Smart (and Stylish!) Storage Lets This Couple Thrive in Just 320 Square Feet

Multidisplinary artist Maggie Beckett first moved into this one-bedroom apartment in the spring of 2022 when she had to leave her last rental due to a major rent hike. When Apartment Therapy first toured the space, she was single and designed it to perfectly fit her solo-living needs.

“At the time of my last AT feature, my style was bright, maximal, colorful, and funky. Everything was girl-coded and perfect for a 29-year-old woman living on her own,” Maggie writes. “I leaned into my mural skills by painting bright shapes all across the main room, accessorizing the furniture with fun pillows and each surface with fun decor pieces.”

While some couples might decide to move into another larger space when moving in together, Maggie and Dave Beckett decided to adapt the space to their needs. “The apartment is one block from the subway entrance and steps from many amazing bars and restaurants,” Maggie describes. “Despite having very little ‘frills’ (older building, mediocre fixtures, no amenities, no closets), it did have one thing I could not live without: big beautiful windows and direct sunlight all morning long. It was a very very lucky find.”

When Dave moved into the apartment after Maggie had lived in the space for a year, she wanted to create a space that both fit all of his stuff, but also felt inclusive of his style, too. “I started to lean into more decorative pattern art and colors that were still bold, but not as vibrant, giving more balance in the space.” She painted over the energetic living room wall murals and replaced it with soft yellow walls and a more delicate flower mural in the entryway.

“I also have continued to work on storage and organization to accommodate two people living in the space, which includes designing more solutions into the space, like wardrobes and dressers.” She completely reoriented the living room furniture, for example, replacing a small bistro table area with a brilliant solution: She stacked two glass-door IKEAcabinets on top of a desk and placed a wood shelf on top of the two cabinets. The result is a double-function entertainment center that looks built-in and also serves as a desk area for the couple.

A large dresser that had been in the bedroom when she lived in the apartment solo became a storage-packed kitchen island, thanks to a wood top Maggie’s dad built for it. And the entire bedroom became a hard-working space, thanks to two IKEA wardrobes mixed with wood planks that create a built-in look around the bed.

“You don’t have to stick with one style. You are not a brand; you can continue to change and iterate just like your life will,” Maggie says in the video tour. “And if I have learned anything since moving into this space and from designing apartments and working as an artist, you can make any space work for you, as long as you put enough care and consideration into it.”

“I think that if anyone can take something away from my journey with this space, it’s if you put enough care and consideration, thought and effort into a space, you can make it work for you and your family and your partner. “

• Main Room Base Color — Benjamin Moore “Santo Domingo Cream”
• Main Room Accents — Benjamin Moore “White Rain,” “Forest Green,” “Desert Rose,” “Terra Cotta Tile,” and “Spicy Mustard”
• Bedroom Base Color — Benjamin Moore “White Rain”
• Bedroom Trim — Benjamin Moore “Covington Blue”

• Couch — Facebook Marketpace, but its a CB2 Movie Sleeper
• Wardrobes — IKEA 
• White Desk — Amazon
• Glass Cabinets — IKEA

• Stools — Amazon

• Bed Frame — Awarasleep
• Blue Pillow Covers — Amazon

• Storage Rack — Amazon

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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