Here's how an interior designer helped a Facebook worker make his 400-square-foot studio apartment feel twice as big

For product designer Derek Bradley, coming home from Facebook's gorgeous New York City office to a drab studio apartment was not ideal. Beige walls and poor lighting had Bradley calling onHomepolish, a startup that has designed spaces for other startups and homeowners. Working with Melissa, one of Homepolish's interior designers, Bradley was able to transform his 400-square-foot home into a bright and beautiful space.

Taking inspiration from the Facebook offices and Bradley's graphic design background, Melissa was able to play with bright, bold colors and patterns. "[Derek] knew he wanted his space to be hip, modern, and minimal," she told Business Insider. Let's take a look inside his transformed seventh-floor apartment near Union Square.

SEE ALSO: Look inside the swanky New York City bachelor pad where 2 of Sweetgreen's cofounders live

Upon first walking into the space, Melissa immediately knew the walls needed to be painted. "The walls were [originally] a yellow-beige and it looked like stained teeth," she said. She suggests her favorite paint: Benjamin Moore Super White.

Melissa has two basic techniques to help make spaces feel bigger: organization and utilizing natural light. "Rather than cover the windows with ornamented window treatments, I opted to filter the light with a minimal and functional solar shade application," she said.

Melissa recommends that furniture items each have their own "zone.""When furniture and activities are organized into their own zones, the size of a space magically falls into the background and it no longer feels spatially challenged," she said.