It's a bit of art and science. 

I go to a music camp every year where there are no dressers in their modern cabins. 

I had zero training, read zero books, and didn't paid for any courses.Someone, miraculously, I was able to navigate it :-) 100% its not rocket science, some are paying up to 7k to " learn  "WOW, I should start charging , LOL. 

Modern rehab

We are currently designing a 2 bed 1 bath on a slab 720 square feet to be modern like this and it's extremely compact and will be on a slab. small homes in our market sell at a premium close to $300 per square foot.

@Yunfan Wang, I would go with Denali and lighten the walls, definitely consider applying a lime wash to the brick fireplace to modernize it.

I used those concessions to build out the basement into a beautiful and modern short term rental.

Cities around here are slow to implement the new "modern city" changes you see in other places, like allowing ADUs and eliminating parking requirements. 

Most houses around here need to be demo'd and something modern put in it's place.I'm not really a fan of all the apartments that replace the old houses. 

My thoughts were to make the studios into extended stay for blue collar folk with a modern vibe w/some common area amenities (laundry, vending, & business center) .