Small Space, Big Reward

All In One

House Boats are great small space design labs. One room of this Seattle Floating Home by Ryan Mankoski combines the living, dining and cooking functions into one. Try to utilize all wall space, from floor to ceiling, for storage.

White Out

Using a solid-color palette gives the illusion of breadth, as in this all-white kitchen in a Greenwich Village pied-à-terre designed by Magdalena Keck. The white picture frames add dimension and texture to the space without making the narrow opening feel cluttered.

Step It Up

Undersized homes demand clever storage solutions, like utilizing the dead space under stairs. Here, the architect transformed the stairs of a bedroom into a chest of drawers.

ON REMODELISTA: Under-Stairs Storage Solutions

Hide & Seek

Architect Sheila Narusawa designed a compact 940-square-foot house in Maine that includes a compact kitchen on the side of the living/dining space. Nautical style cupboards, doors and flush-colored nautical hardware offer compact storage and conceal functional areas while they're not in use.

ON REMODELISTA: Marine-Style Household Hardware

Chic Cubicle

For an in-home office in the same Tribeca loft, Roger Hirsch designed a desk that looks like a sleek slab of wood when closed, but opens with two flip-top desks and drawers in between. Above the desk, the white wall serves as a projection TV area for the living room.

Less Is More

The compact kitchen of this Washington, D.C., home designed by Henrybuilt is cleverly tucked into a corner, taking up less than 100 square feet. For a loft or one-room space like this, architects recommend using open shelving to offer storage with a sense of space while also creating a point of visual interest.

Nooks & Crannies

Architect Christi Azevedo designed a one-room carriage house that includes a kitchen tucked under an eave and a bathroom hidden behind a frosted glass. Sliding doors take up limited space and allow you to simultaneously close one area while opening an adjacent one. The tiny kitchen is a study in efficiency, maximizing the use of wall space with hooks, magnet bars and shelves.

ON REMODELISTA: Amazing Under-Stair Kitchens

Great Divide

Sitting atop a warehouse, Sky Ranch by Miller Hull Architects is an 800-square-foot rectangle that uses a center fireplace column to divide the sleeping and living spaces.

Making It Count

In this garden studio by Ninebark Design Build, the kitchen is tucked into what might serve as only a hallway. Here's a small space tip: Under-counter refrigerators are oft-forgotten space-savers and can be used in multiples for increased storage.

Close Quarters

Designer Kelly LaPlante created this petite and sophisticated one-room apartment for a family of four. The living area puts some space between the sleeping and eating areas. "Having a visual separation between those two areas is really key to not feeling like you are living on top of yourself," says LaPlante.

Economy Size

Shed Architecture & Design transformed a single-car garage into a light and expansive studio. The bathroom, refrigerator, oven, primary clothes closet and stairs to the sleeping loft are hidden in compact core behind the kitchen.

ON REMODELISTA: Great Read: The New American Dream: Living Well in Small Homes by James Gauer

Natural Light

Floor-to-ceiling windows line two sides of Sky Ranch by Miller Hull Architects, flooding the space with light and connecting it to a large deck.

Hidden Assets

In a glamorous Tribeca loft, architect Roger Hirsch created a "floating" core, which easily unfolds into a bed. Concealed curtains close off the bedroom space to make a cozy cocoon for sleeping.

Double Duty

To save space and create visual appeal, the architect created built-in beds with storage above and below.

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