New York And Tours

The inward-swinging bedroom door made arranging furniture surprisingly difficult, so this Brooklyn couple took it off entirely, and it made their 415-square-foot rental apartment's layout flow much better.

After two and a half years of thoughtful updates, Tess transformed this quirky Brooklyn rental into a warm, colorful home that embraces its unusual layout instead of fighting it.

Over the past nine years, Ella Hall, cofounder and CEO of Stitchroom, and her husband, Brandon, have reinvented the same rental apartment again and again — adding a DIY nursery, building triple-bunk beds, and continually reworking the layout as their family grew. (They're now expecting baby No. 4!)

Instead of squeezing four people into one bedroom, Alexa Priego reimagined her 525-square-foot Manhattan rental so her kids have a room of their own, she has a luxurious area in the living room, and every inch works harder.

The apartment’s nickname is "the Thrifted Palace.”

Three years after moving in, Rachel Maria Stuart has transformed a dull Upper West Side studio into an art-filled home layered with color, meaningful collections, and unmistakable NYC personality.

This 400-square-foot home is packed with vintage finds, colorful art, and clever storage ideas that make sharing a studio feel surprisingly easy.

Packed with travel finds, vintage treasures, and meaningful mementos, Award-winning photojournalist Brittainy Newman's Brooklyn loft proves the best homes tell the story of the people who live in them.

Over six years, Madeline Scalzi, also known as Tulips for the Table, has DIYed built-ins, painted cabinets, restored original details, and maximized every square inch in her Queens apartment — proving you don't have to knock down walls to completely transform a rental.

Once a bland white box with popcorn ceilings and builder-grade finishes, this 750-square-foot rental is now a color-soaked Art Deco jewel box filled with bold wallpaper, velvet drapery, clever renter-friendly upgrades, and custom-looking design ideas.

After growing up in New York City, she finally created the apartment she'd dreamed about for years — layering vintage finds, family history, and collected treasures into a home that feels unique and personable.

When Marcelline moved into this Upper West Side rental with her three daughters, she didn't have much money to spend on furnishing it. Seven years later, nearly 75% of the two-bedroom apartment comes from curbside rescues and Buy Nothing groups — and it's now a colorful, personality-packed home filled with vintage treasures, DIY upgrades, and clever small-space ideas.

After loss, Michelle James downsized from a 4,000-square-foot suburban home to this 824-square-foot Hell’s Kitchen one-bedroom, designing it with smart storage, a hidden Murphy bed, and a layout that supports hosting, working, and everyday life.

New York renter Matilde Cascella used IKEA bookcases, renter-friendly upgrades, and smart layout tricks to actually make a bedroom inside her 450-square-foot studio — no renovation required.

This apartment is a plant-lover’s dream space.

After a major life reset, Tony Award-winning actress and singer Lena Hall (who currently stars on "Your Friends and Neighbors") transformed the stark white walls of her Manhattan apartment with deep blue paint, saturated reds, and more — and the result is anything but subtle.

This food artist and baking enthusiast’s identity is reflected in her rental home. “Each item, from the brightly colored chairs to the vintage lamps, embodies our love for creativity, narrative, and cultural heritage.”

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

Hattie Kolp has transformed her childhood home — this stunning prewar brownstone apartment she's lived in since she was 10 years old — by revealing gorgeous original architectural details, like several pocket doors that were covered by sheetrock and shelving.

A pink marble mantel, a gorgeous vintage vanity, and envy-inducing closet space make this fashion and lifestyle creator's small Brooklyn apartment shine.

“Deep blue for the endless night or sea, terracotta white and brown for the sandy desert, cactus green for a muted botanical touch,” Ze writes about the color influences in her Brooklyn condo.

This couple's rental needed to serve not just as a home, but as a wellness center, office, favorite restaurant, and refuge. They did it by making sure every single item in the apartment is multifunctional.

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

Impressively, there are five different paint colors in just 515 square feet.

“We spent the first month just removing everything — pulling down dated wood paneling, dropped foam board ceilings, and shag carpets from the ‘70s, pulling up layer upon layer of vinyl flooring from every corner of the house,” writes homeowner Christina Salway.

