Studio Apartment

KC Cibran's TINY 280-square-foot Manhattan studio apartment won the Tiny Bracket in 2020's Small/Cool competition, and really that's no surprise to anyone who's seen inside her "Tropical Boho and Cuban Abuela" style space.

There was dated '70s decor, a mothball smell, and lots of clutter in this teeny studio apartment, but Michelle and her husband were able to transform it into a cozy and clean one-bedroom!

This teeny studio apartment feels like a small indoor jungle where everything fits together well.

This tiny NYC studio has a piano instead of a couch, an expandable table that can seat up to six, and lots of vertical storage solutions for small spaces.

Photographer and stylist Erin Miles shares this 600-square-foot, lofted studio apartment with her boyfriend and designed an elegant, beautiful small home... all on a very low budget.

This apartment started as a blank white box with no character to speak of. Lisa Lu not only added a ton of renter-friendly style, but she's also fit a TON of storage in this small home.

Tiara utilizes mirrors, tall ceilings, a lofted bedroom, and other smart decor choices to make her small studio apartment feel much larger than it actually is.

New York-based makeup artist Kim White completely transformed her teeny Brooklyn studio apartment with IKEA hacks, contact paper, and smart storage ideas.

It's only 330 square feet big, but this New York City studio apartment is INCREDIBLE.

This senior editor at "Garden & Gun" magazine lives in a STUNNING studio apartment with no less than NINE stained glass windows (plus a whole lot of charm).

It's inspired by Brutalism, has an incredibly neat room divider idea, and has a beautiful green plant display in the kitchen!

Isabelle Weiss is the founder of NEXT:SPACE, a contemporary art space in Detroit. Her small studio apartment is absolutely filled with great furniture and art.

This might be the most beautiful Murphy bed of all time.

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

Graphic designer Jonathan Black's small Chicago studio is a lesson in how to make the most out of a teeny space.

This interior designer's studio may be on the small side, but it has beautiful hardwood floors, picturesque windows, and original cabinetry and molding.

She didn't see a single piece of decor or furniture in person until it arrived, minus her curtains.

Every item must have at least three different uses, be used three times a week, or be used for more than three years.

Name: Dominic A. Cerino IV Location: West Hollywood — Los Angeles, California Size: 560 square feet Years lived in: 4.5 years; Rented When interior designer Dominic submitted his House Call, many of you proclaimed that you couldn’t believe it was a rental. Well, that impression is all down to Dominic’s incredible attention to detail.

Name: Akhira N. Ismail Location: Fort Greene; Brooklyn, New York Size: 288 square feet Years lived in: 3 years Akhira is beautiful and brilliant and welcoming and warm, and her apartment is no different. With only 288 square feet and a modest budget, she’s created a space so stylish and functional that when you see the photos, you may want to move in immediately.

Jon O'Shaughnessy is inspired by the things that make him happy—travel, the outdoors, and forests.

It's a teeny, voice-controlled tech lover's dream.

Laurie was diagnosed with ADHD over three years ago and knew a key component to managing her mental health would be the way her home looks, feels, and functions.

Daniel's small and stylish studio apartment goes from luxurious bedroom to fabulous living room thanks to a functional and beautiful Murphy bed.

Becky makes the most of her transformed tiny space with a lofted bed, a sunny balcony, and minimalist decor.

It's filled with art, plants and micro shrimp.

This small studio apartment in Moscow, Russia, is full of pattern and feels incredibly cozy.

TWO people share this home that's able to literally transform by rearranging furniture for different needs and it's PACKED with small space organizing ideas.

This visual artist describes her style as "shabby chic meets vintage glam inside a kitschy mermaid grotto."

This may be Emily's first studio apartment, but she deftly squeezed in a private bed area, living area AND room for entertaining in only 400 square feet

This photo editor's studio apartment is full of tips for creating a spacious, serene home in a very busy city.

Stanley's 525-square-foot studio is packed with American handcrafts, folk art, brass candlesticks, baskets and bold red, white and blue color palette.

The only way to function in a space like this is to get really creative with how and where things are placed.

Oyin Antwi managed to squeeze every possible function a person would need in just 370 square feet.

Alyssa Greenberg lives in this teeny 208-square-foot Crown Heights studio apartment.

550 square feet of peppy colors, fiber art, and smart furniture arrangements in Cindy Tung's rental apartment.

Architectural and interior designer Francis Dominguez has designed a 305-square-foot studio apartment beautifully.

Name: Madison Malone Kircher Location: Brooklyn Heights — Brooklyn, New York Size: 375 square feet (closet included) Years lived in: 2 years, renting Found her: A witty and talented writer who magically fits a kitchen, living room, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and storage in 375 square feet—including the closet. Meet Madison Malone Kircher. Madison’s an Associate Editor at New York Magazine.

Angie Teater is a vibrant New Yorker who knows how to make use of a small space. The proof? Her studio apartment was a 350-square-foot beige box when she first moved in eight years ago. But now, it’s a bold, dramatic home that somehow fits a bedroom, living room and dining room in a teeny space. Effortlessly graceful, it feels more like a luxurious hotel room than a small studio apartment in the city. An interior designer by trade, Angie describes her style as “easy elegance.

