A Pinterest Engineer’s SF Studio Is Minimal, Modern, and Musical

Name: Cindy Zhang and Kai the Corgi
Location: San Francisco, California
Size: 600 square feet
Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting

My apartment is a “junior one-bedroom,” which means it’s a studio with a small door-less bedroom carved in. My apartment is my place to relax after a long day, but also the place to get work done. All the practicing for gigs happens here, as well as actual work on WFH Wednesdays. To make this the perfect place to spark creative energy, I decorated the space with a lot of wall art, colorful accents, and plants. The colorful decor from my instruments and books makes it feel eclectic while the light, matte wooden floors and the white furniture make it more minimal.

I’m an engineer at Pinterest by day and a musician by night. I love having a mix of neutral pieces in my home to balance out the items I use for my creative work.

What is your favorite room and why? I love the kitchen. Cooking is super therapeutic to me and I love creating something amazing out of simple ingredients. In comparison to the other parts of my apartment, my kitchen is more colorful from the vintage appliances and vibrant pans.

Editor’s note: We toured Cindy’s last apartment, another San Francisco studio, but tinier! → A Tiny 232-Square-Foot San Francisco Studio Is Bright, Comfy

If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? I would love to have more windows! Especially in the kitchen or the bathroom. Natural lighting is always a plus.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Wooden contact paper for my countertops!

Any advice for creating a home you love? Use what you’ve collected over the years to put on display instead of going out to buy something new. It will make your space feel more like it’s yours with decor that has stories behind them.

Look for cheap items at World Market, Target, and Daiso. When put in the right context, they’ll make your home look expensive and put-together.

Thanks, Cindy!

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