A Blank Brooklyn Apartment Turned Into a Cozy, Art-Layered Home — Without Renovating

published Dec 19, 2025

A Blank Brooklyn Apartment Turned Into a Cozy, Art-Layered Home — Without Renovating

published Dec 19, 2025

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Home Type

Location

Style

Bedrooms

Square feet

800

Sq ft

800

“I’ve always loved the feeling of starting with a completely blank slate,” begins Rahab Hammad, who’s been renting this 800-square-foot Brooklyn apartment for a year. “Every time I move, I rebuild my home from scratch — new furniture, new art, new energy — because I really believe each space deserves its own identity.”

Credit: Rahab Hammad

Rahab admits that gallery walls are one of her love languages. "Curating art that speaks to me and arranging it in a way that fits the architecture makes the space feel alive. I’m constantly organizing and reorganizing little corners so everything has a purpose — for both me and my dog, Arthur, who truly runs this household. My gallery walls include pieces that remind me of home — abstract forms, organic shapes, and subtle nods to North African design. And finding the perfect desk to match the dimensions of my office nook became a mission — but it paid off, especially paired with the oversized gallery wall that anchors the whole room."

Rahab says there were two specific things that really caught her eye about this unit, which is located in a building from the early 1900s: the high ceilings and the loads of natural light. “I wanted to create a home that felt airy and open, filled with greenery, but still deeply cozy and timeless,” she writes. “It’s just me and Arthur my dog here, and my goal was to create a home that feels intentional, creative, and lived in — a place where light, art, and comfort all meet.”

Credit: Rahab Hammad

"My bedroom is the most minimalist space in my home — calm, clean, and intentionally pared back," she explains. "I wanted it to feel like a soft retreat, so I kept the palette neutral and layered. One of the biggest changes I made was switching out all the lighting in the apartment. This woven chandelier instantly elevated the room and added that organic, Mediterranean warmth I love. I also added an oversized mirror to open up the space and reflect the beautiful light from the large windows. It’s simple, but it feels serene — the perfect place to start and end the day."

Rahab says that hosting is “one of my favorite joys, so having a warm dining area that flows into an open kitchen was essential. I wanted friends to feel instantly welcomed — the kind of space where people naturally linger. In the bedroom, waking up to soft morning light was a must, so I kept the palette neutral, layered, and calm.”

Credit: Rahab Hammad

"I gravitate toward warm, earthy tones, natural textures, and Mediterranean influences — the kinds of colors and materials that immediately make a space feel grounded and calm. The art I collect, the plants I care for, and even the way I arrange my furniture all reflect my identity and the way I like to move through the world: intentional, warm, and connected to nature," Rahab writes. "Don’t decorate all at once. Live in your space long enough to understand how you move through it — where you read, work, host, or rest. Then design around those moments. Function first, beauty always follows."

Rahab likes to rebuild her home from scratch every time she moves, because she wants “each home to feel like a reflection of who I am at that moment. This apartment, with its high ceilings and sunlight, gave me the canvas to blend my Egyptian roots with a cozy Mediterranean aesthetic — a space that feels both deeply personal and genuinely soothing.”