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[Oznell]

Designer Laurel Bern is an old hand at rearranging spaces.  On her blog, she discussed the cost of housing in Boston, eek, where she lives.   She took an actual Back Bay studio apartment, and showed how, theoretically, it could be turned from a studio, to a legal one bedroom.   (Which in an expensive real estate market, could have very attractive resale value, for one thing.)

She's so clever.  She said the entry was disproportionately large, for a studio apartment.  So she gained room for a petite kitchen there, and proposed a bedroom for where the old kitchen and part of living room was.

She kept some closet space, and created other vital storage space in the apartment.  But of course, you "lose some and you gain some".

Before--

After:

Now, the main seating in the l.r. is pretty much the angled couch in the bay window. 

But she even did alternate one bedroom versions:

In the one above, there's a couch and two chair seating area in front of the fireplace, and just a drop leaf table behind the couch.  You could re-arrange things and bring out the extended table when you wanted formal dining, but it is more of a hassle.

That being said, I might take plan #3, rather than the studio, or couch in the window bay option.   The couch and two chairs in #3 seem cozy.

I've seen studio apartments where the visible bed in the room looked cute, and integrated into the design.  But, on the other hand, it's nice to have an extra room to retreat to!

Would you opt for an open studio,  or an enclosed bedroom like the other two?

If interested in all of Laurel's drawings and explanations of the hypothetical apartment transformations, go to Laurel Bern, and search--    Can A Studio Apartment Become a 1-Bedroom? 

[Patriot3]

Yes, I'm always taking floor plans and re-arranging them.  Designed and drew our home.  Should have been an architect

[Mindy D]

I like the second option but I'd put two of the dining chairs flanking the fireplace and mount a TV on the wall next to the dining table so it could be viewed from the couch.

[AuntG]

I can get lost in floorplans for hours. I wouldn't want the studio version, but really like the change to a one bedroom. Yes, a good sized closet is lost, but in a small apartment, I'd manage quite well using things like underbed drawers and storage ottomans.

[Desert Lily]

I was in college in an Architecture program in North Carolina in the mid-1990's. I learned AutoCAD then to create floor plans.

Software for floor plans is much more user-friendly than it was back then.

[GenXmuse]

I could pour over floorplans for hours!

[DSD2]

I have never worked with floor plans but this was interesting. A very creative use of a relatively small space. 

As I value a bit of privacy, I definitely would opt for one bedroom and prefer the second option. 

Thanks so much for posting @Oznell this was fun and informative.

[stevieb]

I enjoy floor plans a lot. Probably should have been an architect. I used to buy the floor plan books by the score and pour over them, dissecting them and deciding on the plans I might choose one fine day. Unfortunately, one fine day has yet to come. 

[jubilant]

My choice would be #3. More closest space and just like the arrangement of the living area better. I would have a sleeper sofa for guest.      

[Icegoddess]

I would move the Washer/Dryer out of the kitchen and put it outside the bathroom where it looks like she has a table with a lamp.