1 Hour of Spain’s Best Small Apartments

Never Too Small

Subscribe to our magazine to get free worldwide shipping and 10% of all our books and publications. Subscribe now to never miss and issue https://www.nts-store.com/   Explore some of the best small apartment designs across Spain in this special Never Too Small compilation. From a restored 19th-century modernist gem in Barcelona with original brickwork and mosaic tiles to a treehouse-inspired apartment in Madrid. See how a mid-century furniture dealer transformed his attic with curated vintage pieces and IKEA hacks, and tour a vibrant Seville renovation featuring recycled aluminium panels in a bold colourful monochromatic palette. Experience a Wes Anderson-inspired attic in Madrid with a buttercup yellow kitchen, a terrace bath, and a versatile home-office-yoga studio with a triangle shaped blue rubber floor and ikea bowls for lights.  #smallapartment #architecture #interiordesign   Episodes & Credits  00:00-06:10 Casa Gialla  https://youtu.be/MLql-MwFq_A?si=NOgOR1GiMADvsfZ2  Architect: https://gon-architects.com  06:10-15:49  House for Cosimo Piovasco https://youtu.be/qI5S2GyrR_c?si=6EnrpEQvuSlTZYFW  Architect: https://marianadelas.com/   15:49-24:47 Three Balcony House  https://youtu.be/LWqjO1Hlp1I?si=C0ETaKA1FerJN1ZM  Architect: https://tra.ma/   24:47-33:08 Borrell  https://youtu.be/qtJtdyz3Kqc?si=ss3WzzfXSTOhJmtO  Architect: https://www.instagram.com/carlotasiverio.arq/?hl=en   33:08-41:18 Villa Montserrat  https://youtu.be/9xaxbTAMprE?si=HDLAuck6Y1QIktsQ  Designer: https://maxenrich.com/   41:18-47:42 EG112 Simple Dwelling  https://youtu.be/DSKOg3KpTic?si=DcIJxMBud6yeTOjN  Architect: @casavells_estudio & @jacobovalenti  47:42- 57:21 Casa Triana  https://youtu.be/fv03dYFvSzE?si=YPKzQdQUt1UJGI6h  Architect: https://studionoju.com/ty   57:21-1:06:36 Casa Flix  https://youtu.be/0mBPwnAIbtg?si=JYCh-gMhxr5aW033  Architect: https://gon-architects.com  1:06:36-1:15:12 The Furniture House  https://youtu.be/qynF__PXE7A?si=sw-sqvgYpEU2R_gl  Architect: https://www.heimat-studio.com  Music: Artlist.io Sleepless on the Internet by Tomer Brauch Dots by Adi Goldstein  Shades of Green by We Dream Of Eden Stream by Oak and Cherry  Awakening by Ikolike  Journey by Sean Williams North Sea by Beneath the Mountain  Draw Close by We Dream of Eden  Moment by John Gegleman Fire, Sleeper by Dear Gravity Down That River and Wavepool by Adi Goldstein Orchidaceae by REW Deep Water by Adi Goldstein Say No More by Julian Hartwell Ephemeralda in the Glade by Simon Berggren  I Wish You Knew by Ziggy  Share you projects with us- https://www.nevertoosmall.com/submissions Subscribe to our newsletter- https://www.nevertoosmall.com/subscribe  Check out our store- https://www.nts-store.com Website- https://www.nevertoosmall.com Instagram-  https://www.instagram.com/nvtsmall Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/nvtsmall

Transcript

00:00:01The main inspiration for Casa Gialla were all these wonderful Italian houses of the 60s with

00:00:10architects like my Gio Ponti or Carlo Scarpa because they are full of colors and full of

00:00:17different kind of interesting geometries. So optimistic, so Mediterranean for living.

00:00:24My name is Gonzalo Pardo. I'm the creative director of GON, an architecture and design office based in Madrid.

00:00:33Surround the apartment is La Puerta del Sol, one of the most popular squares in Madrid.

00:00:40It's full of groceries and restaurants and it's very well connected. The building was built in 1910

00:00:49and it was renovated in 2003. It's always been a residential building.

00:01:02The client is a young Italian woman, her name is Cecilia. She was looking for an apartment to live

00:01:11with her partner. She wanted a very functional apartment but at the same time very hedonistic.

00:01:19The first time we came into the apartment, which is on the top of the building, it was a very,

00:01:25very dark space full of wooden beams and divided into different kind of rooms. There was a kitchen,

00:01:32two bedrooms, a little bathroom and an unused terrace.

00:01:39In Casa Yala we performed three main architectural actions. We demolished the walls of the house.

00:01:47We opened some skylights in order to introduce natural light and we equipped the perimeter with

00:01:53storage from the floor to the ceiling. Right in front of the elevator door you will find the entrance

00:02:02to Casa Yala. We built a kind of yellow arc that allows us to understand that we are passing from

00:02:09one space to another. The electrical panel and the intercom of the house is also hidden on the right

00:02:17side of the arc. The living area is a part of the main rectangular open space of Casa Yala.

00:02:26The main idea was to make a flexible space, so we decided to put all the storage in the perimeter.

00:02:35In that way, Tessie could use the center as she wanted.

00:02:42The living area can be a little dark, so we chose to create a yellow storage wall

00:02:49that starts from the entrance and goes all the way to the end of the apartment. It contains the shoes

00:02:56and coat storage for the entrance, a bookshelf, a door to the bedroom and bathroom and an opening

00:03:02which has the projector. The projector can be used in the bedroom or in the living room.

00:03:09The bedroom is on the other side inside a kind of secret space hidden from visitors through a car chain.

00:03:17The storage of the bedroom are from Ikea. It also works as a screen for the projector when Cecilia is

00:03:25lying on her bed.

00:03:28There's a mirror in the corner for the clients to try out her outfits and also to make the space

00:03:36feel bigger.

00:03:37The bathroom can be accessed from the living area and the bedroom.

00:03:42It is the smallest and most hidden place in the house. We separate the shower from the toilet.

00:03:50They can be used by two people at the same time. The floor of the bedroom and the bathroom is

00:03:58a large

00:03:58white porcelain tile because we wanted to make the space feel continuous.

00:04:06At the end of the living area is more storage in white laminate. It also contains the boiler and the

00:04:13washing machine.

00:04:15There is a hidden bed for when guests stay over.

00:04:21There is an office in the corner of the apartment with views to the city.

00:04:25It is made from the same material as the kitchen, lower to make it easier to sit at.

00:04:34The kitchen is a wide and very horizontal space. There is a large hidden fridge, an induction hub,

00:04:43a dishwasher and a microwave oven. The window can slide open and be hidden within the wall for saving space.

00:04:54There is a circular dining table on the other side of the kitchen. It is plenty of space for the

00:05:01client's daily needs.

00:05:04The terrace is possibly one of the most special places in the apartment.

