Question
I have a closet in my studio apartment that I would like to make into a bedroom. It’s currently just wasted space. I would like a wide daybed and a plasma television to put on the wall, maybe at the foot of the bed. I’m willing to remove the closet doors next to the china cabinet and make the bottom half of the linen closet into hanging space.
The room is 7 feet by 10 feet. The area where you see the closet doors is 76 inches if I take the doors off. The area where you see the china cabinet is 7 feet wide without the closet doors, so if I get rid of the closet door can I have the bed against that wall?
Answer
This can be a difficult dilemma. As shown in your floor plan, you have limited closet space. First decide if you can truly live without the main closet in your studio space. Once you commit to a small bedroom, you have two options for a sleeping area in the dressing room space.
Option 1 – Place a daybed along the back wall of the dressing room. Just make sure the length of the daybed fits across the wall. In order to access the closet, you will have to either change to sliding doors on the closet, or hang drapes covering the closet area.
Option 2 – Place your bed in the closet itself. You would have to remove the closet doors and replace them with drapes tied back on either side of the closet opening, which would frame your sleeping alcove. Make sure the bed frame and mattress fit into the closet area. In this case, do not go to the expense of a decorative daybed, as you would not see the ends of the bed anyway. The money you save on the daybed can be used for a great coverlet, pillows and drapes for the alcove. Paint the closet interior a complimentary color. We suggest some under-bed storage drawers, as well as decorative baskets on the top shelf of the closet.
Your dressing room area can be turned into a charming bedroom alcove with either option. Choose your accessories wisely and keep the space free of clutter to create a chic and stylish bedroom.
Good Luck!
The Ballard Style Studio
Posted 2/18/09
