There were two things that were non-negotiable when Matt moved to Washington, D.C: he wanted a view, and he wanted to have his own place. Having grown up in the area, Matt knew finding a place of his own would be a tall task. Average rents in the District are nearly $2,300 a month, but with a love for the city’s architecture and culture, Matt knew there was nowhere else he wanted to be.” Having just graduated college, Matt needed a practical solution.

DC offers a wide array of neighborhoods and apartment buildings to choose from.

“I knew I wanted to live in a studio, because I try to live a minimalist lifestyle,” says Matt. “I like that studios force you to be very thoughtful about what you have in your home.” At the same time, Matt was well aware of the shortcomings studios can have. Cook a potent meal and suddenly your bed smells like dinner. “It’s just hard to entertain in a space like that.”

When he discovered the semi-furnished studios at West Half, featuring the Ori Pocket Studio, Matt realized he had found a solution he didn’t think was possible. “My first thought was that ‘this is the future,’” says the recent college grad. “It’s like having all the space of a one bedroom apartment, but only paying for a studio.”

Those savings allow Matt to live in a better apartment, in the heart of D.C.’s Navy Yard, which surrounds the Nationals Balpark. Bars, restaurants, coffee shops and more all lie just outside his door, and by paying studio rent (instead of 1BR rent), Matt can afford to enjoy all of it. Then of course, there’s the view. Matt’s apartment looks west over the Potomac. The painted sky at sunset casts a warm glow over Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon in the distance.

The extra space provided by the Pocket Studio gives Matt plenty of room for his hobbies and interests, namely music. “I’m something of a blossoming audiophile,” he says. “I know enough to put together a pretty decent stereo system.”

‘Pretty decent’ undersells it. Matt’s finely tuned setup fills the space with booming bass and crisp treble. From the sofa, he can move the Pocket Studio closer — something he likes to do when watching movies. “I can move it really close to the sofa and get this sort of IMAX experience.”

Without the Pocket Studio, Matt says he would have to live somewhere else — abandoning that killer view and vibrant neighborhood.

“There are other units in this building with the same floor plan but without the Ori,” he says. “And it really just makes you realize how much more functionality you’re getting with Ori. It really does make the space feel much larger than it is,” all while saving thousands in furniture and moving costs.

Explore Ori’s Semi-Furnished Apartments at rent.oriliving.com.