00:05:10To get to the terrace there is a step and a big window that can be fully opened to connect

00:05:16the interior

00:05:17with the exterior. There is a shower and a bathtub pool where to spend not only the summer days but

00:05:28also the winter.

00:05:32In Casa Yala what was very important is to connect the interior with the exterior to make a flexible space.

00:05:39This space can be built with very expensive material, very cheap materials, but for us we can't get them

00:05:45without so much money because at the end we could have IKEA storage. There's also one thing that we can

00:05:53spend the money. In this case it was this yellow storage. For sure when you have money you can make

00:05:59incredible things. It's not always necessary.

00:06:12The design idea for this apartment was to play with height, colors, light and materials.

00:06:23I grew up between the city and the countryside and one of my favorite books was The Baron in the

00:06:28Trees by Italo Calvino.

00:06:29I would spend weekends up in a huge victory with my comics, music and everything I needed to make it

00:06:35through the day. When thinking about how to design my house I wanted to bring back that feeling.

00:06:43My philosophy when designing small spaces is to try to optimize the space without taking out all the fun

00:06:50and quirky details.

00:06:59The apartment is located in the Rastro neighborhood of Madrid in Spain.

00:07:05The area feels like it's frozen in time. Neighbors are friendly and there's a strong sense of community.

00:07:13Most of the neighborhood is pedestrian and in summer people put down tables in the street

00:07:17to chill and chat during the hot evenings.

00:07:23The building was built in the 1940s which is actually quite new for the area.

00:07:28It was likely built for out-of-town workers who moved in to get a job in the industrialized 40s

00:07:33and 50s.

00:07:37The building has three floors. I live in the apartment on the top floor of the building.

00:07:45The apartment was originally 29 square meters. It had relatively low gypsum false ceilings and it felt

00:07:51very cramped. The first thing I did after getting the keys was to peek through the false ceiling

00:07:56and see how much extra space I had available. To my relief there was enough space for a loft.

00:08:04When looking for architectural inspiration I was drawn to Kube House by Terje Moe in Oslo.

00:08:10He promoted the use of height and the idea of self-building which is what I tried to do in

00:08:14my own apartment.

00:08:17I have built everything that I was able to do so myself through learning about different techniques.

00:08:24And just like Kube House I enjoy my apartment to be an ongoing work in progress.

00:08:31There was a small bathroom by the entrance, a kitchen in the hallway, a small bedroom,

00:08:36a living room and a tiny balcony. I removed the false ceiling to create a loft area for the new

00:08:41bedroom.

00:08:42The walls of the old kitchen and bedroom were also removed. This created an open kitchen, dining and living space.

00:08:49The kitchen was moved to a spot where it can receive more natural light. It then added stairs to access

00:08:54the loft space.

00:08:56The loft also includes a gangway with a study desk and a cozy nook for the bedroom.

00:09:01The bathroom remained in the same location.

00:09:09When entering the apartment there's a short hallway. On one side the walls are exposed bricks painted in white.

00:09:15On the other is a wall of red plywood that hides the entrance to the bathroom.

00:09:20I covered the original tiled floors with a white epoxy resin so that it could reflect the natural light coming

00:09:26from the skylight above.

00:09:30At the end of the hallway the apartment opens to a combined kitchen, dining and living area.

00:09:36The ceilings here are a lot higher which helps make the space appear even larger.

00:09:44The kitchen was designed to be flexible and work around whatever activity that is required.

00:09:50The art wall in the kitchen is made from pieces that are mostly made by my friends or young local

00:09:56artists.

00:09:59For this kitchen I decided not to have an inbuilt cooktop but instead use a portable electric one when needed.

00:10:05I just take out the appliance I need and pack them away when not in use.

00:10:09This frees up counter space and also helps to keep it clean and spacious.

00:10:14I hid the split system air conditioner behind a perforated plywood box with holes to let the cool air out.

00:10:24The table is quite large for a small apartment but I prefer to prioritize space for a large table rather

00:10:31than a large sofa.

00:10:33This large table works as the epicenter of the space making it a comfortable surface to eat with friends, work

00:10:39and unpack groceries on.

00:10:42When I was traveling in Hong Kong I found a red lampshade and is now used as the pendant light

00:10:46in the kitchen.

00:10:52The living room is at the end of the space.

00:10:55I found a large second hand rug that really suits the apartment.

00:10:58It goes all the way to the dining area.

00:11:03The sofa can turn into a guest bed from where my family visits.

00:11:07I made a custom wall shelf out of steel to display photographs of my past projects.

00:11:13The living room features a TMC lamp and a yellow wall fan which I co-designed and produced.

00:11:19We named it the Flexofan.

00:11:26From the living area there's a small balcony with great views of the surrounding neighborhood.

00:11:31It's too small to really use it but its main job is to let in a lot of light and

00:11:36fresh air.

00:11:38I filled it up with plants to give more privacy and to create a microclimate of my own.

00:11:45On the other side of the living room there is a custom cabinet made from the same plywood as the

00:11:50entrance wall and the kitchen.

00:11:53It is a versatile piece of furniture which doubles as the first few steps of the stairs.

00:11:58It also provides the main storage for the living area.

00:12:03Connecting the lower level to the loft I made a steel staircase painted in dark green.

00:12:11At the top of the stairs there's a quiet gangway.

00:12:16There's just enough space for a slim desk where I work sometimes and a bookshelf that I welded together myself.

00:12:24The table is made from orange plexiglass and lets the warm light through to create interesting shadows.

00:12:31It is also retro illuminated with an LED strip so it also serves as a lamp at night.

00:12:39The gangway makes the skylight accessible so when open it helps circulate fresh air into the apartment.

00:12:48I have always enjoyed what I call bathtub spaces.

00:12:52These are parts of the home that you use every once in a while and take up space.

00:12:56But when you do use them they make you very happy.

00:13:02The bedroom is positioned in the corner of a loft just above the entrance.

00:13:07I wanted it to feel like a resting space upon the trees.

00:13:12It is very simple with an automated skylight that brings in warm natural light during the day

00:13:17and a view of the moon and stars at night.

00:13:21There is storage underneath the bed for blankets and off-season clothing.

00:13:27A platform space at the end of the bedroom is raised up slightly.

00:13:31It's a nice spot to display more art and a cozy place to sit and read.

00:13:39The bathroom is by the entrance and I view it as a world of its own.

00:13:43I used green and white tiles to continue the treehouse theme.

00:13:48The bathroom sink was cut from a whole slab of marble from Macael, a famous marble producing town in Spain.

00:13:57The window, the frameless shower glass and the large mirror help to make the small bathroom appear less cramped.

00:14:06When you design a small space you try that all the objects you design have a double use.

00:14:14If you have a cabinet it can be a staircase as well.

00:14:17If you have a sofa it can be a bed.

00:14:19So the idea and the fun of it is to try to find two or three uses for the same

00:14:23element.

00:14:24In Spain we have so much buildings that need to be renovated and the city centres are becoming more expensive.

