1 bedroom vs studio: what's the difference?
In Turkey, a 1 bedroom apartment is called a 1+1: it has a separate bedroom and living room. A 1+0, i.e. a studio, has living and sleeping in the same room; the kitchen and bathroom are separate. Since 2025, Turkey's Planned Areas Zoning Regulation (Planlı Alanlar İmar Yönetmeliği) defines a sleeping area inside the living room separately as a “sleeping niche”; for its dimensions and conditions, check the current text of the regulation and your municipality.
Example 1 bedroom apartment: 50 m² net
- Living room 4.80 × 3.80 m, 18.2 m². TV on the top wall, opposite the sofa.
- Bedroom 4.80 × 2.80 m, 13.4 m². Headboard against the windowless wall, wardrobe next to the window.
- Kitchen 2.80 × 2.60 m, 7.3 m²: worktop, hob and fridge in a single row.
- Bathroom 2.80 × 1.60 m, 4.5 m². Above the 1.50 m minimum short side in the Turkish regulation.
Example studio apartment: 27 m² net
To separate the bed from the seating area in a studio, put the bed in the corner farthest from the entrance and the sofa on the side near the entrance. In the example plan the bed is in the top corner and the sofa next to the door; when you walk in, you see the seating area first. The kitchen and bathroom doors open into the living area; keep the space in front of them clear.
Layout tips for small homes
- Keep the space in front of doors clear. In a small room, don't put furniture where the door leaf swings.
- Group tall cabinets on one wall. Keep the windows unobstructed.
- Leave a walkway between the sofa and the bed. In a studio you walk between the two areas.
- Kitchen worktops are 60 cm deep. The EN 1116 standard gives at least 60 cm for worktop depth; don't go shallower, even in a small kitchen.
The plans and dimensions in this post are layout ideas. A building permit, structural design or construction project requires a design by, and approval from, a licensed architect and engineer; ask your municipality about the details of the regulations.