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Small Homes Surprise With Comfort and Efficiency
Scant space doesn't mean getting shortchanged with stylish, comfortable homes like these
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City. I have Bachelor of Architecture and Master in Urban Planning degrees, and over ten years experience in architectural practice, split between Chicago and NYC. Currently I'm focused on writing and online pursuits. My daily blog can be found at http://archidose.blogspot.com
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City.... More »
Recently New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a competition to develop a building with so-called "micro units" — apartments of around 250 to 300 square feet. Currently the city's codes do not allow apartments under 400 square feet. The competition is in response to changing demographics in the city, mainly the increase in one- and two-person households; 1.8 million people fit this demographic, but only 1 million apartments serve their needs. By providing smaller units, the city hopes to make it more affordable for singles and couples. San Francisco is also considering shrinking the minimum size of rental apartments to 220 square feet.
Update: See the winner of the New York competition
But how do one or two people adequately live in 300 square feet or less? My first apartment in Chicago was about 200 square feet (called an efficiency apartment — basically one room serving as bedroom, kitchen and living area, with a walk-in-closet and a bathroom), but I lived there only one year, and then I could afford a bigger place. In New York City, rents are so high that people may live in the micro units, once realized and allowed by law, for a bit longer. Making the apartment do a lot in a small space is therefore important. This ideabook looks at a few small apartments to see what lessons can be learned for micro living.
Update: See the winner of the New York competition
But how do one or two people adequately live in 300 square feet or less? My first apartment in Chicago was about 200 square feet (called an efficiency apartment — basically one room serving as bedroom, kitchen and living area, with a walk-in-closet and a bathroom), but I lived there only one year, and then I could afford a bigger place. In New York City, rents are so high that people may live in the micro units, once realized and allowed by law, for a bit longer. Making the apartment do a lot in a small space is therefore important. This ideabook looks at a few small apartments to see what lessons can be learned for micro living.
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| This home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was renovated by General Assembly for a family not yet ready to expand. The small living area serves for cooking, eating and lounging. These functions are clearly demarcated in the L-shaped space, yet the boundaries between are open. This is not unique to small homes, but it is carried out rather efficiently here. On the left is the lounging area with a couch, a coffee table, a chair and storage, while the small kitchen is on the right, serving the dining area (shown in the next photo). The kitchen is key, as it is accessible on two sides and has storage that is also accessible from other sides. (Note the shallow shelves on the island in the right foreground.) |
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This view looks from the seating area toward the dining area, which features built-in seating in front of a bay window. Note how the stepped ceiling also helps demarcate the different zones, adding some height to the living room.
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This open-plan living area is so small that the refrigerator and shelves butt up against the dining area. Yet what is worth taking away here is the way the built-in seating next to the refrigerator becomes a visual extension of the kitchen's cabinets. The extra seating removes what would have been an awkward bump-out for the refrigerator, turning the kitchen and dining areas into a unified space.
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On the other side of the kitchen is access to the rest of the house. The open shelves suspended from the ceiling add storage while allowing light and views through the space.
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Another project by General Assembly focuses on a built-in wall of storage that hides plenty. The custom cabinetry is tailored to the owner's various possessions, meaning that even the sewing machine has its own spot with a rolling base. The hardware on the left side means something must be hidden behind the white surface.
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| A drop-down desk allows the space to be used as a small home office. But that is not all. |
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| Fold up the desk and the space becomes a bedroom. Murphy beds are perfect for small apartments and will probably be a necessity for those moving into New York City's micro units. |
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| This apartment in Mexico City by vgz(a) does a lot with its square footage. The living area is not tiny, but it feels larger than it is because the wall between the living room and the bedroom is visually open. Horizontal slats give a sense of enclosure while letting light filter from one space to the other. |
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| The bedroom is only steps away from the kitchen, but that proximity is easily overcome ... |
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| ... by sliding the patterned glass wall closed. Like the slatted wall, this sliding wall lets some light reach the kitchen through the bedroom. It also presents an interesting image of nature when the viewer is in the kitchen, far removed from the real thing. |
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| Looking from the bedroom door/wall to the window, one thing stands out: the tall wood cabinetry behind and to the side of the bed. |
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| Not just a closet, it is also a Murphy bed. I could see this apartment doubling as a home office. The character of this space is fitting for an office as well as a bedroom. |
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| One last touch in this Mexico City apartment is the swivel stand for the flat-panel television. I think this is great, meaning only one TV is needed to serve both the living room and the bedroom. In a small apartment, one won't need to watch in both rooms at the same time, so this sort of flexibility makes a lot of sense. |
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| Last is this apartment in Bratislava, Slovakia, by Gut Gut. The character of the existing space is quite raw, with painted brick and a scalloped concrete ceiling. The interior design does not try to compete with this context, instead fitting as much as possible within the space. Note the shelving on the right cut into the brick wall (click photo to see full view). |
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| The kitchen has a lovely blue countertop below a window. The tall shelves on the left provide plenty of storage yet let light through the space (remember the first example doing something similar on a smaller scale). See more of this home More creative homes of 500 square feet or less: Efficient Manhattan Studio 500-Square-Foot Charmer in Santa Cruz Industrial Minihouse in Seattle Mobile Microliving in Oregon Tiny Fold-Out Apartment in Barcelona Ingenious Garage Makeover in Bordeaux |
Ideabook updated on Jan. 22, 2013.
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As for the Slovakia space, Ms. Laurel Ennis, I think its raw, industrial feel is intentional and appealing. If you're on this site you're old enough to know, if you don't have something nice to say... ;)