Living Small

Living small doesn't mean you can't live big. Check out a tiny row house transformed in Washington D.C.; visit a cozy getaway in Lake Placid; a new addition calls for changes in a Miami home; and take in an artist's space in Chicago.

Koolhaus
This 12-foot-wide row house was just barely inhabitable when Nic and Aleka Baker purchased it. In their renovation, they gained space by adding a third level and a three-story glass window. To accentuate the feeling of a loft-like space, the second floor stops short of the glass window. The large gap allows the light and space to flow vertically between the floors.

These homeowners have found some standard solutions, including having a couch that can double as a guest bed. They also use two metal cabinets that are on casters as side tables that provide storage. Bringing them together in front of the couch turns them into a coffee table. An innovative solution to provide extra seating is found in the staircase. They used open treads when rebuilding the staircase to leave it open to the living room. The stairs double as seating that provides conversation spaces as well as conversation pieces.