Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you shop through them — at no extra cost to you. I truly appreciate the support, and I only share products I genuinely love, use, or think would work well for small-space living. 🤍
There’s something about decorating a studio apartment kitchen that is both really fun… and honestly a little challenging. When you live in a studio apartment/small apartment, your kitchen is usually right there. Mine is pretty visible from my living/sleeping space (see below), so I wanted it to feel less like a boring apartment kitchen and more like an extension of the cozy, warm aesthetic I wanted throughout my entire studio apartment. I knew from the beginning that I wanted my kitchen to feel:
- clean but cozy
- functional without looking cluttered (more on this later!!)
- bright and airy
- neutral and timeless
- elevated without spending a fortune
[image of my apartment without new decor and stuff here and view from my sofa; colums]
Since studio apartments don’t have much separation between rooms, I quickly realized that even little details make a huge difference. A cute lamp on the counter? Changes the vibe immediately. Framed art? Makes the space feel intentional. Matching kitchen accessories? Instantly makes everything feel more expensive and put together.
Here is the mockup I came up with and designed via Canva:
So cute, right!? Love it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really execute this idea in my first studio apartment, because the kitchen was quite literally the smallest kitchen ever. Hated it. So, when I moved into my current studio apartment and found that I had a way bigger and better kitchen area (🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾), I knew now was the time to finally decorate my kitchen to my liking.
That said, I was SO EXCITED to be able to bring my vision to life in this studio apartment I am in now. One of my favorite little corners in the kitchen is the framed artwork moment I created. I already had the gold frame at home, found a beautiful Studio McGee-inspired image online , and had it printed on cardstock at Office Depot. It was SUCH an inexpensive way to make the kitchen feel designer-inspired without paying designer prices (because, in this economy, who can?? 😭). I also reused a small tabletop lamp/accent I already owned from Kohl’s, which instantly made the kitchen feel softer and more cozy at night. And it was just too cute to give away/not use.
So, If you’re decorating a studio apartment kitchen, a small apartment, or just looking for affordable kitchen decor ideas that make your space feel elevated, hopefully this post gives you lots of inspiration.
Like this post? Pin it using those two pinnable images above! ♥
Anyways, most of the items in my studio apartment kitchen are from Amazon because I wanted affordable pieces that still looked high-end and aesthetic. I mixed those finds with a few DIY-style touches and decor pieces I already owned to create a kitchen that honestly feels way more custom than it actually is.
Here’s everything I bought (and styled) for my studio apartment kitchen:
Small and Cute Tabletop Lamp
I know lamps in kitchens aren’t necessarily “practical,” but I genuinely think they make apartments feel SO much more high-end and cozy. I already owned this small tabletop lamp from Kohl’s, and adding it to my kitchen counter completely changes and upgrades the vibe of the space. It gives the kitchen a warm glow instead of harsh overhead lighting and makes my studio apartment feel way more homey. If you live in a studio apartment/small apartment, adding lamps anywhere you can honestly helps soften the entire space. Even though I got it from Kohls, this mini tabletop lamp with a wooden base from Amazon is so freaking cute! If that’s not your vibe, click here to check out so many other options! You’ll find one you like for sure.
[image here]
Gold Frame + Studio McGee-Inspired Printable Art
This honestly made the biggest visual difference in the space. At least in my opinion it did haha. Instead of spending a sh*t ton of money on artwork, I found a Studio McGee-inspired image online that matched the warm neutral aesthetic I wanted. I had it printed on cardstock at Office Depot and placed it inside a gold frame I already owned. If you like the gold picture frame (how cute you not, it’s the best haha), you can find similar gold ornate picture frames here! The framed art has made the kitchen feel styled, cozy, and much more custom without spending much money at all. Literally a $5 (if that!) project. Major win!
Oh! And for the “print,” I literally just went to Google and typed this in and searched until I found one I liked: “neutral art to print landscape.” BUT, Etsy offers so many viable and cute options, too!
[INSERT IMAGE]
Round Cutting Board (I painted it black!!)
So… I think I have a strange fascination with cutting boards? I dunno. All I know is that I have been adamant that my studio apartment’s kitchen has a round, black cutting board so of course I had to include that in the mockup I designed (and finally got to bring to life!!). Anyways, when you click the link to the cutting board, you will see it is NOT black. I had to spray paint it black (with the understanding that it would never be used to serve any food..). But, it turned out so cute and I love it propped against my backsplash — looks SO high-end and it was under $40 and frequently goes on sale! Yay for me and yay for us (since you should def buy it).
