Life in a studio is all fine and cozy until you want to have a guest - or, heaven forbid, more than one - over. All of the sudden, the wide-open floor plan and lack of dividing walls can make things awkward, especially when it comes to obscuring your sleeping space. The following are a few tried-and-true tricks for creating division within your studio to make your sleeping space more private.
Is it a bed if it doesn’t look like one?
It’s usually the bed in a studio that sticks out like a sore thumb. When I lived in one, I was in college and had no problem with my friends coming over and sitting on the bed while we played video games, but that was many years ago and I’m sure I wouldn’t feel the same way now. Adults usually prefer to keep their sleeping quarters private. To that extent, consider a daybed that, with the addition of some bolster pillows and cute cushions, does double-duty as a couch.
Try a pop of color!
An interesting idea for delineating space in your studio is to paint one wall a vibrant color. This should usually be the wall against which your headboard rests, so it gives off the impression of a separate bedroom area. Of course, non-bedroom things will also share the wall, but you can strategically place furniture (like a comfy couch angled towards the bed) to give an idea of definition.
Make a screen play.
Decorative screens are great for dividing off space in a studio apartment. Best of all, they are widely available at thrift and consignment stores as well as garage/yard sales. Give these decorative pieces a function by placing one at the foot of your bed or, depending on the layout, the side of it to create some privacy for your “bedroom” area. Even if there aren’t enough panels on the screen to cover the sleeping space completely, it should hide an unmade bed when you have company over.
Curtains!
One excellent, albeit high-risk way to bl9ock off some sleeping space is to hang curtains around your bed. The risk is that the setup can look messy if you don’t seek out the right fabrics and hardware for the job. You don’t want it to look cheap, or to hang a sheet over a rod - that won’t do. If you lack the DIY chops yourself, hire a handyman to install the rod(s) to make sure that they won’t come tumbling down with an accidental pull.
