A Couple Transformed Their 300-Square-Foot Studio into a Colorful and Organized Home

published now

A Couple Transformed Their 300-Square-Foot Studio into a Colorful and Organized Home

published now

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About this tour

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Home Type

Studio Apartment

Location

Yorba Linda, California

Style

Bohemian

Bedrooms

Square feet

300

Sq ft

300

Khirad and her husband moved into this small 300-square-foot studio apartment in Yorba Linda, California, earlier this year. “The building actually used to be a hotel, and was only converted into housing this past year. We are the first people to live in our unit, and it’s interesting because it has the drawbacks of being a former hotel room (size, very small kitchen) but some really nice benefits too (a really nice AC),” she begins.

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“This was a downsize for both of us, as the entire space is only 300 square feet. But I saw potential in the massive south-facing window, and we now love it. We also have a cat, Bisbaas, who we adopted after moving in! Modifying the space to include a concealed litter box, climbing shelves, a bed, and feeders and water for her has also been very fun,” she continues.

Credit: Khirad

The couch is from Wayfair, and the throw blanket was found on Poshmark. The Afghan rug, coffee table, chairs (which Khirad reupholstered), pendant light, bench by the bed, bed frame, wooden room divider (which doubles as a headboard), wooden side table by the window, and back light fixture were all sourced from Facebook Marketplace. The blinds are from Blinds.com, and the green curtains are from Amazon. She bought the chairs for the counter off Marketplace and reupholstered them with a Turkish fabric to match her style, and added more foam underneath to make them comfier too.

When the couple moved in, the apartment was truly just a “blank white box.” Ten months after making the space theirs, Khirad describes it as a “bright, South and West Asian-inspired cozy home.” She is from Pakistan and her husband is from Yemen.

“I would definitely say our heritage played a massive role in the space,” she writes. “I really wanted more than anything for the motifs of our area of the world to be represented. I love big Persian and Afghan rugs, the traditional carved wood South and West Asian furniture, lots of textiles like Ajrakh quilts and fabrics, bamboo shades, rattan, and Turkish lamps. That’s what helped me decide that I wanted deep, saturated colors like maroon and red to be a major element of the design, and then deep greens and dark browns throughout.

Credit: Khirad

"I got almost everything from Facebook Marketplace, but I've changed everything," she writes. The green desk chair, desk, monitor, and side table by the couch were all found on Facebook Marketplace. The floating shelves are from Amazon, and the shoe cabinet was passed down by a friend.

This space has completely transformed how I think about small spaces. I have never lived somewhere I had total liberty to decorate how I wanted, and after setting up very intentional systems, I don’t think I’ll ever want to live in a large space. It’s so easy to keep our home clean, and it feels comfortable and inviting. We never feel cramped or uncomfortable here.

Credit: Khirad

Khirad actually says she's a "firm believer in the semi-DIY, basically modifying things to better fit the space. For example, the art above our couch, I bought secondhand but sketched an Arabic word on top with white acrylic paint to fit my aesthetic more."

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

Bohemian