Design Happens

As of June 1, I’ll be going from a 1,200-square-foot, two bedroom, two bathroom premium apartment nestled in the suburbs to a 615-square-foot industrial studio in a high-rise right in the heart of downtown. And when I say industrial, I mean concrete floors, concrete walls, a visible ventilation system on the ceiling and a contemporary barn door to close off the bathroom. To say that this will be an adjustment is an understatement, but I’ve never been more excited for a change.

I’ve been calling on my design-savvy friends and even Laurie March, HGTV Remodels’ House Counselor, for advice on how to create a comfortable flow, make it party-ready (without my bed being front and center) and make an urban, industrial space feel warm and cozy.

Here’s my new apartment’s floorplan. You walk directly into a tiny entryway with the kitchen to the right and a tall, narrow closet to the left. This is the only closet in the apartment, so I think it will serve as a great storage space rather than as an actual clothes closet. (You have no idea how many clothes I have.) The floorplan has the living room listed against the back wall, but the unit I viewed had the bedroom in the back. This is how I envision setting up my space. By doing this, the kitchen and living room are together and the bedroom is offset and can easily be separated with IKEA Expedit shelves or a track curtain (if the ceiling allows). [We'll discuss room divider options in a later post.]

I have lots of ideas and lots of bookmarks building up. I need chic and stylish furnishings that are dual-purpose pieces, plus an idea for a closet. (My first thought was to make an industrial steel pipe garment rack and just display my clothes.) With so many ideas to filter through, I thought D-Happ readers would have the best advice. So, please help me sort through some of these decisions.

What layout do you think would serve best? Bed against the windows? Bed by the bathroom? Couch against the back, right wall? I’d love to get your input as I start planning out my new place.

Follow along as Kayla makes the transition into an industrial studio apartment. Follow her studio inspiration board here.