This exquisite design belongs to Paris based studio BETILLON / DORVAL‐BORY. They took a tiny, elongated studio and turned it into a beautiful minimalist loft, serene and streamlined. The uniformity of color creates an illusion of a bigger space. It also serves as a backdrop for an unusual and clever lighting effect. The kitchen and living room features color distinguishing illumination, while the bed and shower merely uses monochromatic light. This contrast defines and visually zones the place. Check out more images after the break to see the effect in more detail.
(via designboom)
This delightful small apartment is located in Barcelona in a 17th century building. Several years ago a family of architects bought the place and transformed into an ultra-modern dwelling. The interior consists of a series of cubes, or boxes. The most impressive one is the glass bathroom cube that can be closed with blinds for privacy. Each of the other areas of the apartment – master bedtoom, kitchen, second bedroom and a living room – can also be isolated into a closed cube. There is even a garden cube that communicates the two bedrooms. Watch the fascinating tour shot by Fair Companies for more details.
Here is a very unusual social experiment conducted by Cibic Workshop and Comodo (Comunicare Moltiplica Doveri) – the Freedom Room. This low-cost micro housing councept was developed with the help of inmates from the High Security Prison in Spoleto, Italy. The prison has a carpentry shop that was used to implement the ideas. This unorthodox collaboration resulted in a beautiful 116 sq ft model, filled with many space-saving details. The room features two beds with storage underneath and above, a double desk that can easily double as a dining space. The sink room serves multiple purposes too – it is used for personal hygiene and cooking as well as laundry. The Fredom Room is a model-proposal to be implemented in hostels, dorms or apartment buildings. It was exhibited at the 2013 Triennale di Milano. See more photos after the break.
We are used to the thought that big pieces of furniture don’t work too well in tiny spaces. This 32 square meter loft studio in Budapest shows that they can. Designers gave 1/3 of the living space to the ample white sectional, without letting it dominate the senses. The uniformity of color and the openness of the layout (the only enclosed room in the apartment is the bathroom) made the place look spacious. The mirrored closet doors, cleverly positioned to reflect the windows, add light and depth to the design. Check out more images after the break.
(via lakber magazin)
This tiny apartment in the Montparnasse neighborhood is a collective effort of architects Marc Baillargeon and Julie Nabucet. Converted from a master suite, it is now a 130 square foot dwelling for one. I am very impressed with the use of space in this project. By elevating the kitchen/dining/bathroom area designers created a clever hiding place for a full sized mattress that doubles as a sofa during a day. And of course the place is a showcase for custom made storage. Steps to the second level, desk, wall cabinetry – all these elements allow storing things without cluttering the view of the apartment.
(via inthralld)
Japanese people know a thing or two about living small. It comes as no surprise that the nation overpopulating a tiny island is known for inventive approach to real estate. In this ABC report we can peruse an interesting overview of Japan’s small but very cool and beautiful dwellings and understand the logic behind their design. I was also pleased to see an interview with Azby Brown, whose books I love. Enjoy!
(thank you, Sinisa)
This amazing home has been designed by Brooklyn based architect Tim Seggerman. The initial unit is a tiny 240-square-foot studio apartment with a sleeping loft above the kitchen in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan. Both designer and the client recall how cluttered and cramped the space has been before the renovation. “You couldn’t imagine a place that was more messed up,” – says Seggerman. His solution was to insert what he calls a “crafted jewel box” into the unused space, creating a cabin-like feel. This was a gratifying choice in many ways, since woodworking is Seggerman’s forte. The result is a beautiful, cleverly segmented interior, that feels warm and secluded. See more images after the break for the full tour.
(via dwell)
This stunningly minimalist small apartment in Thiseio, one of the oldest neighborhoods in downtown Athens, has been built by architect Werner Maritsas. Initially the tiny 32-square-meter space was divided into four rooms and a corridor. So, some serious wall breaking had to take place. “With the first look at the house, I realized the potential,” – says Werner. – To open all the space, to lighten the main area by allowing more natural light in and leading the view to garden was, for me, the only solution. In this spirit I’ve opened completely the house to the garden creating an indoor/outdoor effect and replacing the old light well walls with two floor-to-ceiling windows, creating a more or less dual-light aspect.” Nearly all functional elements in this home exist in the form of built-ins. This approach eliminates visual clutter and creates unity of the surfaces, essential in a small space. Watch the video by Fair Companies to get the tour of the apartment and hear the history of this amazing reno. Also check out Werner’s website for the compelling before-and-afters.
Architects David Pou van den Bossche and Estel Ortega (partners in life and in work with their firm Cubus Taller d’Arquitectura) created this unexpected small home in a 16-century hayloft David’s family owned as part of their estate. The space is tiny (only 60 square meters), but rather tall, so the only way to go was up. The architects created a two-story functional cube that houses all important living components – kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and storage. There is even a long desk that is used by both occupants as a joined home office. The architects wanted to leave the stone walls untouched so they didn’t mount anything to the walls (the only closed room in the home is the bathroom). The result: the small space feels larger because of unobstructed views from any corner of the house. I also quite like the contrast between the old and the new that is so tastefully done in this project. Check out the video by Fair Companies after the break for the tour of this unusual home.
This 60 square meter apartment concept has been envisioned by Russian architect Vlad Mishin. The space is divided lengthwise by sculptural structure, which consists of several transforming blocks made from black metal framework and plywood. The shape of the blocks create a beautiful whimsical surface, it also fits the functionality of each dividing element. Thus, thee of these segments separate the living area from the study/bedroom area. One of these rotating blocks houses a TV, making it visible from either of these rooms. Kitchen equipment is hidden in a niche behind a hinged partition wall, which slides apart. Refrigerator is also hidden in a separate niche. Bathroom door finishes the wall. Nice work, I hope it gets built.
