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Name: Ryan Joyce, my cat, Scheuster
Location: Midtown West/Hudson Yards — New York City, NY
Type of home: Studio Apartment
Size: 450 square feet
Years lived in: 5 years, renting
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Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I’ve lived in this this apartment for about five years now with my cat, Scheuster. We moved to NYC from Denver, and I’m lucky I found a place that I love and could make a home.
I was downsizing from a large one-bedroom as part of the move, and found the challenge of organizing and maximizing my studio space actually fun and creative. Since the pandemic started, I’ve been drawn to more bright, neutral, minimal spaces and have tried to bring more of that into my home. I’m lucky to have three windows in my apartment to keep things bright and allow me to have more plants (my cat also loves to perch in the windows).
My home is really important to me because it’s where I spend so much time: It needs to be functional but also peaceful, and I’m pleased with what I’ve created so far.
I identify as kind of a witty, practical, serene, introvert. I think my home does reflect that in how I have a simple and functional layout with clean-lined furniture. I built upon those neutrals with some color and pattern. I like to use blue accents, photographs of nature, and green from plants because they are calming. My art and accessories are kind of quirky, which I love. I have a llama painting, some tiny hands by my desk, and a shelf full of funky treasures.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Modern and bright with a little quirk.
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room it probably my desk area, not because I love working, but because of how I used the space. I have this nook near a window in the corner of my apartment that is a weird width and depth. For the longest time I just used it for some storage. I felt like the desk I previously had was taking up too much space so I thought maybe getting a smaller desk for the nook could work. It took me some searching but eventually I found a desk that was small enough to fit — it’s actually a children’s desk, but it’s plenty big for an adult. Since then, I put a shelf above it and really made this area very functional. It’s something I like to look at and use daily.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The last thing I bought were new bar chairs. I had recently bought a new white metal bar cart and wanted some chairs to match. I found the perfect ones at Target for a great price.
Any advice for creating a home you love? First, don’t you dare spend a fortune! There are so many places and options to get great pieces for reasonable prices. Second, think about how you like to spend your time at home and prioritize that.
For example, I love lounging and taking naps on my couch. I splurged a little and bought a deep sofa from Crate & Barrel, and it’s been one of the best purchases I’ve made. I knew I would need to have other smaller living room furniture to balance it, but it was something that made sense for me. Third, make small changes or tweaks regularly to refresh and stay in love with your space. This could be just rearranging accessories, reorganizing a closet, swapping throw pillows or pictures in a frame. When you spend a lot of time in a space, you’d be surprised how much a few little changes will draw your attention and keep it feeling fresh.
