If you’re a small space aficionado, you may have seen this 312 sq ft (29 sq m) space by 3XA architects located in Wroclaw, Poland. It features a nice loft bed, kitchen, ample storage, desk and living room, all wrapped up in a seamless package. While that’s all well and good, we think the truly remarkable story about this apartment are the materials 3XA chose.
One of the seldom told stories about renovating spaces is material costs. In particular, building custom cabinetry–the kind that work so well in small spaces–can cost a fortune. Fabricating and laminating custom boards for your millwork is a costly and time-intensive process (by far the most expensive aspect of the LifeEdited Apartment). Rather than using custom laminates here, 3XA uses low cost press board and plywood, which not only reduce fabrication and building costs, but give the space a warm feel.
3XA put a number other cost-effective design touched to good effect. Rather than using expensive doors, they used sheer curtains in the hallway to cover shelving. Instead of expensive and labor intensive recessed lighting, they used dangling bulbs and pendants. The two-piece breakfast bar has virtually no volume, allowing the kitchen and the rest of the space to flow together; we imagine it was pretty cheap to construct and fabricate as well.
Via Archdaily