00:14:30It's a matter of necessity that as architects you really revitalise these spaces to be able to live in them.

00:14:41Never too small magazine issue one.

00:14:44Jam-packed with stories, surprises, ideas and inspiration.

00:14:48All with you city dwellers in mind.

00:14:50Step into the world of Atoma.

00:14:52Where romanticism, artisanal craftsmanship and Italian flair are distilled into jewel box-like apartments.

00:14:58Visit the studio of Ramesh Mario Nithyendran.

00:15:01Where Barbie, big cats and Buddhas inspire his colourful creations.

00:15:05Explore three of our favourite small footprint homes from around the world.

00:15:09Each featuring nifty pull-out floor plans.

00:15:11And discover a treasure trove of vintage and pre-loved apartment finds.

00:15:15Interrogate the origins and appeal of a slouchy 70s icon.

00:15:19And meet our mate, Robbie Neville.

00:15:21Who wants us to get better at making shit with the shit we already have.

00:15:24Find out why the Barbican is London's greatest mistake.

00:15:27And discover a new breed of pet furniture.

00:15:28Designed for style and our small footprint lives.

00:15:31Plus, there's storage porn.

00:15:33Sexy bikes.

00:15:34Chairs with bums.

00:15:35And a beautiful pull-out poster surprise.

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00:15:52The apartment is nestled within Madrid Old Town.

00:15:55In the Barrio Las Letras neighborhood.

00:15:58We like that it was an old building and that the apartment had a lot of flexibility and light.

00:16:04For us, to have a lot of natural light was one of our main requirements.

00:16:09Also, it had to be flexible and adapt to our chaotic lives.

00:16:15The apartment was intended to be solely our own residence.

00:16:19But it has become our office as well.

00:16:23My name is Patricia Carrasco.

00:16:25And I'm Ricardo Mancho.

00:16:27We are architects and founders of Trama.

00:16:29A small architectural office based in Madrid and Canary Islands.

00:16:32We are also the owners of this apartment.

00:16:45The neighborhood consists mostly of pedestrian streets lined with three to five-story residential buildings.

00:16:53It is a neighborhood that is highly urban and open to tourism.

00:16:57But it still retains the sense of being a small town.

00:17:00This building dates back to the 1860s.

00:17:03It's a typical corrala found in Madrid.

00:17:07Corralas are small housing units arranged around a communal patio.

00:17:12Historically, some of them were even used as public theaters around the city.

00:17:17We stumbled upon this place while looking for a house for one of our clients.

00:17:22He rejected it.

00:17:23But for us, as soon as we saw this place, we felt like this would be our home.

00:17:28There was a large dining and living room with three balconies.

00:17:32The kitchen was in the corner of the apartment.

00:17:35Next to it was the bathroom and the bedroom.

00:17:37The first thing we did was to remove as many walls as we could.

00:17:42The bathroom was moved to the old kitchen.

00:17:45We placed the kitchen into the open living and dining area.

00:17:49The bedroom stayed in the same location.

00:17:55You enter the apartment through the original door.

00:17:59There is a cabinet with some books and art.

00:18:02The cabinets are made up of three double IKEA storage units and one single unit.

00:18:09The single unit also doubles as a seat when putting on shoes.

00:18:14There is a narrow corridor with a big mirror on one side,

00:18:17which makes you feel like you are in a bigger space.

00:18:21The end of the corridor splits into the living area and the bedroom.

00:18:29The living room is a large open area that is shared with the dining and kitchen.

00:18:35Above the sofa, we added some floating shelves.

00:18:38It allows us to store books and plants without taking up additional floor space.

00:18:44We made most of the pots for the interior plants using concrete and other cement-like materials

00:18:51that are left over from work sites.

00:18:55The construction materials that we have around the living area are pieces that we find from our projects.

00:19:02For example, the coffee table was a piece of marble we found from a work site.

00:19:07We added some recycled legs and it has been a great table for the living room.

00:19:15We like the Setif TV because when we have yoga sessions it's very easy to move it and put it

00:19:21in the bedroom.

00:19:24The kitchen is at the end of the open living area.

00:19:28A mirror splashback adds interesting views and reflections to the kitchen.

00:19:34We added open shelving above the counter space because we wanted to show our beautiful plates and glasses.

00:19:42It also makes it easier to find the things you need.

00:19:46The cabinets and doors are finished with oak and are from IKEA.

00:19:51We integrated the fridge and dishwasher to keep the space looking clean.

00:19:56The thin countertop is porcelanic by Tecton.

00:19:59Ricardo hates lighting from the ceiling as they are often quite boring and cold.

00:20:05So we use IKEA balls to make them more cozy and interesting.

00:20:11For the lighting we added a Lignemos Le Corbusier lamp on the wall.

00:20:18The apartment was intended to be sold to our own residence but it has become our office as well.

00:20:25Our idea was to design a place that reflects our simple and creative lifestyle in a bright, calm and flexible

00:20:32space.

00:20:33During the week there are four to five people working here.

00:20:39The three balconies bring in a lot of light.

00:20:44We have turned them into our small urban garden.

00:20:48For the balcony in the middle we added a small table to have a coffee in the morning.

00:20:55The balconies have curtains on the outside to protect the house and the plants from the summer sun.

00:21:01Because there is a gap between the curtains it still has good airflow and light can still come through.

00:21:13The wall between the kitchen and the bathroom has a large window.

00:21:17It lets the light pass through and makes the space feel brighter.

00:21:23There is a curtain that starts from the dressing space and moves through the bedroom.

00:21:29It isolates the most intimate area of the apartment so you can have a shower or change your clothes in

00:21:35privacy.

00:21:37We originally planned to add a door in the bedroom but in the end while we were designing the space

00:21:42we realized that we like the circular flow.

00:21:48The dressing area has a large floor to set in the wardrobe.

00:21:52It contains more of our clothes and household items as well as the washing machine.

00:21:59The bathroom cabin contains both the toilet and the shower.

00:22:06The shower heads can be turned on at the same time to allow two people to use the shower simultaneously.

00:22:13It has a large glass panel that allows natural light to come in.

00:22:24Instead of hiding the sink we decided to turn it into a feature in this area of the apartment.

00:22:30We are doing this to improve the spaciousness of the house.

00:22:34Behind the sink we added a wall of artisanal ceramic tiles.

00:22:39On the side we have space to store everyday items.

00:22:45The sleeping area can be accessed from the entrance corridor and from the living area.

00:22:52Originally there was a part of the ceiling which had storage space.

00:22:57We didn't need it all so we decided to remove most of it to make the bedroom more spacious.

00:23:06There is a bed lamp hanging from the top of the wall.

00:23:12The cabinets are arranged in the room to make the most of the available space.

00:23:19They are from IKEA but since they are visible from all sides we decided to customise

00:23:24the front with oak lines which is a material very present in the house.

00:23:32The bed can lift up for extra storage.

