A Minimal and Modern Apartment Is Small But Sustainable

published Apr 28, 2019

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Credit: Marina Claire and Co

My sofa was custom made by Rooke Creative using all repurposed or recycled materials. I’ve been living zero waste for almost a decade now, so I wanted the furniture to have as minimal an impact on the planet as possible. The chair is a secondhand Knoll Bertoia and the pillows are Caroline Z Hurley.

Name: Ariana
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Size: 400 square feet
Years lived in: 4 months, renting

I recently relocated from Paris to Cleveland, and I wanted to bring minimalist elements from my previous home into this new rental. I was looking for a place with lots of natural light, wooden floors, and clean finishes, and this historic renovation fit the bill.

The building was constructed in 1913 and carefully restored using reclaimed materials—everything from the wood kitchen shelves to the sliding barn door was recycled. It’s even powered using a mix of renewable energy. Since I’ve been living a zero-waste lifestyle for almost a decade, I felt it was important to live somewhere that reflected my values.

I recently went through a difficult divorce, and coming home to a serene, soothing place has been therapeutic for me. My friends joke that I’ve replaced the men in my life with plants—I have 16 plants in 400 square feet, one for every man who ever disappointed me. It’s the first place I ever decorated myself, without the input of a partner, so the items I’ve chosen reflect me alone. Some of the furniture I designed or constructed myself, and it’s been an empowering and freeing process. When people walk into my home, they immediately comment on how calm and warm it feels.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Minimal, sustainable, and modern

What is your favorite room and why? My bedroom. I made the floating platform bed myself using a CNC router, repurposed wood, and the Trestle design by Craig D Stover. The mirror is another DIY project, my version of the Skagerak Georg mirror. I don’t like too much visual clutter, so I lined the walls with plants I’ve grown from cuttings or rescued from Craigslist. My prize possession is my pencil cactus—I got it before moving to Paris, and it’s taller than me now. I love that we’ve been able to grow together.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Block print Caroline Z Hurley pillows for my sofa and secondhand Bertoia chair. I have her linen napkins and throws also, and they look better with every use. The colors pick up the light in my apartment so nicely, and I feel happy every time I look at them.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Don’t rush it. I collected these pieces over the duration of my divorce—two years—and each item reflects a place I’ve visited or an important moment in my life. It would’ve been easier to just go out and buy everything at once, but slowly and organically furnishing my home resulted in a place that truly brings me joy.

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