Studio City: 5 NYC Apartments That Pack Everything Into a Single Room

"I think of the bed as intimate space, and putting the bed away—having it out of sight when not in use—is satisfying," says Milan Hughston, who reconfigured his West Village apartment with the help of architect Joel Sanders. This custom-designed Murphy bed, concealed by day behind the gold curtain, is well built; it's ergonomically easy to lower and has a firm sleeping surface.

With the bedroom directly above the kitchen, the architects met the challenge of stacking two rooms, each with a seven-foot ceiling height, in only 12 feet of vertical space by creating two interlocking puzzle pieces.

Faced with the challenge of a diminutive New York apartment in desperate need of a refresh, architect Tim Seggerman went straight to his toolbox to craft a Nakashima-inspired interior. Photo by David Engelhardt.

The moving wall opens up a second room, which features bike storage, a second office space, and can be converted to the guest bedroom.