Design Crew
Sat, 14 Jan 2012
Got a problem? Need some help? Just standing there shaking your head? Don't know what to do? You're not alone. Send us a link to photos of your design quandary and let the Desire to Inspire design crew help you .... that's you lot ... the readers! First problem this year comes from Katie.
I was hoping to get your help with this odd feature of my new studio apartment - a raised, enclosed platform with sliding french doors that houses (literally) just a full-size bed and a small night table. I'm attaching pictures of the studio's layout and what this "box" (as we call it) looks like. How can I make this thing less of a giant eyesore? I was thinking about refinishing the hardware on the doors, hanging curtains somehow - either around the doors or as a canopy (thoughts?) - and installing some sort of better lighting. It's bigger than a sleeping nook, but smaller than a bedroom. Help! [previous owner's photos - the box is now a lighter dove gray/purple; doors are still white]
Reader Comments (28)
Maybe it would look good painted black like a shoji screen. Another possibility is to rig up a curtain over the passageway so that it all seems like part of a wall rather than sticking out. Or stick pictures behind the window panes so it looks like a movable gallery wall.
The only thing I can think of is actually taking the doors off and running sheers along inside (use IKEA panel system inside which can go around corners) like an exaggerated mosquito net. Actually maybe I would run the sheers along the outside so they can drop to the floor and not take up too much space. I'm just worried you might end up with a hospital bed look if not careful.
It's pretty obvious that a past tenant came up with a solution that worked for them, and left you with an eyesore. Your best bet is demolition. Take the whole thing out, sell the doors on Craigslist, and replace the entire floor with something less... that.
i thnik, since you have 2 entrances to the 'bedroom', that you should close one off. If you could, i would build a wall on the living room side. it would eliminate the visual clutter and give you more wall space in both 'rooms.' Also, i think that problem that I have with the previous owners picrues is that the bedroom decor is too fussy. if you changed it to a super simple bed (low platform) & very basic bedding you can create a more zen look.
If you can't build a wall, then maybe doors with one large frostd panel would be better. Otherwise just hide the whole thing with a wall of curtains.
Rather than closing that space off any more ,why not try and visually integrate that into the living space. It is a studio flat after all, therefore small and I would suggest not dividing it any more.
The further the eye carries the larger the feeling of space you will get. It is more about how the space flows visually than opening it up completely.
How about having a lower bed or even a custom made mattress that fills the whole space with loads of cushions and a mirror in the resessed wall to the right of where the bed currently is. It will give the space more light and more depth.
It would be nice to replace the sliding doors with folding doors, blinds hangings... something that can open up completely. It really depends on your budget.
Another idea is to remove the glass in the doors and replace with moucharabieh type screens. there are some interesting contemporary designs laser cut out of thin MDF (I tried to find some examples online http://www.qdesign.net.au/index2.php)
I think you have a very interesting space and I hope you will share the "after" with us.
I actually love this box because it adds a quirky, unexpected element to a standard, predictable studio apartment layout and allows for some creative separation between your living and sleeping areas. Don't fight it; take advantage of it by turning it into a "lantern" that will cast a soft, glowing light throughout the space at night.
1. Cut rectangles of rice paper and apply to the inside of each glass pane.
2. Install two wall-mounted reading lamps over the bed so that the diffusion of light into the main space is even and doesn't have too many shadows when the doors are closed. These should have dimmers so that you can adjust for when the doors are closed and for reading in bed.
3. How you decorate inside the "box" depends on your style in the rest of the apartment. Personally, I would keep the bed very simple and tailored with neither a headboard nor a footboard, and used solid-coloured linens for a very tailored effect, but whatever you choose, just make sure it's cohesive with the colours and general tone in the rest of the room.
I would close off one side, if you want light in the bedroom it should be the hallway side, and then curtains on the other side so you can close them if people are over or leave them open if you want sunshine in your bedroom. And just totally remove the doors because they don't make sense as inside doors in that space. I would go with a deep rich colored curtain so it acts like an accent wall, hanging them so they frame the doorway when open but cover the whole living room side when shut. For closing the hall doors I would change out the doors to a solid wood door as a cheaper fix and then leave them closed so from the hall way side it looks like a big closet. Good luck, I'm sure you'll figure out something great!
