9 Inspiring Homes That Are Only Around 400ish Square Feet
Still not convinced you can live well (and stylishly) in a super small space? The inhabitants of these nine homes have only around a measly 400 square feet each to work with, yet they’ve all fit in the function they need in their small space. More impressively, they’ve all designed homes that look good, despite the small size.
The natural features of this space—like the 11-foot high ceilings and a balcony overlooking Riverside Park—make up for some of the limited space in the almost 400-square-foot apartment that Alina and her husband, Artem, share with their cat, Usha, tons of very green plant life, and Alina’s art and art supplies.
Andrea her husband, Brian, live very cleanly and simply in a third floor apartment in Brooklyn. They recently added a new little one to their family and have magically made 380 square feet work. Though, they admit, “Once he’s mobile, we’re going to have to rethink!”
“Working with small spaces always has its challenges but I think it’s worth really going for it. Most people in Paris, and in big cities around the world, live in small spaces so it’s important to remind everyone you can really achieve big changes despite the small square footage. We had to lower the ceiling, create a new room altogether, and break a lot of drywall overall but we went from a poorly-planned, uninviting studio, to a comfortable, cohesive one-bedroom that feels homey and chic, and twice as big.”
Writer Laurie Penny transformed this “Hobbit Hole” (a very small, strangely shaped, dark, basement-level apartment) into a soothing, functioning home. And it’s only 370 square feet!
“The biggest challenge has been storage, and I have gotten increasingly good at organizing due to the limited space. I finally caved and bought a PAX wardrobe from IKEA, which is providing me with much needed storage space but unfortunately takes away from the aesthetics of the bedroom.”
As a designer, Farah understands the importance of making a living space feel like home—physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. Following the end of a romantic relationship, Farah decided to remain in the 400-square-foot space she had shared with her partner. But doing so required a design revamp, which proved to be vital in her healing process.
Just recently, Becky’s boyfriend Cliff moved in, reducing storage space in the tiny 400-square-foot studio. Becky’s solution to make the space feel bigger was to work with plywood and neutral tones. Making furniture herself meant she could work with the dimensions of the room, and customize them to fit their needs.
As a creative consultant, the writer at The Kachet Life, and the founder of The Blog Bloc, Kachet Jackson-Henderson needs a home where she can live, unwind, and work in. Though only 450 square feet, this Sacramento studio apartment is just the space.
Prop stylist Emily Kellerman’s small studio apartment is proof you don’t need a ton of space—or separate rooms—to live beautifully and well. We first saw a sneak peek of her small 450-square-foot Brooklyn rental apartment in a house call, but I wanted to see more. Though a studio apartment… the space doesn’t feel like a glorified bedroom… nor does it feel cluttered or cramped. She’s harnessed the powers of good space planning to lay out a home that gives her cozy nooks for different activities, all while keeping the space feeling light and airy.