If you’ve ever watched Titanic and thought, “Sure, I’d live in that vibe,” Sarah Boll took it several steps further. The Manhattan-based model transformed her Chinatown two-bedroom rental into what’s essentially a walk-through movie set: portholes glowing “ocean” blue, gilded details, and a living room styled after the ship’s Verandah Café, right down to the moody lighting and period-inspired décor.
And then there’s the part that really sells the illusion: fabric. So much fabric. Boll says she bought “an insane amount” of blue (and reflective white) material to build watery, submerged-room effects, turning one bedroom into an eerie “Sunken Room” diorama and even making one bathroom essentially off-limits because it became part memorial wall, part shimmering deep-sea installation.
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She started with a totally normal NYC apartment—and a very not-normal obsession
Image credits: Sarah Boll
The whole thing looks wildly elaborate, but she’s emphasized it was largely DIY and renter-friendly, consisting of mostly tape, peel-and-stick materials, and careful setup, with only a few actual holes for fixtures like the portholes.
After hundreds of rewatches, “What if I lived inside the movie?” stopped being a joke
Image credits: Sarah Boll
The first step was turning the whole place into the color of deep water
Image credits: Sarah Boll
The project exploded on TikTok, where she’s been posting room tours and behind-the-scenes updates. And now, like any true “I can stop anytime” creative spiral, she’s already neck-deep in her next project. After finally hosting a themed party, Boll has ended the Titanic era and has moved on to a full The Wizard of Oz-inspired makeover.
Blue fabric, reflective material, and lighting began swallowing the plain white walls
Image credits: Sarah Boll
And there are the little novelties as daily reminders of the idea
Image credits: Sarah Boll
One hallway went from rental-basic to “first class, this way” almost overnight
Image credits: Sarah Boll
Gold trim and vintage-looking details made the doors feel like part of a ship
Image credits: Sarah Boll
Then came the portholes and bedroom décor
Image credits: Sarah Boll
Even the floor got a dramatic makeover, in some rooms imitating the icy water, and in others, the fancy floors of a grand liner
Image credits: Sarah Boll
The apartment started glowing at night, giving the whole space an eerie ocean mood
Image credits: Sarah Boll
A “safe” room became an underwater fantasy, with waves and shimmer in every corner
Image credits: Sarah Boll
In another space, the set leaned into the wreck—dark, chaotic, and almost theatrical
Image credits: Sarah Boll
And it wasn't all just arts-and-crafts or store-bought materials; Sarah showed her painting skills as well
Image credits: Sarah Boll
Titanic props and scale models popped up everywhere, like little winks to fellow super-fans
Image credits: Sarah Boll
Walking through the rooms started to feel less like a home and more like a story
Image credits: Sarah Boll
She even staged scenes inside the installation, turning the apartment into a photoshoot set
Image credits: Sarah Boll
The “sunken” vibe got more intense with scattered details that looked intentionally wrecked
Image credits: Sarah Boll
Guests leaned into the theme too, posing as if they’d stepped onto a very strange ship tour
Image credits: Sarah Boll
And just when you think it can’t get more committed, she teased the next transformation, starting with a yellow brick road
Image credits: Sarah Boll
Since last fall, Sarah has been transforming the apartment into the magical land of The Wizard of Oz
Image credits: Sarah Boll
With a bit of Wicked thrown in for good measure
Image credits: Sarah Boll
Let us know in the comments which movie set you'd turn your apartment into. And if you want to follow Sarah transforming her apartment into the fantastical land of The Wizard of Oz, you can do so on her Instagram page and TikTok.