See How a Stager’s Small Tweaks Made a Big Difference in This Tiny Poland Condo

Small tweaks can make a big difference — whether in life or interior design. Just ask Marta Bednarczyk of Marta Bednarczyk Home Staging in Warsaw, Poland. The owners of a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment — measuring about 366 square feet — in the capital city had purchased the investment property with the intention of renting it out short-term.

However, as one of 20 nearly identical units in the building for rent, they had stiff competition, so they brought in Bednarczyk. “The main goal was to prepare an apartment that stands out, which is very tough,” she says.

Plus, the design had to appeal to high-end renters since the condo is located in the prestigious city center. “The main goal was to make the unit more unique and outstanding and underline the high quality of the interior finishes,” Bednarczyk explains. But there was a kicker: The budget was about as small as the unit.

The main living space, comprising sitting and dining areas, needed to wow potential renters immediately upon walking through the front door. The space looked drab, with monochromatic furnishings that did no justice to the room’s great features, like crown molding, box-pattern wall molding, high ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling doors that let in plenty of natural light. A lack of accessories and wall art made the room seem lifeless.

Bednarczyk began by keeping the dining set and sofa, which were appropriately sized for the small unit. She switched out the white drum light and undersized coffee table for chic black pieces that make better use of the space. She decided to introduce black into the color scheme to create contrast and “make the apartment look sophisticated and elegant.”

The old media stand was replaced by an elegant new cabinet that hides away essentials, and its gold handles play into the mixed metal aesthetic, which was established by the chrome base of the original dining table, the gold chair legs, and the silver-and-gold light fixture. Whereas the furniture seemed to be floating in its original configuration, Bednarczyk placed a large area rug as big as the sofa to ground the seating area and better define the space.

Next, the molding on the walls presented the perfect opportunity to place three pieces of wall art, and Bednarczyk chose abstract works in black, white, and dove gray, the latter of which echoes the sofa and dining chairs. “The geometric patterns from the posters were replicated on the pillows as well as the round shape of the lampshade, which was changed from a small white lampshade into an elegant black one,” she says.

Other details include a white throw blanket, vases of flowers, and a table set for tea, which adhered to the chic new aesthetic right down to the cups and saucers.

The apartment was immediately rented out, but that’s not the only measure of Bednarczyk’s success. The room was a finalist in the 2022 International Home Staging Awards for Best Home Staging Transformation Project.