A Couple and Their 70-Pound Dog Successfully Share a 318-Square-Foot Seattle Studio Apartment
Name: Ashley Nagy, husband, and goldendoodle
Location: Lower Queen Anne — Seattle, Washington
Type of home: Studio
Size: 318 square feet
Years lived in: 7 months, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I share my studio with my husband and 70 pound goldendoodle in Lower Queen Anne, Seattle, Washington. We moved to Seattle after living in West Virginia for several years. Our building was a new build (finished construction in March 2020) and it’s a studio-only building. Our unit is one of the largest ones at 318 square feet! It took a TON of planning, ordering and returning items — the measuring tape quickly became my best friend. We had to make a small space be functional but I wasn’t willing to make it look cluttered like I’ve seen in so many studios. I scoured the internet for storage solutions for every inch of our apartment. There wasn’t one space that wasn’t fully utilized. So many people asked how we do it and it’s truly about your mindset. I like to think that we basically live in a hotel room that I’ve decorated and is mine!
I’m a 26-year-old woman who appreciates form and function, showing your personality in your home, and doing what YOU like for your decor. I’ve always loved the color blue and try to incorporate it into every apartment we’ve had. I wanted to warm up the blue by adding its complementary color: Orange. I chose muted tones of the complementary color and balanced it out with whites and grays. Having our memories hung on the wall was of utmost importance since we live 2,500 miles away from family. And we wanted to treasure our road trip photos from West Virginia to Washington because we truly saw the most beautiful sites.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Bright, mid-century-ish, and slightly boho
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite spot is the living area because that’s the only spot we can really spend time in. I love the big window that gives so much natural light but I also love the couch being so close to the kitchen!
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The last thing I bought was this couch from Wayfair. We had to rearrange our furniture several different times to find the best arrangement to maximize the space. Our final rearrangement allowed for us to have a couch, so we sold our bar stools and table to have a couch. Sitting on the bed gets old very quickly!
Any advice for creating a home you love? My advice for creating a home you love is doing what you like. So many times we can get caught up in the latest trends and can forget to express our own selves. And I don’t think being on trend is bad by any means, but if you’re willing to buy decor or furniture, spend time looking for the things that you truly like. Don’t be afraid to mix styles or go outside of the norm. Also, make sure your measuring tape is your BFF because it can save a lot of headaches!
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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