Small apartments have long captured our imagination, challenging our creativity and proving that style, functionality, and personality can flourish even in the most compact spaces. In 2025, Architectural Digest featured eighteen exceptional small homes that demonstrate how limited square footage has evolved from a compromise into a deliberate lifestyle philosophy. While definitions vary, the publication considers apartments under approximately 740 square feet as compact living spaces where every decision carries weight. These featured homes span from European capitals like Rome, Madrid, and Munich to American cities including New York and Louisiana, each telling a unique story about the possibilities of small-scale living.
In Paris, architects Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert of Ono Studio transformed a 300-square-foot apartment in a 1970s building into a functional and inviting space. Located in the 10th arrondissement, the unit benefits from rare sky views, prompting the designers to maximize natural light throughout. They positioned the dining and work area near the window, separating the functions with a custom-built wall cabinet that conceals a fold-out desk. The homeowner wanted distinct spaces for eating and working, allowing him to stow his computer each evening simply by closing the cabinet door. A floor-to-ceiling mirror behind the dining area reflects daylight and creates an illusion of spaciousness, while a low partition wall and curtain separate the sleeping area from the living space.
Photographer Anita Calero's Manhattan studio showcases how personal history can enrich a small space. After thirty-eight years in New York, she downsized from a large Chelsea loft to a 355-square-foot pied-à-terre, bringing along treasured art and furniture collected during her travels. Her primary requirement was a working fireplace, a rarity in post-2015 New York buildings. She found her ideal space in an Art Deco building and transformed it using clever built-ins, mirror tricks, and vintage finds from Morocco to Munich. The mirrored ceiling and metal door frames in the entryway were retained, while paint was stripped from the doors to reveal beautiful ash wood. A sofa inherited from previous owners was decorated with antique fabric purchased in Munich, creating a bohemian retreat that feels both personal and spacious.
In Munich, lighting designer Gerlinde Kusstatscher's 740-square-foot attic apartment demonstrates how small spaces can become urban sanctuaries. Situated in the city center, the unit immediately immerses visitors in brightness and tranquility. The sleeping area occupies a platform beneath a large gable window, while the open living, dining, and kitchen areas flow seamlessly. The kitchen, designed to resemble a sideboard, conceals most appliances and functions, maintaining an airy, uncluttered atmosphere. The space feels intuitively navigable, with charming ceiling beams guiding movement through the open floor plan. Everything appears perfectly balanced—neither too much nor too little—creating an environment that prioritizes lightness and comfort over storage concerns.
Other remarkable examples include a 570-square-foot traditional Kyoto machiya renovated by Pritzker Prize winner Kazuyo Sejima, where ancient earthen walls contrast with a modern steel kitchen island, and a 280-square-foot rustic apartment in Louisiana's Garden District, where a former 1927 carriage house was transformed into a cozy home. A 260-square-foot beach house in Naples, Italy, uses bold yellow and blue ceramics to reflect nearby lemon trees, while a 270-square-foot Parisian attic employs rounded transitions and warm off-white tones to create a cocoon-like atmosphere. Each project proves that small-space living is not about sacrifice but about intentional, creative design that reflects contemporary values of sustainability and mindful consumption.
