The apartment wasn't just small — it was divided in a way that made it feel smaller than it was. The goal wasn't to add space. It was to stop wasting the space that existed.

The conversation kept returning to the kitchen island. The island was the brief. Everything else was in service of making room for it.

The apartment was stripped to its shell and rebuilt. Floor-to-ceiling cabinetry lines the perimeter, integrating appliances, storage, and a Murphy bed. The layout was designed so that cooking is a social act, not a solitary one.

High-gloss white cabinetry amplifies the light that the Waterfront location provides. The patio beyond extends the apartment's livable area into the evenings.

The couple hosts regularly now. Friends come and stay and don't notice until morning that the sofa has disappeared.

Small spaces are design problems with design solutions. You have to understand how the life inside them actually works before you can change anything.