Collection by Olivia Martin

Second Floor Living

Whether it’s a first apartment or a penthouse in the sky, these notoriously small spaces can house big style. Click through the slideshow to see some of our favorite fancy flats.

Designer Christiane Hogner, Bruxelles
Designer Christiane Hogner, Bruxelles
The Weiners’ first stab at a decorative green roof went awry when workers installed the fabric membrane incorrectly; the plants didn’t thrive, and 

soil leached down the drain, causing a backup in the yard below. But with the help of an artist friend—–and avid gardener—–they successfully brought a piece of cultivated wildness, including hardy flora like creeping thyme, honeysuckle, hops, and kiwi, to their roof.
The Weiners’ first stab at a decorative green roof went awry when workers installed the fabric membrane incorrectly; the plants didn’t thrive, and soil leached down the drain, causing a backup in the yard below. But with the help of an artist friend—–and avid gardener—–they successfully brought a piece of cultivated wildness, including hardy flora like creeping thyme, honeysuckle, hops, and kiwi, to their roof.
The original white-oak floors were continued into the kitchen and ebonized throughout the apartment.
The original white-oak floors were continued into the kitchen and ebonized throughout the apartment.
The deceptive simplicity of the dining table and chairs, by Piet Hein Eek, and Tufty Time sofa by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia, enhance the authentic feeling created by the old gallery-style middle floor, supported by massive 400-year-old beams.
The deceptive simplicity of the dining table and chairs, by Piet Hein Eek, and Tufty Time sofa by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia, enhance the authentic feeling created by the old gallery-style middle floor, supported by massive 400-year-old beams.