A Brooklyn Renter Used Linen Curtains to Carve Out a Bedroom in Her 470-Square-Foot Studio
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
published now

A Brooklyn Renter Used Linen Curtains to Carve Out a Bedroom in Her 470-Square-Foot Studio

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
published now
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About this tour
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Home Type

Studio Apartment

Location

Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York

Style

Eclectic

Organic Modern

Bedrooms

0

Square feet

470

Sq ft

470

Nilüfer Haciosmanoglu is the very first tenant of this 470-square-foot studio apartment located in a building in Brooklyn built around three years ago. While being the first person to live in a new apartment certainly has its perks, it also meant moving into a space lacking in personality and soul.

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Credit: Nilüfer Haciosmanoglu
"I have this landscape photo framed on my entry wall that reminds me of a scene in 'Pride and Prejudice,'" Nilüfer writes. "'Pride and Prejudice' is not only one of the greatest love stories ever written, but also portrays a very special sisterhood bond — like the one I have with my sisters. This photo reminds me of the scene where Liz walks to her sick sister Jane. I love that it highlights a sisterhood scene rather than just the romantic love aspect of the movie/book."

“Bringing in elements that will make this space feel warm and peaceful were essential to turn this space into a home for myself,” Nilüfer, an architectural designer, begins. The rental came with what she calls a great layout, with a separate kitchen and a nice bedroom alcove. But she still wanted to work to define separate areas in the home.

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Credit: Nilüfer Haciosmanoglu
"I moved to NYC from Istanbul, four years ago. I have been traveling my whole life. I find colors and pieces I love from around the globe. My accent wall is Marrakesh pink; one of my favorite road trips was across Morocco. Oh I carried so much home from Morocco! I love cultures with deep artisan history as an amateur maker myself," she writes.

“Rooms are defined from my entry to dining to sleeping area,” she explains. “I love how I divided my sleeping space with linen curtains, which added so much texture to the space. This full visual division was very important to me! I believe in giving your bedroom more privacy.”

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Credit: Nilüfer Haciosmanoglu
"The pop of color I always knew I needed found its place on this odd corner I had," she describes of her dining area accent wall. "It worked like a charm! Or more like a carpet really, because the way a carpet frames your space this accent wall did the same for that corner. Hugged around my dining area and is home to my beautiful collection of everything I ever collected from all over the world." The original art is from artists in India and Morocco. "And the mini lamp is a design of my industrial designer friends who are manufacturing here in Brooklyn! Shout out to ridezign!"

Nilüfer moved here from just a room, so it took her time to fill the space. “I was very intentional with not doing instant purchases online so I could actually work on building this apartment’s ‘soul,'” she writes. “Used furniture is the way to go about it, especially if your home doesn’t offer any characteristics. 80% of my furniture is from Facebook Marketplace; I opened an account with them just for this. It took me months to find my dream couch or bookcase, but I have been patient because I don’t like placeholder furniture,” she admits.

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Credit: Nilüfer Haciosmanoglu
"There is not a single object there (or in the house!) that does not have a story," she writes of her bookshelf collection. "It could possibly take a whole day if I were to talk about each one of them. My books and the two mini boxes are in the top three of my list of favorite things. Overall, I feel like I display so many things that have shaped me and when I sit on my couch with my bookshelf in my view, I am just filled with absolute gratitude about my life. The life God has gifted me with all these rich experiences and relationships. I like that my home is physical reminder of it."

“I love coming back here after your daily usual NYC chaos. Many guests also always first compliment on how it feels — peaceful,” Nilüfer writes.

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