A Designer Made Her 725-Square-Foot Rental Feel Warm and Layered Without Renovating
Raised in Tallinn, Estonia, Nataliya Gerasimova graduated from design school in 2016 and founded Mova Interiors in 2017. She’s lived in this home, a 725-square-foot rental apartment located in Bellevue, Washington, for three years, and shares the one-bedroom space with her husband and their dog.
Nataliya’s goal was never to make their small space feel bigger; rather, she says she wanted to “make it feel complete, thought-through, layered, and intentional. It’s been an ongoing process of exploring how a space feels to live in, not just how it looks, with every decision shaped around how we actually use it day to day. We wanted it to feel calm and easy to come home to, with multiple places to sit depending on what we’re doing.”
Because the space is small, Nataliya has prized flexibility. For instance, the sofa chaise has a moveable backrest that they rotate throughout the day, “sometimes facing the window, sometimes inward, depending on whether I’m working, taking calls, or just relaxing. I selected a coffee table that allows us to comfortably sit on the floor with space to stretch our legs underneath, which is something we naturally tend to do.”
Much of the home’s decor inspiration comes from travel and nature. “Places like Tulum, Italy, Estonia, and Dubai influenced the space through materiality, light, and overall feeling. In the living room, a gallery wall of travel photos brings in those memories and adds a more personal layer,” she writes.
Nataliya explains that she’s personally drawn to “calm, grounded spaces,” and that shows up throughout the home. It’s really a layered space of different influences rather than one specific style.
“I tend to choose things based on how they feel rather than sticking to a specific style, so it naturally becomes a blend. Natural materials like linen, wood, and stone carry through the space, and the palette stays warm and neutral, but with enough variation in texture to keep it from feeling flat.”
Nataliya also made sure to keep all the home’s decor renter-friendly and “focused on layering instead of making permanent changes.” Things like added furniture, textiles, and lighting warmed up the space a lot. “I used a lot of wall-mounted pieces like shelves, art, and hooks to add both function and personality without taking up floor space. The hooks especially make everyday items feel more intentional and easy to access. The gallery wall with travel photos is one of the main ways I made it feel personal, along with softer lighting and natural materials that make the space feel more relaxed and lived-in.”
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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