Living in a big, urban city can be exhilarating. Delicious food choices are practically on every corner. Music, art, and theater at your fingertips. Action non-stop in a city that barely sleeps.
And then there’s the flip side. Wall-to-wall people. Ear-piecing traffic. Garbage piles almost as high as its skyscrapers. It’s simultaneously exhilarating and exhausting.
Living in a place like New York City means constant activity, which can mean constant noise, movement, and overstimulation. Having a home that can be a place to escape it all for a few quiet moments of sanity is a necessity.
Of course, living in a big city usually means living in the smallest of spaces. We’re talking turn-of-the-century walk-ups filled with tiny studios sporting pullman kitchens and windows that look out and into your neighbor’s bathroom (I know of what I speak).
As a person who’s lived in a studio in the city for more than a decade, I’ve spent years perfecting ways to make sure my home is not just a place to sleep and eat, but a true respite from the jungle outside my firescape. Here are five tips you can follow – and the affordable items that can help you get there.
Make your bed. In a studio, the piece that takes up the most floor real estate is your bed. According to studies, the average person spends 227,916 hours in their bed in a lifetime. That means making it the most important space in your home. Start with a solid-color duvet from Home Goods so it doesn’t overpower the rest of your space. I prefer a neutral base in sand, but choose whichever color brings a smile to your face. Adding pillows stacked against the wall or a headboard helps create height and depth, something that’s so important in a small, narrow studio.
Light it up. In an urban studio, natural daylight can be a luxury. Aside from getting outside for 30 minutes daily, layered lighting is key. A floor lamp with shelving floods your room while adding much-needed storage space. Wireless wall scones with a remote add lighting without taking up wall space. And a light therapy lamp can mimic natural light when you can’t be outside. All are available on Amazon.
Zone out. You only have four walls in a studio, so you’ve got to create zones in more creative ways. Carve out spaces where you can eat, entertain, and rest with area rugs from Home Goods, offering a large selection of styles from India.
Block the noise. Cities are noisy. Inside, you need silence. A pair of blackout curtains not only hides the bright lights of the big city and night, but they can also reduce sound, especially important if you live in a street-facing studio.
Get green. Indoor plants offer significant benefits, as they create a calming, natural environment that can increase productivity, boost focus, and alleviate anxiety. But that’s only if they stay alive, which can be challenging in a studio space that gets little light. Faux foliage is the answer. A few strategically placed artificial botanicals can still give you the mental boost you need.