Fort Greene

When Laci Mosier first started renting this one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment, she slept on an air mattress for six weeks while she waited for her things to arrive from Texas. Four years later, and she’s filled the rental with art, color, books, plants, and sunshine.

"The apartment was rented as-is, meaning it needed a really good scrub, a lick of paint, and an updated kitchen and bathroom," explains artist and native New Yorker Kellie Rogers.

Abby didn’t realize quite how bad this Brooklyn apartment was when she first moved in: “ There were broken tiles, missing pipes, and it was filthy.” But after a huge transformation, Abby’s rental is now cheerful, colorful, and fun.

“I am often torn between maximalism and minimalism, and my apartment definitely straddles the two,” writes Lake Buckley, who describes her home’s style as “California New Wave or Brooklyn Beach House.”

This small Fort Greene apartment fits a couple, their huge art collection, a fossilized dinosaur femur, and a tank full of shrimp. (Yes, shrimp.)

Rini has made this teeny studio apartment into a beautiful, functional home she's rented for 17 years.

The New York Times technology reporter Taylor Lorenz's advice for small-space living is to "stick with the basics, and don't be afraid of a little open space."

It's inspired by Brutalism, has an incredibly neat room divider idea, and has a beautiful green plant display in the kitchen!

Danielle Ribner is the founder of Loup, a Parisian-inspired women’s wear collection collection that focuses on well-made wardrobe staples. She lives in this minimal, bright apartment in Brooklyn's Fort Greene rental apartment.

Akhira is beautiful, brilliant, welcoming and warm, and her apartment is no different. With only 288 square feet and a modest budget, she's created a stylish and fun space!

It's a home full of relaxing nooks and vibes... and has one seriously awesome backyard.

Name: Joan and Matt LeMay Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2.5 months We cannot get enough of Joan, Matt, and their consistently awesome style. We first met Joan in her Portland studio, and Matt later in New York once their lives merged. Now in their first new apartment together, this creative force has been gracious enough to let us chronicle their style evolution—and after living there for only two and a half months!

Name: Helen Levi Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn Size: Less than 1000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 years Editor’s note: We’re re-running this tour because Helen Levi is launching a new dinnerware line on June 14th and we’re excited! Her work is beautiful, earthy and a favorite of mine, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for 2018.

Name: Sarah and Dan Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4.5 years Sarah and Dan live in a beautifully preserved brownstone apartment in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. The pre-war space features an abundance of architectural charm, like high ceilings, a floral ceiling medallion, and a gorgeous fireplace. The couple describes their style as modern and minimal, but above all, they value comfort.

Name: John Sorensen-Jolink and Fabien Dubuet Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn Size: 900 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, renting He once performed with contemporary choreographers like Twyla Tharp. Today, modern-dancer-turned furniture designer John Sorensen-Jolink is the founder and owner of Coil + Drift, a Brooklyn-based design studio that creates elegant, contemporary furniture, lighting, and accessories.

Name: Thomas Finney Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, NY Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting When Thomas moved into his studio three years ago, functionality and style were his primary concerns. “This is the first place I’ve actually invested in. Before, I just had IKEA everything.

Name: Stevie Van Horn Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: 2 months, renting Stevie Van Horn recently began renting this apartment in Brooklyn’s Fort Green neighborhood—employing “zero-waste” philosophies when decorating the interior.

Name: Emily Schildt, Co-Founder of Thing of Wonder Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year Emily’s apartment is all the proof you need that living in a small space doesn’t have to mean going short on style, and that with a little ingenuity a smaller space can live just as well as a much larger one.

Name & Location: Maya in Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York My Favorite Room: Master Bedroom Suite Specs: 700 square feet The master bedroom floor of our 1903 Brooklyn townhouse was really choppy and awkward with lots of unusable space. There was a very small bathroom, a tiny bedroom (which I basically used as a closet) and a master bedroom with a series of weirdly laid out closets and a random bathroom vanity thrown in the middle.

Name: Tavi Gevinson Location: 300 Ashland — Fort Greene, Brooklyn Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Almost everything in Tavi Gevinson’s one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment has a story. “That’s really special,” the 21-year-old repeats often as I point something out or pick it up. I ask, for instance, about the fleece blanket splayed across her bed. Here’s how its story goes: she printed a customizable blanket from Walmart.