This 500-Square-Foot Harlem Rental Uses Color to Create “Rooms” Without Walls

But what first struck him when he toured the unit two years ago was the oversized giant window and just how much light poured into the space. The layout didn’t feel like a “typical New York studio box” to him, either.

“The kitchen felt defined with its island, the bathroom was tucked away in its own corner, and I could already imagine blending the living and sleeping areas without the space feeling cramped,” Devin writes. “There was a quiet charm in the structure and a strong sense of potential that made me trust this was meant to be home.”

He describes the small space as “raw, undiscovered talent” before he moved in and started putting his stamp on the space. “There was so much potential in the layout and light, but it needed the right eye to bring it to life,” he explains. “The space felt understated — almost waiting for someone to see its personality and turn it into something memorable.”

Today, that transformation is entirely renter-friendly — and largely DIY. Devin describes his approach as “rooted in DIY experimentation,” something that, he says, started almost by accident.

“I had already lived in the apartment for about a year and thought I had ‘decorated,’ mainly through furniture and one orange accent wall behind my bed,” he begins.

“But everything shifted after a canceled flight to Houston. With an unexpected free day at home, I spontaneously decided to paint my hallway. I went to Home Depot, trusted my instinct when a mint green color stood out to me, and painted it that same day,” Devin explains.

That moment sparked a wave of low-cost, high-impact updates — from lavender peel-and-stick vinyl on the kitchen cabinets to peel-and-stick floor tiles, plus stenciled and freehand-painted walls that define each zone of the studio.

Two years into renting the place, Devin describes the apartment as feeling “fully self-aware,” and like it’s a “pop-culture palace — layered with color, nostalgia, and personality. Each area has its own mood, but the colors speak to one another and feel connected rather than competing. The overall vibe is bold, expressive, playful, and deeply personal.”

• Kitchen — Behr “Rhodes & Beacon Blue”
• Hallway — Behr “Young Green & Unmellow Yellow”
• Bathroom — Behr “Sugar Poppy”
• Living Room — Behr “Magic Wand & Lime Tree & Whip Lash”
• Leopard Wall — Behr “Splendor Gold & October Leaves”

• Shoe Cabinet — Wayfair
• Frank Ocean Jar — Aviance Studios 
• Green Catch all hand — Home Goods 
• Green Fire Hydrant — Huf
• Shoe Mat (Beyonce) — Etsy 

• Sofa — Poly & Bark
• Ottoman — Poly & Bark
• Rug — Lany Space
• Orange Accent Chair — Wayfair
• Bar Stools — Wayfair
• NYC Post Newstand — Etsy
• Display Cabinet — Urban Outfitters [but sold out, looks like you can get a similar cabinet from Wayfair though]
• Drip mirror – HotGlood from Etsy
• Drawer — Wayfair

• Shelf — Curious Homes 
• Goldfish — Etsy
• Fake Cake — Etsy
• Vinyl Lavendar Wrapping — Amazon 

• Bed frame — Wayfair
• Duvet — Brook Linen 
• Pillows — Urban Outfitters and Urban Outfitters
• Poster of Miley Curtis — A VMA subway poster purchased from Chisholm Larsson.

• Art Prints — Etsy
• Stitch Art Lizzie McGuire — Etsy
• Rug — Amazon 
• Shower Curtain — Society 6 
• Towel Holder — Amazon  

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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