Maggie's Five Tips for Making a Tiny NYC Apartment Feel Like Home

There’s a part of me that has always been so interested in home decor and interior design. I like the act of collecting items that speak to me and putting them to use in a space. Curating items for an area of your home can be challenging- but I think that’s all a part of the FUN! Especially, if like me, you have eclectic taste. So many stunning homes that you see on Pinterest are simplistic, minimal, white, and full of clean lines. That style was never going to speak to me. I’m not afraid of color, pattern, and mixing it all up to find the items that somehow work together in the most unusual of circumstances.

I think the questions my friends ask the most when they see pictures of my apartment and decor on Instagram is: "Can you help me decorate?! How do you put it all together? How can you afford it?!” And I think it’s an important topic for my age group to consider when thinking about how to curate your space to make this “temporary rental” or even a newly purchased house feel like HOME. I wish I could say the answer was simple, but it really boils down to these five tips, and then I’ll get into the details of my personal space.

1) HUNT

Always be on the lookout for a good bargain or a unique item. When you go into a thrift shop, or a place like HomeGoods, be prepared to pick up something you’re not sure if you NEED but speaks to you. For example, a gorgeous clearance picture frame for $5? If you like it, get it. It’s $5. You will FIND an excuse to purchase artwork or print a photo to fill that frame, and suddenly, you have something new to add to your wall.

2) ACCENT ITEMS

Sometimes all it takes is one item to guide the direction of an entire room. For me, it was my favorite pattern throw pillow I have on my bed. It created the entire current color scheme for my bedroom, and I’ve had the pillow for years. It’s bold, but because I loved it so much, it helped me make decisions for everything else I have in the room to bring it all together.

3) SENTIMENTALITY

Be ready to collect items wherever you go. I find that when I travel, it’s important to me to purchase art or decor I can add into my space. It means so much more than getting something I picked up at Target that feels disposable. This could even mean family heirlooms or antiques that you find a use for- you won’t regret keeping those pieces close as you get older and move into a more permanent home.

4) STORAGE

If you’re like me and live in a tiny apartment in a big city, find a way to create storage space even if it’s not provided to you (as it often is not!) There’s nothing that ruins an apartment more than clutter everywhere and disorganized items. It will ruin your vibes immediately. You can “add storage” by being smart about shelving, wardrobes, cabinets, and dressers you purchase. Make sure each has a purpose and looks nice in your space to hide all the things you won’t want sitting out on display.

5) PATIENCE

Be patient with allowing your space to come together. I moved into this current apartment in the Lower East Side one year ago, and I only feel like I just put on the finishing touches (thanks to having extra time during quarantine!) and I think I will continue to make changes as I live here to always make it feel like home. Also be patient with your purchases- moving and decorating and organizing can be expensive, so take your time finding the right pieces to invest in rather than taking the quick way out and buying something you don’t love just to fill a purpose.

BEDROOM

Okay let’s start with my room; my sanctuary, my happy place. It’s filled with sunlight most of the day, because I live on the 5th floor (yes, a walk-up, yes walking up the stairs sucks). Because there’s no tall building directly across the street, I am so lucky to have amazing light all day long.

Finding an accent item can be a big win in directing the room, and for me that was the pillow right in the middle of my bed with the Aztec-inspired pattern. I found it one day browsing at TJ Maxx and never looked back. I played off the burnt orange, eventually incorporating other colors but keeping the focus there. To achieve this, I went with neutral bedding and other staple pieces, like my bookshelf. My blanket, furry pillows and most of my frames in the gallery wall next to my bed are also from TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Homegoods. Those stores are the jackpot for collected items priced extremely well if you’re looking to redo your space at a low cost. Again, you’ll have to be patient as their supplies fluctuate but it can be worth the wait! I also recommend Macy’s for affordable furniture sets and mattresses when you’re getting your first apartment. I’ve had my set for 5 years since I first graduated and it was very affordable, yet still looks high end.

The gallery wall next to my bed is full of pieces close to my heart, including the amazing bikini beach scene by Jade Purple Brown, which matches my room PERFECTLY. I also have a photograph by my friend Luke Haag, as well as prints by artists I have met at local markets over the years. It’s important to support your local artists and decorating your walls is the perfect excuse to do so. Even the large piece over my bed was made by an extremely talented artist, Cameron, I studied with at an art school in Florence, and now I have a piece I will always remember her by.

The wall opposite my bed was a big blank white canvas staring back at me, and I’ve dreamed of painting it in fun colors ever since I moved in and I finally did it- just last week! It was so fun to do a freehanded painting, and if you’ve got a crafty bone in you but you don’t want to invest in artwork or frames, this could be a great option! If you rent, just remember you will have to paint over it one day- worth it!

