Manhattan

Alexa Priego is a full-time content creator and mom of three, and for the past 10 years has rented this 525-square-foot, one-bedroom NYC apartment.

Minetta Archer has been renting this 725-square-foot Harlem apartment for 15 years, adding tons of color, pattern, and glam to each room.

Once lacking warmth or personality, after 17 years this West Village apartment now has both — plus lots of color and pattern.

The renter even teaches yoga classes in the living room.

"It may seem a bit cluttered to some, but I love it!" exclaims Melanie, who shares this tiny studio with her cute cat. "Maximalism isn't for everyone, but I keep it clean!"

Salome Mergia's Upper West Side studio was furnished a lot from places like Housing Works, Salvation Army, Goodwill, and other vintage spots.

Apartment Therapy’s video producer Margaret and her husband, Alex, have made a dreamy, cozy home for their two young daughters in this small Washington Heights apartment.

Shaped like a “T” and with original picture molding lining the hallway, this NYC rental apartment has a “modern folk, moody modernism” vibe.

Sydney Fazende says it took a lot of trial and error with furniture arrangements (and custom pieces) to maximize her small SoHo apartment.

This native New Yorker has personalized her small rental apartment with renter-friendly DIYs and “98% secondhand finds.”

The biggest challenge has been navigating the different stages of a family living in a small space (and accommodating all the kid gear!).

Decorator Barbara Campbell isn’t a “white wall” person; instead she insists on being surrounded by “uplifting, welcoming color.”

There’s also an incredible 3D-printed coffee table, gorgeous wood moldings, and a neat art collection.

When Sofia Marcogliese and her boyfriend, Oleg, moved in together for the first time into this 950-square-foot rental apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, they weren’t expecting their existing furniture to go so well together. “But what really ties everything together is my mother’s oyster painting,” Sofia explains. “She’s a Montreal-based artist, and my sister, Laura-Michelle, curated and digitalized her work through her online gallery, Glasshouse.

Interior designer Mariellas Urrutia worked with organizer (and fellow small-space dweller) Rachael Harvey to pack stylish storage into every inch of this home.

Amanda Phillips pays $2389 a month for her 425-square-foot studio apartment in Manhattan’s Rose Hill.

There's a brilliant cat litter box solution in this small Upper West Side studio apartment too!

Honestly you'll forget you're even in New York City thanks to this apartment's chic floral pattern mixing.

It’s super small and has a bizarre layout and a tub in the middle of the space, but Austin’s filled it with color, patterns, storage solutions, DIYs, and unique decor.

And it's packed with chic but renter-friendly ideas to make any space look stylish.

This couple was able to fit a dining area, coffee bar, TV and gaming zone, conversation area, bar, office, and music space all in their home’s living room.

See inside Cosmopolitan’s Digital Creative Director’s incredibly cool, chic, and contemporary NYC loft.

Jake Poser is an interior designer and visual artist, and the apartment he shares with partner, August, is transitional, classic, inviting, elegant, and quirky.

See how this renter made his Upper West Side studio apartment feel playful and comfortable despite the small size.

Megan Krieman, a photo stylist, has called this small Manhattan apartment (and stunning terrace) home for 20 years.

See inside food influencer Beryl Shereshewsky’s Murray Hill apartment that she fully renovated.

This $5500-a-month West Village rental apartment of herbalist and floral designer Emily Swarts is only 550 square feet, but feels a lot larger, thanks to it being spread across three floors.

Jenny Davis and her husband, Cory, have rented this one-bedroom, 650-square-foot apartment for 15 years. They share the home with their three kids, their cat Leo, and their bearded dragon, Rexy.

Kirsten takes design inspiration from interior decorating books. Living in New York, space and layouts are often an issue. But Kirsten decided to prioritize fashion over practicality when she put her dresser in her kitchen.

Ashley Watson’s beautiful and cozy apartment is the ultimate retreat from the chaos of New York City.

This homeowner’s style muse is Keely Jones from “Ted Lasso” and Barbie.

Layered wall art and limewash walls make this 700-square-foot rental apartment pop.

The top floor is bright and airy, while the downstairs is perfect for a good night’s rest.

"Everything I changed in the apartment is renter-friendly and can be un-done," explains Zoe Wetherall, an architectural and landscape photographer. "The biggest challenge was working with such a small space — making sure I could fit everything in and have enough storage."

Photographer and interior designer Natalie Bird shares this 1000-square-foot, open-plan rental apartment in New York City's TriBeCa neighborhood with her husband.

Rachael Harvey, Assistant Membership Director for a synagogue in Manhattan, moved to this 275-square-foot, $1,800-per-month Upper East Side studio apartment eight months ago.

