A Colorful, Humorous, Crafty Small/Cool Space
A Colorful, Humorous, Crafty Small/Cool Space
Name: Sam Reece
Blog or website: https://www.tiktok.com/@shittycraftclub
Instagram: @samanthaaareece
Size: 756 sq ft
Home type: Apartment
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Years lived in: 2 years, rented
Household: My cat Emma Stone
Have any design professionals worked on this space: No
How did you use color in your space? In the craft studio, no color is off-limits. I add hints of neon throughout my apartment, but in here it really POPS. I love how neon brings a sense of joy and slightly unhinged energy to the room. If the ceilings weren't so high (not a real problem, I know but I'm 5'3 and don't own a ladder!!!) I'd probably use paint to make it even brighter and more insane.
Describe your space:
Over the years my aesthetic has grown from "West Elm showroom" to "if Limited Too was a 31-year-old woman with a good job and access to a glue gun." I lived here with one of my best friends, but when she moved back to Australia, I used that as an opportunity to create my dream apartment. My vision for the space is to balance aesthetics that don't normally go together: elegant vintage furniture displaying weird tchotchkes, beautiful art hanging next to wild crafts, a cozy corner themed with all corn decor—a CORNer, if you will. I love that there's a lot to look at!
Did you DIY anything in your space? And, if so, what's your favorite DIY?
I'm going to use this opportunity to talk less about DIY and more about using crafts as DECOR. Some examples include: ~MOCKramé: Neon strings to a stick that I hang up! ~CORNdle: An old candle covered in yellow beads to look like corn :) ~Puffy mirror: Using foil and beads to give the illusion of a puffy frame. ~Rhinestone Replicas: Use foil to create food sculptures and then...rhinestone them. All that to say, I have a rhinestone shrimp on my wall and it makes me laugh every single day.
How do you make your small space work for you and feel bigger than it really is?
Yes! My apartment came with zero closets or storage, so that's been a fun puzzle! I use a set of matching blue dressers instead of classic bedside tables or nightstands to avoid overcrowding the room with furniture. Having that much surface space next to my bed inspired me to find creative displays for the stuff you'd normally shove in the nightstand drawer. For example, my earplugs are hidden in a ceramic strawberry hahaha And of course, no NYC apartment is complete without suitcases and storage tubs of seasonal clothes shoved under the bed, so I hide them all with a pink bedskirt.
How does your home reflect you?
I'm a comedy writer who runs a whimsical craft club and loves vintage anything, so my place is absolutely a direct reflection of that. Community is also a big part of my life, so my office is set up as a co-working space. Sometimes my friends will come over and we'll spread out and get our work done together. I just have to make sure my kitchen is stocked with snacks and seltzer. My best friend loves seltzer.