When freelance designer Luke Clark Tyler went hunting for a “studio” style apartment in New York City, he wasn’t quite prepared with how small of a space he was about to acquire. In fact, his studio space is considered one of the smallest apartments in America. However, the minimalist entrepreneur didn’t shy away from the space but rather saw it as an opportunity to create something unique and charming.
The studio apartment is just a total of 78 square feet. How on earth does he manage to live in such a small space? The trick is to make use of almost every single bit of space possible, including a Murphy bed/couch, a desk that doubles as a refrigerator, and a closet that contains your entire life including a microwave!
Luke Clark Tyler took the YouTube home channel SpacesTV for a tour of his “studio” apartment in NYC, or as Tyler says “if you could even call it that.” The space includes a shared bathroom, which is the only downfall to Tyler. He doesn’t seem to mind living in such confined quarters. He has, however, installed a mirror on the wall above his desk for when he is working from home to give the space some added “depth” to make it less confining.
After seeing Luke walk the crew through the space, it’s clear why it’s considered one of the smallest apartments in America. He makes very good use out of every possible square footage of the apartment. In addition to his lack of space, Luke also does not have a TV. However, these are two things that Luke is willing to live without. When he has guests over, he encourages that they talk instead.
When Luke isn’t using his couch, it can easily be converted into his bed for sleeping. The custom murphy-style bed is fixed with bilateral hinges that are hidden inside the frame, which allows it to convert into a couch in the blink of an eye.
Another way Luke uses the space is making every possible use of his closet space. Inside his closet are his clothes, whatever few books he does own, his dishes or cookware, as well as a microwave. Luke also has his one solitary towel that he uses to dry himself after taking a shower in the shared bathroom space with another unit.
All in all, Luke has maximized his efficiency with the space, cutting any and all materialistic needs to serve one and only function – a place to eat and sleep. If he needs to wash his dishes he does so in the bathroom. Do you think you have what it takes to live in an apartment this small?
