This New Yorker Downsized and Designed a One-Bedroom That Does It All

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Home Type

Apartment

Location

Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York

Style

Glam

Modern

Bedrooms

Square feet

824

Sq ft

824

Marketing executive Michelle James (@michellejjames on TikTok) has spent two decades living in all kinds of different homes around the New York metro area. Everything from a 2000-square-foot Harlem townhouse to a 4000-square-foot New Jersey colonial. But after eight years in the suburbs — and a personal loss during the pandemic — her home priorities shifted.

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Credit: Daniel Wang

Michelle's favorite element are the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. "The east-facing exposure brings in incredible light throughout the day, and the Midtown skyline view makes the space feel dynamic and alive. The light is what sold me — the windows don’t just frame the city, they bring it into the home," she writes.

Michelle found herself reassessing what she really wanted and needed from a home. Craving the energy of the city again, she made the decision to return to Manhattan, embracing a dramatic downsizing undertaking in the process. Going from 4000 square feet to just 824 square feet required A LOT of editing, and she worked with an estate manager to let go of what no longer fit her next chapter.

“The layout had to work,” she emphasizes of an important must-have for her next home. “I wanted it to feel expansive, not restrictive.” No matter the size of her next home, she needed the layout to be able to support hosting, working, and a “lifestyle shaped by years as a marketing executive in tech and entertainment.”

Credit: Daniel Wang

"In my New Jersey home, I converted a 600-square-foot bedroom into a custom closet — so transitioning to a smaller space meant completely rethinking how I lived with my wardrobe," Michelle admits. "The biggest challenge wasn’t just downsizing, but figuring out how to store clothes, shoes, hats, and accessories in a way that still felt intentional and elevated. To solve for that, I designed three custom closets in partnership with Lazzoni — two in the bedroom to house clothing, shoes, and accessories, and a third in the main living space that seamlessly integrates wardrobe overflow, a Murphy bed, and office storage. Each piece was tailored to maximize functionality without compromising the aesthetic."

She found exactly that in this one-bedroom condo in Hell’s Kitchen. “What ultimately sold me on the condo was the layout and the light,” she explains. “The space is an 824-square-foot one-bedroom with an east-facing exposure, and the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows completely transforms the home throughout the day. They slide open to a Juliet balcony, bringing in fresh air and framing incredible views of the Midtown skyline — it feels expansive, almost loft-like, while still being intimate.”

The apartment’s architecture also sealed the deal for Michelle. “It reflects the industrial heritage of the West Side — warehouse-style windows and hand-laid brick — while layering in modern design and elevated finishes. That contrast between old and new feels distinctly New York.”

Credit: Daniel Wang

Michelle says she partnered with a "home organizer to reimagine the remaining closet spaces, approaching them as functional design moments rather than just storage. Together, we created tailored systems across three additional areas — introducing cubby storage for shoes and hats in the primary closet, dedicated zones for specialty items in the second, and a multi-use system in the third that blends wardrobe overflow with everyday essentials. Each solution maximizes vertical space, improves visibility, and ensures the home functions as beautifully as it looks. While I didn’t take on a traditional DIY project, my proudest 'build' was curating the space itself — thoughtfully layering color, texture, and personal elements to create a home that feels both elevated and deeply personal. Even the closets were designed with that same level of intention — proving that function can still feel considered."

Essentially a blank white box when she moved in two years ago, Michelle worked to transform it with color, prints, and texture. “Color plays a central role in anchoring the home — guiding the mood, defining the space, and bringing energy into an otherwise minimal architectural canvas,” she writes. “I’m drawn to pieces that inspire me visually and emotionally — art, patterns, and layered materials that create depth and personality.”

There are also echos from all of her previous homes — design “signatures” she carries from home to home, like her “fascination with peacocks” and her “love of materials like quartz and lacquer, which add both polish and dimension.”

Credit: Daniel Wang

And she put a ton of effort into the functionality of the space, especially adding smart storage to fit her needs exactly. Today, she writes that it “functions as both a sanctuary and a creative hub — a place where I can recharge, but also think, build, and bring ideas to life.”

And while each project of adding in aesthetics and function to every inch of the place is worthy of note, her proudest accomplishment is the home itself and the way it feels. How she’s been able to layer her personal history into a space that feels entirely her own. Between the light, the views, and the flexibility, this 824-square-foot apartment proves that downsizing doesn’t mean sacrificing — it just means living with more intention.