Small spaces

breakfast nook/homework station

One of the hardest things to do when looking at potential homes is to overlook existing finishes, colors, and materials.

A gray Liam sofa is a smart solution for partitioning rooms while keeping an open plan in a small space. Black Enea Lottus stools also enable a joint entertainment/functional area.

The plaster on the bedroom wall was too hard to remove, but Vorontsov is glad the clients kept it; its unique texture adds dimension to the six-foot-wide bedroom. It owes its tiny size to two bearing walls Crosby Studios had to work around.

To stay within the budget, the designers decided to forgo natural stone in the bathrooms in lieu of simple vitrified tile. The bathroom isn't without its luxuries, however, as evidenced by the heated towel rail from Hydrotherm.

Though Bruce has thus far only managed a week or two here or there on the island, he's hoping to make it a more frequent—and extended—part of his regular routine. "I'm thinking about going out for a month to write," he says.

Uni exposed the ceiling beams, formerly concealed by drywall and a kitschy light fixture upon which Schenk would hit his head. They built a platform bed using a couple of hollow doors as a surface for the mattress.

A couch—upholstered by local firm Revive Upholstery & Design—slides out on hidden casters and transforms into a full-size bed (with the headboard doubling as a linen cupboard) where guests can sleep. The dining table tucks under a shelf when it’s not pulled out for meals. There’s even vertical storage for canvases for this Portland couple's teenage daughter.

Amy requested a quiet, sunny reading nook with a view; In Situ obliged with a built-in bench housing her collection of books.

Throughout the cabin, custom built-ins, like a folding table by Bar Harbor woodworker Rick Bradbury, pack maximum utility into a streamlined package.

The guesthouse has similar built-ins and is outfitted with a reproduction rotating sconce by Serge Mouille and rugs by Stephanie Odegard.

Ritenour carved a window into an L-shaped wall to open the cramped master bedroom to a small, light-filled atrium (below). An unsightly structural beam was covered with wood to create a distinctive sunken bed.

A guest bedroom, with furniture from Room & Board, overlooks the bridge above the dining courtyard. The home’s landscape architecture is by Ventura, California–based Jack Kiesel. Photo by Coral von Zumwalt.

A wide cut across the top of the structure made room for a second-floor courtyard where the family can catch some sun but maintain their privacy. On the ground level, the front door is tucked into an ivy-covered alcove lined with ipe, a material used throughout the house.

Tan built storage into every available corner of the house, including the stairs, each of which contains a drawer.

Architect Kevin Toukoumidis and his team at dSPACE Studio reworked an unusual layout of a Chicago home to fit its new owners: a family with two children and a dog. The result was a radical change without dramatic intervention, particularly of the home's large central atrium space.

“What often happens in our relationship is I come to Funn with an idea and he makes it into something livable.” —Vincent Kartheiser