A 750-Square-Foot $2,900-a-Month Crown Heights Rental Is a Cute Vintage Mix

Kit Germeroth tells us about the 750-square-foot, $2,900-per-month apartment they’ve been renting for one year: I moved into this apartment in Crown Heights about a year ago. My 20s were very transient (this is the 10th apartment I’ve lived in in 10 years!) and I always moved into a pre-established space with roommates. So by 30 I felt ready to put down more permanent roots and really make a space my own.

It’s a three-bedroom, two-bathroom with tons of light. Right now I have a friend renting the second bedroom, and I work full-time from home so I use the third bedroom as an office. That was a big factor in my apartment search — I wanted to find a place with a dedicated space I could use for work. I also have a 9-year-old dog named Detective Odafin Tutuola.

I’m queer (she/they) and polyamorous, so community is really important to me. I’ve tried to create a space that makes the people I love feel at home, too. It gives me a lot of joy when the people in my life say they feel at ease here.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or fewer: Cozy, colorful, vintage modern mix.

What is your favorite room and why? The living room! It’s been really fun to furnish it over the last year. I got the rug from an ex-partner’s aunt and built the color palette around that. The mauve chair came from two women who refurbish vintage chairs as a hobby and the color happened to be a perfect match. I collect CDs, cassette tapes, and records so I always like incorporating those into the space in a prominent way, so people can easily browse and put something on when they come over. I also like to add small details that will make someone smile when they take a closer look, like the Marimo moss ball on the shelf that’s wearing a cowboy hat.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? A vintage TV tray table to use as a side table in the living room. I found it on eBay.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Take your time and use your imagination. I like trying to come up with something unusual I can use instead of typical furniture. When I moved in I was browsing baker’s racks and kitchen carts for storage and nothing really felt like me, so I bought a tool chest instead. Things like that make it feel more uniquely your own.

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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Correction: An earlier version of this post mistakenly said the home is 550 square feet. It’s actually closer to 750 square feet. We’ve updated it to be more accurate.