Tiny Homes, Paris: A look inside the micro apartments of Paris

They bring the latest in modern interior design to the many nooks and crannies in Paris 19th century buildings. Say hello to ‘micro apartments’, the new inner city housing solution that combines all of life’s amenities into one small package. 

Of course, miniature properties are nothing new to Parisians. The top-floor chambre de bonnes can be as small as 7 m2 and are a popular choice for those in Paris temporarily and willing to live a little differently for cheap rent. But ‘micro apartments’ are something completely different. They combine the latest in practical interior design to create a comfortable living environment while economizing on space.

Take Nathalie Eldan’s recently renovated apartment in a townhouse round the corner from Bastille. The ‘Urban Cocoon’ 27 m2 duplex is three zones divided by a birchwood furniture unit that doubles as a television and kitchen. The bed sits on a pedestal with drawers, closed off by woven screens. The bathroom is found on the lower level by the entrance where additional storage for coats and shoes can be found. A full slideshow can be seen here.

© David Foessel

Julie Nabucet had an even bigger challenge with the renovation of a 12 m2 apartment in Montorgeuil in the 1st arrondissement. She says it was basically a single room before work began.

The kitchen unit straddles a mini-mezzanine while the ground floor has a pullout sofa-bed. Cabinets and bookshelves – facing the kitchen and living space – separate the two spaces. In the tiny bathroom ‘upstairs’, a walk -n-shower (douche a l’italienne) and toilet appear, while a sink just outside is encased in wooden netting to feel separate from the kitchen. See the clever feat of design in the video below.

The next apartment could be yours for the night after being listed on Airbnb. Studio Batiik’s chic 11 m2 apartment in the 10th arrondissement is inspired by Moroccan and Greek architecture and takes compact living one step further.

Hidden built-in niches are concealed within white crisp and pastel walls that open up to reveal a clever configuration of kitchenette, fridge and oven. A small table with cobalt blue highlights and two terracotta coloured stools bring some color into the place. See a full slideshow on Yellow Trace here.

© Bertrand Fompeyrine & Batiik Studio

title photo © Homestilo – Flickr (two photos merged)