East Village

11 people applied for this East Village apartment in one day and Alysse Mazakian still had three months left on her previous lease — but this small rental was so special it was worth the fight.

Katy Ma is a user experience designer, so when it came to designing her home — this 400-square-foot apartment in the East Village she rented for three years — it was important for her to “create a home that is very functional” for how she wanted to live. “I’ve maximized storage solutions in closets, cabinets, and underneath my bed so that I can have everything I need but don’t have too much visual clutter,” Katy says.

There’s even a walk-in closet room in this 800-square-foot apartment.

Interior designer Mariellas Urrutia worked with organizer (and fellow small-space dweller) Rachael Harvey to pack stylish storage into every inch of this home.

Meher immigrated to America ten years ago and never believed she'd be living on her own in New York. When she was finally ready to take the leap, she created a vision board of everything she wanted in her apartment. Just as she was about to settle, she found the perfect spot that she's decorated with items and color palettes from all over the world.

Artist and art teacher Laina Weiss is the creative director of L’or de Seraphine, an artisanal candle brand, and calls home this cozy and colorful East Village apartment, sharing it with her cat, Abby.

Thanks to light colors, smart storage ideas, and intentional dividing of "zones," Kristy Marhin has done an amazing job of creating a cozy home in just 230 square feet.

It was important for Kaitlyn that her apartment be "dually comfortable and creative." She describes her style as "refined maximalism."

Fashion stylist and editor Audree Kate Lopez used storage furniture to turn a small one-bedroom apartment into a home with a living room, separate office, bedroom, and walk-in closet.

It's only 330 square feet big, but this New York City studio apartment is INCREDIBLE.

Natasha and Rob somehow make it work in their East Village apartment, despite it being tiny!

This mindset coach has called the same Manhattan apartment home for more than a decade... and as she has evolved, so has her apartment's style.

Apartment Therapy's Instagram Manager Austa Clausen decorated her rental apartment with furniture almost exclusively sourced from Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

Name: Caryn Wallace and husband Location: Alphabet City (East Village) — New York, NY Size: Approx 400 square ft. Years lived in: Owned 2 Years This urban dwelling is the first New York City apartment purchase made proudly by business service manager, Caryn Wallace. It’s located in Alphabet City, a neighborhood in Manhattan’s crowded East Village.

Name: Kari Lopez and Vien Do Location: East Village, Manhattan Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Kari and Vien moved up a few floors recently. First, the couple lived in a studio apartment on the third floor of this building for about a year and half. But now they occupy a light-filled one-bedroom unit on the 12th floor (with a balcony!).

Over 25 collections, 14 different paint-colored walls, a big sparkly pink chandelier and a dog named Tater Tot. You've never seen a home like this!

Name: Allison + Matt Location: East Village (Alphabet City); New York, New York Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 9 months Allison and Matt moved into this one-bedroom apartment, their first as a couple, nine months ago. Together they’ve created a space that’s a perfect reflection of their roots (he’s from Tennessee, and she’s from Seattle), their mutual love of travel, and their new life together.

Name: Taylor Fimbrez and Wesley Moon (plus pups Squid & Marbles) Location: East Village — New York, New York Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 5 years Do you remember when you were little, and you’d go to a friend’s house, and just want to spend hours looking at all their toys and their delightful stuff?

Name: Sarah Steinberg Location: East Village, NYC Size: 425 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented After living in tiny apartments with more roommates than bedrooms, Sarah decided it was time to have a place of her own. It may not be big, but a studio apartment with a separate kitchen and space for her bed were successes in Sarah’s book.

Name: Ann Mack Designer: Christina Love Location: East Village — New York, New York Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 7 — rented Call it the six-ish year itch. After as many years in one place, Ann wanted a clean slate, to banish the shadows and let in the light.

Name: Mark and Emily (and Kally the cat) Location: East Village; New York, New York Size: 330 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Emily and Mark’s East Village apartment may be small, but it’s bursting with light and color. They make small space living look easy — somehow they’ve managed to squeeze all the things that two people need to live (and work!) into 330 square feet, and still create a cozy, beautiful home.