What Is a Studio Apartment? Unpacking Everything You Need to Know About These Small Spaces

For some people, purchasing a studio unit in a condo building can offer a pathway to homeownership that might otherwise be unavailable. “With a studio, you’re building equity. Your costs are really low, you’re living in this cool neighborhood, or you’re able to afford to buy at all, which is really wonderful,” says Margolin.

Is a studio apartment big enough for two people?

In many cases, a one-bedroom apartment is the best move for a couple, allowing for some sense of privacy between each person on a day to day basis given that there are two separate rooms. That being said, studios aren’t completely unlivable for two people. It often also depends on the specific studio and one bedroom apartments available. Naturally, a 400-square-foot studio could be much better-suited for a couple than a 250-square-foot one bedroom, so the decision should be made more based on square footage than this apartment-type distinction. With enough space, separation between spaces can be built out in a studio too.

Architecture Workshop PC, a firm founded by Robert Garneau, has developed a niche for itself with cleverly designed small spaces—often studios—that feature built-in elements that allow homeowners to adapt their spaces according to how they’re being used. Common elements include things like Murphy beds and expandable partitions that can divide a space by function. Laverne Cox hired the firm for her expertly maximized studio, which AD published in 2022, proving that living comfortably in a studio—especially for two residents—often comes down to creative design solutions.

Garneau himself lived in a studio with his now wife earlier in his career. “When I first moved to New York, which was back in ’99, I lived in a 220-square-foot studio apartment in the Village,” Garneau explains. “I thought that was the best, we were in the middle of it all, and all I needed was a place to put my head down.”

How to decorate a studio apartment

Whether you’re living in a studio apartment alone or with a partner, maximizing the functionality of the space comes down to being clever about how you decorate the space. Below, we cover some of the most important elements of decorating a studio for livability.

While you can think about space-saving hacks all you want, you inevitably will have to store some stuff in your studio apartment if you intend to live there year round. Not all studios have significant closet space, so being thoughtful about other storage solutions is essential. For rental units, wall-mounted bookshelves, rather than bulkier freestanding shelving units, can be a useful addition in spaces where every square inch counts. One can also seek out furniture pieces with hidden storage, like ottomans, sofas, and bed frames that contain storage inside or underneath. Architecture Workshop PC custom designs for small spaces utilize built-in shelving and often panels that can allow this storage to be concealed for a still-minimal-looking space.

“Most people haven’t really slept on a Murphy bed. Very few clients that come to us have slept on a Murphy bed or are familiar or comfortable with it. We need to discuss it and get familiarized with the options,” Garneau of Architecture Workshop PC explains. This lack of familiarity leads to a distrust of the bed type, but if you do it right, it can be a game changer in a studio apartment. Many of Architecture Workshop PC’s small spaces utilize Murphy beds in a way that by no means lowers the sense of quality present in the rest of the apartment’s design.