00:23:38The floor we chose it's made of natural rubber.

00:23:42The blue part of the floor it was a mistake.

00:23:46We originally planned to have white finish throughout the apartment

00:23:50but there was an issue during the construction and we couldn't access to more white floor.

00:23:55So we then decided to create a triangle safe that plays with the angle the kitchen already had.

00:24:01It turned out quite well.

00:24:04The best way to face a small space we think that is to open it.

00:24:10To remove as many walls as possible so every meter counts as a bigger space.

00:24:18We think that it was worth sacrificing some privacy in order to have better light and more space.

00:24:27The biggest win of living in a city is the density it offers.

00:24:31We are always close to the market, the art galleries, our friends,

00:24:35and we are always excited to explore the city.

00:24:38We talk about a home now and the next day.

00:24:56I think my favourite apartment is the sunroom.

00:24:59It is a great space.

00:25:00is you feel like it's almost a terrace when you open the doors, so it's like you

00:25:06have this exterior and interior space.

00:25:15The building was built in 1870. We wanted it to become a modern, clean and open

00:25:22apartment while respecting the original charm that made us fall in love with

00:25:27the apartment the second we walk in. With this inspiration in mind, many elements

00:25:33were kept, such as the flooring, the ceilings and many doors and windows that

00:25:39we personally restored.

00:25:44I love this kind of flooring. I love the colors, I love the personality that it brings.

00:25:54My name is Carlota Siverio. I'm a freelance architect from Spain and I live in this apartment with my wife,

00:26:01Carla.

00:26:13The apartment is in Conte Borrell Street, part of the lively neighborhood called San Antony in Barcelona.

00:26:21Conte Borrell is now a quiet pedestrianized street during weekdays, then transformed into a dynamic street during weekends

00:26:29with light music and a book market.

00:26:38When we found the apartment, we immediately loved the cementite flooring and the high ceilings.

00:26:44There were two bedrooms, but the size and distribution of the rooms were not practical.

00:26:50We moved the kitchen and dining room to the center of the house.

00:26:54We made the master bedroom wide enough to fit a double bed, making the living room smaller.

00:27:02The bedroom was kept in its original location, but we add a new entrance to make it more functional.

00:27:09We transformed the kitchen into the sunroom to feel like a balcony.

00:27:14The second bedroom was small and dark, so we removed one of the walls and created an opening to the

00:27:20sunroom to let in more natural light.

00:27:26When you first enter the apartment, you find the entryway, kitchen and dining room combined.

00:27:33By the door, there is a small cabinet that we use for leaving our keys and shoes.

00:27:39For the kitchen itself, we choose natural materials that match the original flooring.

00:27:45The cement tiles in the floor create patterned zones, defining different areas in the apartment.

00:27:51The entrance door is the original from 150 years ago and was one of the elements that we personally restored.

00:28:03All the elements needed for cooking are easily reachable for a streamlined experience.

00:28:08We also have a small panel dishwasher.

00:28:11The kitchen counter is made of granite and the cabinets out of melamine wood.

00:28:17The floor-to-ceiling cabinets contain functional elements such as the switchboard, the integrated fridge,

00:28:24the oven and a small breakfast bar perfect for hiding small appliances.

00:28:29We choose white melamine so that, at a glance, they merge together and feel like another wall.

00:28:35The same material was used for all the similar storage in the apartment to gain consistency.

00:28:43The living room is facing a pedestrianized street.

00:28:46When opening the balcony doors, you feel like you are in a quiet village.

00:28:51The living room has the most impressive flooring with more than eight different colors.

00:28:58Traditionally, the most special tiles were usually located in the rooms facing the street.

00:29:03This was a way to show wealth back in the 19th century.

00:29:08We also decided to leave the original wall uncovered and created a built-in shelf to display our favorite art

00:29:15pieces.

00:29:18When we removed the ceiling, it revealed a stunning structure which we had restored.

00:29:23It brings a lot of character to the room.

00:29:28In the living room, we continue with the same strategy for the storage.

00:29:33A bar cabinet and a display shelf serve to show some personal objects.

00:29:40The bedroom is next to the living room.

00:29:46The sleeping room also has a balcony.

00:29:50In this room, we can easily fit a double bed.

00:29:59Also, we continue the floor-to-ceiling closets line from the living room, which now serves as a closing closet.

00:30:07To have more storage, we custom-made a chest of drawers that delineates the dressing area and the sleeping area

00:30:14without physically dividing the space.

00:30:17We add the same wood handles from the dressers to the closets to have a more cohesive look.

00:30:24The lighting continues to the bedroom to visually connect both rooms.

00:30:31In the bedroom and home office, we couldn't keep the original flooring as it was too damaged.

00:30:37To create the new mosaic, we work with a company that is still using the same method to build the

00:30:43tiles.

00:30:51To create more natural light into the office, we created a second entrance from the sunroom.

00:30:57We decided to leave this space open to keep it flexible.

00:31:01We used the same strategy from the bedroom, using a low-storage unit to delineate the space.

00:31:09In the bathroom, our priority was to make the most out of the space we had.

00:31:15We designed the wash washing cabinet to perfectly fit that space.

00:31:20There is a built-in shower niche on one side of the bathroom.

00:31:26And a ledge behind the toilet to hide the plumbing that doubles as a shelf on the other side.

00:31:32There is a small window connecting to the sunroom, to help with ventilation and bringing more natural light.

00:31:41Our favourite part of the apartment is the sunroom.

00:31:45We decided to use the same tiles, rasilla, that were widely used in balconies and terraces when the building was

00:31:53first built.

00:31:55We also replaced the windows so they can be fully opened to convert the sunroom into the exterior space it

00:32:02originally was.

00:32:06On one side of the sunroom there is a closet which contains the washing machine and the boiler.

00:32:14There is also a spot for our cat's litter box.

00:32:18In the afternoon it is really sunny here, so this is the perfect spot to read a book.

00:32:28When it comes to designing small spaces, I think customization is key.

00:32:34It allows you to create clean and organizing schemes, which make spaces feel bigger and easy to live in.

00:32:43Flexibility is also important as people's needs evolve and their homes should be able to do so too.

00:32:50Small apartments offer a more affordable option to live in the city centre, but we need creativity so these spaces

00:32:57can meet our needs.

00:33:14The apartment is located in Nena Casas, a calm street in the residential neighbourhood of Tres Torres.

00:33:30This is our home, and we share it with our dog Vilma.

00:33:36We both own our business, so we sometimes use home as an office.

00:33:44I'm Diana Martin, a creative director and copywriter.

00:33:48And I am Max Enrich, a furniture and object designer from Barcelona.

00:33:59Nena Casas is a very calm and green area with very little commercial activity.

00:34:10The villa was built in 1936.

00:34:14It belongs to a community of six small houses.

00:34:18They belong to six different prostitutes.

00:34:21Each house was named after one of them.

00:34:24Ours is named Villa Montserrat.

