Multifunctional Furniture Makes This Micro-Apartment Feel More Than Its 140 Square Feet

Carefully crafted, adaptable seating and storage create flexible zones in the tiny unit—what “might be London’s smallest house.”

Text by

Michele Koh Morollo

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Although some people might quiver at the idea of living in only 140 square feet, Studiomama cofounders Nina Tolstrup and Jack Mama saw the opportunity as an exciting design challenge.

By carefully constructing adaptable furniture units, the dynamic duo successfully assembled a series of volumetric spaces to create cohesive, flexible living zones in what "might be London’s smallest house."

The multicolored unit conceals a full workstation and storage next to the bench seat.

"We have created small spaces before, but this was a great challenge as it was impossible to get a small space like this to work using off-the-shelf furniture," says Tolstrup, who hired East London carpentry firm Commissioned by You (CBY) to build the bespoke furniture units.

"All the furniture units had to be custom-made for the space, so it was more like designing the interior of a boat or caravan," she adds.

The cabinet doors slide to reveal bookshelves.

The floor plan for the tiny triangular apartment—also known as the 13 Square Meter House—is zoned according to the different furniture units, which contain a bed, workspace, kitchen, dining area, bathroom, and closet storage.

One of the units opens to reveal a small pullout desk for a standing workstation.

The pastel-painted units were designed in various sizes and were each crafted for specific functions, including the storage of a sewing machine, spice jars, wine, and books.

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Studiomama cofounder Jack Mama rests his feet on the pullout ottoman.

"A laptop is stored above and technical equipment below," says Mama. "We have created integrated storage and seating elements, which have discreet dual functions and can easily extend to add extra surfaces for seating or working. We wanted to get the space to work intuitively, without too many electronic or hidden functions."

The tiny kitchen is equipped with everything needed to prepare a decent meal.

A Murphy bed, which is placed at the narrowest end of the triangulated space, folds down to reveal a cozy sleeping area with two slender bookshelves, as well as a bedside table.

There’s a hidden Murphy bed along the narrowest wall of the triangulated apartment.

Along the widest wall—opposite the bed—is the kitchen, which is equipped with a fridge, sink, cooktop, oven, and storage.

The bathroom, which is located behind the kitchen, is the only space that’s separated by a wall.

The smartly designed bathroom vanity supports the sink, and also holds the toilet paper.

Tolstrup believes that with rise of megacities, living efficiently in compact spaces will be an increasingly important issue, and she hopes that this project will help people reconsider what they really need in order to live comfortably and well.