A woman transformed her Brooklyn apartment into the 'girly loft' of her dreams, with an at-home bar and a photo studio that she rents out

Armani SyedNov 8, 2021, 19:34 IST

Rachel Martino in front of the at-home bar in her apartment (left) and a view of her photo studio that she rents out (right).Rachel Martino/ Red Balloon Communications

A TikToker transformed her Brooklyn apartment into the colorful loft of her dreams.
Rachel Martino told Insider the process with interior designer Megan Hop took six months.

Rachel Martino, a 31-year-old content creator, gave her Brooklyn apartment the "girly" makeover of her dreams and shared a video of the transformation on TikTok.

The view of the living room in Rachel Martino's apartment before she transformed it. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

The home is centered on a 1,100-square-foot middle space including a living room, dining room, and a reading nook.

The large pink sofa was the anchor point for Rachel Martino's loft. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

She said she was staying in Los Angeles, California, during the pandemic and didn't view the 2,000-square-foot apartment in person before she decided to rent it.

A view of the open loft space in Rachel Martino's apartment before her transformation. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

The apartment has distinct pastel interiors, exposed brick walls, a pink floor-to-ceiling shelving unit, and an at-home bar.

A view of the living room within Rachel Martino's girly loft. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

Martino said her regular-sized possessions looked like "little doll furniture" in the large loft, so she hired interior designer Megan Hop to help curate the space.

A view of Rachel Martino's dining room table with floral wallpaper and differently colored chairs. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

The pink, arched shelving unit in the loft's studio space was made by Martino's carpenter friend, using an IKEA cabinet as a base.

A pink arched shelving unit that Rachel Martino made using an IKEA cabinet as the base. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

Another fun feature of Martino's loft is the teal at-home bar in the dining room.

The at-home bar that Rachel Martino had mounted to her dining room wall. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

She said an added appeal of this loft is that while it is broadly an open space, there are still a few different rooms.

The view of the bedroom in Rachel Martino's apartment before she transformed it. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

Martino said a lot of modern interiors lend to minimalism and this isn't suited to her colorful, quirky tastes.

Rachel Martino's dog resting on the bed in her Brooklyn loft. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

Martino said her advice to others undertaking a big transformation like hers is to take it "one step at a time."

The bedroom in Rachel Martino's open-plan loft is a room of its own. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

A useful hack is to choose the largest pieces of furniture first, according to Martino.

A view from Rachel Martino's bedroom in her loft in Brooklyn. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

Another hack that Martino had was to hire a U-haul van and shop at outlets to fill the space.

A view of Rachel Martino's empty apartment before she transformed the space. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

Martino said that she had a more typical New York living experience early on in her career, with four roommates in a tiny living space.

The reading nook in Rachel Martino's New York apartment. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

Martino said she intended to make the property into a live-work loft and create a studio space for herself and other content creators to use.

The coffee table in Rachel Martino's loft, featuring a view of the kitchen with an exposed brick wall. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

While it's tough for Martino to pick her favorite part of the loft, she said it's a tie between the bar and the studio.

A vanity desk and pink arched shelves in Rachel Martino's studio space. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

The reaction to the loft on social media and from Martino's family has been "the icing on the cake" for her.

Rachel Martino and her dog in the living room of her transformed loft. Rachel Martino via Red Balloon Communications

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