This is the story of how a man, his wife, and two sons creatively lived in a 400 sq. ft. studio apartment in San Francisco for some time to save on commuting and monthly rent early in their lives.
Between July 2011 and August 2015 I lived in a ~400sqft studio apartment in San Francisco. I moved in a bachelor but by the time I moved out, I was one member of a four person family. Here are some things I learned along the way.
Life in a 400 Sq. Ft. Studio Apartment with My Wife and 2 Sons
This is a 139 sq. ft. micro apartment in Poland that has been remodeled to become surprisingly comfortable to live simply in.
It was redesigned by Szymon Hanczar and includes a hammock, desk, sleeping loft, bicycle storage, a wardrobe, kitchenette, and a bathroom. Just about everything you need when living in a city! You’ll even find a combo washer/dryer hidden in the closet near the ladder to the loft. Please enjoy, learn more, and re-share below. Thank you!
This garage converted studio is a great example of how to live simply in a regular place. The owners of the home took the extra unused space and used it as a mother-in-law suite, as most would call it here in the United States.
You have your own side door entrance along with the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom. The first thing you’ll notice is how beautifully decorated the tiny porch is, along with the rest of the home. Would you consider converting the extra space in your house into a separate studio to rent out or even live in yourself while renting out the larger part of your home? Do you think this is a more viable solution for you than a tiny house on a trailer?
Another studio apartment that was just recently decorated by a friend of mine in Florida. It turned out looking great just by using the right furniture and some minor decorations.
She did it for her mother-in-law who is moving into town from up north. Looks like a really comfortable place to live with easy maintenance. Enjoy the photos and I hope it gives you some great ideas!
The only thing I would need to add is bookshelves and a desk.
This New York apartment studio has been renovated for the needs of parents and a small child. The ceilings inside are about 12′ 6″ high which provided enough space to have a sleeping loft and second level storage in some areas.
The first level has a living room, dining area, plenty of closets, a full bathroom, kitchen, home entertainment center, small library, play area, baby’s room, and steps towards the sleeping loft and upper level storage areas.
The bed loft is above and between the dining and kitchen areas. Upper level storage is over the bathroom and kitchen.
And the child’s crib is perfectly nestled in what could otherwise be a walk in closet or little office.
Throughout the house you’ll find multifunctional furniture, beautiful flooring (stained concrete), and lots of book shelves.
Surprisingly, the bed loft has quite a bit of headroom. There’s an interesting deck area inside the house that’s 36″ high which is utilized as an entertainment center, storage, playroom, and library.
Everything in this home has its purpose and place. Some of the built in furniture reveals a pull out ironing board, hidden storage for toys under the deck, and so much more. PorterFanna did a marvelous job with this apartment studio.
The building where the apartment is located originally was St. John’s University Law School and was converted to residential housing in 1981. It used to also be known as the Tower in the Heights as an early 20th century building in Brooklyn, New York.
