Queens

After applying to the NYC Housing Lottery for seven years, artist Olivia Konys hit the jackpot with this Queens apartment, transforming the "millennial gray” luxury rental by painting the walls, drilling into the ceiling, sawing some baseboards, and other unconventional, artistic customizations.

Designer Alvin Wayne lives in this 800-square-foot apartment he's transformed from a plain white box into a warm, personality-filled rental.

Interior designer Alvin Wayne has lived in this gorgeous 800-square-foot rental apartment for three years.

After the passing of Troy's father last summer, she "needed a change of scenery and a fresh start in a place that would foster an environment of creativity, newness, and exploration as I navigated my grief."

The original apartment was also described as “cramped” and as having a “musty odor lingering in the air.”

When Sin Ying Tracy Leung first bought this small apartment, it was “old, dull, and lifeless,” but three years later it’s now a colorful, playful, eclectic, and warm home.

“I know it might sound silly to pick an apartment because of its bathroom, but finding an apartment with a decent bathroom is really difficult in NY,” writes Jhenene.

The couple's decor is a perfect mesh of colorful, eclectic, and thoughtful pieces rooted in both of their backgrounds.

There's an orange-yellow living room, a light blue kitchen, a bold blue bedroom, a pink dressing room, and more in this interior decorator's beautiful Queens rental apartment.

After living in this same rental apartment for 13 years, Dave says the place was starting to feel stale and not adult enough. But he spent a few months and a few thousand dollars elevating his rental's style.

When Lindsey Kephart first arrived, the previous tenants (and friends) had painted the kitchen a color they loved: yellow. With a little paint and new hardware, Lindsey transformed the room — and the entire apartment — into a chic space more fitting to her personality.

Monica Johnson is a psychologist and the host of the podcast, Savvy Psychologist, and has infused this apartment with color and different elements that inform their identity and interests as a person.

Megan Zietz is a content creator and designer, and shares this small NYC rental apartment with her husband, three kids, and two cats.

Meng and his husband, Andrew, gorgeously transformed this outdated two-bedroom co-op, which they say hadn't been updated for almost 60 years. There was worn green carpeting, an odd layout, and a very dirty bathroom, to name only a few of the things that would need remodeling.

Designer and vintage Instagram shop owner Giovanna Macejka leaned into a "maximalist 1970s retro vibe that relies heavily on mixing patterns and textures, going bold with color, and creating movement throughout the space."

Emily Auffrey describes the rental apartment she shares with her family as a NYC dream space. “We truly feel like we moved into our dream NYC apartment. In addition to being the dream home; the area is just absolutely ideal for a family," she writes.

When designer Gianna Marzella-Vazquez refreshed this townhouse she shared with her family, she paid special attention to the main bedroom, devising a clever IKEA cabinet hack that looks custom and much more expensive than it actually cost.

Inspired by the beauty of tropical nature and the vibrancy of Mexican culture.

Both uncluttered AND colorful, Faith Roberson's small studio apartment has brilliant storage ideas in the kitchen, bathroom, cabinets, drawers, and even the shower. She also has an amazing DIY art piece in her kitchen that may inspire your own project.

Budget was a challenge, but most difficult was organizing the space to create an open feel in a 10-foot-wide apartment!

New York-based artist and illustrator Justin Russo's home's style is: “Secretly Gay WWII Veteran Returning to NY in 1946 to Mourn His Lover Lost in Battle.”

Home. It’s the supposed harbor of our hearts, and yours is probably affecting your overall well-being more than you think. Gary and Chelsey’s home gave us that good, old fashioned “happy home” feeling, and we were determined to figure out why. If you’re feeling stuck in your pursuit of a happy home, we’ve compiled a simple list of practices most of the happiest homes on Apartment Therapy—such as this one—share.