Ten Tips For Decorating a Small Studio Apartment
Studio apartments can be difficult to decorate because everything is basically all in one big (or not so big) room. Sometimes this small space has to accommodate several different activities: sleeping, entertaining, cooking and an office area.
Here are ten tips for decorating a small studio apartment:
1. Provide enough storage. Try to find furnishings for your apartment that will do “double duty.†You can even find chairs and ottomans that have storage areas inside of them. Just lift up the top and there you will find space for blankets, pillows or other items.
2. Use containers to hide clutter. Buy wicker baskets or old steamer trunks to store out-of-season clothing, linens and towels. They will look great and contain all of those small items that make a room look cluttered.
3. Use mirrors to reflect the light. A large mirror or several small mirrors placed strategically can make a small space feel lighter and larger. If you like a more modern style of decorating, furniture and tables with metal or glass can visually expand the space.
4. Don’t block the light. Covering every window with blinds and draperies can make a small room feel dark and crowded. Leave windows bare or only cover with sheer draperies to let the light shine through. Light always makes a space seem larger.
5. Place furniture in “rooms.†Try to create specific areas for specific activities. Put a bed and dresser in one area for the bedroom and a sofa and coffee table in another area. Having your apartment furnishings put any-old-way can make it cluttered and uninviting. You might have to leave out the bed and use a sleeper sofa if your apartment is super-small.
6. Create a focus. If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, accentuate it. Even if you don’t have a natural focal point, create one. Painting just one wall a different color will draw the attention into the room an make it seem bigger. Put a large credenza or entertainment center on that wall and decorate it with beautiful accessories.
7. Use dividers for larger apartments. You can find beautiful dividers in both thrift shops and high end furniture stores. Use them to enclose various areas of your space. I saw an episode on HGTV where they used four beautiful wooden dividers to make a separate bedroom. It not only provided a private sleeping area, but also created another “wall†on which to place furniture.
8. Keep clutter at bay. When you have a small area, clutter is not an option. Too many knick-knacks and too much furniture crowds everything together too much. Keep your necessary items, such as extra bed linens put away in a dresser or wicker baskets. Kitchen counters should be kept clean with everything in the cupboards…if possible.
9. Another trick for a small space is to buy furniture with legs and that are higher off of the floor. Your eye will look “under†these pieces of furniture and add visual space. Furniture that is blocky and low to the ground makes a room appear more crowded.
10. Paint with lighter colors. You don’t have to use white, but using paint colors that are lighter in color expands a space more than dark colors.
Decorating a studio apartment can be a challenging task, but using the above tips can help you get started in the right direction.
Discover Decorating Simple, simple decorating on a budget at DecoratingSimple.com and pick up your free report.
Source: Home Management
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Park Model Log Cabin For Sale
***Sold***
I found this today while doing some research on park models. I would love to buy this park model cabin myself as it is located just a few miles from where I live. I am unable to, so thought I would share it with everyone. Maybe this is exactly what you are looking for.
Here are a few of the details quoted from the site:
We are selling our Breckenridge Park Model Log Cabin. We originally bought this beautiful cabin to act as our home while we rebuilt our house. Plans changed and now we need to sell it. Cabin is in perfect, unused condition. It would make a wonderful, spacious home in either a park community, on your land, or as a guest house!
Here are the Specs:
- Breckenridge Copper Lodge 1240 SEDL-T
- Dimensions are 12′ wide x 40′ long x 14.5′ high
- Loft space is 25′ long x 50″ high
- Total approx living space is 780 sq ft. between main floor and loft area.
- Listed at $52,000
The cabin will have be to towed from our property located in North Healdsburg. In Sonoma County in Northern California.
Sale will be cash only, no owner financing available.
Visit the Park Model Log Cabin For Sale site and get the full details and many more pictures.
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Summer Cottage
For Growing Numbers of Americans, the “Summer Cottage” is a “Park Model” at an RV Resort
It’s already past the 100-degree mark in Phoenix, where Mike McConville works as a self-employed cabinetmaker.
But triple digit heat is of little concern to McConville and his family. When the weather gets hot, the McConvilles head up to Munds Park, an RV resort near Flagstaff where they own a 400-square foot recreational park trailer or park model.
