How to Create Different Mood Areas in a Studio Apartment

A studio apartment is one those things that can only ever be as great as you want to make it. If you are determined to sulk and feel down about the lack of space, your house is never going to reach its full potential. Let's face it - though there's nothing wrong with a studio apartment, it tends not to be a first choice. If you are living in one, it's probably because you can't afford to pay for a bigger space.

To reiterate, a studio apartment can only ever be as stylish as you want to make it. Fortunately, two keen eyes and a little bit of imagination can transform this tiny space into something remarkable. It doesn't matter whether you're going for the classic bachelor pad, or the open plan Friends look - it's all possible with a dollop of creativity, says Buzzfeed.com journalist Peggy Wang. Here's a guide to creating different mood areas in your studio apartment.

Stick To Neutrals  

When it comes to creating different moods, we tend to use lots of different colours. Unfortunately, this is only going to make your little flat seem even smaller than it is. What you've got to do is create those moods in another way, a way that doesn't rely on ten contrasting paint colours. If you are bent on opening up the space in an apartment, you have to stick to neutral colours - white, grey, tan and stone are good choices. You are advised to use just one colour for all of the walls in the apartment. Yes, it's a little bit boring. However, it will really add some extra  dimension and breathing space to your home, say the experts at HGTV.com. If an open plan area is painted in a single light colour, the entire thing starts to look spacious and airy.

Perfect Furniture

If you can't add flair with bright colours, what can you do to open up a studio apartment? Well, it's all about the furniture. When it comes to creating different mood areas in a small space, you have to think carefully about the colour and the design of your chosen pieces. This can be a tricky thing to do, because you don't want to end up with a disjointed set of rooms that don't match one another, say the experts at WikiHow.com. Try to use different materials to create different moods - soft and sumptuous furnishings in the lounge, and light oak pieces in the kitchen. It's important that you can take advantage of the discrepancies between soft and hard, practical and comfortable.

Lighting It Up

If there's one thing that's even more important than the furniture, it's your choice of lighting. For top quality advice on how to pick the perfect light fixtures, visit http://www.bltdirect.com/. You can do anything with the right kind of lighting, so make your decisions carefully. Unlike paint colours or furniture, the light fixtures don't necessarily have to match. You are free to use a host of different lighting fixtures across the apartment, because they can be used and then turned off at will. It is a good idea to avoid spotlight fixtures in a small space - they pool light and create a lot of shadow. However, uplights are a good idea because they spread light evenly across the room. It's a good idea to use wide and open fixtures in an area like the kitchen. For more relaxing spaces, try slightly recessed wall fixtures and have a lot of different lamps spread across the room.

Author Bio: Simon Armitage writes for a home and lifestyle magazine. He recommends BLT Direct for high quality light fixtures and fittings. Simon can usually be found reviewing new products, or interviewing industry experts.