A studio apartment, or studio condo[1] also known as a studio flat (UK), self-contained apartment (Nigeria), efficiency apartment, bed-sitter (Kenya), or bachelor apartment, is a small dwelling in which the normal functions of a number of rooms – often the living room, bedroom, and kitchen – are combined into a single room.
Some studio apartments still include a private washroom, which may or may not include a bath or shower. Otherwise, washrooms and bathing facilities are often part of a common area accessible by the residents of multiple units, with various arrangements to ensure privacy. Some studio apartments also offer extra storage space which may or may not be attached to the main unit.
For their occupants, studio apartments offer the advantage of being considerably cheaper to rent or buy compared to multi-room dwellings, the resident only having to give up living space as opposed to the level of privacy that is the case when living as a roommate. Studio apartments have historically been offered mainly for rent, however in recent years the units have been increasingly sold as condominiums in response to rising housing costs making larger dwellings unaffordable to many would-be home buyers.
The studio apartment is an apartment with a single room. They are also known as single-room dwelling places or studio flats. A studio apartment typically consists of one large room that serves as the combined living, dining, and bedroom. A variation, sometimes called an "alcove studio", may have a very small separate area; this wing or nook is off the main area, and can be used for dining or sleeping. The apartment's kitchen facilities may be located either in the central room or in a small separate area. The bathroom is usually in its own smaller room, while the toilet can be separated.
Studio apartment sizes vary considerably by country.
A studio apartment differs from a bedsitter in the United Kingdom or single room occupancy (SRO) unit in the United States, in that an SRO does not usually contain a kitchen or bathroom. Bathroom facilities are shared with multiple units on the hall.