This Brooklyn Rental Is Full of Extremely Cool Handmade Furniture (and Joy!)

Adrienne Breaux

December 19, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.·5 min read

Gray couch in gray multi-use space — Designer Ezekiel Nelson describes his 700-square-foot apartment he's rented for 10 months as "industrial, but joyful and relatable." Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Floorplan of Brooklyn residence — "The soul of the studio is definitely within the main 15-feet-by-15-feet volume," he writes. "Perfectly square, open, and windowed living rooms are elusive in Brooklyn, but this top-floor apartment within a 1930s brownstone gifts this rare footprint, and the design of the interior quickly worked to emphasize it."
Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Blue bookshelf in gray space — Ezekiel says he's fortunate to have gotten to design and build nearly every big furniture piece in the apartment. "New materials introduced through furniture design draw inspiration from industrial design, embodying an honesty to form and function that resonates with the everyday," he writes. Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Man in front of blue shelf in gray space — Ezekiel focuses on bringing in materials like "polycarbonate, threaded rod, various metals, cinderblock, wood pine boards, and fiberglass grating to contribute a sense of authenticity and accessibility."
Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Industrial bar cart in gray space — "These materials evoke familiarity, reminiscent of past visits to your local hardware store, making them highly relatable." Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Dog in front of painting in gray space — Renzo is a German Shepard mix. Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Gray chairs and artwork in dining area — The floral posters are secondhand vintage Heronim Wysocki posters. The table was found at Urban Outfitters, and the chairs are secondhand Mart Stam chairs. Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Man next to yellow coffee table in gray living room space — "This apartment humbly tries to accommodate these obsessions I have," Ezekiel writes. "Most of the designed elements in the space take inspiration from the honest and raw design language often seen in industrial design." Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Industrial side table — "Utilitarian materials like polycarbonate, threaded rod, stainless steel, cinderblock, and fiberglass grating were brought in and modified to take new form." Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Yellow coffee table in gray living room space — "For a long time I did not have a coffee table. I did not know if I wanted to source a lovely vintage piece, or if I wanted to embark on designing one," Ezekiel describes. Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Yellow coffee table on blue floor — "In the end, I decided to take a stab at designing and building one. The main goal for the table was to provide enough room to set down a drink, a small plate, even a book ... but to also hold and display small reads (magazines/booklets) in a fresh way." Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Lamp and red vase in gray space — "For me, its rare to find objects that speak to me and provide that continuous joy and excitement," Ezekiel writes. Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Items and tools in gray space — "With that said, when you stumble upon things that do stop you in your tracks, whether it's inspiration or actual products, it is likely a sign. Pay attention to those signs and your space will begin to naturally reflect them." Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

Blue bed in gray bedroom — *Thanks, Ezekiel!* Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

ABOUT THIS TOUR

HOME TYPE: Apartment

LOCATION: Brooklyn, New York

STYLE: Contemporary, Industrial

BEDROOMS: 0

SQUARE FEET: 700

Designer Ezekiel Nelson moved to Brooklyn in “search of a space that could support my attempt at designing and constructing all the furniture and items to fill it. I was lucky to have found that apartment, and since then me and my dog have slowly built it into a space we can enjoy,” he writes of the 700-square-foot apartment he’s rented for 10 months with his dog, Renzo.

Blue shelf in gray space — Credit: Ezekiel Nelson Credit: Ezekiel Nelson

He says that “every piece of furniture was deliberately and carefully designed to meet a specific function. Whether it’s a section of the sofa perfect for my dog to rest, or a drawing board to support my constant sketching. This small space has been molded into all we need … with some added play.”

“So far in my (limited) design career I know I have continued to gravitate toward design that presents honesty, expresses logical and joyful construction connections, and, perhaps above all, utilizes common materials used in an uncommon way,” he writes.

“Furthermore, the design concepts worked to infuse bursts of color into these recognizable materials — rekindling joy and curiosity within the space.”

Resources

LIVING ROOM

Metal Archway — Designed and installed by me
Judd Piece — Skilset (a local studio making objects from reused materials)
Bar Car — Designed and built by me
Large Painting — Vintage from JAM (a local architecture studio and vintage shop)
Metal and Blue Shelves — Designed and built by me
“Poof” on Wheels — Designed and built by me (wheels came from Webstaurant store)
Sofa — Designed and built by me (fabric from Kirkby Design)
Rug — Etsy
Coffee Table — Designed and built by me
Rubber Tree Plant — Dahing Plants
Floor Lamp — Designed and built by me
Console — Designed and built by me
Transparent Frame — Designed and built by me
Speakers — Amazon

DINING ROOM

Floral Posters — Vintage Heronim Wysocki secondhand
Table — Urban Outfitters
Chairs — Mart Stam Chairs secondhand
Coasters — 3Form

HALLWAY

Console Table — Designed and built by me
Blue Acrylic for Table — Canal Plastics
Red Shelf — Skilset (a local studio making objects from reused materials)
Wire Grid Light — Designed and built by me
Drawing Board — Designed and built by me
New Yorker Poster — Secondhand

BEDROOM

Rug — Sean Brown Curves Collection
Bedding — Midnatt
Table — Designed and built by me
Curtains — IKEA

Thanks, Ezekiel!

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

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This Brooklyn Rental Is Full of Extremely Cool Handmade Furniture (and Joy!)

ABOUT THIS TOUR

Resources

LIVING ROOM

DINING ROOM

HALLWAY

BEDROOM

Further Reading

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