"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.

After applying to the NYC Housing Lottery for seven years, artist Olivia Konys hit the jackpot with this Queens apartment, transforming the "millennial gray” luxury rental by painting the walls, drilling into the ceiling, sawing some baseboards, and other unconventional, artistic customizations.

There’s peel-and-stick wallpaper in the entryway, peel-and-stick panel molding, a gorgeous sketch from 1884, and a ton of other traditional, refined details.

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

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.

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.

Andrea her husband, Brian, live very cleanly and simply in a third floor apartment in Brooklyn.

Name: Adrianna Gardini and Craig Youngren, two kids, and two cats Location: Alphabet City — New York City Size: Approx. 520 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned When Adrianna, a display artist, and Craig, a teacher and editor, bought their apartment, it was a bare, white, and bright space that felt outdated and in need of change.

Fashion designer Stella Rose Saint Clair's inspiration for her Brooklyn rental apartment is: The 1960s, cult movie sets, LA aesthetic, and a cake.

“When I first walked into this apartment, I felt like I was stepping into a version of myself I had only seen in my dreams,” Sofiyat says.

Take a video tour of a charming, eclectic home in West New York.

After lots of unpacking and plenty of painting, John and Wesley's small shared space is filled with historic artifacts, collected treasures and the couple's heart and soul.

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.

Sometimes she is in awe of how stunning the apartment is.

Jennelle Mendes' 450-square-foot Brooklyn rental apartment came with absolutely zero closets — so she had to get creative with storage solutions in her small space. And she created an incredibly cozy bed cocoon, too!

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

Julie's tiny NYC apartment has a color palette Marie Antoinette would approve of AND smart storage solutions for the kitchen. Let them eat cake!

If this space were personified, it would be a 1970s feminist character named Valerie. Bold, not afraid of color (or the patriarchy), and who doesn't take herself too seriously.

Amelia's 490-square-foot studio features storage solutions and clever DIYs... and it's an absolutely cozy, festive space for the holidays.

Designer Melody Kim's rental studio apartment in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood is only 350 square feet, but she's made an absolutely stunning and stylish home — and filled it with a ton of holiday cheer despite the small size!

"It’s both chic and punk — a technicolor euphoria impossible not to feel at home at," describes writer, comedian, and award-winning screenwriter Greg Mania of this small rental apartment.

In just 500 square feet, painter Josh Ayala created a warm, stylish space that’s part art studio, home, and place to show off personality.

It’s so dreamy.

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

“We've transformed every inch of our 750-square-foot space as our family has grown from newlyweds to a family of five.”

Heather and Michael share a very organized, extremely stylish 600 square feet with their three daughters, Lennon (4 years), Georgie (2.5 years), and James (15 months). The home's style is "cozy, thoughtful, not fussy, and somewhere between minimal and collected."

Ericka Hart shares this beautiful and bright Brooklyn rental apartment with her partner Ebony Donnley, and their adorable dog, Baguette X.

Shiva and Hakhamanesh tackled this loft’s renovation themselves, customizing the floor plan and interior to match their personalities and needs.

It was also a pepper factory!

Designer Alvin Wayne lives in this 800-square-foot apartment he's transformed from a plain white box into a warm, personality-filled rental.

After living in New York City for 10 years, Maria has found a place where she feels at home with great neighbors. Through the help of second-hands furniture and paint, she has created a gorgeous studio apartment.

Textile designer and freelance interior stylist Anna Brettschneider shares this 800-square-foot Park Slope rental apartment with her fiancé, Garrett Albury. Together they co-author the weekly newsletter, coolstuff.nyc.

Erin Kerr's style can best be described as: "Like if a Danish Grandpa and Primary School Teacher Grandma had a grandkid who loved Memphis Milano."

"Every corner of the apartment has something tucked under or inside it to reduce clutter and free up visual space," Sarah shares.

With only 290 square feet and one closet, Elizabeth created functional storage out of thin air with $300 (and a few tears).