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“I’ve rented this apartment for five years,” says chef and cookbook author Natasha Pickowicz of her 500-square-foot Brooklyn apartment. “At first, I resisted hanging art and making changes because a rental is temporary. But eventually I realized: This is where I live now. Why not make it as comfortable as I can?” Here, Natasha gives us a tour…
ENTRYWAY
Rug: vintage. Portrait: painted by Natasha’s mother. “I think I’m eight in this one.”
On birthday traditions: Every year, my mom, who is an artist, painted a birthday portrait of me. My parents still live in my childhood home in San Diego, and my bedroom is full of them. It almost feels like a weird shrine to me! When I moved to New York, I brought along a few favorites.
KITCHEN AREA:
Red lamp: similar.
On meal planning: Working in restaurants taught me to plan meals around ingredients, instead of finding a different dinner recipe to cook every evening. If I’m in the mood for chicken, I’ll buy a whole chicken and then poach it, so I have a leftover batch of flavorful stock. Then, I’ll eat that stock every morning with rice and steamed greens.
Vase: Carolina Irving & Daughters. Cutting board: Nordstrom.
On pet-proofing: My cat, Teenie, figured out how to open the cabinet door and help herself to food and treats. My fix? Slant the door. It’s crooked, yes, but now she can’t open it.
Print: Plant Planet.
On hot takes: Nectarines are my favorite fruit. They have softer skin and more acidity than peaches. They taste good in salads with dark greens, like spinach or escarole, and they make amazing jam.
Bookshelves: Ikea. Red lamps: similar. Cat bowl: Smalls.
On cooking in a small apartment: I converted the front hall closet into a pantry, and I have a compact fridge. Living in this space has taught me how to cook leaner. Instead of doing big grocery hauls, I go shopping every couple days and talk to people in my neighborhood.
LIVING AREA:
Rug: Schoolhouse. Sofa: Pottery Barn. Lamp: similar.
On budget shopping: While sofa-shopping at Pottery Barn, I found one I loved and was ready to order. But then my boyfriend asked a salesperson if I could just buy the floor model. They said yes and sold it to me at a big discount!
On family rituals: Growing up, my parents and I ate dinner together every night. Afterward, we’d walk around the block. Those evenings with them instilled in me a deep love for walking. Nowadays, walking around the neighborhood after eating a nourishing meal is an act of being at home.
Print: Mike Paré. Table: West Elm. Chairs: thrifted.
On life without a TV: When I first moved to New York, I didn’t buy a TV since my former apartment was smaller, and I didn’t want it to be the first thing guests noticed. After a couple months, I realized I didn’t miss it. Now, if I really want to watch a movie or show, I’ll watch it on my laptop. But as a general rule, I try to wind down by reading, drawing, or puttering around the garden.
BEDROOM
Throw: Hubsch Interior. Sconces: Poplight. Side table: similar.
On playful lighting: My mom visited and said, ‘Your lighting situation here is inadequate.’ So, she bought me these sconces. They’re great for rentals because they stick to your walls with double-sided tape and are battery-operated.
On cozy corners: I like to call my bedroom my treehouse. It has stairs down to the backyard. In the mornings, it feels like waking up to a secret garden.
On fun crafts: My boyfriend, his son, and I made these dioramas in the backyard — they’re inspired by camping trips we went on this year. When I was a kid, my mom turned our garage into her art studio, and I remember seeing her artwork all over the house. Now it feels so fulfilling to have a home that inspires my loved ones and me to create.
GARDEN
On restorative projects: My cookbook, Everyone Hot Pot, was published earlier this year, and I did a two-month book tour, road-tripping from California to the Midwest to Canada and back to the East Coast. Visiting so many cities and meeting readers was exhilarating. But when I got back to New York, the comedown from all that excitement hit me hard. So, I spent a lot of time fixing up the garden and planting fruits and vegetables: purple okra, kale, husk cherries, cucumber, bitter melon, and lots of tomatoes.
On party games: I love setting up blind taste tests like in Top Chef. I’ll put everyone in makeshift blindfolds, then pluck whatever herbs are growing in the garden — Thai basil, lavender, lemongrass — and give them tastes. People get really into it! They’ll feel so confident that they know what they are eating, and seeing their faces when they are wrong is priceless.
On nostalgic fruits: Passion fruit grows all over San Diego, where I grew up, so I planted two passionflower vines back here. They’re so beautiful and produce big, weird flowers. Whenever I see them, I’m reminded of home.
On chaotic gardens: This year, I really wanted to lean into as many vining plants as possible. I like for things to get big and bushy, go to seed and bolt, and look like a wild jungle. I feel so good about what my boyfriend and I did back here this year, and I’m excited to see what we come up with next summer.
Thank you so much, Natasha! We love you.
P.S. A Brooklyn apartment full of surprises, and a family’s downsized dream home.
(Photos by Veronica Olson for Cup of Jo.)
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