Bushwick

From glass blocks, vintage sofas that make a conversation pit, and more, secondhand finds have made this Bushwick rental incredible.

This raw industrial studio is now a warm, smart home, thanks to a stylish vintage furniture curator turning it into a light-filled, multifunctional home with storage hidden in plain sight. Every piece in this Bushwick studio pulls double duty — proving small spaces can live much larger than they are.

Painter Holly Salerno lives in a 94-year-old former factory turned into a dreamy loft. Despite it being an open space, she's been able to create a cozy home using romantic vintage furniture and curtains to divide the space.

“We decided to lean into the industrial/brutalist style and outfit the space with lots of stainless steel, mirror, chrome metal materials, but also contrast it with softness using plants and vibrant, abstract-shaped wool rugs.”

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.

Lily, a fashion designer and Holistic Health Practitioner, and Llew, an illustrator and folk tattoo artist, find inspiration from their collection of antiques and treasures found at flea markets.

"This is one of those neighborhoods where if you want to have a peacock, you have a peacock."

This is a home that was thoughtfully designed to help support life, career AND health.

Name: Allie Epstein Location: East Williamsburg/Bushwick — Brooklyn, NYC Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 4 and a half years, renting Allie recently acquired a modern mobile, which hangs above the dining area in her studio apartment. In a residual state of post-mobile-procurement bliss, she realized the space she has called home for four years was finally complete.

It took six months and less than $10,000.

Name: Freddie Chavda and pups Location: Bushwick — Brooklyn, New York Size: Somewhere between 850 – 1,000 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, renting Freddie’s Bushwick loft is a perfect example of taking a raw, industrial space and turning it into a home. But rather than just filling it with newly purchased furniture, he both thrifted and found elements to add warmth to his home… as well as custom built many of the elements in the home.

Name: Julian Thomas Location: Bushwick — Brooklyn, New York Size: 700 square feet Years Lived In: Less than a year, renting “Who needs TV when you have Bushwick? This is live entertainment at its finest,” remarks 28-year-old self-proclaimed bachelor Julian Thomas as he looks out of a window of his Brooklyn loft in this video tour he posted on YouTube. His 1,000-square-foot home might be right next to a train—but that’s part of the city-life charm the space has.

Name: Jessica Becker and Daniela Moebius Location: Bushwick — Brooklyn, New York Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: Rented — Jessica 13 years, Daniela 5 years Jessica and Daniela are the duo behind Konstruktive Studios, a design company. Additionally, Daniela provides architectural services through Moebius Architecture PLLC. And they created a workspace within their home that allows them to collaborate, but each with their distinct style.

"If nothing goes together, everything goes together."

Name: Emily Zirimis and Jesus Antoshka Location: Bushwick — Brooklyn, New York Size: Honestly unsure! Years lived in: Almost 2 years, renting Emily and her boyfriend Jesus must have felt like they won the lottery when they landed their Bushwick apartment. Their place has a lot going for it: It’s in an increasingly hip area, features original architectural details, and boasts a dressing room for Emily and a pottery room for Jesus. Oh, and the rent is reasonable.