Brooklyn

Thanks to the studio apartment's high ceilings and huge windows, as well as Leecy's brilliant small-space styling and organizing skills, her home feels much larger than it actually is.

Film, dance, and theater artist Brighid Greene has lived in this rental apartment in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood for five years, and her partner has rented here since 2012. They pay $1700 per month, and say their landlord has not raised the rent in over a decade.

Artist Mauro Baiocco loves a bargain, so most of the furniture in this rental apartment has been found on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or the street.

Bianca Tueretsky wrote a series of YA books called "The Time-Traveling Fashionista" about a girl who travels back in time through an enchanted vintage dress. Her small Prospect Heights apartment reflects her love of books, history, vintage pieces, and travel.

"The space had a modern aesthetic and we used the green kitchen as a jumping-off point for leaning into color and modern details," writes Mark Goldwell, the founding partner and executive creative director of Zero Studios.

The colors in Nityasya and her partner's home are bright "and there's a lot of texture and patterns to not just take us back to India (our homeland), but also to make the feel space vibrant and full of energy — on even the coldest winter day in NYC."

Designer Kim White has transformed her cozy Brooklyn rental apartment with smart DIY projects, like using banquette seating to build a custom sectional sofa, using mirrors to make the space feel larger, and more.

"The stained glass that borders my three gigantic windows is a gem in and of itself, and combined with the decorative fireplace, exposed brick, and massive wood sliding doors, the room feels like a historical experience of living in Brooklyn," writes Karys Rhea.

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Knight’s husband, musician Judd Harris, used to say that she wants to live in an opium den and that he wants to live in a spaceship. “Eventually we settled on what we call ‘funky mid-century modern,’ which gives him a lot of clean lines and me the ability to accessorize with color and texture.”

Caity Birmingham, a production designer for movies and TV and a prop stylist for commercials and photoshoots, loves color and fits a TON of it into her 680-square-foot Brooklyn rental apartment.

Lisa’s rental home might only be 350 square feet, but the location is unbeatable and an “outdoor” space makes it feels much less smaller.

Brigette Muller, known as @hummusbirrd on IG and TikTok, may only rent her 560-square-foot NYC apartment, but she’s invested in her own happiness by designing and renovating it to fit her style.

Kate and her husband loved this small unit's natural light, original details (like molding and inlaid hardwood floors), and location, despite not having been updated in many years. "We knew we wanted to keep as much of the original charm as we could, while also updating it to bring in natural elements and modernize the space."

It was small, the kitchen was basically nonexistent, and the bathroom wasn't pretty, but Irene Shamas saw the potential in this studio unit. She worked with Luki Anderson of Studio Officina and EDR Construction to transform this small one-room apartment into a space that can be a living room, dining room, bedroom, office, and more.

"I filled my home with objects I made, and furniture I gave a second life to (i.e., with paint)," writes Kira. "I worked hard to create a curated environment with a lot of personality on a budget."

After losing her mom, grandfather, and aunt fairly close to one another, Ruthie used her apartment as a space where she could honor and remember them with photos and knickknacks that bring happy memories.

Dotun's Crown Heights apartment is filled with bright yellows and oranges that bring the space to life. Inspired by Early West African graphic design and pop art, Dotun believes in bringing in pieces from your travels to make a space your own.

Nina Haines, founder of the Sapphic book club Sapph-Lit, painted cabinets purple, installed marble contact paper to countertops, added a squiggle-shaped painted accent, and more in her Brooklyn rental. “There are colors and patterns and kitschy touches everywhere. My friend once commented that it looks like Lizzie McGuire threw up everywhere," she says.

Kayla works in HR at Apartment Therapy and has turned her home into her sanctuary. Working with a small space and budget, she used the color palette of her neighborhood to bring to life her gorgeous bohemian home.

At first, designer Linda Cava only meant to replace her 10-year-old bedframe. But then she swapped out a bedside table to fit the new bed's style, next decided to trade the old sofa for a larger sectional... and then a mix of paint updates, vintage furniture elements, and more made her small home feel completely refreshed.