Compact and Stylish Apartment Takes The Place Of A Dental Office

The space occupied now by a chic apartment once used to be a dental office. Located in Milan, Italy, this area measures 60 square meters (645 sq ft) and was transformed into a beautiful and modern home named CPR by +R. Piurre.

small milan apartment living area

The apartment’s small size and strict layout posed some challenges along the way. The high ceiling, however, was a really great feature that allowed the architect to create a mezzanine level where an office and a bedroom are now situated.

small milan apartment social area

The overall approach was to find a way to blend the organic character of Nordic design with the attention to detail and the elegance characteristic to Milanese Modernism, declared R. Piurre, in charge of the project.

small milan apartment hallway birch tree wallpaper

In order to obtain the desired look and to make the small interior appear larger, a series of visual tricks and clever storage solutions were utilized and applied. This maximized the existing space and also maintained a modern and simple look.

small milan apartment wallpaper

The downstairs hallway features birch tree wallpaper on the wall and a set of horizontal mirrors that reflect light and create the illusion of more space. In addition, the apartment has windows on three sides and this brings in a lot of natural light while also emphasizing the spaciousness of the rooms.

small milan apartment kitchen white cabinets

The layout ensures that all the main spaces communicate with each other. The only closed off space is between the living room and the kitchen and this one houses the service areas. The kitchen is custom designed. It has white cabinets and a yellow countertop that gives it a sunny and cheerful vibe.

small milan apartment kitchen yellow counter
small milan apartment kitchen counter bench
small milan apartment kitchen corner counter colors

The yellow countertop extends into a bench with cabinets underneath. As it reaches the corner, the countertop changes color and becomes gray. Different colors define different functions. The kitchen also has a table that can be moved around to fulfill different functions. It’s made of a wooden panel and two movable sawhorses which allow different configurations to be created, depending on the user’s needs. Yellow chairs complement the table and match the counter.

small milan apartment kitchen table

A white staircase made of white-enameled folded steel connects the social areas to the mezzanine level. It resembles a white folded sheet of paper and its design allows it to take up little space. The role of the staircase is to provide access to the upper level but also to divide the office from the bedroom.

small milan apartment staircase

The mezzanine is a former attic space and its presence actually helps emphasize the existence of the double-height spaces allowing the apartment to seem brighter. Skylights illuminate this portion and, at the same time, let light filter into the lower areas.

small milan apartment staircase base

The artificial lighting is all indirect in the apartment, an exception being the pendant over the dining table. It occupies specially-created recesses and plays a secondary role. Also, the kitchen lighten light can be turned on and off from the bedroom and vice versa, this strategy allowing each space to provide diffuse light for the other.

small milan apartment bedroom skylight

The bedroom features a wall of polycarbonate panels that let light from the skylights go down into the kitchen. Its décor is simple, with an emphasis on neutral colors and variate textures.

small milan apartment office shelves
small milan apartment office desk

The office space is quite small. It uses the staircase handrail to its advantage, transforming it into a safety rail and shelving support. It has a minimalist desk and two chairs with classic designs and different colors.

small milan apartment office chairs