A Couple Sharing 450-Square-Foot Cleverly Fit in Work Spaces for Two
Name: Rachel Martin, partner, Chris, and dog
Location: Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts
Type of home: Apartment
Size: 450ish square feet
Years lived in: 18 months, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My boyfriend, Chris, and I moved into our (tiny) Beacon Hill apartment in the fall of 2019, and it has been such a dream! Although the space is tiny and we can’t fit a dining table, we’ve made it home. The living room windows are my favorite (there are five!), and we have such a great view — perfect sunsets every night.
Once we started working from home due to the coronavirus, we appreciated our home even more. It was hard to figure out working spaces and adding desks to our space without it being overwhelming, but I think we’ve done a pretty good job. Since moving in, we’ve also added a puppy to the mix (who is now 70 pounds), and it’s been an adventure figuring out storage solutions so there aren’t puppy things everywhere.
Our personality is directly reflected in our home. We’re both simple: love clean lines, neutral palettes, but love investing in quality pieces.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Traditional mid-century modern
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is our living room! It’s a small space, and we had trouble figuring out how to position our furniture, but it has five windows and is so bright and airy.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The last thing I bought for our home was my CB2 bookshelf desk. Living in such a small space and working from home means getting creative with a designated workspace. We opted to put my bookshelf desk next to our bed so it could double as a nightstand. Not ideal, but worked really well in our small bedroom.
Any advice for creating a home you love? When you’re decorating a small space, make sure the items you’re incorporating into your home serve dual purposes. Having a really cool piece of furniture is great, but does it provide you with storage? By being intentional with every piece, I promise your home will look great but will also be functional for your life.
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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