Name: Alex Flathmann
Location: Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York
Size: 620 square feet 
Years lived in: 7 years; rented

New York apartment dwellers know all too well what a challenge it can be living the dream on a budget. Sometimes all you can afford is the lower level railroad apartment without direct sunlight. For Alex, the plus side to this is having backyard access to plant a garden and express his love of horticulture. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to catch Alex’s garden in full bloom because he is moving soon (but staying in Bed Stuy), so he submitted some outdoor photos that friends have taken in summers past. This house tour is a little farewell to Alex’s garden floor apartment on Putnam Street.

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Name:

Kerry

Location:

New York, NY

Square Feet:

287

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I love that this is the first apartment that I don’t have to share and is truly my own. For that reason, I was thrilled to have a blank canvas and loved having the chance to make my studio a reflection of my style and personality for the first time. When I first moved in, I had to pare down my possessions to only the essentials since at 287 square feet, there just wasn't room for anything else. Every item in my apartment is something that I chose carefully or that has personal meaning. Downsizing to such a tiny space has taught me to minimize waste and forced me to be more mindful in general about all of my purchases. When decorating, I tried to incorporate accents and pieces that create a relaxing, cozy and curated space, without over-decorating or creating an overwhelming space. I love that when I come home at the end of the day, my apartment is a place where I can unwind, relax and be surrounded by things that make me happy.

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Name:

Joy

Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Square Feet:

375

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I think the flow of my space lends itself to feeling like a whole home. It has everything a girl could need from a kitchen table to an office area. It may be 375 sq. ft. but I still have a queen size bed and a fairly decent sitting area, none of which feels cramped. Even my dad's 60 year old desk fits when I added storage underneath. Less is definitely more in the main room as it can feel really cluttered quickly. I kept mostly only the things that I love, so while there is a lot of stuff, it is all happy stuff. I love the calming pale grey shade on my walls. I added mouldings and thicker baseboards when I moved in, which makes it feel more finished. I changed all doorknobs and hardware to glass so that it reflects the natural light from the three windows that make my apartment so bright. My walk-through closet is great because it holds all the things that I need to keep, but do not necessarily want to display.

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Name: Molly and John
Location: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York
Size: 1,200 square feet
Years lived in: 5 years; Owned

When Molly and John moved into this apartment five years ago, they were the first buyers in the building. The property had a few issues at the time, but Molly and John took the leap and were glad they did. The building has since filled up with young families, who have created a very tight-knit community. 

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Name:

Stephanie

Location:

New York, NY

Square Feet:

330

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

What I love about my small home is that it's grown up with me. The first year I rented my apartment, I was traveling a lot for work and it was mostly just a place to hold my stuff between trips. The second year, I made a conscious effort to explore my neighborhood and to decorate. This is when I discovered that my apartment overlooks the smallest park in Manhattan (it's only 1500 square feet!) and finally treated myself to the 'For Like Ever' poster I had been coveting since 2006 (RIP Domino mag). The third year was when my apartment became a home. I hosted dumpling making parties, planted a mini-garden, and carved out space for painting. As I enter my fourth year here, I'm sure it will be the best yet.

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Known for its original colorful graphic textiles since 1951, when Marimekko first showed their cheerful prints in Helsinski, the company was an instant hit. For years only available in capsule collections or in Europe and Scandinavia, New York City finally has its own flagship store that is a welcome dose of color therapy.

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Nightwood is a Brooklyn based furniture, textiles and interiors outfit that was founded in 2011 by Ry Scruggs and Nadia Yaron. All of their furniture and textiles are hand crafted one-of-a-kind works of functional art. Inspired by "old things, primitive practices, creative reuse and natural materials", they incorporate both salvaged and scrap wood into their wood furniture, and they use organic, sustainable fabrics, as well as woven scraps, in their textile-based products. More

What can I say about New York that hasn't been said before? New York is the city that needs no introduction and definitely warrants a visit at least once in a lifetime. Whether you're sightseeing, museum hopping, shopping in luxury, catching a Broadway show, or just taking in the energy of a city always alive, the options are seemingly unlimited. It was difficult to narrow it down to 10 apps, but here are my favorites for navigating the city that never sleeps.

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Name:

Adam

Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Square Feet:

425

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

The simplicity of owning only what is necessary.

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