This tiny apartment in Madrid, Spain has been designed by Beriot Bernardini Arquitectos. A 28-square-meter pad has been transformed to include all functional attributes of a much larger space. The clever loft box, built above the kitchen and bathroom, includes a sleeping nook and an ample storage. Even the very steps to the higher level serve as an extension of the closet. This concentration of elements allows the rest of the apartment to remain open and spacious. The unified whiteness of the place creates an illusion of openness and volume.
(via desire to inspire)
Living in a small studio apartment is often associated with the lack of privacy. This mobile bed cube is a fresh solution to the problem. Instead of buying a sleeper couch and feeling like a guest in your own home, why not create a private retreat within a given space? The cube is on wheels and can be moved around according to your mood or social situation. And the best part – it’s DIY! Check out the instructions on how to make your own mobile bed cube here.
This beautifully designed apartment is located in Stockholm, Sweden. And, even though it is rather small (only 70 square meters) – thanks to clever space-saving and decorating techniques, it looks airy and spacious. Of course, the abundance of natural light and high ceilings played their role here, but if you look at the floor plan – you’ll be amazed at how limited the initial layout has been. I love the use of the architectural details in this interior – door lintels are turned into a headboard and a mirror frame, moldings are serving as shelves for art pieces… The old and the new coexist in this project very harmoniously. The color scheme, aside from several decorative accents, is kept black and white, creating unity and openness. Check out more photos after the break.
This small New York apartment has been designed by Margarita McGrath and Scott Oliver of Noroof Architects. The 640-square-foot pad in Manhattan’s East Village was a somewhat limited canvas for creativity. Compact space, narrow rooms, illogical layout – typical New York issues were present here in all their glory. So, in order to built a comfortable home for a family of three, designers had to create multifunctional solutions for each room. Here is how they describe their process: “Remodeling a tiny fifth-floor walk-up for a family of three is like building a small boat for a long voyage. We resolved these challenges the way shipwrights do—by building in flexibility. Each part of the vessel is crafted to serve multiple functions: a desk becomes a bed, a wall surface becomes a table, and hatches keep personal items neatly below decks.” These clever ideas recover plenty of space and light for people to function and find delight in this home. It is amazing what proper storage can do…
Photography by Chuck Choi
The tiny DIY Seattle home occupies a storage unit in the basement of a pre-war coop building. Steve Sauer, the owner and creator of this incredible dwelling, used his expertise as a designer of airplane interiors (at Boeing) to transform the 182 square foot unit into a cool living quarters. He’s managed to fit about 8 different useful spaces into the micro apartment by stacking functions. A cafe area is stacked on top of a video lounge . One floor up on the adjacent wall, a bed is built above a walk-in closet/ office. The main floor space fits a transforming table and a 3-foot-deep Japanese-style soaking tub hidden below the entryway. There is even space for a guest bed and bike storage! Watch the video by Fair Companies to see the tour of this amazing space.
Tom Villa of Superorganism came up with this idea of a strong but lightweight structure that creates a private retreat within an existing space. The piece has wheels for easy positioning in the apartment, it is hinged to open in two halves. The interior is easily reconfigurable to serve a variety of functions – lounge, workspace, reading nook… The use shown here is one of the luxuries we rarely have in a small space – walk-in closet. Thanks to the modularity of the design – you can adapt it to the storage needs you have. The structure is built from plywood and can be covered with different materials.
This cool minimalist pad has been designed by Madrid based studio MYCC. The challenge was to create a livable home within the strict limitations of a tiny footprint. Without the room to expand horizontally, designers made the most of the vertical space by building several levels and creating a non-linear path. All functional zones are connected and open to view, even the bathroom is within sight. This openness contributes to the illusion of a much more generous size. Each zone serves multiple functions, for example – the bed slides beneath the living room platform, transforming the bedroom into a open space. The office above turns into a lounge, thanks to added seating. In spite of its smallness, the apartment looks quite luxurious, it even has such rare features as hamman bath. Watch the animation to see how the place functions in different social situations.
(via minimalissimo)
Earlier this week I wrote a post about a portable home, designed by Spanish studio Ábaton. And guess what, just the day after, Kirsten Dirksen, the creative force behind Fair Companies, released a film about transporting this amazing building. And – it really is assembled in one hour, just like the company claims on their website! In the video above you can see all the steps as they happen, among with interviews with designers and owners. Enjoy!
This compact and minimalist mobile home has been designed by Madrid based studio Ábaton. The space includes a double bedroom, a full bathroom and a combination of kitchen and living room that can blend with the outdoor area thanks to the sliding doors. “The proportions are the result of a thorough study by our architects’ team so that the different spaces are recognizable and the feeling indoors is one of fullness, – designers say. – It is a simple yet sturdy construction made of materials chosen to provide both comfort and balance.” The simple and bright interior is covered in light wooden panels, which unify the surfaces and create an illusion of larger space. The outside is covered with grey cement wood board. The use of wood throughout the building not only adds calmness but it is also hypoallergenic. The house can be manufactured in eight weeks and assembled in one day. It is light enough to be transported by road and placed just about anywhere.
Square footage is often a problem in urban areas, but if you are blessed with good ceiling height and ingenuity – there is always a solution. This unusual London loft comfortably houses full-size living, dining, and sleeping areas in a small space. This is achieved by putting the bedroom on a platform, suspended from the ceiling. It’s high enough to have some level of privacy, and the skylight right above the bed prevents any claustrophobic feelings. The staircase, leading to the bedroom, extends all the way to the roof garden – another beautiful detail. I also quite like the open vintage bathtub (with the shower curtain serving as a window curtain). An uninhibited and smart use of space.
