Small Apartment Merges Living And Working Spaces Into A Cozy Home

Situated at the center of Tel Aviv in Israel, this small apartment measures only 53 square meters but, in spite of that, it manages to combine both living and working spaces. These two functions are well-defined and separated, as the clients wanted. They’re a young couple that wanted to be able to work from home without having the two elements intersect. The challenge of creating this hybrid design was wonderfully overcome by RUST Architects.

Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
Although the apartment is small, it features a clear division of spaces and functions
Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
The living space is cozy and small but filled with light and beauty
Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
The owners wanted a separate space where they could work from home

The apartment has a total surface of 53 square meters and was redesigned at the beginning of 2017. The building in which it stands is 85 years old and a part of the White City World Heritage Site. All the apartments in the structure are characterized by a few similar elements such as small size, high ceilings and wide windows.

Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
The work zone has glass walls with metal frames and divides the public and private areas
Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
Inside the glass-walled cube is a pair of wooden desks and some bookshelves

The clients, a young couple, wanted the apartment to combine two distinct functions and to serve both as a cozy home and as a workspace where they could both take care of business. The combination is a bit unusual, especially for a small apartment. Nevertheless, the architects managed to find a good solution. They organized the apartment into three zones.

Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
The media center is built into one of the walls of the work space
Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
Clever storage solutions were found for the apartment, especially in areas such as the kitchen

One area is the private space which contains a bedroom, a bathroom and a closet space. Another is the public area which houses the living room and the kitchen. In between them is the work area which features iron frames and glass walls. Inside there’s a library with shelves and two workstations. The library doubles as a media center on the other side, becoming a part of the lounge area as well.

Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
A lot of the furniture was custom-built for the apartment in order to perfectly fit the space
Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
The bathroom is a mainly white space with a small square window and a wooden vanity

A lot of attention was given to the materials, finishes and colors used throughout. Since the apartment serves both as a living and working environment, these two functions had to be well defined. The apartment features insulated walls, double-layered wooden floors, exposed brick elements and acoustic ceiling tiles, all chosen for their acoustic quality. The colors employed throughout are simple and neutral, mostly based on gray tones. Steel, wood and glass and the main materials used. The decor has a layered structure which plays with contrasts and combinations of materials, textures and colors, thus establishing a diverse and pleasant ambiance.

Live work apartment in Israel bathroom tiles
The square white tiles give the bathroom a traditional, almost rustic look