I’ve often looked to New York City and Brooklyn for inspiring apartments. So when Merie’s photos came across my timeline it caught my eye immediately. The light, the colours, the art, the effortless style, all of it . Thrilled to share a tour of their 850 square foot family loft here. I’ll leave you with Merie below…

Intro

Hi, my name is Merie. I’m passionate about interior styling, decor and arranging knick knacks in our Brooklyn condo. You can find more of her space at @merie_subryan

How big is your home and what is the layout?

We live in a one bedroom, one bath condo in a converted piano factory in Downtown,

Brooklyn, cultural district. Our condo is 849sqft.

Who lives there?

Alex, my husband, (Store Brand Leader at Urban Outfitters in Cobble Hill), our 5 year old daughter Phoenix, our maltipoo Charlie and we are expecting a baby boy this Spring.

Tell me about your choice to live small. Was it a conscious decision or did it just evolve?

Our decision to live small was a conscious decision. As city dwellers, living small can allow us to save more money to do things we love to do like traveling, concerts, movies and being able to step outside of our home with everything in close proximity. Even though when we first bought our condo we didnt have any kids, we just knew the space was big enough to convert into a two-bedroom whenever we felt it was the right time to do so. We saw the many possibilities for our space.

How would you describe your home style?

I would describe my style as modern and minimal but I tend to draw inspiration from German and Parisian flats. I love the blog/books from the German based interior blog Freunden von Fruenden and the French blog, the Socialite Family for its relatability (ed. note: I’m trying to track down the Socialite Family book in Canada! Agree, very inspiring spaces). I also love the idea of stacked books. Although I’m very minimal, I could never stop buying books. It just allows a space to look lived in and is such a great conversation starter when guests come over especially when you both realize you share the same interest in books. My ideal space would look like Jenna Lyons’s old world Soho loft ! I’m still working on achieving elements from her home into mine but…one can only dream.

Is there a piece of furniture or accessory that you couldn’t live without that makes living in your space easier?

Our green West Elm harmony sofa is so comfy and can fit a slew of people when we are hosting but also serves as a subtle divider between our “bedroom niche” and our living area.

What is something you love about living small?

LESS CLEANING!

What is something you hate?

My daughter and husband can easily find me. Haha :)

I think Small Space-ers need to stick together and share all their best tricks. Do you have any storage or organizational tips you want to share?

Well to be honest, all of my storage and organizational tips have been taken from your blog. Since Phoenix started school the art projects seemed to just keep piling up. I feel horrible to even think about throwing away any of her artwork so when you posted about turning kids artwork into a book, I was sold and my guilt quickly vanished. I’m happy that it’s an alternative to reduce “clutter” but I can also store her work for years to come and possibly be able to pass it on to her kids one day. Also, the “one in, one out” method and your decluttering guide are complete lifesavers. (ed. note. **blush** this makes my day entirely. Very inspired be the ease, creativity and style of your space so if my little tips contributed in any way, I am thrilled!!)

These past couple of years have been particularly challenging for reasons I won’t summarize as we all have lived through them to varying degrees. How have you survived or even thrived in your small space that might help others (and if you haven’t that’s ok too)?

During those times we were lucky to own a car. It pretty much was our saving grace. When life began to get chaotic at home we have a car to help us create memories. We drove as far as we could as we explored our surroundings. Our car held a sense of peace, calmness and togetherness during those times for us as family.

Can you share some of your favourite NY spots that support living small? For me it’s nearby parks, community gardens, coffee shops, science world.. love to hear from others in their cities.

Cafe Kitsune

Hungry Ghost

Absolute Coffee (Our morning coffee spot)

Fort Greene Park

Alamo Drafthouse and Dekalb Food Market (inside City Point)

Out of the Closet Thrift Store

Brooklyn Public Library near Grand Army Plaza

Center Fiction, Books are Magic and Mcnally Jackson bookstores

Broooklyn museum, Brooklyn childrens museum

…and the many flea markets and street festivals throughout the year!!!

(ed. note: immediately starts looking up flights to NYC)

Thank you Merie for opening up your incredibly beautiful home to us! Can’t wait to see how it changes when you add another kid. The light and high ceilings are perfection but really it’s your eye for design and style that makes the space.

Merie kindly shared these Sources:

Noguchi Akari 15A ( Pendant Light)

Anthropologie Primrose Mirror

Abstract art print, Grecian Bust (HKliving)

String Shelves (DWR)