A 380-Square-Foot Brooklyn Studio Went from “Bland” to Colorful and Kitschy
A 380-Square-Foot Brooklyn Studio Went from “Bland” to Colorful and Kitschy
Writer Kim Narby, whose day job is at a tech startup, says this 380-square-foot studio apartment in Crown Heights was “functional and bland” before she moved in almost five years ago. “A couple lived in the apartment before I moved in, and there wasn’t much thought put into interior design. The priority seemed to be more economical than visual,” she begins.

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Kim says this is her first time living alone, and admits that while the rent was “slightly outside” of her budget “at the time I signed the lease,” she says “it seemed worth the stretch. I’m especially grateful for that choice now because the building is rent-stabilized, so my rent has only gone up about $100 since that first year.”
To turn this studio into the “[b]right, colorful, organized, and kitschy” home it is today, Kim “painted, put up hooks on the walls, hung paintings, and put vinyl countertop paper in my kitchen.” She says the small home is actually the perfect amount of space for herself and her dog, Georgia. There is even a “dedicated work area, [a] table to eat at, and room for a full-sized couch and queen bed. Georgia arrived about six months after I moved in, and the apartment also allows her to have two different bed areas (we love options). She is also a big fan of having a snooze on the ottoman while I’m working.”
Although Kim says she doesn’t really describe her style as maximalism, she does “appreciate collecting art and items from my travels. I spend a lot of time in my home, especially since the pandemic. I certainly have a lot of art that is queer in my apartment (not to mention books), but I think my space mostly reflects my identity as a New Yorker. Making a small space work efficiently, and not being afraid of color, is definitely a result of my having embraced New York culture, which allows for any type of style experimentation.”
RESOURCES
- “Most of my furniture has come from IKEA, Target, or Wayfair. You can dress up anything.”
- Yellow sofa — West Elm
- Wall shelves — DIY
- Bed frame — IKEA. “[S]till the first bed frame I ever bought at 24 years old; the cheapest one IKEA offers. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make things look nice!”
- Red dresser — IKEA HEMNES
- Red nightstand — IKEA
Thanks, Kim!
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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