00:34:29The villa is 45 square meters, with an additional 4 square meters for the glass patio,

00:34:36and 40 square meters for the rooftop terrace.

00:34:41Our concept was to create an open, yet intimate space with furniture that serves more than one purpose.

00:34:50Even though we are limited in space, we didn't want to feel like there's anything missing.

00:35:00Originally, the ground floor of the villa had many rooms divided by walls.

00:35:06We removed all the walls, except for one that divides the bedroom from the main space.

00:35:13We added a new bathroom inside the bedroom.

00:35:17We designed and integrated furniture built into the villa for plenty of storage space.

00:35:23Finally, we designed a glass patio that extends the living area to the outdoor space.

00:35:31As you enter the villa, you are greeted by Vilma on the curtain.

00:35:38We made a cutout for the door to let more light into the entrance.

00:35:45There is a custom bookshelf, or library as we like to call it.

00:35:50It divides the entrance from the rest of the house and creates some intimacy from the moment you come in.

00:35:58There is hidden storage at the bottom.

00:36:02Along the left hand side is a custom built low storage unit that spans the entire length of the wall.

00:36:09It provides hidden storage and a surface to display objects that we have collected.

00:36:19The furniture and wall on this side of the room was painted in a light mustard color.

00:36:25It creates a nice contrast to the light blue floors.

00:36:31We built a multi-functional piece that combines a sofa, a dining table and a counter

00:36:39all-in-one seamless unit made out of painted MDF.

00:36:44The countertop can also collapse down when not in use to free up space.

00:36:52On the other side is a dining table that can seat up to five.

00:37:00The kitchen is fully equipped with an induction cooktop, a medium-sized sink, a hidden dishwasher

00:37:07and lots of storage from floor to ceiling.

00:37:14The kitchen also continues around the wall under the stairs, where you can find a fridge, oven and more pantry

00:37:22space.

00:37:24Under the stairs, we have our laundry behind a hidden door.

00:37:35The office is to the right of the kitchen and continues to follow the same design language

00:37:41to look like one large unit.

00:37:48We integrated a built-in light above the desk and plenty of storage all around.

00:37:54The table has a glass top and showcases our collection of scissors.

00:38:05You enter the bedroom using the sliding doors.

00:38:12Above the bed, there is a narrow ledge behind to act as a headboard

00:38:16and a place to put our lamp and personal belongings.

00:38:20There is a large built-in closet along the wall.

00:38:29The bedroom also contains our bathroom.

00:38:32We wanted the rooms to seamlessly blend into each other,

00:38:36so we decided not to divide the spaces with the wall, which would also darken the bedroom.

00:38:44We used small grey mosaic tiles from floor to ceiling and also covered the entire vanity with the same tiles.

00:38:58The best part of showering here is the automated skylight.

00:39:04You can have a shower with natural light and as it opens,

00:39:08all the heat and steam can leave the house.

00:39:15The glass extension allows us to bring the outside into our villa.

00:39:21The extension also contains the stairs that lead us to the rooftop terrace.

00:39:30The rooftop is like a small house by itself.

00:39:34It's very nice to have it here in Barcelona with the weather that we have.

00:39:39We use it almost all year round.

00:39:43We design outdoor furniture so we can have a dining table and some seating where we can relax

00:39:49and entertain our friends.

00:39:52We have also filled it with lots of plants to provide a lot of greenery

00:39:56to keep the space fresh and also create some shades.

00:40:03When designing small spaces, we combine furniture to a more multifunctional solution.

00:40:10This way we optimize space.

00:40:14Barcelona has its expansion limited by the geographical context.

00:40:19There are still plenty of small spaces to be refurbished to make more housing for people.

00:40:26We think these inner city dwellings are suitable for couples, young families and even the elderly.

00:40:34For the moment, it is just the two of us living here and Bilma of course.

00:40:39This villa has everything we need in a small space.

00:40:42This villa has everything we need in a small space.

00:40:43This villa has everything we need in a small space.

00:40:50Hey, did you know that we've got a magazine and Issue 2 is coming out soon?

00:40:54Issue 2 is all about slowing down.

00:40:57How we can find peace in this crazy world.

00:40:59Maybe the sloths have the answer.

00:41:01NTS SubClub members get free worldwide shipping and are the first to get their magazines.

00:41:06Join our SubClub before January 17th to get Issue 2 and 10% off our books and publications.

00:41:12Subscribe now to never miss an Issue.

00:41:20I love mid-century furniture and I love collecting them.

00:41:25The building was built in 1960.

00:41:28In this period, I loved the materials that were used.

00:41:32So I wanted to use the same kind of materials that were available in that moment.

00:41:38To get the 50s look, I used the furniture I've been collecting for years to give me the atmosphere in

00:41:48that period.

00:41:49My name is Jacobo Valenti.

00:41:52I'm an architect from Barcelona.

00:41:55I live here with my dog, Ron.

00:42:05The apartment is in the center of Barcelona in a neighborhood called Eixampla.

00:42:11The neighborhood was designed to connect the ancient heart of the city with the suburbs.

00:42:18The apartment is 37 square meters, including the terrace.

00:42:23The first time I came into the apartment was kind of a sad space, depressing.

00:42:30The layout was completely wrong.

00:42:32The bathroom was too big and the living area was too small.

00:42:36I demolished the wall at the entrance of the apartment, which was the oversized old bathroom.

00:42:43My goal was to have a terrace.

00:42:46So I moved three square meters from indoor to outdoor.

00:42:50Another decision was to split the bathroom and have toilet on one end, the apartment, and the shower in the

00:42:58other.

00:42:59I turned the kitchen around to create a corridor with kitchen in both sides of the space.

00:43:11When you enter through the door, you will find a wooden wall which is part of the wardrobe.

00:43:17The position of the wardrobe helps to abstract the inside of the apartment when standing at the entrance.

00:43:25An artwork is covering the electric box and a collection of keys.

00:43:31Through a sliding door on the right is the toilet.

00:43:34There is a small sink inside and lots of art on the walls.

00:43:38I cut a curtain and hang it covering the toilet tank, giving the effect of a wall-mounted toilet.

00:43:45Behind the curtain, I can store toilet paper and hide the brush.

00:43:51The kitchen works as a corridor between the entrance and living areas.

00:43:56This is a good trick to save space.

00:43:59The kitchen is wooden with a stainless steel countertop and backsplash.

00:44:05On one side, there is a sink, a fridge, a washing machine, and the laundry.

00:44:10All this lower part is an IKEA kitchen but covered in the same wood that I've used in this area

00:44:16of the apartment.

00:44:18Also, in this part, we find the cabinet by Charlotte Perrian.

00:44:22It's an original mid-century piece and has a lot of room for glass, dishes, and food storage.

00:44:28On the other side of the kitchen, there is an induction cooktop and an oven.

00:44:33Although it's a small kitchen, it feels big because it's wider and taller than a regular kitchen.