I envision turning the 'box' into a romantic canopy sleeping area (so it feels like a canopy bed).
I would get rid of the box spring and put your mattress on the floor. Since the room is already elevated you won't miss the height. Get a nice fluffy white duvet and sheets. Right now the purple duvet is too much of a focal take over in such a small space. You should also do wall mount lights next to the bed and maybe a wall mount side table for a lighter feel. I would also put some sheers outside the box to hide the bed (or remove the doors and put sheers up as others suggested) that way the bed is hidden and when your in the box it feels romantic and cozy.
I would LOVE to have an enclosure like that in a studio - I think it is an asset! Put the mattress on the floor for starters...
I agree with Susan, but wonder if there's space to turn the mattress so that your head is against the kitchen wall.
If so, I'd seal off the hallway doors somehow (doors taken out and replaced with something solid perhaps?). I'd put a box/headboard/table in the niche for bedside necessities, and hang a piece of art above. Then I think I'd take out the doors at the foot of the bed so that I could see out the window when I wake up!
I like the new ideas! A larger mattress, or a futon, centered on the raised platform, simplified bedding, the doors entirely removed, drop-down translucent blinds or curtains on the LR side. Right now, there isn't any flow to either the room or the decor; it all seems very piecemeal, with bits of furniture scattered about the room. If you were to install one long, low shelf, level with the platform, all along the side wall presently opposite the couch, you could remove several smaller pieces of furniture and visually integrate the platform with the rest of the living space.
Consider moving the couch, so that you have a clear visual and walkway to the window -- slide it forward so that it marches with 'the box' and move your dining table to the left, so that it is lined up with the hall, rather than centered in the windows. The seating area becomes cozier (add coordinated rug and sofa pillows, possibly curtain for platform) and the dining area becomes more visually attached to the kitchen without the sofa blocking it off. Have a roll-away coffee table under the long wall shelf.
Would the tall white cabinet fit into the bedroom nook against the kitchen wall, either without the stand or with the stand cut down to raise the cabinet just above the level of the mattress on the floor?
@oregonbird: almost all of the furniture in the photos left with the previous owners; the current furniture is illustrated in the floorplan. the couch is now on the opposite wall, etc. thanks so much for your suggestions, though! i'm not sure how feasible it would be to take the doors out completely, so i'm thinking that the best option is either rice papering each individual glass pane or hanging curtains.
what are everyone's thoughts on curtains inside, rather than outside? also, should i bother keeping those little windows or just plug them up with drywall?
thanks!
Ooh! very Brian Kinney Justin Taylor ;-)
it doesn't look like the person sleeping on one side of the bed can get in normally - the kitchen is in the way. and it doesn't look like you can turn the bed the other way. so either totally demo it or just close off the living space wall so you can use it as a wall. as long as your bed isn't as big as theirs and you can get to both sides of the bed! then do something with the doors that doesn't take up any more space. i liked the suggestions of screens to keep it more neat. go with curtains in or out if you want a more bohemian feel.
Hi- why not to change this box into something else than a "bedroom"- you could take out the "doors" to open up the whole place and make a nice eating area with table and chairs out of it. Or maybe the sofa would fit there and the bed could be near the window with some element to seperate this area. Or the "box" could be a working space... (I don't know your needs...)
Would love to see what you came up with in the end!
I think it could be cute but only if you accept that it is the bed. You need to get rid of anybedhead/base and just use the bed, preferably not to high. Make it pretty with cushions, mirror, wall signs,etc and it would work quit nicely. Cherrie
I'd demo it instead of trying to kluge a way to make it work. The cubicle cramps flow and makes the place live smaller than it is. And it's pretty unlikely the cubicle is needed for privacy -- is anyone really going to be sleeping with others in the living room?
