I Asked a Small-Space Living Expert for Their No. 1 Rule of “Living Tiny” (It’s Brilliant!)

Adrienne Breaux
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
I grew up watching TV shows like This Old House and New Yankee Workshop with my parents, and learned early on that not only is it possible to remake your home’s surroundings to fit your lifestyle and personality, but that it’s also fun. When I got to college, I started in journalism but eventually listened to the siren song of home decor, graduating with a BA in Interior Design from Louisiana State University. My entire professional career has been a delightful mix of my passions: writing, photography, and interior design. I’ve worked at two different types of furniture stores (one ultra-modern and one full of antiques); I’ve worked on residential and commercial interior design projects; I’ve written about art, architecture, and design for print and online publications (a career highlight was getting to interview famed collage artist and David Bowie collaborator Rex Ray for Uppercase Magazine); I’ve even been an architectural photographer. And for over 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of gorgeous house tours from around the world. I've lived in a variety of homes, including a van, a former downtown store in small-town Texas, and a studio apartment rumored to have once been owned by Willie Nelson. It's made me passionate about featuring people making the best of their homes, no matter what shape that home is in, and inspiring others to create beautiful, functional homes. I truly believe that you can be your best self when you love your home. I love traveling, checking off Atlas Obscura wishlists, taking photos, making art, seeing art, throwing an incredible themed Halloween party every year, and staying up-to-date on the latest science fiction and horror movies. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
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published Aug 23, 2024
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Writing deck in front of sunny, plant filled window.
Credit: Chinasa Cooper

If anyone has legitimate expertise in the arena of tiny living, it’s Suzi Siegel. Not only is she the author of a book about the tiniest things in NYC, Tiny New York, but she also owns her own tiny piece of NYC — a 500-square-foot studio apartment she’s been living in for seven years. And you better believe she’s learned a thing or two about how to successfully live in a super small home.

Credit: Chinasa Cooper

For instance, she says that clutter is “bad news in a small space,” and advises minimizing decor that just sits on tops of your home’s flat surfaces but doesn’t serve an actual functional purpose, like cute accessories that might be hanging out on top of your coffee or dining tables. She also suggests maximizing what you hang on your wall (like shelves, for instance). The “walls are free underutilized space!” she exclaims. 

But her No. 1 piece of advice doesn’t have to do with tabletop or wall surfaces but rather has everything to do with another important surface: the floor. 

Credit: Chinasa Cooper

Minimize objects that take up floor space.

“If it takes up floor space, it should have multiple uses,” she emphasizes. In her small home, she has credenzas that double as dressers full of storage, for instance. She also has lots of ottomans that pull double duty and have not only seating but also more storage. “I do a party every year for Queens Pride, which kicks off Pride month and I got 20 people seated comfortably in here no problem,” she admits. 

That’s not to say you shouldn’t have anything on your floors, Suzi just encourages you to be thoughtful about what does take up floor space in your home, and see if there’s a way to make it serve more than one purpose. I think you can safely exclude your sofa or side chairs (but actually, there are great storage sofas available!). 

Check out more tiny-living advice in Suzi’s stylish and small home in Queens.

This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: I Asked a Small-Space Living Expert for Their No. 1 Rule of “Living Tiny” (It’s Brilliant!)