00:44:41The living area is a versatile space that can be used as a living room, a dining room,

00:44:48and sometimes as my office when I'm working from home.

00:44:51There is an IKEA sofa which can fall down and become a bed for guests.

00:44:56It's also used as one of the seats for the dining table.

00:45:00I built a custom wood frame around the sofa,

00:45:04and there is storage in the right side of the sofa to keep blankets and to connect chargers.

00:45:10For storage, I customized an interesting Danish piece of furniture from the 60s.

00:45:16It's a low unit that sits by the wall at the end of the bed.

00:45:20Above is my record player and vinyls.

00:45:23Inside, I store my shoes and the amplifier.

00:45:28The big bed sits in the open space.

00:45:32The closet storage is an IKEA closet which has mirror doors to give the illusion of a bigger space.

00:45:40I wrapped wood around the closet and created floating shelves at the end.

00:45:45Above the wardrobe is the porthole which was originally from a boat.

00:45:50It can be opened up for ventilation.

00:45:54The projector is mounted above the bed and projects directly onto the wall.

00:46:02The bathroom is right next to the terrace with a big piece of glass in between,

00:46:07serving very good views when you shower.

00:46:09As I live here by myself, I didn't feel the need to put the bathroom in a separate room.

00:46:15So, the sink is a part of the main living space.

00:46:19This frees up some space in a small apartment.

00:46:21I used the same yellow tiles as the terrace.

00:46:25This gave some more outdoor feeling to the bathroom.

00:46:28On the side of the bathroom, I made a small niche to use as a small bedside storage.

00:46:35The apartment is an attic, so it has very good views and very good light.

00:46:42The terrace is the jewel of the apartment.

00:46:45It works as living, dining, office, green area and it even has a lemon tree.

00:46:53In the warmer months, I have every meal in the terrace.

00:46:58I try to find a balance between collectible pieces with some other pieces,

00:47:04like an IKEA kitchen or everyday objects that you can buy in a flea market.

00:47:11It's very important to give second life for things and buildings because you don't waste the resources.

00:47:20My goal for this kind of projects is to feel as you are in a bigger space,

00:47:27putting together in the same place a lot of uses,

00:47:31and then finding the proper objects and piece of furniture for the apartment.

00:47:41My goal for this is to feel as if you are in a living room.

00:47:48Many of the colors we use in the apartment are traditional civilian colors.

00:47:55These can be easily found on the streets around here,

00:47:58so a lot of inspiration for the apartment came from the cityscape itself.

00:48:04It used to be a very dark space before, like very limited by walls,

00:48:09and it was kind of claustrophobic somehow.

00:48:12And now it feels like very airy and very bright and it gives beautiful energy.

00:48:24The apartment is located in Triana, a historic district in Seville, Spain.

00:48:31Triana is known for being the place where flamenco originated from.

00:48:37Because of its traditional local vibe with many small streets and the Guadalquipir river,

00:48:43the real estate in this area of Seville is in very high demand.

00:48:47My name is Antonio Mora.

00:48:49And my name is Eduardo Tazón.

00:48:51We are architects and co-founders of Studio Noyu, based in Madrid and Seville in Spain.

00:49:05We like to work with color as an architectural element.

00:49:10Each area is distinguished by its own zigzag colorful alcove.

00:49:16They're made from readily available and low-cost aluminum roof ridges known as cumbreras in Spanish.

00:49:23The effect of the vibrant colors imparts a sense of greater spaciousness.

00:49:29My favorite part of the apartment is the theatricality of the blue curtain.

00:49:34It just makes it much more fun.

00:49:36So you're constantly changing the appearance of the apartment with a very kind of easy gesture.

00:49:42The client is a young dentist who is very organized and lives here with her pet rabbit Lennon.

00:49:49Casa Triana is located in a residential complex built in the 60s.

00:49:54Our client inherited this apartment from her grandparents after they passed away.

00:50:00The apartment originally had three small bedrooms along a narrow L-shaped corridor.

00:50:06There was a bathroom, a separate kitchen and a living room,

00:50:10and a narrow balcony that spans the entire length of the apartment.

00:50:13For the renovation, we remove almost all the interior walls in the apartment.

00:50:18This allows us to increase the size of the bedroom and add a walk-in closet.

00:50:22The bathroom was kept in its original place, but a second entrance was added so that it can be

00:50:27accessed from the bedroom. The living, dining and kitchen is now one large open plan with the main

00:50:33functions along the walls. The living room can be closed off using curtains to keep some privacy.

00:50:39It can also be used as a guest room.

00:50:47As you enter the apartment, the first thing you see are the blue curtains that hides the living room.

00:50:53The front door is the original door and we could not change the outside appearance due to the building

00:50:58rules. But we were able to add cladding to the inside to blend it in with the rest of the

00:51:04entrance.

00:51:06At the entrance, there is a small open closet where the client can store her bags,

00:51:11coats and shoes. We added a mirror to reflect the colours in the space.

00:51:24The living room is behind a blue floor-to-ceiling curtain. It shares the same open space as the

00:51:30kitchen and dining room. We chose the furniture in the living room together with the client.

00:51:36We wanted the colour tone of the furniture to be neutral. A mirror-side table reflects the

00:51:41surrounding colours and creates a bit of an illusion. The only non-neutral item in the living room is

00:51:48the custom-made plinth in the alcove. It was designed to blend into the curtains.

00:51:58To zone the living room area, we design a custom-made carpet with grey to blue gradient.

00:52:04This carpet, together with the folding curtain, creates a visual sensation of a defined space.

00:52:12One curtain of the carpet has a rounded edge to match the curved rail of the curtains.

00:52:17The marble floor tiles are also original. It was actually added by her grandparents

00:52:22and she wanted to keep it to remind her of them.

00:52:28We added a metallic white ceiling light which has a ripple effect to remind us of the waves of the

00:52:34curtains.

00:52:37Just outside the living room, there is a custom-made six-axis shelving system that is not visible

00:52:43from the entrance to keep the area from looking cluttered.

00:52:49We maximized storage by adding cabinets throughout the wall along the window.

00:52:59The kitchen was relocated to a more hidden area, away from the entrance of the apartment.

00:53:05We pushed the baseboard back to give the kitchen some depth and make it appear like

00:53:10it's floating off the ground, making the kitchen feel lighter.

00:53:14The kitchen countertop is made from black granite to match with the black sink and appliances.

00:53:22There are two pantries on either side of the kitchen.

00:53:26One hides the fridge and all the small appliances and the other hides the laundry room with a washer dryer.

00:53:34This allows us to have a kitchen that is always tidy and visually clean.

00:53:40The dining area is between the living room and the kitchen.

00:53:45We custom designed a yellow dining table with a slight curve on one end to mimic the same curve

00:53:52of the carpet and curtains in the living room. When the table is not in use, it can be pushed

00:53:57into the yellow niche to become a desk and create a study area. There is a hanging light in the

00:54:02niche

00:54:03to illuminate this space. When the dining table is moved to the center of the room,

00:54:08the light can also be rotated to illuminate the space.

