Two Architects Made Their 527-Square-Foot Home Feel So Much Bigger

published now

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

About this tour

Explore More House Tours

Home Type

Location

Style

Bedrooms

Square feet

527

Sq ft

527

Can't-Miss House Tours Straight to Your Inbox

Keep up with our latest house tours each weekday with our House Tour of the Day newsletter

Ana Lebrija and Diego are both architects and owners of this incredibly creative 527-square-foot, 100-year-old Mexico City apartment. When they moved in, the small space was “generic and lacking character.” But perhaps most offensively, it was incredibly inefficient. The home was not maximized, and there were “generous” ceiling heights that they knew they could take advantage of.

Credit: Francisco Espinoza/@ffffffffco

"Nestled within a historic building in the heart of Mexico City, the renovation of our apartment became an exploration of memory, materiality, and spatial efficiency," Ana writes. "The project was shaped by two guiding intentions: to establish a meaningful dialogue with its surroundings and to transform a compact footprint into a place that feels generous, adaptable, and deeply lived in."

The space also offered “robust walls” and “strong architectural presence,” and the couple’s renovation, which happened over 2024 and 2025, emphasizes those elements. But most importantly, their design makes every inch work hard.

Credit: Francisco Espinoza/@ffffffffco

The couple share their calming space with two cats.

There’s the wall of shelves and cabinets that go to the ceiling (accessed by a beautiful ladder). There’s hidden appliances in the kitchen, making it streamlined but ultra functional. A smart, hideable storage nook near the entry is where the cats’ litter box lives, out of sight. And of course, they created a snug loft for their bed, turning the space below it into a dreamy walk-in closet.

Credit: Francisco Espinoza/@ffffffffco

The induction cooktop is Ordine by Fabita. The outlets and switches are Watterbrass. The lighting fixtures are talllero objecto. The speakers are Sonos.

The couple worked with other professionals on the renovation: Maquiladora de Muebles, GIEDCE, Herrería Jesús, Fabita Design, Canto Artesanos, Taller Objeto, Watterbrass, Pascual Pacheco. Doing all of these updates made this small space able to work for the family of four, which in turn means they get to live in a part of the city they love, too.

Credit: Francisco Espinoza/@ffffffffco

"The apartment’s proximity to the Historic Center inspired a design rooted in local identity and materiality honesty," Ana explains. "Tezontle, the volcanic stone that has long shaped the architectural character of the city, became the project’s defining material. Its presence brings texture, depth, and a sense of permanence, while evoking the atmosphere and history embedded in the city’s collective memory."

“What we love most about our home is its location,” Ana writes. “We are drawn to city life: the ability to walk, observe, and participate in the everyday rhythms of the neighborhood. Within a compact footprint, we value the maximization of space, flexibility of use, and a rich sensory experience shaped by natural materials, light, plants, and daily rituals.”

Credit: Francisco Espinoza/@ffffffffco

Ana says that their home's final design is a space that "balances restraint and richness: a contemporary living space shaped by the character of its context, where material memory and everyday functionality coexist seamlessly."

Deeply inspired by Mexico and its “landscapes, traditions, craftsmanship, and everyday ways of living,” the couple describes their home today as a “warm, lived-in apartment blending modern craftsmanship, natural materials, and collected objects.”

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
Share Your Style: House Tour & House Call Submission Form

Filed in:

Tours

Apartment