580-Square-Foot Miami Apartment Tour Photos

Name: Rita De Leon
Location: North Miami, Florida
Type of home: Apartment
Size: 580 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year and 5 months

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I live alone, which has allowed me to decorate my home to my liking! I took full advantage of this opportunity to decorate by making my living space a bright and colorful space that makes me feel happy and at peace. I know a lot of people would feel overwhelmed by my style, but color makes me feel so happy and peaceful, which was my number-one goal when decorating. My second goal was staying on budget, so everything may look very extravagant but in reality my furniture is from Target and Walmart! I love entertaining in my space and being able to show people not only my hard work, but also what I consider to be my safe space, like a small look into what my brain looks like.

Everything in my home reflects my personality; I wanted to decorate the space not only so it looked eccentric and colorful, but also so that it was uniquely mine. I spent months cultivating art for my gallery wall because I wanted every piece to mean something to me. I even included a painting I made! I loved being able to incorporate DIY into the space, so I’m always buying things and changing them up a little so it’s to my liking. There’s a lot going on, on the walls of my apartment but I love it all because it’s like a microcosm of who I am as a person.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Eccentric Maximalist Colorful Clean

What is your favorite room and why? My main living area includes my living room and a corner where I have my desk that I consider my “office” since I work from home. Living in a space that’s smaller than 600 square feet means that I spend a lot of time in this space; it’s where I entertain, eat, relax, read, and watch TV. My living room couches were inexpensive but I didn’t have to sacrifice comfort for style so I love being able to curl up in my fun and colorful living room.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Make sure everything you buy makes you happy! People are afraid to add color to their home because it’s not “practical” but being an adult doesn’t mean you have to be boring! I mean, if boring is what makes you happy, go ahead, but if you love a magenta couch or a fuchsia rug, just go for it! It’ll be worth it in the end if it makes you happy.

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.