This Tiny Washington, DC Bungalow Has Big, Bold Style

Sarai Reed is the woman behind Apron Saint, a design and lifestyle site that offers home consulting services. The brand’s tagline, “home is wherever you are and whatever you make it,” sums up Sarai’s approach to design — home can be created absolutely anywhere, no matter how big or small one’s space is. In Washington DC, Sarai has made her apartment, that’s just a little over 500 square feet, into a beautifully curated home for herself, her girlfriend April and their dog Lambo.

The family has lived in the apartment for three years, and has been been working on a variety of projects to make this space their own. From painting the living room and bedroom to a full kitchen renovation, they’ve found ways to customize the space to fit their lifestyle. “I wanted the living room to be minimal and moody. The giant, south-facing window is really the star of the show in this space,” says Sarai. “I love the light here. I can sit on the sofa and soak up the sun. It's especially nice in winter, when things can feel so dark and heavy, to have a space that is filled with light.”

The home’s living room has a unique feature — two-tone walls. “Our two-toned living room paint job is what most people notice first about our living space,” remarks Sarai when discussing the deep blue and white walls that extend from the living area into the hallway. “After that [they notice] the hexagon bookshelves. Both add depth and charm to an otherwise plain, square room.” The hexagon shelves make a statement over the intimate dining area that’s been carved out in the space.

Sarai describes her design aesthetic as “green, midcentury and minimal.” All three elements come together in the living area. Sarai’s love of houseplants is on full display, with plants filling every corner of the home. The midcentury credenza adds a vintage touch to the living room, and wood details can be spotted throughout the home. “My absolute favorite piece of all time is an authentic Broyhill credenza that we use as a media cabinet. I bought it on Craigslist years ago. It’s beautiful and well-made and I plan on keeping it forever.”

This corner is a perfect little reading nook. A yellow velvet side chair adds a pop of sunshine to the cozy corner. Over the chair, a pennant by Brooklyn-based design brand, rayo & honey completes the nook.

The indigo and white paint treatment continues in the hallway of the home. Though the entire apartment is just a little over 500 square feet, the painted treatment on the walls makes the home feel more spacious.

Sarai and April enjoy biking in DC, so much so that the couple integrated custom bike storage into the design of their home. In the entryway, their bikes are hung on wood platforms. Each bike looks like a piece of art that can be seen from the living room.

Sarai’s favorite room in the home is the kitchen. “It took a long time to renovate the kitchen,” she shares. “More specifically, it took a long time to convince myself that I deserved a new kitchen. I love to cook and entertain, and our old set up could not accommodate that. So this is an investment that made sense for us.” To keep with the minimalist theme of the home, the kitchen features a relaxing white color palette with wood accents. A white tile wall adds a layer of pattern to the space. And framed art provides a unique touch to the kitchen wall.

In this one-bedroom apartment, the bedroom features a DIY project that adds a bright touch to the home. “We painted the bedroom ourselves at the beginning of the pandemic,” says Sarai. “The bedroom was inspired by my favorite thing — breakfast in bed. Our yellow painted headboard reminds me of a giant sunny-side-up egg,” she remarks about the brightly hued mural. It’s a fun bit of whimsy that’s been added to the bedroom.

In the bedroom, Sarai’s love of plants continues to be on display. A mix of greenery, DIY style and vintage-inspired pieces creates a cozy bedroom retreat for both Sarai and April to enjoy.

For this fan of minimalism, midcentury furnishings with clean lines keep the aesthetic clean and unfussy in the bedroom. The walnut on walnut furnishings warm up the space without adding too much noise, keeping things relaxing and cozy.