Name: Channing Foster and cat, Cosette Location: Mount Pleasant — Washington, D.C. Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting Channing Foster has lived in her Mount Pleasant apartment for less than a year, but she’s already made it her own. Drawing inspiration from the building’s mid-century foundations, she’s elevated the space with a disciplined color palette and an elegant selection of furniture, art, books, and heirlooms.

Name: Joe Cafuir and Keith DeNatale Location: Grand Lake—Oakland, California Size: 300 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented It’s easy for a tiny apartment full of plants and tchotchkes to feel cluttered. But when done the right way—as Joe and Keith have with their tiny 300-square-foot studio—the space can be warm and inviting without feeling crammed or excessive.

Name: Felicity Graham Sargent; educator and interior designer/owner’s representative at Felicity Sargent Design Location: Brooklyn Heights; Brooklyn, NY Size: 800 square feet (studio with mezzanine) Years lived in: 2.5 years; Owned A visit to Felicity’s magnificent two-story studio in Brooklyn Heights is a study in the wonders of architecture and design, past and present.

Name: Hannah Ruskin and her dog, Stella Location: McClymonds — Oakland, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Having previously used her Oakland live-work space for her now thriving business, Hannah is happy she can now claim the space as her own. Although her small studio continues to allow her to work on creative projects, most of her work from home is personal in nature, whether crafting at her desk or caring for more than 40 flourishing plants.

Name: Ashley, Dara, and their two daughters, Sage and Sophie; dog, Dylan, and cat, Luna. Location: Topanga Canyon, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years You may remember Dara and Ashley’s bohemian Topanga home tour, and if that wasn’t inspiring enough, check out their Moroccan-inspired guest home dubbed The Topanga Gypsy Hideaway. The guest home is freestanding with peaceful views of the Topanga mountains.

Name: Franke Chung, Jason Wark, Neko the cat, and Ozzy the dog Location: Streeterville — Chicago, Illinois Size: 640 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year Many folks who live in studio apartments might agree — they function quite efficiently… until you have company over. That’s when there’s a sudden shift in the equilibrium. There’s one too many bodies in here.

Name: Krysta Jabczenski and Joel Leshefka Location: Tucson, Arizona Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 2 years (We remodeled this property earlier this year.) For Krysta and Joel, Tucson is more than just home. The two artists and shop owners relocated to Krysta’s native Arizona from the Pacific Northwest, and planted roots in the blossoming creative community in the area.

Name: Coco Dávez Location: Chueca nieghborhood — Madrid, Spain Size: 193 square feet Years lived in: Rented since February Coco welcomes me smiling in her studio, in an old royal state apartment in the heart of the high Chueca neighborhood in Madrid. Her paintings are full of colors, and fill the small, bright studio space. An artist since she was a child, painting for Coco is a way to relax, to play and to remain connected with that inner child inside us all.

Name: Robyn Kleffman, John Morley and their dog Daisy Location: Seabright — Santa Cruz, California Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 months If John could have it his way, he’d fill his home with comfy La-Z-Boy furniture, but Robyn has completely different tastes, citing Consort, Coup D-Etat, DWR, and Anna Karlin as some of her dream sources.

Name: Kristy Degina Location: Hollywood, California Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 years Kristy is a merchandising manager at Crate & Barrel Beverly Hills who shares her Hollywood studio apartment with two cuddly canine roommates. She’s made the most of her small space by incorporating big, bold statement pieces into a minimal black-and-white color palette.

Name: Cindy Zhang Location: Soma — San Francisco, California Size: 232 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Finding a nice, affordable apartment has become a challenge for anyone moving to San Francisco. When Cindy Zhang moved in 2016 from San Diego, she was super happy to find a cute little studio in the hip neighborhood of Soma.

Name: Meghan and Jesse Arlen Location: Mid-Wilshire area — Los Angeles, California Size: 540 square feet Years lived in: Renting 1 year Meghan and Jesse have made their studio apartment feel like a haven of old world charm. They focus on living a waste-free, conscientious lifestyle, and part of this involves buying older things and repurposing as much as they can. They both greatly value authenticity of objects and especially prize the stories behind each thing they own.

Name: Kallie Seniff Location: Logan Circle in Washington, D.C. Size: 456 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Kallie’s colorful studio apartment couldn’t be more representative of her personality. She’s an energetic, thrifty person and she found a way to combine these traits into a home so stylish that it makes me wild with envy.

Name: Jory Dayne Location: Tenderloin — San Francisco, California Size: 525 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented The bustle of the street scene just outside Jory’s doorstep is a contrast to the warm, serene studio apartment he calls home. A flood of light pours in through bay windows, reflecting off the cluster of plants in the corner.

Name: Sarah and Dan Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4.5 years Sarah and Dan live in a beautifully preserved brownstone apartment in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. The pre-war space features an abundance of architectural charm, like high ceilings, a floral ceiling medallion, and a gorgeous fireplace. The couple describes their style as modern and minimal, but above all, they value comfort.