It’s our home away from home, and it’s a lot cooler up there, said McConville, 57, who purchased his park model last year.
Marion Steinbrenner is similarly unconcerned with the approach of summer. After spending the winter at an RV resort in Florida, she’ll be spending the next few months at Peters Pond RV Resort on Cape Cod, where she owns a park model.
Still relatively unknown to most consumers, recreational park trailers or park models are 400-square foot movable resort cottages that are designed exclusively for part-time recreational use.
Typically upscale in appearance, they often include hardwood floors, bay windows and lofts as well as cherry, oak or maple cabinetry. They also are very affordable, with prices starting in the $30,000 range.
And because park models are technically classified as recreational vehicles, they can be set up on leased or purchased sites in campgrounds and RV parks and used as weekend retreats or seasonal vacation dwellings. That’s precisely what is happening at many RV resorts across the country.
Munds Park near Flagstaff has sold more than 200 park models during the past two years. We have 41 lots left, but they’re going fast, said Cindi Eagleton, the park’s manager. Munds Park leases its campsites for $2,700 per season, which runs from April until November.
Eagleton said the people who purchase park models at Munds Resort are all over the map, demographically. A lot of them have grandkids and they like that this park is open to kids, she said. But we’re also seeing a lot of younger people because it’s affordable. That’s a big change from years past.
Demand for affordable vacation retreat cottages is so strong that many campgrounds and RV resorts are converting existing campsites for park model use or are adding new sections to accommodate park model owners and renters. While parks making these additions are too numerous to mention here, they are located in vacation destinations all over the country. They include:
- Guadalupe River RV Resort, Kerrville, Texas: This resort in the Texas Hill Country is adding 40 park models to its resort this year, which already 35 parks models, some of which are available for rent while others are privately owned. “We had 150 inquiries as soon as we put them on our website,said park owner Don Temple. Most of these folks are families in their 40s and 50s. They are looking for a nice vacation home on the river and don’t want to spend their life’s savings to do so.
- Camp Holiday, Boulder Junction, Wisconsin: This RV resort in northern Wisconsin has designated an entire section for park model owners. We don’t have it filled with park models yet, but we have the space, said Cathy Schneider, one of the park’s owners. The people who own park models are a good blend of people. We have retired people. But most of our seasonal people are still working. A lot of them live within a two-hour radius of here. They can come every weekend or spend their vacation time here.
- Birchwood Resort, Kabetogama, Minn.: This resort, located 20 miles southeast of International Falls next to Voyageurs National Park, just started renting sites for park model use this year. The sites can be rented for $3,250 to $4,000 for the entire summer. I like the look of park models, said park owner Mark Krupowicz. They’re attractive. They’re like cabins
- Castle RV Park, Castle Rock, Colo.: This 370-acre park, located in a forested location in the mountains between Denver and Colorado Springs, is developing a new section that will accommodate about 200 cabin-style park models. The park model cabins will range from the high $30,000 to about $80,000, while the monthly lease fee will be $650, said Ian Steyn, the park’s developer.
- Of Course RV Resort, Red Lodge, Mont.: This 190-acre park, which is being built around an 18-hole golf course, is located near Yellowstone National Park. Developer Jeanne Rizzotto is selling 99-year leases on 500 sites at the park, which will be used to accommodate park models as well as towable and motorized RVs. Rizzotto is also planning to develop similar resorts in Arizona and Colorado.
For more information on parks that may have park models for sale, check with Kampgrounds of America (KOA), Leisure Systems Inc., parent company of the Yogi Bear Jellystone Park chain, Salt Springs, Fla.-based Elite Resorts of America as well as Chicago-based Equity LifeStyle Properties and Queensbury, N.Y.-based Morgan RV Resorts, which both own numerous parks with park models across the country. Parks with park models can also be located by running a Google search.
For more information about the growth of the park model business, please contact William Garpow, executive director of the Recreational Park Trailer Industry Association (RPTIA) at (770) 251-2672 or visit the association’s website at www.rptia.com.
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U-Dome
If your looking for basic shelter with a very limited budget. Check out World Shelters U-Dome. a 200 sq ft 12 feet tall dome structure. This may be just what you are looking for to get started in a tiny house living structure.
