Room guide

How to lay out a small studio apartment

Guides · updated 2026-10-14

In a 25 to 40 m² studio, or about 270 to 430 sq ft, plan in zones. Give sleeping, living, eating and working each a patch of floor sized for its furniture plus the space around it. Keep one clear walkway of 75 to 90 cm, or 30 to 36 in, from the door to the window, and use furniture to divide the zones instead of walls. Then check every zone at true size before buying, because in a studio a 20 cm mistake costs you the walkway.

What each zone needs

These are typical furniture sizes plus the usual clearances. The area column is our arithmetic, to give you a budget.

Add those up and the four furniture zones come to about 15 to 16 m². In a 30 m² studio, after the bathroom and kitchen, that is roughly the floor you have. That is why the same flat can feel fine with one layout and cramped with another.

Layout rules that hold up

• Put the bed farthest from the door. It gives the sleeping zone some privacy and keeps the entrance open.
• Divide with furniture backs. A sofa with its back to the bed, or an open shelf unit at right angles to the wall, marks a zone without blocking light.
• Keep one straight path. Door to window, not zigzagging around furniture. Everything else hangs off it.
• Let pieces share space. A dining table can be the desk. A sofa bed or daybed merges two zones, but only if you will fold it every day.
• Use the height. Tall wardrobes and shelves take floor once and give storage up to the ceiling. Measure the ceiling, because a 236 cm wardrobe under a 240 cm ceiling leaves no room to tilt it upright during assembly.
• Put the desk where the light is. Daylight from the side is easier on screens than daylight from behind.

Test the zones in the planner

1. Draw the studio. Open the planner and draw the walls at your measurements, including the bathroom walls, kitchen counter, doors and windows.
2. Place the bed first. It is the largest piece. Paste the IKEA link for the bed you are considering and try it in the corner farthest from the door.
3. Add the sofa and table. Paste the links for the rest. Each model lands at true size. Distance overlays show the gaps to walls and other pieces as you drag.
4. Check the walkway. Run the measure tape from the door to the window. If any point is under 75 cm, move something.
5. Check the light. Use the sunlight simulation to see where daylight falls at different times of day before you settle the desk.

True size matters most here. A generic sofa block 10 cm shorter than the real one makes a layout look fine that isn't. See why a planner needs real furniture at real scale, and for a full clearance checklist, "Will it fit?" before the checkout.

Questions

How do you lay out a small studio apartment?

Divide it into zones for sleeping, living, eating and work, keep one clear walkway of 75 to 90 cm (30 to 36 in) from the door to the window, and use furniture such as a sofa back or open shelving to separate the zones.

Where should the bed go in a studio?

Usually in the corner farthest from the entrance, with one long side against a wall. Leave 60 cm (24 in) on the open side to get in and out.

How much space do you need between a sofa and a coffee table?

40 to 45 cm (16 to 18 in). Close enough to reach a cup, far enough to walk between them.

Can a dining table double as a desk?

Yes, and in a studio under 30 m² it often should. Plan 75 cm (30 in) behind the chair either way.

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