Hosting Guests in a Studio Apartment

When we told our friends and family we were moving Downtown Austin, most people’s first reaction was “Can I come stay with you?” We always joked, “Well, if you’re okay sleeping on the balcony—we’d love to have you!” A small studio doesn’t really leave a whole lot of room for entertaining overnight guests, but we made it work this weekend when my sister came to visit.

Before moving, we thought thoroughly about what furniture would best serve in our new place. While items like our extendable IKEA table easily made the cut, we needed to explore new options for a couch. Our hand-me-down reclining sofa and matching recliner were going to take up some valuable space in our 525 sq ft studio.

Not knowing how long we would be in our studio, we wanted to find something that we wouldn't mind saying bye to after our lease was up. And having such a small space we knew every piece of furniture needed to serve two purposes (our entertainment center is also our dresser!). We opted for a small grey futon over a sofabed. It’s small and affordable- we were set.

walmart.com & cordaroys.com

But then one night, QVC and Lori Greiner did what they do best. They sucked us in to buying a beanbag! This beanbag (available at cordaroys.com) is filled with foam and then easily expands in to a bed. It was the perfect option for us as it served as additional seating most days and as a bed when we have overnight guests.

We love this chair so much that we often call “dibs” when watching a movie. Our two cats enjoy it too—we find one in the chair almost every time we come home. And as I mentioned this weekend we had our first overnight guests. My sister and her boyfriend were in town for week two of ACL. She says it’s like sleeping in a pile of pillows—even though I’m sure she could have slept anywhere after long days at ACL and 6^th street!

Having furniture that serves dual purposes really helped us out this weekend. We had four people in a small studio but we didn't feel crowded once. It's tough to feel cramped when Downtown Austin is your backyard!

My sister and I on Sixth Street.