At the very least, get rid of those claustophobia-inducing walls. If you must define a "bedroom," the elevated platform is sufficient.
My suggestion is have the mattress on the floor of the bed space, hand a gigantic black and white print on the wall ( the wall you can see in the photo), either rice paper the windows or put opaque window blockout on them, have the shelves filled really simply and monochromatically ( white or wood) and keep to a very simple colour scheme throughout. Think BIG art and simple!! It will be gorgeous! Enjoy
I agree with those who say you need to lower the bed. There should just be a matress in there, it's already elevated on the platform. Replace the doors with light, breezy curtains to soften the look. You can even string some soft white lights or hang a lovely lantern in there, make it romantic. I actually think it could be an amazing space! I would love to sleep tucked away in a breezy romantic nook!
Also, turn the bed the other way. The head of the bed should be against the wall abutting the kitchen. It will give you more space.
I would definitely lower the bed. It would make much more sense visually and spatially. I suggest you get a foam mattress, which is easier for maneuvering and for making the bed in a cramped space, as it bends, and either have it on the floor or a on a very low platform. The thick mattress and box-spring are too overpowering. (Not sure if they are yours or the previous tenant's.) Hang a round paper lamp over the bed. Then decide if you want to cover the panes with something translucent or not. It might not need it. Maybe you could get some tatami mats or grass mats/rugs for the floor. I think it could be really nice.
Many people have suggested you demolish the box, but aside from the fact that this is likely a rental and that demolition was never mentioned as an option in your post, taking it down may be a lot easier said than done. My guess is that it was NOT constructed by a former tenant (most people living in a modest apartment don't go to the expense of having built-in drawers and shelving installed, let alone framing in doors ), but by the building's owners. It doesn't look like the walls are structural but there may be plumbing lines, wiring, or heating ducts running under the floorboards, and the box might have been built in order to accommodate any or all of the above. If the floor was laid after the box was built you would have to replace a large area of floor, and possibly build a subfloor as well. If the box was built after the floor was done, there may have been sections of flooring that were removed to accommodate the walls and those would have to filled in. You would also need to patch and paint the walls and ceiling where the headers are attached plus you would have the expense of hauling away the debris.
Also, for all those who suggested turning the bed so that the headboard is on the kitchen wall, please take a closer look at the floor plan. The wall is not flat: it's recessed because of the stove.
Take a look at this apartment, with a bedroom in a box: http://www.archdaily.com/19005/valentin-apartment-ecdm/. I think the first thing you shoul do is to use a lower bed. I also think you shoul replace the sliding doors by, in one side (maybe the living room side) a clean gass wall (something like this: http://reyudesign.com/modern-loft-design-apartmant-with-glass-walls-and-floors/bedroom-design-at-modern-loft-design-apartmant-with-glass-walls-and-floors/ ), and in the other side by a sliding glass door, as in this picture http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-can-i-give-the-bedroom-mor-92009.
you can then use some roller blinds or curtains to hide the bedroom.
What an interesting feature! A decorating challenge for sure but so much better than those boring rectangle apartments that are so ubiquitous these days.
If it were me, I would move the bed out and into the main part of the apartment as others have suggested. I would then turn that little room into a yoga studio! If that's not your thing it would make a kick ass walk in closet!! Yeah, who am I kidding, I would make it a walk in closet... A console table with a large mirror above it in the inset against the kitchen wall and the rest open shelving and hanging racks. Mmmmm....
It would also make a great home office, TV room, art studio, you name it. I also love, love, love Selina's idea of a custom mattress that would fill the entire space. The key to studio apartments is to have something that is seriously luxurious. It contrasts with the humbleness of such a small space and, in my opinion, it is contrasts like that that make living spaces interesting.
What's below the raised platform? Can this space be used to house a "sliding" bed you can take out for the night, leaving the surface completely free?
In this case the best choice would be eliminate the doors and use the platform for a reading/relax area, or home-office, or whatever you want! Taking doors away will make the room looks larger, too...