Small Studio Organized Around A Wooden Box Volume

Small spaces are never easy to decorate but then again, what is? There’s actually an interesting detail about small apartments like this one in Moscow. When a space is this small one needs to be creative and ingenious and that’s how great and revolutionary ideas are born.

Small apartment in Moscow with small foorprint

This apartment was a project by Ruetemple, a studio that really knows how to deal with tiny spaces and to create modern and eco-friendly interior designs that feature all sorts of ingenious and practical storage solutions.

Small apartment in Moscow with wooden box
Small apartment in Moscow with wooden volume

Located in Moscow, Russia, the apartment has only 47 square meters of floor space. It’s modern and functional and it has an original layout with all sorts of really great details and features. The most notable one is the wooden box-like volume that occupies the center of the apartment.

Small apartment in Moscow with wooden platform
Small apartment in Moscow with desk and platform

The remodeling of the apartment was done in 2016. Despite the limited floor space, the architects managed to organize it into two separate areas, both of which are well-defined and functional, with their own separate storage and everything else.

Small apartment in Moscow with window desk
Small apartment in Moscow with desk and lounge

The main functions of a home are all present here in one form or another. There’s a living area with a green fabric-upholstered sofa and a wall-mounted TV, a sleeping area with a cozy bed and accent lighting, a bathroom, a kitchen with all the basic appliances, a small dining nook and even a work station.

Small apartment in Moscow with green sofa
Small apartment in Moscow with cozy chairs

The architects and clients agreed that solid partitions weren’t the way to go in this case. Instead, they chose to divide the spaces in a different way and this is how they came up with the idea of building a wooden volume which incorporates the sleeping area, bathroom and storage facilities.

Small apartment in Moscow with bed nook
Small apartment in Moscow with bed area

Two large windows bring natural light into the apartment ensuring a bright and open ambiance. A Sleek wall-mounted wooden desk was placed in front of one of the windows, concealing the radiator and taking advantage of the light.

Small apartment in Moscow with bedroom sconce
Small apartment in Moscow with sleeping nook and storage

A raised wooden platform then leads to the sleeping area which is nicely hidden inside the wooden structure. It’s surrounded by storage shelves and the bathroom at the back. This clever configuration allowed the architects to keep the floor plan open and without solid partitions while also offering their clients a private sleeping area.

Small apartment in Moscow with sleeping area

The wooden structure goes all the way up to the ceiling in order to make the most of the space and to incorporate as much storage as possible. The green sofa perfectly fits in a side nook under some cantilevered open shelves.

Small apartment in Moscow with kitchen table
Small apartment in Moscow with corner kitchen

The apartment also retains its simplicity through the use of calm and neutral colors with the occasional exception. The exposed concrete ceiling has a raw feel to it, giving the apartment a subtle industrial look.

Small apartment in Moscow with bathroom mirror
Small apartment in Moscow with bathroom washbasin

The walls and floor are white, a color that was also used for the kitchen cabinetry. The most imposing, however, is the light wood color featured by the massive central structure. Everything else is meant to break the monotony and give the space a fresh and quirky look. We’re talking about focal points like the green sofa or the colorful things stored on the shelves.