I also decided to fill this wall with plants and useful items, like storage and a cozy sitting nook. To create extra space for plants so they’re not on a tabletop or the floor, I hung macrame hangers with planters! I also have one large plant on the ground and another one on a mini side table- I recommend finding something small that doesn’t take up much room but can still be useful for something like a lamp or a plant. I also have a white cabinet with an opening where I keep a plant and a clock, and added a lamp and frame on top to give it height! Truthfully, I needed this cabinet for additional clothing storage but ended up being another way to add decor.

Finally, the sitting nook is complete with a cozy chair that I actually took from Seri a number of years ago when she was getting rid of it! Never turn down a useful hand-me-down if it’s neutral and you can find a space for it. On this chair, I have an orange pillow to tie in colors from around the room and a statement pillow I purchased while traveling in Morocco. This is special to note the sentimentality behind it because its a pillow that will always remind me of that amazing trip! On the wall above the chair, I have 2 photographs by my friend Riley and one painting I made that’s available on my website. To complete this area is the rug below my bed, which inspired the added colors in this room, namely the mint-teal color I incorporated into the wall design!

Let’s talk about storage. Removing clutter is of utmost importance to keep your space feeling clean and chic. That’s why even something like a hamper or a coatrack should be something you invest in for style AND function. While it might be a little extra money, something like this woven hamper or entry ottoman look gorgeous in a room, don’t take up much space and store so many things that would otherwise look ugly. Dirty clothes can hide in the hamper below my mirror and my daily purses and bags hide away in the ottoman. Even my coatrack was no more than $25 from Target, but I made sure to purchase the one with a wood stain and silver hardware to match my bedroom set! to pull those moments together, I hung a beautiful gifted sea glass wall hanging above my coats and a brimmed hat above my mirror. Storing hats can be difficult and can damage their shape- so find a way to use them as decor!

Final notes about the bedroom, I swear! Find special touches wherever you can. If you like to DIY, use that to your advantage. I needed new pillow shams, so bleach dyed the orange ones you see here. I needed extra jewelry storage, so I made this wavy painted jewelry box and plucked the vintage floral tin from the archives of my mom’s basement. I used a bookshelf I got for free to store my books (function) and color coordinated them (decor) for an anchor in the corner of my room. I even filled a vase of dried grasses my dad collected for me and sent in the mail- sentimental and FREE!!!

KITCHEN + LIVING ROOM

You read that right! My kitchen and living room are the same space, welcome to NYC! I know it’s not super glamorous but hey, we make do with what we’ve got! With limited counter space and room for a couch I did my best to optimize every inch here.

Okay guys, this space is all about the power of COLLECTING. Your living area will not just come together instantly, but it will likely be a collection of the things you NEED first, plus the things you ultimately WANT to make the space feel homey. I had the couch, so I centered any color needs around this deep grey. I bought a coffee table that perfectly accented it, and added a wicket basket on the bottom level to store items that were making the room look cluttered- i.e. random candles, blankets, and games. Last year on the same Morocco trip, I somehow managed to bring home THE RUG. It’s the rug of dreams, as I call it, and I snagged it for an amazing price that I couldn’t pass up and its truly the pride and joy of my home that I know I will have forever. I based the pillows and red blanket on this carpet, keeping it simple to let the carpet shine. Above the couch I created a gallery wall, which I hope to fill with other artists’ work entirely one day, but for now there’s a couple of my pieces (including the black leather hanging). However, my newest favorite piece is the yellow lettered poem by Morgan Harper Nichols.

Since I don’t have space for a bar cart, I use the space to the left of my couch for a small set of drawers I purchased years ago from Homegoods and a gorgeous wine rack on top. I then added a couple shelves to display my favorite glassware and a cute vase I found for $5 at Target with dried grass from Trader Joe’s!

Onto the kitchen. I got SO lucky with this washer/dryer combo unit but unlucky with my measly cabinet/ counter space, so I had to make do! I purchase this mini kitchen counter with drawers and stools, which acts as our table and an easy workspace while WFH. I installed a DIY shelf above it to add some extra storage for my fruit basket. Beside my sink, I have a small drawer set which holds extra snacks and kitchen utensils, as well as our cheese board and decorative key holder- functional and cute! My windowsill is used for a plant, as well at my marble cooking utensil holder and my watering can (for my 17 plant children.) And finally, the shelving unit with wooden crates acts as storage for kitchen items as well as a TV stand! Everything in this room doubles as something else in the most essential way possible.

And there you have it, everyone! The main pieces of my apartment, which I have truly found a way to feel like HOME. It’s so important to invest in your space- as we have obviously learned from being in quarantine. It makes the experience of being at home so much more enjoyable and inspiring, and I hope this helps give you direction on how to make your space feel like it belongs to you.