‘I Rented a Bland, Beige Studio—and Turned It Into a Rainbow Paradise’
A Philadelphia renter is proving that leased spaces never need to be bland or boring—after taking her beige, empty loft space and turning it into a paradise of color, light, and joy.
Alexandra Danko, 34, moved into her spacious studio in March 2023, having chosen the unit for its impressive square footage and its enormous windows that helped to fill it with light throughout the day.
Located inside a disused shoe factory that was originally built in the 1880s, it also offered ample space for her to set up her handmade jewelry and accessories business, Blush Daisy.
“This place really just had this space and light and everything that it was the perfect vehicle for everything I was trying to do,” Danko says.
The only thing the apartment lacked however? A single ounce of color.
But for Danko, the loft’s empty, bare walls presented, not an issue, but an opportunity. Where many might have seen another hurdle to overcome, she saw a blank canvas on which to exercise her creative skills.
Danko’s love for themed spaces started early. She recalls her parents purchasing a massive box television in the 1990s, and letting her draw on and decorate the cardboard box to craft her own mini hideaway.
“I really felt this was a fulfilling thing, having my own little secret space to decorate,” Danko explains.
As she grew older, her projects expanded. She eventually transformed her father’s abandoned shed into a ‘70s-style clubhouse using colorful tiles, blow-up furniture, a retro clock, and her favorite artwork.
When she started Blush Daisy, Danko began to share her DIY decorating projects on Instagram to grow a following—and increase business.
Little did she know that it was actually her interior decorating skills that would turn her into a viral sensation.
“The apartment stuff was supposed to be a secret diary that was my creative outlet from work stuff,” Danko explains. “Then accidentally, people were responding to it in a way that I was like, oh, I didn’t even know I was good at this.”
Today, her Instagram account boasts more than 180,000 followers, many of whom were brought in directly by the content that Danko shares from inside her rainbow loft.
Building a rainbow
While the windows had been one of the most alluring features of the apartment, Danko didn’t get the opportunity to really relish in them during the first few days after moving in—because the weather was so gloomy.
However, as soon as the sun came out, a lightbulb went off, and her vision for the loft began to take shape.
“I was like, man, this place is so whatever. And then when the sun came out, it was this glorious light up of the whole place, and it really started sparking a lot of ideas,” Danko says.
Danko brought several rainbow-themed pieces from previous apartments, including a disco ball that caught the incoming sunlight.
“As the windows hit it, it was [wow], and then every decision I was making was what can I do to make these interactions sing together,” Danko explains.
Filling the space
Creating the rainbow loft was not without its spatial challenges. Because of the studio’s open floor plan and high ceilings, filling the unit was surprisingly difficult.
“I really didn’t think about how hard it would be to fill this much space,” Danko says. “Once our furniture got delivered, it took up such a tiny portion of the apartment that it was shocking to discover perspective was going to come into play.”
Danko slowly got to work, first purchasing a couple of statement pieces that helped her build around the gigantic space. To anchor the room, Danko bought a large, vintage couch on Facebook Marketplace as the crowning item, allowing her to acquire decor that complemented the specific piece.
From there, she customized almost everything else.
“[It’s] more of an art project to me,” Danko says. “I’ve made all my own pillows and try to DIY my rugs and candle holders and coasters and chandeliers and light fixtures, anything that I can figure out how to make myself.”
Finding beauty in balance
While the open layout supports her creative process, having her entire living space on display can sometimes feel daunting.
“It’s so intimate to have people over if I can’t just close the door on all my mess and my projects or my dirty laundry or whatever,” Danko says. “I feel I sometimes hesitate.”
That intimacy is something Danko is working to share more by hosting and bringing other people into the space as a way to reveal herself.
But despite the vulnerability, she loves sharing the space with her close friends and family
“I do get a kick out of not mentioning a lot about it and just letting them experience it for the first time,” Danko says. “They open the door, and it’s just a [mix] of color and patterns and light beaming off of things.”
With her “DIY spirit,” Danko is currently working on ways to demarcate the space, especially to give her husband a larger work area.
“Maybe I could build some sort of curtain made out of acrylic and [use it as] a room divider,” Danko says. “[I’m] thinking more about making more distinct spaces instead of just one huge area of furniture.”
Sparking joy
Over the years, Danko estimates that she has spent between $10,000 and $15,000 on her rainbow loft, including furniture that she’s either bought or DIYed to match her theme.
However, she insists that she primarily focuses on items she can upcycle or find secondhand to then creatively customize to her style.
”A lot of people think my furniture is expensive,” Danko says. “I actually got that for $50 and then covered it in vinyl, or I painted it myself, or something along those lines. I’m flattered that people think it costs more, but I’m also proud of the resourcefulness of it.”
While followers often suggest that her rainbow loft has been inspired by Lisa Frank, Y2K, and other similar fads, Danko says she actually takes her lead from “what sparks joy.”
“Those are just influences I grew up with,” Danko explains. “Sometimes I think that actually kills some natural instinct because you’re trying to reference something so clearly.”
Regardless of her followers’ opinions, Danko has come to enjoy hearing other people’s interpretations of the space. And even after three years, she is still amazed by how the lighting blends with her items to create a colorful atmosphere.
“I’m really aware of the sun in every season,” Danko says. “It’s different every single day, and I’m excited every afternoon to see what’s gonna happen.”
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