Stylish and upscale, this studio apartment proves that small space and a moderate budget don’t need to be limiting.

A studio apartment can be a design challenge: The job is as much about what to leave out as what to include. For this model apartment in Glen Cove, N.Y., designer Susan Mandel used multi-functional furniture, such as storage ottomans that also serve as footrests, drinks tables and extra seating. In choosing furnishings and materials, Mandel followed the convictions that color can add flair to a small space-and that upscale style can be achieved on a moderate budget.

Designer Susan Mandel’s brief for the small studio apartment you see here was to assume the occupant would be renting furnished space. The client might be a young couple waiting to close on their first home purchase, a college student or a divorced dad.

Her goal was to recreate a Manhattan apartment in Glen Cove, N.Y., in a style she describes as bohemian chic. She held fast to the conviction that the furnishings could be stylish and upscale without being expensive.

Many of the furnishings had to be multi-functional. For example, a table bridges the kitchen and the main living area. It’s a console, a dining table, a desk and a kitchen workspace all in one.

In front of the sofa, storage ottomans can be used to stash electronics or books—or as drinks tables, footrests or extra seating.

Conventional wisdom says it’s risky to use color in a small space. Mandel, who is based in Safavieh’s Glen Cove flagship showroom, feels the opposite: Pops of color are a great way to bring a small space to life. Here she used a range of cool blues—and turquoise in particular—for oomph, balanced with wood tones to add warmth.

Mandel covered the walls in white cork, a sustainable, organic material that absorbs sound. She carried the cork surface through the living area and into the bedroom, which opens to the living area via a transom where wall meets ceiling—thus serving to elongate the space.

In the bedroom, Mandel deployed a bed with built-in nightstands. An ikat rug by Safavieh, a hair-on-hide dresser and an industrial chic glass-and-metal chandelier all serve to advance the sought-after boho vibe.