Julia's Studio in a Brownstone

Who Lives Here: Julia
Location: Brooklyn, New York City
Size: 350 square feet

What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home? My apt is in a historic brownstone built in the late 1870's, which I love because of the detailed crown molding, window moldings, high ceilings and archways you don't see in new construction. It is on the top floor and the views of Manhattan skyline convinced me this was a great find. The kitchen was old and small when I moved in but I renovated it to create as much storage as possible and added much needed counter space and seating. Now I have enough storage to keep everything out of sight and helps keep such a small space neat.

What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your small home? Since it is a open studio, creating a clear separation between the kitchen/living room and sleeping area was important. I tried to use a slightly different color palette in each area. Since it is one room everything still had to blend together. Trying to make a small space look larger was difficult. I tried to buy furniture that wasn't too big and found chairs and a coffee table that didn't block the space.

Source: apartmenttherapy.com