Alex Bass is more than just an art collector, she's the founder of Salon 21, an art advisory and design firm. And the small home she shares with her boyfriend not only shows off her art curating skills, but also plenty of renter-friendly ideas.

Since this is Mindy’s first time owning a home, she was as involved as possible in the renovation, like knocking out the old kitchen and taking off the bathroom tiles, all to build the minimal and modern small home of her dreams.

Shelby Vanhoy of Pretty in the Pines and her husband made their small Manhattan rental apartment a peaceful family haven by bringing in nature-inspired colors and timeless prints and patterns while highlighting 1930s architectural details.

Christina Goldschmidt, Head of Product Design at Etsy, lives in an 859-square-foot condo in New York’s Battery Park City.

"From DIY to beach finds, there are so many budget-friendly ways to make your space somewhere you're excited to be," explains Kelsey. Some of her favorite budget hacks in her rental apartment include: framing matchbooks for art, hacked IKEA console, custom desk, and more.

"Living in a studio means that I see everything all the time, so I really need to like everything that's there," explains Upper East Side studio apartment dweller Jamie Mandel.

Erik works from home, and needed a bright, airy space that "inspired me while keeping me in a good mood (happy colors) but relaxed."

Ana shares this tiny studio apartment with her boyfriend, and while there's technically only one actual room for the entire home, her simple but successful room-dividing solution helps make the space much more usable.

Even though Laura Mullaney’s rental apartment is small, she knew the layout had a ton of potential when she first moved in. “I was also super impressed with the amount of storage for such a small space.”

Aaron's favorite "room" is the entire apartment, "because it is a studio that has been designed with intention to give each area a specific use and vibe. Although it is one open space, each section serves a different purpose."

Designed by Rosario Candela in the 1930s, Isabel’s apartment building has a rooftop terrace with 360 views of midtown and the East River. But that’s not what sold her on the apartment. “I fell in love with the classic black and white foyer tile marble the instant I walked in the apartment,” she writes.

Tiffany and her cat, Jinju, have turned their small New York studio into a gorgeous home by mixing styles and creating a layout that gives her space for all of life's necessities.

Caroline Danehy, Chief Brand Officer and co-founder of sustainable clothing and lifestyle brand, Fair Harbor, accomplished a dream when she found this 500-square-foot, one-bedroom walk-up apartment in an old building with history and charm.

Because Jung Hi Han's rental is just a large rectangle, she had to figure out how to arrange the furniture to make different areas. "I used an IKEA bookcase to separate my 'bedroom' from the entry, along with wallpaper to visually create a bedroom. I used the gallery wall in my 'living room' to separate that space, and the two Tara McPherson prints to section off my 'dining room,'" Jung Hi explains.

Zubaida is originally from Bangladesh and is currently completing her MBA at NYU. She and her cat, Mushu, live in a one-bedroom apartment in Hell's Kitchen, which is carefully curated with cute, unique objects in every corner.

After going through a breakup and having to move out, Hayley committed to making her next life chapter about celebrating herself, starting with living alone for the first time. She found her home on the Upper East Side and began curating a collection of clean neutrals that keep her home looking pristine.

When Jennelle moved into her place for the first time, she realized buying everything at once would be expensive. So instead, she slowly collected things from the curb, Facebook Marketplace, and places within her budget to create a beautiful New York apartment that nods to her parents who immigrated from Jamaica.

Chandler and Lucy were living in California when they decided to move to NYC for the first time. Though they initially were looking for one-bedrooms, when their friend saw a great studio on the Upper West Side, they submitted their application and trusted that it would work!

Lucy was about to sign the lease on a Brooklyn apartment when she found her dream home in Manhattan. She switched gears and moved into this small studio during the pandemic, getting a big discount. She has thrifted and stooped many of her apartment treasures to create a stunning New York City home.

Meher immigrated to America ten years ago and never believed she'd be living on her own in New York. When she was finally ready to take the leap, she created a vision board of everything she wanted in her apartment. Just as she was about to settle, she found the perfect spot that she's decorated with items and color palettes from all over the world.

When Calvin moved into his Manhattan apartment, he recruited the help of his friend Colton Ackerman to bring his home to life. Calvin's home now is covered in fun murals that make every inch of the place a work of art.

Brendan and Kiersten got married in July and have been living together for six years. They moved into their current apartment two years ago with their Corgi, Lottie. Being lovers of books, they transformed their second bedroom into a library and office space that would make any bookworm jealous.

The walls of Marty's Lower East Side Apartment are covered in photos and notes from friends throughout the years.

By shopping secondhand and grabbing items off the street, Bronwyn Tarboton, a musical theater performer who runs the brilliant Instagram and TikTok accounts, @nyctrashtotreasures, was able to make her dream home an affordable reality.