Roommates Make a Small Apartment as Efficient as Possible

published Apr 11, 2019

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Living room with gray sofa, black coffee table, potted plants, and a bulldog. White shelves with glassware in the background. — (Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

Name: Austin Buben, roommate Loren Kennedy, and an English Bulldog named Sherman
Location: Lower East Side — New York, New York
Size: 450 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years, renting (Austin has lived in the apartment for three years. Loren moved in a year ago and the two of them have made many improvements and adjustments to the space.)

Austin is a creative who works in interior design and branding for hotels, restaurants, and bars. Austin loves to cook and was blessed with a green thumb. Loren works in fashion and is a total fitness fanatic. He’s a style-influencer and loves to take pictures around the city. Also living in the apartment is Austin’s dog, an English Bulldog named Sherman.

Couch, throw, and pillows from Burrow. Above the couch hang two photographs by Vancouver-based artist Barb Choit. Coffee table from Room and Board. A part of Austin’s plant collection sits in the window. (Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

The Lower East Side has historically been the settling grounds for recent immigrants to the United States. Tenement buildings like the one where Austin and Loren reside (built in 1920) were originally developed to house the immigrant population in very condensed quarters. Given that heritage, most apartments in this part of Manhattan are especially small, forcing Austin and Loren to get creative with efficient layouts and smart use-of-space solutions.

Austin’s room has touches inspired by the Southwest as he was born and raised in the desert of Arizona. The two bronze wall-mounted shelves on either side of the bed are from West Elm. Austin made the lights on either side from IKEA rope pendants and shelf hangers. The pillow is from Will Leather Goods. (Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

Given the small size of the room, Austin wanted to consolidate all of his art into a corner gallery wall. Each piece was either made by Austin himself or purchased in thrift stores and at flea markets. The two portraits at the bottom right are of Austin’s grandparents on their wedding day. (Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Bright, cozy, and eclectic, yet curated

In Loren’s room hangs art from both NYC and Ohio—his home state. The desk, chair, and lamp are from IKEA. The pendant lamp is from West Elm and the rug is from Urban Outfitters. (Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

What is your favorite room and why? Though both roommates love their own respective rooms, the living room is their favorite. The two giant windows let in lots of natural light (a rarity in the Lower East Side) and the space is arranged in a very smart way—making it ideal for chill-time or hosting friends. The always-stocked bar cart was a vintage purchase at a stoop sale in the East Village. Austin installed the shelves (from IKEA) above the bar and TV, which transformed the space and added crucial additional storage. The book collection is Austin’s and covers everything from botany to food memoirs and fiction classics. The mirror (IKEA) between the two windows makes the room feel larger and the plant collection adds life to the space. Austin chose to only use terra cotta pots for a consistent look—a crucial move for a small space!

(Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? There are the inevitable rental limitations as to what Austin and Loren can do. The doors, baseboards, and cupboards in the kitchen are a light pine, which they would love to paint all white to match the walls but, alas, the lease won’t allow it. To distract from the light pine (which isn’t the total worse), they painted the walls a bright matte white and hung interesting art throughout.

Both roommates cook a lot thanks to the kitchen being surprisingly large given the size of the apartment. Above the cabinet is Austin’s cookbook collection and a vintage Kitchen Aid he purchased from a flea market while in college in Ithaca—it still works! (Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Loren recently got the couch from Burrow, which has been a perfect addition to the living room. It was not only easy to get up two flights of stairs and through the door, but it also assembled easily and fits in the space perfectly! The pillows and throw complement the Barb Choit photographs above the couch and the gray material is cozy but still clean and the bright—in-line with the aesthetic of the rest of the living room.

Austin found the bar cart, which fits perfectly in the cubby, at a stoop sale in the East Village. Above, the same IKEA shelves were installed to display the glassware—which are a mix of vintage finds and specialty cocktail-ware. (Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

(Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

Making use of every corner of space is crucial to making the small space as efficient as possible. The hanging bronze basket is from Wayfair. The art is a picture of navy sailors in a WWII submarine taken by Austin’s grandfather and a giant map of France’s Bordeaux wine region.

Which fictional character would be most at home in your place? Austin and Loren both cook most meals at home—something not so common in NYC. The kitchen is a great size and has lots of storage given the overall size of the apartment. Disney’s Ratatouille would probably love to call the apartment home. There’s lots of cookbooks to flip through, the fridge and pantry is always stocked, and the kitchen is outfitted with professional cookware. Plus, Sherman and he would probably get along great!

Shelves from IKEA display Austin’s book collection which covers everything from food memoirs to botany. The shelves were an important install given the limited built-in storage space available throughout the apartment. (Image credit: Loren Kennedy)

Any advice for creating a home you love? If you’re working with a small space, install as much shelving as possible and take advantage of every corner and inch. Stick with a consistent color palette—from the pots your houseplants are in to your bathroom and kitchen towels. Keep it tidy! In a small space, it’s so much more noticeable if things are out of line so everything needs its own place. Lastly, indulge in the small things that you use everyday like candles, linens, plates, and glasses. They don’t have to be pricey but do invest in things that you really love!

Thanks, Austin and Loren!

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*4/12/2019 CORRECTION: Size was initially reported as 700 square feet, but it’s actually only 450 square feet.

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