When a young, single Londoner set out to buy an apartment in the center of the city, she discovered she had two options: She could afford to buy a characterless one bedroom, or she could downsize to a studio and have some money left over to make it her own.
She opted for a tiny studio?just 290 square feet?with high ceilings and charming details, and partnered with Jennifer Beningfield of Openstudio Architects (members of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory) to transform it into an adaptable living, working, and cooking space tailored exactly for her. The pair co-opted half of the high ceiling as a sleeping loft?adding another 80 square feet?then created a masterful modular plan for the main room.
There, the kitchen and office space remain hidden when not in use. Says Beningfield, “The problem with open kitchens in small spaces is that the entire space looks like a kitchen, with all the mess (or constant cleaning up) that entails.” Beningfield painted the room a warm white and cleverly assigned bright colors to its customized features, so that the kitchen or office define the space when engaged, but fully retreat when not in use. “The idea was to create a room that moves and changes around the client,” says Beningfield. Photography by Richard Bryant, courtesy of Openstudio Architects.

Above: The studio’s blue kitchen is tucked under the sleeping loft and, when its sliding track door and folding doors are open, it overlooks the m...