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This 350-square-foot studio looks like a luxury hotel room after a makeover

If you've ever walked into a luxury hotel room and said, "I could live here," you're going to love this New York City studio.
/ Source: TODAY

If you’ve ever walked into a luxury hotel room and said, “I could live here” you’re going to love this New York City studio.

Angie Teater, owner and designer of Angela Leland Interiors, completely transformed her tiny Manhattan apartment from a boring and awkward small space into a cozy and chic home.

Boring beige 350 square-foot studio gets a luxurious makeover
The space before the makeover.Angie Teater

“I travel a lot, so to me, hotel rooms are my favorite source of inspiration,” she told TODAY Home.

To come up with her home decor concept, she researched lots of different hotel rooms online and looked at spaces by designer Kara Mann who has mastered the art of using light and dark colors.

Luxury studio apartment
Here's what the studio looks like afterward. Big difference!Minette Hand for Apartment Therapy

“Because it’s a small space, I didn’t want it to feel closed in and cave-like,” Teater said.

The process was a bit slow moving — she has lived in the rental for eight years, and has been decorating it piece by piece.

Luxury studio apartment
Take your time finding special items that really fit the space, Teater suggests.Minette Hand for Apartment Therapy

“I’m very patient with finding the right items,” she said of her strategy. “In design, sometimes we want to rush it. But I would have an empty space in my apartment until I found the right thing.” She said the key was measuring out everything and choosing things that she not only loved, but that also worked within the space.

Luxury studio apartment
Would you try black paint?Minette Hand for Apartment Therapy

One of the boldest choices she made was painting the walls black (Onyx by Benjamin Moore). “I had never planned on painting the apartment black,” Teater said, but decided to try it out for a photo shoot — she had styled her bed and thought it’d look better with a black wall. What was supposed to be a temporary decision made the aesthetic emerge. “It didn’t feel as dark as I thought it was going to,” she said.

Another unexpected solution for making the small space feel bigger? Thinking large. “People tend to be afraid of small spaces and they buy teeny tiny furniture,” she said. “A lot of things in my apartment are quite large, but they’re proportional and fit in the space. Nothing in my space is small.”

Luxury studio apartment
Don't be afraid to use large furniture!Minette Hand for Apartment Therapy

While one of Teater’s biggest challenges of the apartment was the layout, she managed to work with it. The living room feels separated from the bedroom thanks to the furniture placement, and she created a DIY bookcase that hides a randomly placed closet stuck in the corner.

In a nook where a Murphy bed once lived, she now has a six-seat dining table that fits perfectly, almost as if it were custom-made for the space. When friends are over, Teater pulls the table out for her guests.

Luxury studio apartment
This dining table seats six for when Teater has company.Minette Hand for Apartment Therapy

One of her biggest pieces of advice for those decorating a small space is to take chances. “I love it when people are brave,” she said.

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To see more of Teater’s gorgeous studio, visit the home tour at Apartment Therapy.