A Sterile Warehouse Feels Warm and Cozy, Thanks to a Renter’s Customizations

published Aug 12, 2025

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About this tour

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Home Type

Studio Apartment

Location

Echo Park, Los Angeles, California

Style

Contemporary

Industrial

Organic Modern

Bedrooms

Square feet

934

Sq ft

934

Jamaican American artist Keegan D. Carter‘s studio apartment is in a building from 1973, but was renovated in 2014. The 934-square-foot studio apartment is located in Los Angeles’ Echo Park neighborhood, and Keegan has rented the space for about six months. And he’s used inspiration from his travels, DIY projects, and his own art to warm up what started as a plain, industrial space.

Credit: Keegan D. Carter

Despite his home technically being all one room, Keegan was able to create distinct spaces within the home to give it a feeling of depth and layers.

“The inside of the unit was cold and somewhat sterile,” Keegan explains of the studio apartment, which is one large L-shaped room with tall white walls and gray epoxy flooring. Because it’s west-facing the rental gets ton of natural light, which was a major selling point for Keegan.

“It’s also surrounded by a variation of warm climate trees, creating the feeling that you’re in a place like Mexico City,” he writes. Starting from scratch, Keegan budgeted $5,000 to furnish and decorate the space, and says that he designed the space according to three themes — the first theme being “live/work.”

Credit: Keegan D. Carter

"The first word in free will is 'FREE.' Use it," Keegan advises. "If you can imagine it, you should go for it even if it's completely unconventional. A canvas available to everyone is the decoration of the place we spend our most cherished time."

“A segmented art studio provides me the space to work, ideate, and create within my apartment. The best thing about having any type of art studio, in my opinion, is the ability to leave and come back to your work exactly as it was without needing to put things way. This is why it was imperative to carve out a dedicated space, separate from my living quarters,” Keegan writes.

Credit: Keegan D. Carter

The couch is from the brand HDButterup's outlet sale section. "I got a great deal on the couch, as they only had endcap corner pieces left, so I used a coffee table in between two sections of the couch to create space."

The second thing he wanted to do was maintain a sense of being grounded. “I did not want to chase my high ceilings, and a recent trip to Japan and South Korea informed my approach largely. For that reason, all impermanent furnishings, other than art, are positioned low to the ground. This includes the couch, bed, balcony seating, and long-low shelving unit.”

Credit: Keegan D. Carter

The last thing he infused into his home was culture. “Coming from a culturally vibrant and diverse upbringing in the Tri-state area, I encountered many different ways of living and being. I credit this experience as being the driver behind my passionate curiosity. I wanted the home to feel foreign and familiar at the same time. Hoping to create a continuous feeling that there is always more to explore out there. So there are over 20 works of art present within the space.”

Credit: Keegan D. Carter

"Low furniture, bedding, and shelving grounds your attention and body, creating a worldly aesthetic not commonly present in Western homes," Keegan explains of one of his approaches to interior design inspired by his travels.

Along with his own artwork, you can find photos of his travels throughout Europe, Asia, and South America — even remnants from past art exhibitions that he’s either attended or put on. “I know what it feels like to leave a place feeling encouraged to expand oneself, and I want anyone who encounters the space to feel that way — as well as myself, selfishly,” Keegan writes.