How To Make Your Tiny Space Feel HUGE

At the age of 33, I finally decided it was time to live alone. Up until now, I've lived with parents, best friends, ex-husband, and one awesome Craigslist dude, it was time to shed my companion crutch and go out on my own.

One ridiculously expensive broker's fee later (good-bye, new A.P.C. fall wardrobe — I guess I never could afford you anyway), I secured a teeny-tiny (380 square feet!) rent-stabilized studio on a most pristine block in Brooklyn Heights. It was small, but it felt like me. Fast-forward two months later, and I was still surrounded by unhung artwork, a giant pile of shoes at the bottom of my closet, and a bed in the middle of my room. Overwhelmed by the task of decorating an entire — albeit small — apartment, I was frozen by the enormity of it all. I had the tools, some ideas, and the stuff to fill it with, but where was I supposed to put it all?

Step in Refinery29 EIC Christene Barberich, who also happens to be an interiors genius with tons of experience making small spaces livable (check out her own beautiful, tiny apartment on Tales of Endearment). Help also came from small-space guru Gunnar Larson, whose own apartment I admired and bookmarked for inspiration. Together, the two transformed my cramped space into a veritable palace that's efficient, cozy, and completely me. Click through to see how they did it and the 23 tips you can steal for your own place.