Rental diaries: How first-time renter Basra Ajeh made her NSW apartment feel like home

• Who: Basra Ajeh, content creator 
• Where: A one-bedroom apartment in Lewisham, NSW
• Rent: $390 per week
  

Basra Ajeh had never set foot in Sydney when she spontaneously decided to move to the city from Melbourne in 2021. “I honestly just wanted a bit of change and independence as I was feeling stuck during COVID – that’s why I moved,” she says.  

The content creator scrolled through hundreds of homes for lease until a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Lewisham, located in the city’s inner-west, finally caught her eye. 

Ajeh visited Sydney for the first time to inspect the apartment, and the rest is history. “I don’t know if I would’ve moved states if I didn’t end up getting this place because it was the only one that I liked and inspected out of hundreds,” she says.

Moving into this home has been a major milestone for the 25-year-old. In addition to moving interstate, it’s her first time living out of the family home, and alone. 

Having always lived in large homes, Ajeh was attracted to the “house-like” feel of the Lewisham flat, which is one of seven residences carved from a Victorian terrace. It’s a similar architectural style to her parent’s rental property in Melbourne, providing Ajeh with a sense of familiarity. 

Many of the original, period features in Ajeh’s apartment have been retained, including ornate open fireplaces in the living room and bedroom. “My favourite feature in my apartment is the high ceiling – it’s what made me want this place so bad,” Ajeh says

The bedroom, kitchen, and living area are the one open-plan space, with bifold doors allowing areas to be sectioned off as required. “The space isn’t the biggest but the high ceiling helps make it look so grand.”

Ajeh has attracted an online following for her colourful ensembles mixing pastel shades, neon highlights and clashing prints. Her home is styled in the same fashion, featuring a mixture of second-hand and department store pieces that contrast with the original classical features and neutral material palette. “I feel like it’s a high contrast to the minimalist aesthetic that’s been in style the last few years,” she explains of her style. 

The centrepiece is the neon-green couch bought from an op-shop for $380. “It is by far my greatest thrift find! As soon as I walked into Salvos I saw this bright green couch among all the brown and black ones, I knew right away I had to have it.”

With minimal storage space in the apartment, Ajeh’s vibrant wardrobe and shoe collection serve as an extension of the decor. A freestanding rack showcases a collection of bold knitwear and dresses, tying in with the printed bed linen and large mirrors framed in candy-pink and baby-blue borders.  

Ajeh has also found inventive, inexpensive ways to store practical items out of sight, such as stackable plastic crates topped with an Ikea timber chopping board that doubles as a bedside table.

Initially, Ajeh thought her time in Sydney would be a six-month stint, but she’s fallen in love with the city’s people and weather. “I like that it’s big, multicultural, and has different areas with different things to do and explore.” 

She’s also become a big fan of living alone, recommending everyone try it at least once in their lives. “You really get to know yourself better when alone and become more of an independent person.” 

Over one year later, Ajeh has no plans to relocate, perhaps until the spontaneous desire for change once again strikes. “I guess I’ll move when I get bored again!”