Loft

The same Daltile is used here, alongside Fantani plumbing components.

With such sharp lines between dark and light, a high quality of craftsmanship in the build-out was key. “There's no tolerances at all,” says Béliveau. From the alignment between the wood on the floor and the tiles, to the oak cabinetry and black lacquered bathroom storage, “Everything had to be dialed in so precisely.”

A mirrored wall in the back of the bathroom reflects light.

The ceiling and built-in storage wall in the bedroom are fabricated from American white oak, while the opposite wall and floor has the same grayish-white tone found in the rest of the apartment.

The sauna’s smoked glass walls also reflect light into the main rooms.

An Edward Wormley couch sits with a Muuto coffee table and ceiling light by Serge Mouille.

The same Daltile wraps the sauna interior for continuity.

Lights in the sauna reveal when it’s in use.

The smoked glass walls of the sauna are a pointed sharp contrast to the kitchen’s lighter custom cabinetry. The ceilings are American white oak.

That reveal is repeated between the custom perimeter cabinets and counter, the latter made of “Pearl Gray” Corian which was color-matched throughout the apartment.

Now the kitchen has a generous prep island, which Béliveau calls the “centerpiece of the project,” thanks to its construction from four slabs of Italian Daedalus marble with a custom steel base and reveal detail just under the lip of the counter.

Béliveau grouped the living spaces together closer to the main windows, using contrasting materials to mark the different zones. “We do try to play with compact entrances in many of our projects,” says Béliveau. “This one was even easier because it was already compressed with the [lower] ceiling. It's a play on something very small and dark, followed by all the openness when you switch into the public zone of the apartment.”

Looking in the opposite direction reveals how designer Louis Béliveau of La Firme embraced the lack of light in this part of the apartment, instead emphasizing it with ample dark finishes, like the 1x1-inch Daltile on the floor. A mirrored wall does catch some sun from the living room windows. “From a design perspective, mirrors are a magical trick,” says Béliveau. “They're not too expensive and they basically double up the space, and bounce back any lighting.” The door opens to the hall bathroom.

The garden steps up steeply to the rear of the site, and the window sill in the living room and DJ booth are close to ground level. “When you’re sitting in the living area, it feels like the garden is flowing into the interior,” says architect Simon Knight.

Before Ester Bruzkus Architekten transformed the top-floor apartment into a cozy home for a Berlin couple, the empty apartment had floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides and exposed concrete walls on the other sides. Rather than create a series of conventional rooms that would close off the sense of openness, a single millwork box was positioned away from the walls to make rooms between it and the existing walls.

Woods & Water southwest view

Standing room only! If you're in need of home office ideas for small spaces, consider a fold-down desk that allows you to stand while working. This one, a New Table Concept by Resource Furniture, is a great option. Comfortable seating, ample storage, and a modern light fixture round out the space.

Graham Hill, a sustainability advocate whose TED talks have delved into the benefits of living small, put his own lessons into practice at his 350-square-foot apartment, which he shares with his partner and two dogs. Quick transitions, like drawing the FilzFelt curtain, convert the living space into a bedroom. The Drop Hat pendants are by Plumen and the convertible sofa is by Resource Furniture.