Compact homes allow for jewel-box rooms with bold colors and innovative designs. See what we mean in these 12 innovative studios — some of the very creative homes on — listed from greatest to smallest.
Emily Campbell
Ultimate Live-Work Space Adapts to the Requirements of the Day
Location: Montreal, Canada
Size: 720 square feet
Designer and proprietor Aboudi Hassoune matches work and home life into 720 square feet. Creative furniture blends and custom designs (like one inventive flying-carpet table) let this studio to readily switch out of workplace to lounge to dining room to bedroom.
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Architecture Workshop PC
A Manhattan Studio Opens to Flexibility
Location: Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan
Size: 650 square feet
Despite its preceding run-down country, this studio had a attic like-feel the architect could work with. The open area had plenty of advantages, but he had to find a spot for the mattress that still felt confidential. A custom Murphy bed and sliding door did the trick whilst maintaining the option to open everything back up again.
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Martin Hulala
DIY Love Pays Off in a Small Prague Apartment
Location: Žižkov, Prague
Size: 538 square feet
Jaroslav Kašpar’s planned simple studio remodel quickly turned into a massive DIY renovation. Refinishing the original brick walls and beams preserved the original building’s integrity even though the floors were replaced. Highlighting the unique nooks and crannies — both new and original — gave this lovely studio plenty of personality.
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Gut Gut
Industrial-Modern Studio at Slovakia
Location: Bratislava, Slovakia
Size: 516 square feet
After gutting his industrial flat, this homeowner was left with little else but concrete vaulted ceilings and an open area. With no more than 1 client in mind — himself — he was able to personalize the distance just to his wants. This floor-to-ceiling shelf helps divide the toilet from the kitchen, while the living area and bedroom stay open to one another.
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Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture
Elegant, Efficient Manhattan Studio
Location: East Village neighborhood of Manhattan
Size: 500 square feet
Combining workspace, sleeping area and display space became simple with a custom white walnut sleeping attic, outfitted with storage tucked into every stair riser and a walk-in closet underneath.
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FABRE/deMARIEN
Ingenious Toilet Makeover at Bordeaux
Location: Bordeaux, France
Size: 441 square feet
Seeking a modern house on a budget, a French photographer got creative. A 441-square-foot garage in Bordeaux surprisingly fit the bill. With the support of a local design firm, he transformed the old garage into a slick, modern home. A large wooden cube in the centre houses his sink, shower, washing machine and toilet, maintaining both solitude and a spacious living area.
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Michael K Chen Architecture
400-Square-Foot Unfolding Apartment
Location: Manhattan
Size: 400 square feet
Intent on finding a way to have guests for dinner and overnight visits, this flat owner worked with a local company to squeeze every zone of his flat into a built-in cupboard along one wall. The massive cupboard contains a bed, desk and closet, all which can fold out or back as needed.
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Henry Yorke Mann architect
Pint-Size Cabin at Rural Canada
Location: Outside Oliver, British Columbia
Size: 280 square feet
With $25,000 to spend her new home, Denise Franklin had to downsize. Her miniature new cottage is constructed from all natural and local materials, and also the simplified structure helped reduce the cost.
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DMVF Architects
Overhauled Interiors at a Tiny Fisherman’s Cottage
Location: Bray, Ireland
Size: 280 square feet
A Beautiful Irish fishing shack is now a modern guest cabin. Although the traditional exterior remains the same, this very small home has a new, sleek interior that makes the most of every square foot.
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Churreria Photography
Tiny Fold-Out Apartment in Barcelona
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Size: 260 square feet
Hidden panels at the walls and flooring of the innovative Spanish flat make it function in various modes. 1 wall panel shows a fridge and stove for cooking style; another holds a full-size mattress for sleeping manner. “It is almost like living in a big closet,” says the proprietor.
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Ira Lippke
Industrial Minihouse at Seattle
Location: South Seattle, Washington
Size: 250 square feet
Artist and owner Michelle de la Vega acted as her own general contractor for this cute remodel. After an old garage set on a great lot, this distance turned into a usable, workable minihouse — complete with patio, kitchen, lofted bed and toilet — thanks to de la Vega’s ingenuity, vintage finds and artistic fashion.
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Tiny Home Built for Large Adventure
Location: Camp Ondessonk, Illinois
Size: 117 square feet
Inspired by the Very Small houses by Tumbleweed Tiny Homes, Evan and Gabby Coulson decided to give small-space dwelling a shot. The few built this house in their own, sticking to a small budget and tight square footage; the miniature and mobile house fits all their essentials.
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