Life Inside a Tiny Parisian Studio
I came to Paris like many students with hopes of living la vie en rose. With Pinterest worthy locations, it is not hard to fall for the City of Lights. But when it comes to finding a living space in an overpopulated city, the French capital is no different offering tiny spaces for an overpriced monthly-rent.
The first time I stepped in my current apartment I felt as if I was trapped in an elevator. My first instinct was to panic and call my friends to compare with their apartments to see if they were as small as mine. Well apparently they are, with some of them being even smaller. But is there a secret formula to master living in a tiny place?
"Probably the best thing about living in a small studio is purely independence, it is yours you make it how you want.”
Many studios don't even meet the minimum required standard allowed by French law—nine meter square feet and/or a volume of 20 cubic meters. Quite often the line between a bedroom and an apartment is harder to draw in a metropolitan city like Paris. To cope with my claustrophobia I interviewed two American University of Paris students that shared their tips on their personal experience of living in their tiny Parisian studios.
Lillian Wagner from Illinois is an entrepreneurship major at AUP who lives in a studio apartment in the twentieth arrondissement. She is a second time resident of a studio-apartment which is under twenty square meters. The AUP senior describes her experience as pleasant, regardless of the limited space she has. She likes the freedom of living on her own. "Probably the best thing about living in a small studio is purely independence, it is yours you make it how you want.”
Image Credit: Anthea Siow Wan Feng
Creativity plays an important part when it comes to living in a small place. Taking advantage of every inch of your studio is key to maximizing the space. It is important to use the space wisely by making anything a storage space, even the unexpected places. Wagner also describes that color choices can also influence the interiors' appearance, so she opts for simplicity and prefers to use white to make the place appear wider. She also uses versatile products that have more than one purpose of use.
Another aspect of living in a reduced space is that it can make you aware of yourself and your surroundings, "Living with yourself and having all that time alone helps you learn yourself, helps you learn what your strengths are and what your weakness are. You really have to have a hold on your life your roommate is not going to pick up your slack for you when your not there,” Wagner said.
"Most people who lived in Asian countries like Japan or Malaysia are very used to tiny spaces... But I realized how for some American friends a 13 square meter apartment can make them feel very claustrophobic."
Anthea Siow Wan Feng from Malaysia is also a senior at AUP . The International business major has been living in a thirteen square meters apartment in the sixteenth arrondissement since the end of 2015. Clutter can pile up faster in a small space, she highlighted the importance of a clean environment. Siow Wang Feng adopted a habit of decluttering as part of her routine. This enables her to keep the apartment clean and to create a more spacious look. “If there is something I haven’t used in six months then most probably I would never use it again, so I just recently donated my blender because I didn’t use it in months”. A messy room can make it look even smaller so being tidy always helps to avoid that.
Image Credit: Anthea Siow Wan Feng
However perception of space can also be easily attached to cultural background. Siow Wang Feng explains her view of a small space might be different to her American friends. “Malaysia is a very highly populated country, especially the city, the space is limited. Most people who lived in Asian countries like Japan or Malaysia are very used to tiny spaces. So when I moved into my 13 square meter studio apartment in Paris it was totally workable and fine, because that is what I am used to having already lived in Malaysia. But I realized how for some American friends a 13 square meter apartment can make them feel very claustrophobic."
Despite their compact rooms, students find versatile alternatives to make the most of the size of their places, making practical routines to fit their new lives abroad. Although the space is limited, they both seem to agree with one thing, "it has been a positive experience overall" Lillian Wagner told me.
