270 SQUARE FOOT STUDIO

The client, a recent retiree, lives in this small studio rental. After years of living in the space, she wanted to upgrade it for her new life. Requests included: more kitchen space for cooking, a place to eat, a long desk with plenty of storage in it for her second career as a writer, a comfortable couch on which to relax and watch TV, a bed that did not have to be pulled-down or pulled-out, an altar space, plenty of organized clothing storage, a pull-down ironing board, and the color orange. Joanna managed to get all of that into 270 square feet, without tearing down or moving any walls (which the building did not allow).  Now a bookshelf wall divides the living room and office and makes the space feel like two rooms. The original kitchen became the stove and sink area. A hanging dish drainer keeps the space open. Diagonally across from that, a new, additional kitchen area houses a small refrigerator, more dish storage, a long countertop for food preparation, and a place to sit and eat. In the living room, a queen-sized bed slides out of the couch like a drawer, and the interior of the chaise provides storage for bed linens. Joanna managed to fit an altar, a large TV, and plenty of storage for clothes and shoes into the space. The small entry has a wall of storage, so the client can stay organized. Joanna created specific spots for the dog's leash, reading and sunglasses, keys, pens, cell phone and charger, mail, hats and gloves, and everything else the client needs to access on a daily basis.

Images before renovation