A Minimal, Cozy 500-Square-Foot Brooklyn Studio Was Furnished for About $300

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Leather loveseat with string lights and sketches on paper above
Credit: Sylvia Kang

Name: Sylvia
Location: Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Type of home: Studio
Size: 500 square feet
Years lived in: 7 months, renting

Credit: Sylvia Kang

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I moved to Brooklyn in the middle of a pandemic as a health care worker. I had never lived alone before, nor did I ever move into an unfurnished home. I immigrated to the U.S. eight years ago at 19 years old and always felt like a stranger, outsider, without a permanent home. Because this was the first time I got to really furnish my own place, I wanted to really reflect who I am.

Credit: Sylvia Kang

I’ve been trying to be minimal, and in fact, everything in these photos was found through Facebook marketplace, stooping the streets, and/or gifted by the community share groups.

Credit: Sylvia Kang

I wanted it to be simple, with some color accents — red, green, and white everything — in order to have the natural sunlight shine!

Credit: Sylvia Kang

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Simple, cozy, plants, wood, and light

Credit: Sylvia Kang

What is your favorite room and why? I live in a studio, so every square foot of my studio!

Credit: Sylvia Kang

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? My most recent find is actually the wooden shelf. This shelf was in the street with a lovely sticky-note that said “FREE” right in front of my building! It was an easy drag up to my studio from there.

Credit: Sylvia Kang

Any advice for creating a home you love? Take your time, and be picky! There are so many options out there, and it is so easy to budget! Just to give you an idea, I bought plants or was gifted on FB marketplace for all under $100.

Credit: Sylvia Kang

I bought three red chairs for $10 on Craigslist, the loveseat for $50, the coffee table for $40 on Facebook. The mattress and bed frame were bought used from a neighbor, and the rest are street finds! I think I spent less than $300 for all my furniture. It’s possible to be eco-friendly, re-used, and not get bedbugs in NYC after all!

This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.