This Salt Lake City Studio Is Full of Plants and Polaroids

Name: Nathan Miller
Location: Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah
Size: 758 square feet
Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting

My day job is in healthcare marketing. On nights and weekends, I’m a print-making, Polaroid-taking, road-tripping, 20-something-year-old with a mild plant-buying addiction. My apartment is located on a side street in Downtown Salt Lake City, and sits above a row of local shops, artist studios and small businesses. The century-old, converted warehouse offers many unique features, like tall ceilings, exposed brick, and a back loading dock that now serves as open patio space to the building’s tenants. Seconds from great food and drinks, and minutes from amazing skiing, the location is equally as important to me as the actual living space.

My style is influenced by culture, a handful of good DIY projects, and your local green house. If you come over, I’ve usually got every light on, a Spotify mix soaring and cold beer in the fridge. I like to entertain and this space, being a larger studio, allows me to do so comfortably.

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite “room” is the bedroom area. Having never lived in a studio before, I was nervous about everything being in one space. “This is going to be… so weird,” I initially thought. However, I feel like the plants, natural light and white bedding help this area blend in. It feels cohesive with the rest of the apartment, but also like its own, unique area. Plus, it’s a motivator to make my bed each morning!

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Over the holiday, I built the bench at the foot of my bed with my dad. I was gifted the hairpin legs, and splurged on the solid wood slab from a local lumber yard. I really like how it turned out.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Don’t rush. Look for good deals. And if you get a wild hair… just buy the damn plant.

My apartment is a collection of old and new items—some I’ve had for a while, and some were bought new or used. For me, once I had some of the bigger items (couch, bed, dining table, etc.) I was able to cruise shops, thrift stores, online sales, or my old art files and find items that complemented my style as well as the space. I found out quickly, you don’t have to spend a fortune to be proud of what you hang on your wall.