I love when a space manages to pull off a beachy vibe without turning into a pastel-y, gaudy vacation rental (think brightly painted "fish art", fake buoy replicas, and nets draped from the ceiling). Bethany Mayer, owner of Surf Bazaar, gave Refinery 29 a tour of her Brooklyn home, and shows us all how it can be done tastefully.

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Name:

Linsey

Location:

New York, NY

Square Feet:

290

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I love how cheerful it is, and that I get to wake up to trees and gardens outside my window - it's a nice escape from New York. I fall way too in love with objects, and everything in here has a story behind it. I like that my personality comes through.

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Name:

Nicole

Location:

New York, NY

Square Feet:

370

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I love that my studio has three closets! It's nice to finally have some space for my rather large collection of clothes, shoes, and handbags. It also has two large windows that bring in a lot of light, and has a pretty adorable breakfast nook. Other than the structural elements, I really enjoy the studio's bright and cheery feeling. Can you tell I am a fan of color? Also, who doesn't appreciate their own DIYs? The chevron fad might on its way out, but I love my DIY chevron rug.

Name: Ana, John, Santi (3), Evie (1) and Taco
Location: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York
Size: 1,230 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, 7 months; Owned

When Ana found the listing for this 3-bedroom duplex in the New York Times, her immediate response was "it's way too good to be true." The building had been in litigation for three years and most people had been scared off. 

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Name:

Sivan

Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Square Feet:

509

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I love how easy it was to create a sense of cohesiveness throughout the space. Sticking to a concept or theme immediately expresses a certain mood or feeling and gives a sense of personal style.

I just got a tip about a fantastic hidden gem of a NYC design week experience. Held in a home in Nolita, this not-your-usual show home is open just one more day...

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Name:

Alexandra

Location:

New York, NY

Square Feet:

254

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

Winters make the place a cozy little cave, and summers without AC give us a reason to spend more time outdoors. Plus, we never have to walk further than three steps to find what we need!

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Name:

Lauren

Location:

New York, NY

Square Feet:

340

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

Living in a tiny apartment with randomly angled walls and sloped floors is such a uniquely New York experience. Other than that, I instantly adored the large front window that looks out to the street.

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Name:

Erica

Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Square Feet:

261

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

It feels like a home!

This is the smallest apartment I've ever lived in. To fit great location into my budget, I downgraded to this apartment, which is just a bit more than 1/3 the size of my previous apartment.

It is an oddly shaped teeny-tiny 2 bedroom (yes, you can call it a 2-bedroom) with the world's smallest bathroom (no tub, no sink, called the "shoilet" because you can shower and pee at the same time). Yet, I turned it into my own. I feel fun, inspired, relaxed, and happy whenever I am at home.

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Name:

Xsusha

Location:

New York City, NY

Square Feet:

300

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

Location and the challenge of fitting two adults and a large dog into a small space without going crazy. The challenging parts of our small space living force us to think creatively about everything we want and need.