The U-Dome is a versatile, all-weather shelter that can withstand extreme heat and cold, significant wind, and light snow loads with proper installation. They are made with materials that resist rot and mildew, patterns that can easily incorporate local materials, and they are re-usable. Joist floor plans, included with purchase.
Options include pre-hung screen and aluminum double door. Windows and vents. Use a highly efficient electric or propane heater. Off-grid options such as solar and wind, water collection and cistern and composting toilets, allow you to place this just about anywhere.
At $1545 plus options and your floor how can you beat this price?
To learn more visit the World Shelter site.
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ideaBox
I really like the ideabox, and I think for the price and style it is my favorite that I have found so far.
“It’s like a loft you can take anywhere.”
It’s Hip & Green.
Ideabox emphasizes good design, not square footage, and they make it very attractive. With Ideabox, you’re going to get the entire package delivered right to your site. It takes one day to install it, another day to build the deck, and your ready to go. Depending on your site, all you really need to do is set up the water, power, septic, and sewer systems.
The exterior of each ideabox comes with standing seam metal roofing, Galvalume & fiber-cement siding, and low-e windows. Inside, the ceiling, walls, and floors are fully insulated and sealed for maximum efficiency. Interiors include hard surface flooring throughout (bamboo, wood, marmoleum), contemporary cabinets and countertops. Each ideabox is wired for digital entertainment. Appliance packages include ENERGY STAR convection ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, washers and dryers and even a built-in wine cooler.
There are two models in production: the Northwest Modern, a 400sf. 1BR built to RV/Park Model code (around $75k); the Confluence Modern, a 840sf. 2BR built to the Federal HUD Code/site-built modular codes (around $85k). Download a pdf file of Confluence Modern. (Note flyer says 803sf actual 840sf per ideabox)
They even have an off-grid and wireless option. Using Uni-solar panels and solar power system from Solar Summit – panels fit between standing seams on the roof; inverters, charging units and batteries are housed in a special box – and the rest of the house is wireless.
Transported behind a semi (built on a chassis) and brought in one piece to your prepared site. It can be placed on concrete slab or gravel/pier blocks. Ideabox includes 100 miles of free delivery, otherwise it is about 5.00/mile (at todays gas prices).
A very attractive and functional modern small home. Based in Salem, Oregon and shipping all over the west. To learn more visit the ideabox site.
Following are a few pictures and a floor plan.
Kitchen
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Tiny Free House
Shipping Pallet photo by Michael Janzen
Tiny Free House
I just found a cool blog, actually three cool blogs just started by another neighbor of mine. Well within a couple of hours of where I live. Michael Janzen from the Sacramento Valley is embarking on a little experiment. He is going to build a tiny house, 90 square feet, that’s a cross between Henry David Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond and a Tumbleweed-like Tiny House on wheels. But he is going to build it without spending any money. There will be some things he won’t be able to scavenge. For these items he plans to sell things he can find for free on craigslist.org. In the end he hopes to have a tiny free house. His blog Tiny Free House will be a record of the project. He also plans to write a book on his experience as well. Below are his plans.
Shipping Pallet Construction
Michael’s main source of lumber will from shipping pallets, that you can find free in many locations.
I will post updates as Michael progresses with his project. He plans to have it completed by this fall. To learn more visit two of his blogs: Tiny Free House and Tiny House Design.
6×15 Tiny Free House
Nine Tiny Feet
Michael is not stopping there in fact, I think that he will be building the smallest house out there called Nine Tiny Feet. A nine square foot home on wheels. Quoting Michael at his blog:
OH WHY?
No I don’t intend to live in it. Building something like this will be an interesting journey and I plan to use it as a home office some or all of the time. I may also use the Tiny Free House as an office too, I just haven’t decided. The other reason is to show people how small, small can be. I’m beginning to develop a theory that nine square feet is all we really need and that every square foot after that is for added comfort, vanity, or people.
So the short version building a nine square foot house to explore the possibility to satisfy my own curiosity and explore my own values. If successful I hope it will act as a tool to help other people see that the least is the most.
View his plan below and go to his his blog at Nine Tiny Feet to follow his progress. He plans on building this after he has completed the Tiny Free House, so stay tuned.
