Kathleen is an accomplished woman who has recently retired and decided to downsize from an 800 square foot one bedroom home to a 400 square foot studio apartment in Manhattan. She was faced with the difficult task of letting go of bulky pieces that wouldn’t fit in her new space. To create a comfortable and efficient layout for her new home, she called in the IKEA Home Tour Squad.
The Squad first divided her space into a study, office, living room, and bedroom area. In the living room, the Squad set up several BESTÅ storage combinations along the walls, providing an entertainment center and ample wall storage. The BESTÅ cabinets are entirely customizable, so the Squad was able to measure Kathleen’s wall space and select the right amount and style of cabinets. To create a clean, modern look, they chose high gloss, light gray/green cabinets to wrap around the corner of her studio.
The storage units featured soft close doors, so her items would be safe and secure. To add a bit of ambiance and light up the space, the Home Tour Squad installed the OMLOPP/ANSLUTA undercabinet lighting, which Kathleen can control with the ANSLUTA remote control. The remote has two different light settings to adjust the mood, depending on whether she’s entertaining guests or watching a movie. The GRANBODA nesting tables are perfect for her small space, as they can easily slide in and out from each other to extend the table space, or tuck away when not in use. The living room is finished off with a VIMLE loveseat acting as a divider, and a rectangular BRÖNDEN carpet to tie it all together.
For the study, the Squad set up a STRANDMON wing chair for comfort and a BILLY/OXBERG bookcase for displaying her collection without crowding the room. The office space is perfectly defined with a BEKANT corner desk and a GALANT storage combination with filing. Finally, for the bedroom, the Home Tour Squad set up a VIDGA corner solution with one pair of AINA curtains. Kathleen’s studio apartment is now filled with organization and flow, thanks to the Home Tour Squad. With the help of IKEA’s customizable storage solutions, Kathleen can live her retirement in a creative and streamlined fashion.
Looking for ways on how you can decorate and utilize a small space? Then this episode is perfect for you! We really enjoyed this episode of the Home Tour Series since they really found the best solutions to maximize the storage and function of a small space.
In this episode, the squad helped Kathleen, a new retiree, to envision her new apartment in Manhattan as she downsized from an 800 square foot one-bedroom to a 400 square foot studio which means she had to cut down her space by half!
With a smaller space, Kathleen’s old furniture and things no longer suit the place and hindered her from creating her creative relaxing retirement space. Luckily the Home Tour Squad came to the rescue and helped Kathleen re-envision her space. They used some iconic Ikea pieces to utilize every space. If you’re interested to know about the furniture check out our list below!
Furniture Used:
Ikea BESTÅ Storage Combinations
One of IKEA’s best storage solutions, making it fully customizable to create that tailor fit storage that your space needs. The units come in different sizes and with options of having them open or with soft-close doors. This really makes the Ikea Besta a great choice to create that cohesive or unique look around your space.
Ikea GRANBODA Nesting Tables
Perfect for small spaces, as you can easily be used as an added tabletop, and tuck them away when not in use. The last table can even serve as an extra storage space for remotes or magazines to minimize clutter.
Ikea VIMLE Loveseat
This loveseat provides a comfortable seating area without bulking up the space. A great couch to also be used as a divider in small spaces.
Ikea STRANDMON Wing Chair
A great piece to create that cozy, comfortable vibe. The chair features a high back, which gives great support to your neck, giving you extra comfortable.
Ikea Billy Bookcase
This wide tall bookcase can fit a ton of books! It can also be used as a great shelf to display and any of your memorabilia, frames, or even pieces of art!
BEKANT corner desk
This adjustable desk is great for small spaces, giving you the opportunity to maximize and utilize your space.
Ikea GALANT Storage
The Galant combination with filing gives you that mix of furniture and office function. A really great choice if you’re working on a home office in a small space.
Other Accessories:
Ikea ANSULTA Lighting
A great efficient and accessible lighting option that you can connect up to 6 units. The best part is you can turn them on and off simultaneously with a single switch. You can opt to have one with a remote too!
Ikea BRÖNDEN Carpet
A great way to style any space! With its variety of colors that you can choose from, this unique handwoven rug brings both texture and color to brighten up your space.
Ikea AINA Curtains
These Aina curtains give that laid-back, cool yet crisp feel with their durable linen material.
Ikea SUMMERA Hanging File
A very affordable and convenient way to organize your files, perfect for home offices and workspaces to keep things in place.
Here are some more ideas to use to maximize the space in such a small space:
Idea #1: Using an Ikea Loft Bed
An Ikea loft bed can be a great solution for maximizing space in a studio apartment. The loft bed provides a full-size sleeping area, with room for storage underneath. This can be especially helpful for a retiree who has downsized their living space, as the loft bed provides a great place to store items like extra linens and off-season clothing. In addition, the bed can be customized with drawers, shelves, and other pieces to maximize storage space. Ikea has a wide selection of loft beds in various sizes, so a retiree can find one that fits their budget and space needs.
Idea #2: Utilizing Wall-Mounted Shelves
Wall-mounted shelves can be a great way to maximize space in a studio apartment. Ikea offers several styles of shelves that are designed to be mounted directly onto the wall. These shelves can be used to store items like books, decorative items, and other items that a retiree may have. The shelves can also be accessorized with hooks and other items to increase their storage capacity. The shelves are also relatively easy to install, so a retiree can customize their storage space quickly and easily.
Idea #3: Adding a Closet Organizer
Closet organizers can be a great way to maximize a studio apartment’s storage space. Ikea offers several different styles of closet organizers, including those with adjustable shelves, drawers, and hanging rods. This can be especially beneficial for a retiree who has limited space, as the closet organizer can be customized to fit the size and shape of their closet. The closet organizer can also be easily moved or rearranged to accommodate changing needs.
Idea #4: Utilizing Multipurpose Furniture
Multipurpose furniture can be a great solution for maximizing space in a studio apartment. Ikea offers a wide selection of multipurpose furniture pieces, such as couches that convert into beds, desks that double as dressers, and tables that can be used for both eating and working. This type of furniture can provide a great solution for a retiree who has limited space, as they can fit multiple functions into a single piece of furniture. Multipurpose furniture can also be easily rearranged or moved to accommodate changing needs.