Small-Space Apartment Upgrades That Won’t Break The Bank

Danielle Arps has made a name for herself as the go-to interior designer for New York-based start-ups. And, just like her clients — Codecademy, Kitchensurfing, Taykey, Memoir, Estimote, Contently, plus digital mainstays like Fashionista, to name a mere few — Arps is on the rapid-fire rise. She launched her own eponymous interior-design company, Dani Arps, in May 2014, prior to which the talented painter co-founded an art business, Femme and Fellow.

And, it's no wonder this stylish entrepreneur is in high demand: Some of her day-to-day creative solutions include figuring out floor plans for companies that are expected to scale at an incredible rate, working with founders on establishing their brand's aesthetic, and conceptualizing industrial open-space layouts that also allow for privacy, which she's resolved by designing her own line of sound-buffering lounge chairs for employees in need of a quiet refuge. (Genius, we know.)

But, make no mistake — though Arps may be a wiz at large-scale office interior design, she's also a master strategist when it comes to making every inch of her small-space Harlem apartment count. And, since we're always in search of big ideas for our pint-sized abodes, we got her pro advice on the topic whilst touring her artfully decorated home, which also doubles as her office. Ahead, get Arps' tips for maxing out your space and style with finds from T.J.Maxx, and learn how to think like an entrepreneur while you're at it. Consider this a crash course on how to "start up" your own living quarters (and life).