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Building with Cob
Those of you who have an interest in building with cob as in the Little Cob Cabin posted recently, will enjoy this site by Brian Liloia one of our readers.
Brian is a 23 year old currently living at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, learning to fulfill his desires to live more sustainably and self-sufficiently.
There’s a growing need to help shape a more eco-conscious, less destructive, and healthy culture, and he hopes to share some of his experiences living in a community that values these qualities.
Building With Cob
Brian explains his cob building process that they have developed over the past few weeks.
- Mixing Cob: The first step is the “burrito”, which consists of the final cob mix of sand, clay, and straw. When the consistency is right the mixture will roll and shape into a burrito.
- Making Cobs: The second step is to make “cobs”, or little loafs of the material. Kind of like kneading dough. Each loaf should only take a few seconds to make.
- Cob Wall: The third step is moving the loaves to the wall and lining them up. The wall is soaked with water before applying the new loaves.
- Cobbler Thumbs: The fourth step is taking cobbler thumbs ( a wooden tool) and “stitching” the cobs together, by working the straw into the layer below the new cobs and blending them together.
- Cob Finishing: In the fifth step you use your hands to create a clean, plumb edge.
Brian’s cob cottage footprint is 20×16, and the structure is spiral-shaped, with an urbanite foundation and all cob walls. The house will feature a reciprocal living roof, and it will make maximum usage of passive solar and feature a rocket stove connected to a mass cob bed.
- View pictures of the cob building under construction.
- Building with Cob Work Exchange.
Cob Building Photographs
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The Small Life
A great article from the Canadian National Post called The Small Life features Jay Shafer and the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.
Jay Shafer knows all about living small. The 42-year-old art teacher and now house designer has been living in less than 100 square feet since 1997. The experience prompted him to write The Small House Book and start his own company, Tumbleweed Tiny Houses, to provide plans and build small houses for others. Daring to think small in a country obsessed with everything big, he has become something of a guru to those who believe we won’t be able to afford energy-guzzling monster homes for much longer. Shafer will be a guest speaker at Toronto’s IdeaCity next week.
Click on the title to read the rest of the article The Small Life.
Tortoise Shell Nursery Visit
Tortoise Shell Homes Visit
Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with Bill Kastrinos at the Tortoise Shell Nursery in Rohnert Park, CA. In an earlier post we looked at Model 1 from Tortoise Shell Homes. On my visit, Bill showed me three of six, Model 2 homes under construction.
Simple and Affordable
Bills goal is to keep these homes simple and affordable. He has three models, ranging from a very basic unit to a loaded off the grid ready version. Tortoise Shell Homes has only been in business six months but word is getting out and he is looking to be very busy in the near future.
These tiny houses are built just like a standard home with all the electrical, insulation, etc. This model includes a full size shower, toilet and sink and comes with an instant hot water heater. There is room for a small washer/dryer unit as well. (see floor plan below) These six custom order homes come with oak floors, sky lights and pine walls.
A Company to Watch
I think that this will be a company to watch in the tiny house market. For more information visit the Tortoise Shell Home site or send an email to info@tortoiseshellhome.com or call 707-206-7581.
Model 2 Floor Plan
Seattle PI Article
Allison Arth and her husband, Bo Kinney, live in a 509-square-foot home in the Central District that was built in 1916. “It’s just a very cozy way to live,” Arth says. Empty nesters, greens and first-time buyers are finding tiny houses a good fit
by Cecelia Goodnow
If Dee Williams had the arms of an orangutan, she could touch every corner of her home without leaving her one-burner kitchen. As it is, she comes close.
With only 84 square feet of living space, Williams is an expert at living large in a do-it-yourself home the size of a garden shed.
She built her 7-by-12-foot Tumbleweed Tiny House for $10,000, including solar panels, trailer, eco-friendly denim insulation and high-performance wood windows. It brims with dollhouse charm. Her overhead: $6 a month to run the propane heater.
“I hadn’t ever taken a project from blueprint to real life,” said Williams, 45, whose tiny frame and intrepid spirit are a good fit for the Tumbleweed. “It’s, like, a really cool, empowering thing.”
Williams, a hazardous-waste inspector at the Department of Ecology in Olympia, is an extreme example of the “small-house movement,” which seeks to counter the McMansionization of America with an ethos of sustainability.