00:54:14The dining room chairs are by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen and we chose black to add contrast to the

00:54:22yellow niche.

00:54:25Beside the yellow niche, we added a large floor-to-ceiling closet with lots of room for

00:54:31clothes and other household items. We also added a smaller closed storage under the windows.

00:54:40For the private areas of the apartment, such as the bedroom and bathroom,

00:54:44we chose to use neutral tones, such as charcoal and pale white.

00:54:51Instead of a door, the walk-in closet can be hidden using curtains.

00:54:55This helps to tighten it in with the alcoves in the rest of the apartment.

00:55:01This vibrant yellow color conveys energy and liveliness in the mornings and was actually chosen

00:55:07by the client. It is a very generous space and provides hangars and shelving for clothes and

00:55:13personal items. We custom-made an upholster headboard with integrated reading lamps and beside tables.

00:55:24The sides of the headboard angles in towards the bed to make you feel cozy.

00:55:30The angle also provides a bit of a division to the bathroom entrance.

00:55:37For the bathroom, a charcoal grey tone was chosen for the sink area.

00:55:42To continue the zigzag theme of the apartment, we found a dark triangular ceramic tile for the area

00:55:49around the sink of the bathroom. Due to the zigzag nature of the tiles, the mirror looks like it's

00:55:55floating in mid-air. The rest of the bathroom is white. The client preferred to have a more

00:56:00functional and spacious bathroom, so we removed the bathtub and replaced it with a large shower.

00:56:07This freed up space to add a second entrance from the bedroom.

00:56:11We added building storage opposite the sink and a niche behind the sliding door with just enough space to hang

00:56:18bath towels.

00:56:23The blue curtain creates a pop-up guest bedroom whenever there is someone staying over.

00:56:30So this allows for flexibility to use the living room also as a separate bedroom.

00:56:38There's a very strong sense of community in the city center of Seville, which is something that you

00:56:45lose when you're going towards the suburbs. Of course, it's important to think of small spaces

00:56:52and the challenge of designing them in terms of optimization and getting the most out of every

00:56:58inch of the apartment. But the challenge for designing small apartments is to add a lot of character

00:57:06and a lot of personality.

00:57:28The design concept of this house was to make the maximum with the minimum.

00:57:37We named this apartment Casa Flix because Flix is another word for film.

00:57:42And as the owner works in the film industry, we wanted to make this connection.

00:57:49Also, the design of the apartment, we think that this kind of full symmetry with the mirror

00:57:55and with the roofs and the colors also could look like a film of Wes Anderson.

00:58:02I'm Gonzalo Pardo, the creative director of Ocon Architects, an architectural office based in Madrid.

00:58:16This apartment is located in Callao, in the city center of Madrid.

00:58:23This neighborhood is very special because it's in the heart of the city.

00:58:30Here in this area happens everything in Madrid. We are very close to La Gran Vía,

00:58:35which is one of the most important streets in the city and it's full of life.

00:58:42This building was built in 1900.

00:58:50So the special thing of this apartment is located in the top part of the building,

00:58:55is the fifth floor, and it is an attic.

00:59:02The colors are also part of the design and they are introduced in order to make different kind

00:59:09of ambience and spaces inside such a small space.

00:59:16It's interesting to assign a color to a special function of the house.

00:59:23The owner of this house is Roberto. He works in the streaming platform and he wanted to make a

00:59:31renovation after living here a couple of years.

00:59:38First time we came to this apartment, it was very dark and there was not a lot of light.

00:59:45Everything was in the wrong place. It was a very small kitchen in the entrance.

00:59:50The bedroom was shared with the living room. So the thing we did was to reorganize all the floor

00:59:56plan in terms of logic. The main changes we did was to separate the house into two parts,

01:00:04private one and a public one. The tallest part of the house contains the bedroom and a shower and the

01:00:11public one contains all the living room with the dining room with the kitchen. We introduced a place

01:00:18for studying in the new layout. Before entering the apartment there is a long terrace overlooking

01:00:27the patio. It's a nice cozy spot for a morning coffee or evening drink. The front door is a timber

01:00:34framed glass door which helps to let some light through even when the door is closed. When inside

01:00:41the glass can be closed off from the inside using a smaller door.

01:00:47We decided to paint the ceiling partially in blue because we wanted to make the wow effect when

01:00:52you enter the house. I think that you make more singular this entrance by painting it in blue.

01:01:00And also we introduced a circular window in the façade. You can open it up and in order to introduce

01:01:07ventilation inside the house.

01:01:11As the entrance is so small we decided to introduce a light metal book shelf in order to make it

01:01:19floating into the space and in that way Roberto could store it all his book collection.

01:01:29The entrance is also the home office for Roberto. It contains a triangular table in order to create a

01:01:36smooth movement when you go inside the house. We integrated power sockets for laptops and

01:01:43integrated a light on the partition. Another reason why we located the working table in that place

01:01:50because above it was the skylight. We were able to introduce natural light as well as ventilation into

01:01:57the working area. The living room which is shared with the kitchen and the dining is placed in the heart

01:02:05of the house. It contains a sofa and a small table. As we wanted to introduce more natural

01:02:11light into the living area we added a new skylight above the dining table.

01:02:18Around the center of the living room there is a dormer window and it's a perfect setup just to put

01:02:24a

01:02:24plant, a chair and spend hours and hours reading especially during the summer evenings that you can

01:02:30open up the window. So in order to take advantage of the lower parts of the house we decided to

01:02:37introduce a deep storage. For us the storage in a house is essential. If a storage works the house will

01:02:44work.

01:02:48We designed such a big kitchen because Roberto, the owner, loves to cook. It's a fine,

01:02:554.5 meters long kitchen. Everything is hidden and it contains an integrated fridge, full size oven,

01:03:02induction cock top, hidden washing machine. The cabinets are from Ikea and the fronts are

01:03:09laminate play wood from Cubro. The countertop is made of centered stone. We use the same material for

01:03:19the splash back of the kitchen. We chose yellow because as this is the darkest part of the house

01:03:27we wanted to introduce more light so we thought that a lighter color could light all the space.

01:03:36The house contains two types of lights. One of them is LED stripes and the other one wall lamps that

01:03:44allows to generate some kind of cozy lighting. We decided to introduce large scale tiles one per one meter long

01:03:57because when you introduce large tiles into small spaces the space will look bigger.

01:04:09The toilet is hidden behind a mirror wall by the entrance. The mirror wall allows the light to

01:04:20bounce around the darker entrance as well as creating an illusion of a bigger space.

01:04:28Inside the bedroom there's a sliding pocket door in order to generate some kind of privacy once

01:04:34you are inside. At the end of the bedroom there's a little storage. I have to say that the bedroom

01:04:42is one of the most special spaces in the house because it contains three skylights.

