By: Serach Nissim
New York City renters are getting creative in finding ways to turn small apartments into their own personal oasis.
Renters are starting to think outside the box in redecorating their pads. As per a recent article in the NY Post, Nadia Charif, 30, a health and wellness advisor who lives with her partner in a 600-square-foot apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn, created a meditation fort. Using white sheets, bamboo blinds, a few tension rods, and a “calming sunset lamp”, she has created a place to stay sane for another COVID-19 winter. She uses it for “peace of mind away from my messy partner and growing love for meditating and yoga since the pandemic.”
Psychotherapist and editor-in-chief of Verywell Mind Amy Morin applauds making the most of your living space. “Your environment makes a big difference to your mental health. Living in a small space can take a toll on your mental health if you’re not careful,” she said. “But putting in a little extra effort to create an environment that helps you think, feel, and do your best is time well spent. You might have to get a little creative to make it work for you, but creating an enjoyable space to live in can improve your well-being.”
Chelsea Leigh Trescott, the 34-year-old breakup coach, podcaster and writer similarly sought to transform her surroundings, but what she wanted was vastly different. She missed going clubbing and so instead of letting Omicron cramp her style, she turned her 500-square-foot East Village basement apartment into a private club. She added RGB LED strip lights that follow the music to the baseboards and stairs, galaxy and star projectors that she uses as Bluetooth music speakers, and sunset spotlight projectors. She also added some “some epic pieces” of art. “I decided to view the pandemic as a dare to my soul,” Trescott said. “Rather than being fearful, how can I have fun in the midst of fear? How can I be the light?”
As per the Post, Thomas Jepsen, 29, CEO of the architecture company Passion Plans, also made changes suiting his own needs. Living and working out of a 400-square-foot apartment in Tribeca, what he really wanted was a quieter atmosphere. He decided on a DIY project to soundproof the apartment. He tapped into a surprisingly well-circulated internet “hack”. To keep neighboring noise out he covered all of the walls of his apartment with egg cartons stuffed with fabric. “The noise-reducing solution is anything but Nordic design but was used to ensure my sanity,” he said.