Name: Catherine Masi Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Designer Catherine Masi’s small studio apartment is in the historic Eastside of Downtown Santa Barbara. The area is beautiful and full of history — and so is the building she lives in.

Name: Kym Pesola Location: Lower Pacific Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting “I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a real dining table and more space, but it’s actually cozy to gather around on the floor and the sofa when friends come to visit.” In one sentence, media relations manager Kym Pesola sums up big pros and cons of studio apartment living: the intimacy it can offer and the lack of space.

Name: Mallory Guraya Location: The Marina — San Francisco, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting For over a year, Mallory has called this adorable little studio in the hip Marina neighborhood her home. The broadcast producer was born and raised in California and has East Indian roots. Her style gravitates toward bold colors, rustic trinkets, and dhurrie rugs, while adding touches of the Golden State through beach accents like seashells.

Name: Melissa Morgan Location: Pleasanton, California Size: 380 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 years Melissa’s been renting this tiny 380-square-foot rental for four years — a long time to try and squeeze your life and stuff in just one room. Does she ever get sick of small space living? “All the time!” she admits. “At least a few times a week I crave more space to have a sofa, a bigger bathroom to take a bath, and a bigger kitchen to cook anything I want.

Name: Lisa Martin Location: Ville-Marie, Montreal Size: 540 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Her travels in South America — seeing the colorful culture and world-renowned traditional crafts — have heavily influenced Lisa Martin’s Montreal apartment. Though small (just under 550 square feet), the space feels light and airy, thanks to clean white walls and a minimal aesthetic (and the small bits of color sprinkled throughout).

Name: Suzanne Bryan and Peter Carlstrom Location: San Francisco, California Size: 258 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned The basement level of Suzanne and Peter’s San Francisco house is where their garage is located, but there was also a basement room when they purchased it three years ago. Well, the word “room” is a little too generous for what the space was before.

Name: Rene Valdez Location: Lakeview — Chicago, Illinois Size: 320 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented The tiny size of this studio apartment hasn’t stopped designer Rene Valdez from hosting and entertaining friends. He actually hosts a Christmas party for 30+ people every year. In only 320 square feet! For everyday gatherings, he removes the books from the coffee table, transforming it into a cocktail table. The closet stores over-sized pillows for extra seating.

Name: Kirstie Maryott Location: Lower Pacific heights — San Francisco, California Size: 420 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years Kirstie has bounced around from state to state the past few years of her life, including stops in Colorado, Virginia and Georgia. A California native, she has called the Bay Area home for the last two years, where she lives in a charming studio on the top floor of a building in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood.

Name: Angie Teater Location: Midtown East — New York, NY Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: 8 years, renting Have you ever seen a dining room, living room, and bedroom fit so elegantly into 350 square feet? Long-time New Yorker and avid traveler Angie Teater made it happen. She’s the owner and principal designer of Angela Leland Interiors and she knows how to make good use of small spaces. She’s also a master at styling a room.

Name: Alanna Okun Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant — Brooklyn, New York Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, renting Alanna’s cheery apartment in Brooklyn is the first space she can truly call her own. She grew up surrounded by siblings, next lived in college dorms, and then moved in with roommates. As a writer, she needed a quiet place for herself. As a crafter, she needed a creative space to inspire her.

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!

Name: Anna Saffer and Clementine the cat Location: Mt. Vernon — Baltimore, Maryland Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting At only 450 square feet, it takes some flexibility to make this small space (an apartment carved from a historical Mt. Vernon townhouse) work. Somehow, Anna has managed to do that, despite several space challenges — like the kitchen being too small for the refrigerator.

Name: Jen Nolan Location: Rittenhouse Square — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Size: Roughly 500 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting When Jen moved to Philadelphia from Washington, D.C., she didn’t have any connections in the real estate world. Like many young professionals, she turned to Craigslist. Thankfully, she stumbled across an ad for a beautiful studio apartment in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Name: Eduardo Valadez Arenas Location: Fruitvale — Oakland, California Size: 400 square feet (plus adjacent work studio) Years lived in: 4 years, renting After coming to the U.S. from Mexico city, Eduardo settled in Thousand Palms, California, a small desert town just east of Palm Springs. This upbringing in small desert towns throughout California continues to influence his personal style, art aesthetic and home design.

Name: Deanna Leone, Jessie Mademann (and Thurston & Shermie the cats) Location: Fishtown, Philadelphia Size: Large Loft Studio (don’t know the square foot) Years Lived In: 2.5 years, renting Fishtown is one of Philadelphia’s many booming neighborhoods, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a unique (and affordable!) home in the area. When you’re as creative as Jessie and Deanna, settling for a typical white-wall one-bedroom isn’t the ideal.

Name: Grace Location: Washington, DC Size: 495 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned After a marvelous tour with Irwin, fate brought us Grace in the comments thread; she’s a resident of the same, beautiful Art Deco-style apartment building with precisely the same floor plan. Whereas Irwin’s studio was brimming with rich earthy colors, I was delighted to see Grace’s interpretation of the space—in top to bottom pink.