L&M Design Lab leveraged the diagonal axis of an L-shaped, 366-square-foot flat in Shanghai to make it feel more spacious, carving out room for everyone’s hobbies—including a mini singing hall. The home, which is on the top floor of an older building, can be traversed in just 13 steps from north to south, say the designers, giving the project its name, A House Within Thirteen Steps.

Before: Entrance

After: Entrance

The residents are a family of five that includes three generations. The grandparents had moved from Zhangye, in the central province of Gansu, to help care for their two-year-old granddaughter. The former layout of the apartment was so inefficient that it limited the hobbies of the family members.

“Grandpa, a previous tenor, now has to lower his voice,” say the designers. “Grandma, as an artist, has to give up piano. Father cannot dance in the house, and Mother lays aside her artistic brushes. Other interests like yoga, sports and fitness, tea-tasting, movies, and games all have to give way to the reality of little room.”

The firm separated the kitchen into an “outside kitchen,” with a prep counter and the refrigerator, and an “inside kitchen,” which has the sink, stove, and more counter space. A sliding glass door separates them, but allows for sight between. The firm divided the kitchen this way in order to keep smoke and cooking smells isolated.

After: Kitchen

Before: Second Bedroom

After: Second Bedroom

Shop the Look

Prior to the remodel, the plan was much more linear and segmented. The firm drew inspiration from Cui Linglong, a building within the Canglang Pavilion (or Surging Waves Pavilion) in one of Suzhou’s UNESCO World Heritage Site–designated gardens. As the firm describes, “Three rooms connect diagonally with each other at the end of a zigzagging walkway. The sequence makes the diagonal rooms feel more spacious because they can be used as three separate rooms, or one combined. In the same way, the house is transformed.”

Before: Living Room and Bathroom

After: Living Room, Bathroom, and Playroom

Before: Master Bedroom

After: Master Bedroom

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Project Credits:

Interior Design: L & M Design Lab

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Before & After: A Family of Five Thrives in This Ingenious, 366-Square-Foot Apartment in Shanghai