01:04:53At the beginning there were two skylights but I convinced Roberto to introduce a new one in order to see

01:05:00the Suez Capitol building. You can see when you are taking a shower. The shower area is inside the bedroom.

01:05:09It is also linked to the rest of the house through a glass bricks that allows light to go inside.

01:05:16During the

01:05:17evening it turns into a lantern. It generates like a very soft and smooth light for the whole house.

01:05:25The shower area contains one same tile with two different finishes. One brilliant and the other

01:05:32opaque and we wanted to mix them in order to create a vibrant space. We introduced a mirror and it's

01:05:40interesting because it duplicates the space of the shower. In our projects we use a lot of mirrors.

01:05:51Using mirrors is the best strategy to make the space bigger. So we decided to introduce

01:05:58mirrors in in the corners of the house.

01:06:05It's important you reusing the the historical houses in the city centers but it's also important

01:06:13to make them livable and to design them with natural light with natural ventilation and with with materials

01:06:21that you know that are going to last for a long long time.

01:06:42The apartment is in the old town of Sevilla in Spain.

01:06:47Our clients themselves frequently travel around Europe in their camper van which

01:06:53influence our design approach.

01:06:58The concept was to create a single piece of furniture that would run along the entire side

01:07:04of the house and serve as storage, freeing up as much space as possible for flexibility.

01:07:11The clients were looking for a flexible space to use as a home office. A space to do yoga and

01:07:16exercise,

01:07:17to play the keyboard and at the same time be able to host guests when they come to visit.

01:07:23My name is Javier Salvador and I am Yao García and we are architects and founders of Haima Studio.

01:07:37Sevilla is the second largest historic city in the world.

01:07:41It is a city with a strong influence of Roman and Arab architecture with narrow streets and three or four

01:07:48-story buildings.

01:07:50The facade of this apartment building faces a small south-facing square making it something really special.

01:07:57Everyone is really friendly like a small community.

01:08:05This apartment was built in 1970s with mainly families and young workers.

01:08:11The flat was in very poor condition.

01:08:15The layout consisted of small boxes making three really tiny bedrooms and a dark and elongated living

01:08:22room and corridor. It also comes small storage or laundry room on the rooftop of the building.

01:08:28We demolished two bedrooms creating a single space for kitchen, dining room and living room.

01:08:34So the spaces most used during the day were turned towards the south facade.

01:08:39The kitchen was replaced by the flexible room which is open most of the time, eliminating the feeling of a

01:08:46corridor in the house.

01:08:51Once you enter the apartment, there is a wall made from birch plywood.

01:08:56With a full high storage cupboard, we push to open hidden doors where the client can put coats and shoes.

01:09:06The floor is covered in the same large cement stone tiles throughout the apartment,

01:09:11which looks great against the white and the birch wood of the apartment.

01:09:17The living room, kitchen and dining room are in one open space.

01:09:22In the living area, we place the sofa and the lawn chair near the balcony so that when the balcony

01:09:28door is open,

01:09:29the living space extends to the outdoor area.

01:09:32We decided to change all the original double-leaf windows and replace them by single ones made of natural

01:09:38iroku wood so the clients have less abstracted views through the windows and a better access to the

01:09:44small balcony with plants, maintaining a bit the Andalusian tradition to have these small oases in the houses.

01:09:52Next to the balcony door, we have a low storage unit. It's an old piece of wardrobe that the owner

01:09:59upcycled and turned it into a storage unit where the client placed their record player and record collection.

01:10:15Opposite the living area, we designed one large kitchen unit that fills the whole wall.

01:10:20It's packed with storage and the kitchen bench extends into the dining area.

01:10:26Adjacent to the kitchen window, floor-to-ceiling storage creates a space like a walk-in pantry.

01:10:32So the client, when they are in the living room, they don't see the mess.

01:10:39The kitchen top and the island is made 90% of white quartz and 10% resin.

01:10:47We decided to put the kitchen island in the middle in order to have a central space where you can

01:10:54have

01:10:54breakfast, maybe a quick dinner, but also like a central point of the house when you have guests.

01:11:06The dining nook comes with storage below and above the bench.

01:11:12Three shelves were left open for clients to display their favorite things.

01:11:19To make the dining nook cozier and to make the whole unit look like one large piece of furniture,

01:11:25we installed floor-to-ceiling birch plywood at the corner of the wall.

01:11:30The dining table is from Luffe, a Spanish company, and it's made of Spanish local pine,

01:11:36chosen by the clients themselves. The yellow hanging lamp above the table is from Ikea,

01:11:42to add a bit of color. Next to the living room we have what we call the flexible space.

01:11:52Most of the time this area functions as an extension of the living room. Sometimes it can be used as

01:11:59an

01:11:59office when the clients are working from home, or it can also be transformed into a guest bedroom with

01:12:05a folding bed. We hide the curtain in a cube hidden rail.

01:12:12The curtain is actually made by the homeowner's mother using all the curtains that they have.

01:12:17The curtain provides privacy and light protection, but if you don't need it,

01:12:23you can still keep a really big open space in the apartment.

01:12:31The bedroom is near the entrance. We tried to keep the bedroom quite simple,

01:12:37using the same birch plywood throughout the apartment to create a large wardrobe for the clients.

01:12:45One section of the wardrobe has 60 centimeters deep storage, where clients can store bulky items,

01:12:51such as clothing, luggage or large belongings.

01:12:55Instead of using door knobs, we opted for cut-outs, as it creates a visually cleaner look.

01:13:02The interesting part of the bedroom is the south-facing window, aligned with the kitchen

01:13:07window and the window at the front of the apartment, so you can see all the way through

01:13:12to the facade of the building opposite the street.

01:13:18Behind one of the hidden wooden doors at the entrance is the bathroom. The same floor tiles continue

01:13:25seamlessly from the rest of the apartment, except for the shower area. The vanity and toilets are

01:13:32floating off the ground, creating the sense of more floor. We covered the shower wall with ivory and

01:13:41blue tiles, making a frame as you enter in the bathroom. This is a gentle reference to the Andalusian

01:13:48tiling tradition. We created a niche for storing gel and shampoo bottles.

01:13:58In Sevilla it's quite common to have storage on the rooftop where you go to the laundry,

01:14:04so they can wash the clothes and after that they can hang the clothes in the lines and because it's

01:14:11a

01:14:11city with a lot of sun, in one hour you can have your clothes completely dry.

01:14:18One of the keys to designing a small home is to create a space that's flexible and can serve

01:14:24multiple functions. By combining uses and maximizing the space you can make your everyday life more

01:14:31comfortable and enjoyable rather than having separate independent areas. One of the strategies is to use

01:14:38the fewer materials as possible so you can always give to the clients a neutral space and they are

01:14:46going to fill it with colour, plants, personal items. It's like giving the clients a versatile canvas to

01:14:54express themselves and shape as their lives change and grow.

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