Small Homes: Karen’s Chic Studio Apartment Layout

When I first saw this space, I was sad and wondered how I’d ever be able to live in it… it was so small and had zero character.

This is the studio apartment I moved to after my husband left me a few months ago. I call it the Fonzie Room because it’s on top of a garage attached to a house like the Fonz lived in on Happy Days above Mr. & Mrs. C’s home.

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Highlights of Karen’s Room

My husband and I had a nice 4 bedroom home, so it was a real challenge to feel comfortable in the confines of the Fonzie Room. I had a lot of things and wanted to keep as much as I could without paying for storage on top of the apartment expense.

With a little creativity, I was able to reuse a lot of things I already had and made it work beautifully. The dark blue window accents, for example, were shower curtains I had sewn for our old house. We had 2 full living rooms before and I was able to incorporate most of that furniture with my bedroom in a way that is both functional and appealing to the eye. Strategic use of mirrors helps a lot with feeling like your space is larger. A trip to the fabric store allowed me to match all of my throw pillows for under $20 and really softens the room. I try to keep core items in neutral colors so I can easily modify the theme with small inexpensive touches like pillow fabric and small blankets.

I don’t have a kitchen so I used my bakers rack as a kitchen outfitted with a toaster, microwave etc. I finished the kitchen (top of the stairs wall) with a small refrigerator and coffee pot… that’s all I need. There’s room for a small desk at the top of the stairs opposite the main area where my computers can sit under a window with a nice view. I really can’t complain. There’s a lot to be thankful for.

I love my small space and while I may be going through some rough personal times, it’s nice that I can enjoy a cup of tea and feel relaxed in the comfort of my Fonzie Room