Gillian Morris disliked her living situation. She paid almost $1,000 a month “for a storage locker and a crash pad” in Brooklyn with two roommates, many roaches and a tedious commute to Manhattan. Almost as bad, the place was so small it was difficult to entertain guests there.

She considered renting an apartment on her own but knew she couldn’t afford a place large enough for what she wanted most: a dining table.

So last fall, Ms. Morris, now 28, came up with an idea for her next home: part residential collective, part salon. She wanted a spacious rental with roommates who also were interested in meeting others, hosting gatherings and sharing ideas. “There aren’t great community spaces within New York,” she said. “People live very isolated lives. My attitude is: If it’s a friend of yours, it’s a friend of mine.”