New York

After living in this same rental apartment for 13 years, Dave says the place was starting to feel stale and not adult enough. But he spent a few months and a few thousand dollars elevating his rental's style.

The internet has thoughts.

A few strategic products can turn a tiny closet space into plenty of storage.

She paid just $650 per month for rent.

It has not one, but three fireplaces.

"My personal home style inspiration has a wide range, from traditional maximalist to English cottage home to Scandinavian clean lines to farmhouse to Rajasthani folk with its warm colors and block-prints, even a bit of New York loft-style with art-filled walls and plants," begins singer/songwriter Abhilasha Sinha.

Julie Finn has done tons of things to make her small space work, from a hand-me-down daybed to couch transformation, an easy TV-hiding hack, and creating as much smart storage space as possible.

Damini grew up in India and moved to the U.S. in 2016. "After four years of art school and three years into my graphic design career, this is the first place I've stayed at where I've run wild decorating and watched it transform into a space that feels like home (and part art studio)."

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.

Fashion consultant and merchandiser Jasmine Hart worked with interior designer and set decorator Kendra Cusic to decorate this Brooklyn rental apartment.

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.

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.

If you somehow have nearly $30 million just lying around, now’s your chance to purchase a slice of “Succession” history.

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.

In search of a good bargain in NYC? This TikToker knows a place (or several).

When Lindsey Kephart first arrived, the previous tenants (and friends) had painted the kitchen a color they loved: yellow. With a little paint and new hardware, Lindsey transformed the room — and the entire apartment — into a chic space more fitting to her personality.

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.

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 — not to mention the huge windows and tons of light.

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 designer shares how he worked with chef Katie Lee Biegel to make the most of her NYC space.

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.

It’s quite cramped, but, hey, what matters is location, location, location.

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.

"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.”

It’s all about playful pops of pink.

"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.

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.

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

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.

Interior designer Alvin Wayne has lived in this gorgeous 800-square-foot rental apartment for three years.

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.

Celia Skvaril and Carrie Carrollo's two-bedroom Brooklyn apartment is a perfect example of how you can turn a bland and "renter-grade" space into a personalized and functional home with some creative DIY projects and hacks.

And Instagram is not happy.

Yes, there's a closet full of cardboard signs.

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."

"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."

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.

When Carissa and her husband moved to NYC from Florida, they had to downsize from a 1,500-square-foot home, so they "had to really process not only the functionality of objects, but also their significance."

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.

The prominent feature has a stinky past.

“I’m basically living in an RV or van without wheels.”

It's so serene.

Monica Johnson is a psychologist and the host of the podcast, Savvy Psychologist, and has infused this apartment with color and different elements that inform their identity and interests as a person.

The price tag is as massive as the views.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Joey Skladany, a freelance food, travel, and lifestyle writer, found his one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment with a little luck, timing, and resolve.