This 900-Square-Foot Brooklyn Rental Feels Like a Family Album and Travel Diary in One

Interior designer Megan Gibbon has spent five years transforming her 900-square-foot Brooklyn apartment into a space that functions as a personal travel diary and family album, blending meaningful objects with bespoke design. The apartment, located in Cobble Hill, is a peaceful retreat that reflects her family’s history, friendships, and travels, offering a contrast to the overstimulation of city life.

Gibbon, originally from Britain, describes her apartment as “one of those COVID gems,” a rental she found on Craigslist that became her family’s sanctuary. The space is filled with curated pieces, including Charlotte Perriand chairs, an 18th-century Swedish chest, and artwork by her mother and friends. She has incorporated vintage finds, personal ceramics, and custom furniture, creating a layered environment that tells her family’s story.

Gibbon designed and installed many of the unique features herself, including a ceramic backsplash in the kitchen and a removable tile display on the rooftop, turning simple rental features into distinctive design moments. Her approach emphasizes personal history, with objects like a wood bookshelf made by her brother and textiles from her travels serving as meaningful decor elements. The apartment’s open layout, with French doors connecting rooms, enhances the sense of space despite its modest size.

Her bedroom features a Noguchi Akari lantern, antique French columns, and her own ceramic vessels, creating a calm, intimate environment. Gibbon’s ceramics, inspired by her garden, are displayed throughout the home, blurring the line between her creative studio and living space. Despite the serenity, she notes that her children’s toys are neatly stored away each evening, maintaining the apartment’s peaceful atmosphere.

Personalized Design as a Reflection of Family and Travel

This apartment exemplifies how personalized, meaningful design can create a sense of sanctuary within a small city space. It highlights the importance of collecting and customizing elements that tell a family’s story, making a rental feel like home. For urban dwellers, it demonstrates that thoughtful, personal touches can transform modest spaces into retreats that nurture well-being and connection.

Transforming a Rental Into a Personal Sanctuary

Gibbon’s approach reflects a broader trend among interior designers and homeowners to personalize rental spaces, especially during the pandemic when many sought comfort at home. Her background in hospitality design, including work at Soho Farmhouse, influences her ability to craft environments that feel both curated and lived-in. Over five years, she gradually added personal collections, bespoke furniture, and creative DIY projects, turning the apartment into a reflection of her family’s life.

“We’re really lucky that our home reflects our friendships and our family.”

— Megan Gibbon

Remaining Questions About Long-Term Residency

It is not yet clear whether Gibbon plans to stay long-term in this rental or if she will eventually move and replicate her design approach elsewhere. Details about her future living arrangements or potential renovations are still emerging.

Future Plans for the Brooklyn Apartment

Gibbon is expected to continue personalizing her space, possibly adding new collections or DIY projects. There is also interest in whether she will undertake larger renovations or move to a different home that allows for more extensive modifications.

Key Questions

How does Gibbon incorporate her personal history into her home design?

She uses meaningful objects like vintage textiles, artworks by family members, and custom ceramics inspired by her travels, creating a layered environment that reflects her family’s story.

Are there any major renovations planned for the apartment?

There are no publicly known plans for extensive renovations; Gibbon has focused on DIY updates and personal touches that can be reversed or moved if needed.

How does Gibbon balance her creative work with family life in this space?

She blurs the line between home and studio by displaying her ceramics throughout the apartment, while maintaining organized storage to keep the space peaceful and functional for her family.

What inspired Gibbon’s approach to decorating her rental?

Her background in hospitality design and her desire to create a space that feels like a retreat inspired her to incorporate personal collections and bespoke elements into her rental home.

Will the apartment serve as a model for other renters?

While every rental is different, Gibbon’s approach demonstrates how personal, DIY touches can transform modest spaces into meaningful homes, potentially inspiring others.

Source: Architectural Digest