Hi everyone!
I thought I’d take a moment or two and show you around my former home in NYC. I lived in this Harlem studio apartment for a year. It is around 350sq feet. Before this apartment, I lived in a SRO building a few blocks away. That space was around 90sq feet and was a small, narrow room with a tiny kitchenette in the corner, and a communal bathroom in the hallway. In the SRO room I only had an air mattress, a small dresser and a tiny clothes rack, so the studio apartment was a definite upgrade, and I was lucky enough to make it feel like home with real furniture in a short amount of time.
I took these photos right before I packed everything up to move back to the Midwest, so they are not the best quality, but you can get an idea of the general layout and how I put the apartment together. My mother lovingly referred to my apartment as “50 Shades of Gray,” because of my obvious infatuation with the color. There was still more I wanted to do to the apartment if I had stayed like put up shelves, add a photo wall by the bed, and buy stools for the kitchen island, but once I realized I would only be there a year I decided against those ideas.
Before
Since I love before and after photos, I thought I’d add a few before photos for you. The space looks quite small in the before photos, but the space felt like a good size for just me and then eventually Oliver, and considering I lived in basically a hallway size room before this, it felt huge.
The Living Space
There wasn’t much of a view from the window, other than neighboring buildings in the complex, but I loved how large the main window was, which allowed for plenty of sunlight to stream through, especially in the morning. And of course, I couldn’t go without mentioning my rescue dog Oliver who seemed to insert himself into almost every shot. I found the West Elm Paige sofa on AptDeco, in pristine condition. The coffee table and two rugs are also from West Elm, from their flea market section.
Resources:
– ABC Carpet has a corner of the lower level dedicated to clearance rugs and small sample rug squares, perfect for a small space or a craft project.
– West Elm has a flea market section that is a great resource for discounted furniture, usually floor models, and especially good for small area rugs.
– Pop into a Housing Works location around the city for awesome finds that have been donated, and the best part, it goes to help the homeless and those affected by HIV/AIDS.
– If you haven’t heard or checked out AptDeco, do it now! Such a great resource for all things furniture and they help you arrange delivery – you know how much of a pain that can be in the city.
I’m sure you can by now guess where my bed came from…West Elm! Obsessed much? I definitely think so. I saw this bed on their website and thought “this is a bed I would not want to get out of,” so it was the clear winner. It wasn’t until, ironically, my last apartment in the city that I actually had my own bed. I went from two beds that were both on the verge of collapsing with someone else’s mattress (I dare not wonder who slept in it before me), to almost two years on an air mattress. Yes, air mattresses can last for quite some time…until one morning you find yourself in an air hammock that you struggle to get out of. The picture above the bed is from my grandmother, and features two of my former ballet teachers. It’s a nice reminder of her, and I keep other touches of her around my space so she’s ever present.
Tips:
– Use rugs to break up one large space into individual spaces.
– Poufs can be used for both extra seating, foot stools, a side table or night stand.
– My duvet cover and sheets are from Parachute, a company that is Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified, and implement responsible manufacturing practices. Splurging on a good set of sheets is worth the investment considering how much time we spend in bed.
The Kitchen
I’ve worked various jobs in the restaurant industry, which gave me an appreciation for food, wine and cooking. When I was growing up, we really only went to a restaurant for a birthday, and even then it was a major chain restaurant. It wasn’t until I moved to the city that I learned more about different cuisines and became inspired to learn by being around those who were passionate about food and wine. My favorite nights were spent staying in to cook dinner for myself and enjoy it with a glass of wine and a movie.
Another perk of living by yourself and having your own kitchen…no one eating your food. I know most of you know what that frustration feels like. I had one roommate who was so bad that I literally couldn’t have any form of dessert in the freezer because she would eat all of it, and she ate the bulk of my food without replacing it. I eventually had to buy a mini fridge, lug it back to Brooklyn on the subway by myself (imagine those stares), and put it in my bedroom.
Unlike when I lived in the SRO and lacked any storage or real kitchen space, having my own kitchen allowed me to implement more zero waste principles like shopping bulk bins and package free, composting, and reducing my recycling. My trash can was so small guests were baffled trying to find it.
Resources:
– Fishs Eddy in Flatiron has new and vintage china and some pretty cool hand towels, including the one in my kitchen that says “Let Them Do Dishes.”
– Home Goods in Chelsea or the UWS are great resources for kitchen and home wares. Most of my kitchen items were found at Home Goods, including my beloved All Clad pots and pans.
The Closet
If you can’t tell, yes, this is a walk in closet. Unheard of in a small NYC apartment. The irony? I didn’t need it! Previously living in the SRO with absolutely ZERO storage space, had turned me on to minimalism. All the things I didn’t love, quickly became big eyesores when I had to stare at them everyday in such a small space. I got rid of about 70% of my things. They represented a different time in my life, college and post college jobs (most in retail), lots of super high heels when I drove and did very little walking, and a lot of mismatched clothing items when I hadn’t yet found my style. The extra space in my studio allowed for me to put my dresser in the closet and have a space I could make into a mini dressing room.
Tips:
– Decorate in your closet if possible to give it the feeling of being your own mini boutique.
– A well organized closet, with everything having a designated spot, makes getting dressed in the morning that much easier.
The Bathroom
My favorite part of my apartment? The bathroom! After sharing a bathroom with less than ideal, or clean roommates, I loved having a bathroom all to myself. No more being late to work because a roommate won’t get out of the bathroom, or towels and bath products that would mysteriously disappear. I loved taking baths by candlelight, with a glass of wine while catching up on Netflix…pure bliss.
Tips:
– Give your bathroom some color and personality by hanging artwork, pictures, or with a fun hand towel.
– Keeping your bathroom surfaces clutter free will help the space feel more calming.
– If lack of bathroom storage is an issue, consider storing bathroom items in other parts of your space inside baskets.
The irony is that now everything from that studio currently fits into my former childhood room, couch and all. You’ve probably had one apartment that stands out from the rest, and holds special memory. That is this apartment for me. I could have done without the crummy management company, multiple cases of bedbugs, or cry worthy rent price, but I had great neighbors and the space was 100% my own. Going down memory lane to write this post has been fun and sad, I miss this apartment and the extra special accomplishment of living on my own in NYC that came with it.