall visually separate the living area from the sleeping area
Half-height wall provides privacy for the sleeping area in the one-room apartment
Two-seater sofa offers maximum seating comfort and invites you to linger on rainy weekends
The white walls and furniture make the one-room apartment appear larger
Vintage style interior with sofa in front of the bed
Wardrobe separates bed from sofa
Half-height wall shields the sleeping area
Example of a living room and bedroom under a sloping ceiling
Bed under the sloping ceiling behind the sofa
Separate the kitchen from the bedroom
The bedroom merges into the living room
Partition and sliding doors divide the room
Furnish in Scandinavian style: 20 sqm apartment
Furnishing a loft apartment: An idea from the USA
Curtains as room dividers in a one-room apartment
Kallax shelving system from Ikea serves as a partition
Bed with drawers offers enough storage space for bed linen
Puristically furnished bedroom with adjacent dining area
Place the bed opposite the sofa
Rocking chairs instead of a sofa in the one-room apartment
Wardrobe with glass doors and wall bed
Metal shelving system as a room divider
Set up a bed niche in Scandinavian style
Separate the bed with curtains
Puristically furnished one-room apartment
Corner sofa in the one-room apartment
