This 515-Square-Foot DC Studio Apartment Takes Inspiration From Parisian Style

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A bedroom with morning light coming in through sheer curtains
Credit: Rekha Lyons
Morning light from bed

Name: Rekha Lyons and miniature Dachshund, Melo
Location: Washington, DC
Type of home: Studio Apartment
Size: 515 square feet
Years lived in: 18 months, renting

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: Welcome to my 1920s 515-square foot studio apartment in the heart of Washington, DC, that I share with my miniature Dachshund, Melo! Originally from Portland, Oregon, we moved to DC in June 2021 and have spent the last 18 months making this square box a home. From using lime wash paint to sourcing most of my decor from Facebook Marketplace (seriously, I’m a wizard at it), I’ve turned every square inch of my home into my dream space, sourcing my inspiration from Parisian and Victorian flair.

Credit: Rekha Lyons
Fireplace

I hope I can inspire other renters to take design ownership of their rented space. I see the investments I’ve made as investments in the space I call home each day — not in a space that I don’t own. Despite having very little space, I’ve gotten very creative with maximizing it. I’ve hosted a dinner party for two by using my coffee table as a dining table. I’ve placed my bed on risers for under-bed storage. I have loads of vertical storage space via mobile shelving in my walk-in closets. And most importantly, I added a fireplace where there isn’t one — by purchasing a mantel and adding faux brick wallpaper behind. I’m smiling just writing all of this — I’m single, but feel like I’m essentially dating my home.

Credit: Rekha Lyons
Restored dresser (by my dad and me) that I use as a makeup vanity

While I technically have one room, plus closets, a bathroom, and kitchen hallway, my space truly feels like I have a bedroom that’s separate from my living room, that’s separate from my office. I work from home, so it’s been critical for me to design spaces that are independent of each other. I’ve spaced off my bedroom with hanging curtains that separate it from my entryway, office, and living room. My living room faces away from my office, so I’m less tempted to take a nap on my couch during the day because it feels like that’s a different space. I designed my office to include my living room and fireplace perfectly centered in the background of my Zoom calls without showing my bed. Coworkers are always commenting how amazing my living room is — they don’t even know my bed is hiding right behind the frame!

Credit: Rekha Lyons
Morning light from bed - my favorite time of day!

I am a cheese-loving, travel-obsessed, political junkie who spends more time thinking about history than the future. I have antique bronze bookends of Abraham Lincoln. I’m working on framing a series of antique black and white photos of DC monuments and landmarks (White House, Supreme Court, etc.). Much of my design is inspired by old Paris: lime wash paint, ceiling medallions, chandeliers, antique brass hardware, wall mouldings (someday). And in my dream home, I’ll incorporate painted wood doors with large brass hardware (locks, knockers, and doorknobs) — just like what I drool over on the streets of Paris.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Parisian, warm, antique, Victorian, curated

Credit: Rekha Lyons
Living room with view of the church steeple

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is definitely my “living room” (in quotes since it’s a studio). I’ve added a faux fireplace and I love snuggling up in front of it with my dog, lighting the candles on my mantel, and watching the sun set on the church steeple out my window. It’s absolutely magical. I don’t have a TV, so the entire space feels calm and cozy and curated. I certainly binge my favorite shows on my laptop, but I love not having a literal black box in my home. I also have a special chess set that my dad got me on my coffee table. We play virtual chess every day despite being on different coasts.

Credit: Rekha Lyons
Entryway

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? From Facebook Marketplace, of course — I recently purchased an antique chandelier! Antique chandeliers are one of my favorite pieces to add to a rented space. It’s relatively affordable to find an electrician off apps like TaskRabbit, and replacing what are usually boring light fixtures in apartments with something that reflects your own style — for me, antique Victorian/Parisian — really makes a huge difference. I also love using ceiling medallions, which really speak to that Parisian vibe.

Credit: Rekha Lyons
Kitchen - after

Any advice for creating a home you love? For my small space friends out there, I’d encourage you to source as much as you can from second-hand sources like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Not only does this allow you to save for larger pieces like couches and beds that you’ll likely want to purchase new, but it also allows you to personalize a home you’ll love without having the same pieces that everyone else who stopped in at Target last weekend will have. Regardless of your style — mid-century modern, classic, Parisian, industrial — there are unique pieces that you can add to any space that will start to make your space feel curated and your own. Particularly fantastic are mirrors off those sites. I spent roughly $80 on each of mine, and they’re the number one item that makes a small space feel bigger. They also add a lot of light because light reflects off of them, also adding to the feeling of a larger space. Don’t be afraid to have too many mirrors — I genuinely don’t think you can have too many in a small space.

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