A studio apartment combines both the living and sleeping areas into a single space, and for people are starting out on a budget seeking to live in an upscale or centrally located city neighborhood, this is often a great choice. Here is a quick guide to understanding what you can expect when it comes to studios.

In almost all cases, the bathroom will be a separate room and contain the essentials such as a toilet, shower area, and sink. The showering facilities and available sink and storage spaces will vary most greatly, as some studio bathrooms have a full bathtub while others will have a shower stall with standing room only. There may be a sink with a mirrored storage cabinet installed above, but in other studio spaces, there may also be a counter space or perhaps, a cabinet built around the sink’s pipes for additional storage.

Kitchens are the main variable space in a studio in terms of size and appliances and other features offered. The kitchen is not always separate or marked off from the rest of the room. It is generally expect to find a stove, refrigerator, sink, and some cabinets and counter space, even though these might be limited in size and amenity compared to 1+ bedrooms and baths. Stoves are often 2 burners only, and refrigerator size can also vary (half or full). While it may not always be a space fit for you to play host/hostess to a dinner party, in most cases, there is enough room to be able to comfortably prep and cook individual meals.

Some apartment buildings use the term “efficiency” instead of “studio," and the defining factor between the two types of space are that studio apartments are not always small while efficiencies are. Like a studio, the living and sleeping areas are one, but you will often have a kitchenette with limited wall of space and appliances instead of a full kitchen. Some apartment rental companies do not distinguish between the two apartment types, making it worthwhile to figure out what apartment features are available in the space you’re interested in, and whether the amenities are worth the cost. Again, the median size-feature-cost ratio all depends on the city and neighborhood you are exploring.

Some mid- to large-size studios will have a wall or partition constructed to mark off a sleeping area and may impact cost. If maintaining a separate sleeping area is important to you, there are always ways of creatively using the space and/or items like rods and curtains.

On the other hand, studio lofts are especially large have larger square footage than the typical studio apartment. Some typical features found in a loft are high ceilings with exposed beams and other industrial markers such as tall or floor-to-ceiling windows, an alcove, a separate bath, and a full kitchen. Many studio lofts are converted spaces often found in formerly industrial areas in buildings that were once warehouses and/or used for storage. The cost of a loft will depend on neighborhood location and median real estate costs. Therefore, heavily industrial neighborhoods that are in the initial stages of becoming residential areas often feature lofts that are commensurate, or lower in cost than studios located in city hot spots. On the other hand, there are luxury studio loft apartments in centrally-located areas with less square footage than the typical one bedroom. In this case, it preference of living style creates the draw for people to seek out luxury lofts.

Studio Apartments: What To Look For

A studio apartment might be a smaller space, but there are many factors to take into consideration when you are deciding what sized space and what kinds of amenities are right for you. Many, if not most, people choose to rent a studio in order to save money, but it is not just the listed rental price that you want to take into consideration. You may also need to take a look at your cost and time investment in commuting to and from work which adds a layer of additional expense to your monthly budget. If this is the case, make a well informed decision to pay for a studio that has a higher listed price that is more centrally located and cuts down on your commute time and cost to get to work.

There are other facets of comparison that you want to consider as well, relating directly to the space you will be living in once you decide on what kind of studio is right for you. Is it important to you to have a partition between your sleeping area and the rest of the space? Will you want to have enough counter and cabinet space to store your kitchen appliances? These are the kinds of attributes of a studio apartment space to prioritize when looking for an appropriately-sized and optimally laid out studio apartment.