Eight years ago, a Manhattan couple welcomed a child into their lives and faced a dilemma: Move out of their one-bedroom apartment or find a way to make the space work for their growing family.
Unwilling to chance the New York City market — in which homes usually just get more expensive — the couple decided to stay put. But they wanted to create separate sleeping spaces for the growing child and the two working parents, one a clinical psychologist and one an occupational therapist.
Enter architect Robert Garneau, who first experimented with flexible spaces in his own New York City apartment 25 years ago.
"Every project is unique but there's a way of thinking about small spaces," said Garneau, who's worked on over 50 projects across New York City, California, Spain, and France. "You have to consider the space in its entirety, but also down to the square inch to make sure that everything fits properly."
Garneau and his team designed a custom space for the family that allows their main living area to perfectly conceal another bedroom — thanks to a discreet movable wall and Murphy bed.
The whole apartment, located on Manhattan's family-friendly Upper East Side, clocks in at 400 square feet. But Garneau was able to create a flexible space — which functions as a living room with an open kitchen, a bedroom, and an office — out of the main living space, which is just 250 square feet.
Making up the other 150 square feet is the hallway, the bathroom, and the main bedroom, which is the child's.
According to The New York Times, which first profiled the apartment, the couple purchased it in 2006 for around $300,000. The renovation cost about $280,000, Garneau said.
The family has now lived comfortably in the renovated apartment for over two years — take a look inside.