[INSERT IMAGE]
Black Utensil Holder (planter pots will work, too)
I have always loved a cute utensil holder / planter-made-into-a-utensil-holder moment lol. I got my utensil holder (original intended for planets lol oh well) on Facebook Marketplace. But, I found a black utensil holder that is very similar to mine here at Target, since I cannot find one on Amazon – so weird. But, Amazon does have cute utensil holder options, so definitely check them out here!
[INSERT IMAGE]
Wooden Utensils
So… I have a confession to make: up until this new/current studio apartment I am in, I was still stuck in my “everything has to be gold and white” era from like 2021. Ok, maybe I am exaggerating. When I started studio apartment-living, I gave up the all-white furniture and started incorporating wood and color. Thank God. But, please don’t judge me too harshly, because I am judging myself even more. Promise, lol. 🤪 Anyways, I replaced those gold + white cooking utensils with these 11-piece wooden + teak utensils and honestly? I am Obsessed!
[INSERT IMAGE]
Neutral Cookbooks
Neutral decor has basically become my entire personality lately and honestly… I’m not even mad about it. 😂 I’ve been trying to make my studio apartment kitchen feel cozy, elevated, and aesthetically pleasing without overcrowding the space, and decorative cookbooks were such an easy way to do that! The best part? I already owned both of these cookbooks, so this was completely free decor for me. Yay! I simply stacked them together to add some warmth, texture, and height to my kitchen counter styling. Little details like this genuinely make a studio apartment/small apartment feel more intentional and homey.
I love that cookbooks make decor feel functional instead of cluttered. They add personality while still being useful, which is especially important when decorating a small apartment or studio kitchen. The two neutral cookbooks I used are:
- cookbook 1 here (link)
- cookbook 2 here (link)
[INSERT IMAGE]
Wooden Riser
If there’s one thing I’ve learned while decorating my studio apartment, it’s that risers and trays instantly make countertops look more styled and less chaotic. I added this cute, simple, and small wooden riser to my kitchen counter to create a little “decor moment” and break up the flatness of the space. It helps elevate smaller items visually and makes everything look a little more organized and intentional instead of just randomly placed around the kitchen.
I also love incorporating different wood tones throughout my apartment (2021 Hayden is screaming lol IYKYK) because they warm up all the neutral colors and make the space feel cozy instead of sterile. It gives very cozy Pinterest apartment energy — which is exactly the vibe I wanted. You can find the best wooden risers here! ♥
[INSERT IMAGE]
Alexa (because why not lol)
Listen… if my girl Alexa (this is mine!) can make my life easier and look cute sitting on the counter, she’s staying. 😂 In all seriousness though, having an Alexa in my studio apartment has actually been so convenient. I use it constantly for timers while cooking, playing music while cleaning, checking the weather, turning on ambient lighting, and honestly just making the apartment feel a little more fun and cozy throughout the day.
I also feel like smart home pieces are underrated in small apartments because they help simplify your space and daily routines without taking up much room. Plus, being able to say “Alexa, play Justin Bieber” while making dinner in my tiny kitchen just makes me feel like I have my life together. Okay? Okay. Lol
[insert image of anything here lol]
Glass Oil Dispenser
One of my favorite little kitchen upgrades was switching to a glass oil dispenser instead of keeping the giant store-bought bottles on the counter. It’s such a small detail, but it instantly makes a kitchen look cleaner, more elevated, and way more aesthetically pleasing. Tiny swaps like this seriously make a huge difference in studio apartments because everything is visible all the time.
While I did get my glass oil dispenser at good ole’ HomeGoods, I found a super similar oil dispenser here! And it’s a pack of two, which is even better! The more, the merrier. Lol 😝 I also love that the glass dispenser makes everyday cooking feel a little more put together and intentional instead of chaotic college-student energy.
Final Thoughts
Creating my studio apartment kitchen has been such a fun process, and honestly, it proves that you do not need a huge space or massive budget to create a kitchen that feels cozy, functional, and aesthetic. Small details like neutral decor, warm wood accents, glass kitchen accessories, and intentional styling can completely transform a small apartment kitchen and make it feel so much more elevated.
If you’re decorating a studio apartment or looking for small kitchen decor ideas, I hope this post gave you some inspiration for creating a space you genuinely love. Be sure to bookmark At Home with Hayden and follow along for more studio apartment decor, organization ideas, Amazon finds, and cozy small-space inspiration soon. 🤍
If you are living in a studio apartment or a small apartment, what is ONE thing in your kitchen you absolutely cannot live without? Let me know in the comment section below – I want to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for reading! Oh, and please check out my TikTok page (and give me some lovin’ on there please)! ♥️
XOXO,
Hayden | At Home with Hayden
Leave a Reply