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This 645-square-foot apartment by Miel Arquitectos, known as Piso Pereiv44, was designed for short stays. The two bedrooms in all white breathe a strong sense of calm and boast innovative designs. Repurposing old materials and removing part of the existing brick have afforded a clever configuration that allows a built-in wardrobe and desk space in each room. To further maximize the use of space, all piping and wiring are enclosed in a platform timber floor, which also give the interior an interesting elevated aspect. A prominent feature of the apartment’s design is the large mirrored wall that sits opposite the kitchen. The wall pulls double duty: presenting doorways that lead to the bathroom while reflecting light from the window into the main living space and kitchen.

Dark, disconnected from the outside world, and heavily partitioned, this once-dingy apartment is now unrecognizable thanks to great design. Located in a charming old building amid narrow, leaf-strewn streets in Barcelona’s Gracia district, the apartment has been transformed by YLAB Arquitectos into a free-flowing, contemporary, and tastefully eclectic holiday home. The courtyard—undoubtedly the property’s best feature—floods the interior with natural light, and the owners sought to capitalize on this valuable aspect in the home’s refurbishment. The heart of the design involved reviving the previously static inner courtyard and transforming it into a semiexterior garden. Dotted with a selection of custom planters, it imparts vibrant greenery to the space and connects the dwelling with nature and the outside.

Black steel-framed windows continue into the airy kitchen, complete with bespoke cabinetry.

The chairs are from Hay, the Cast Pendant is by Tom Chung & Jordan Murphy with Menu, and the TE070 countertops are from Diespeker.