A teacher has taken to social media to show off her so-called "Monica Geller-style" New York City apartment that she rents for just $1,300 a month.
According to The New York Post, a special education teacher named Hattie Kolp has taken to her Instagram and TikTok accounts to show off the property, which she compares to the giant-size apartment rented out by the character of Monica Gellar in the hit TV sitcom Friends.
The Post reports that Kolp was raised in the apartment in question, growing up in the 1890s-constructed apartment with her parents, and has since taken over their lease herself.
Ever since her parents moved out of the property back in 2018, Kolp has been taking great pains to renovate and restore its furnishings to original pre-WWI architectural style with a modern flair.
Check out Hattie's incredible apartment below:The apartment still boasts its original fireplaces, although they are no longer operational, and even features a historical dumbwaiter in its expansive pantry.
The sheer size of the apartment and the fact she can afford it being a special educational needs teacher led many people on social media to compare her to Monica Geller - who, despite working as a low-paid chef for half the show's run, is still able to afford her giant and now-iconic home:
And offering some more information on rent control, The Post explains that Kolp took over the apartment from her parents - similar to how Monica takes over her apartment from her grandma.
The Post adds that rent stabilization "is complicated", but typically occurs within units built before 1974 in buildings with six or more apartments. "Eligibility depends on when the tenant moved in and what rent they paid at that time," the publication explains.
Under rent stabilization, landlords can only increase a tenant's rent a certain percent — most recently set at 1.5% a year (2.5% for a two-year lease), according to NYC.gov.
Additionally, Chandler jokes in the very last episode of the Friends that their apartment was a "steal" due to rent control.
Commenting on her luxurious living space in a recent interview with The Post, the 29-year-old tenant stated: "It’s just a unique space, and you don’t see apartments like this anymore. I just love all the historical details and the moldings, the fireplaces, the creaky floors."
Kolp continued: "My biggest thing was that I started to realize the potential and uniqueness [of this apartment], so I really wanted to restore it and get it back to its intended condition.
"It’s been like my therapy. It has just allowed me to discover my passion for interior design and old homes."
Kolp also added that she decorated the property with a lot of second-hand artwork she found on the cheap, stating:
"[The art] came from my mom, stuff she left me. Most of it — I get a lot of inexpensive things from online print shops as digital downloads, and then I also go thrifting and use Etsy and eBay."
In the caption for one of her recent Instagram posts, Hattie wrote:" A little over a year ago I started this account to share my DIY projects and renovations, and it’s given me so much more!
"I've connected with so many lovely people, both those who have become lifelong friends IRL and internet friends across the country and around the world.
"I am sooooo grateful for all of the blessings I’ve been given (including you!!) sometimes I feel like I could burst! [sic]"