NEVER TOO SMALL Melbourne Toolbox Micro Apartment - 24sqm/258sqft
An architect redesigns a 24sqm 1936 Art Deco apartment for two people and a dog, prioritising complementing the building's existing character over gutting it. The design strategy centres on a "suite of distinct spaces," multifunctional joinery, and a restrained material palette to maximise livability without visual clutter. ---
Key Concepts
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| Toolbox kitchen | A fold-out/unfold kitchen designed like a toolbox — closed, it conceals everything and transforms the space; open, each item has a defined place |
| Suite of spaces | Retaining walls and doors to create separate, distinct rooms rather than one open-plan space |
| Hybridised elements | Single objects serving multiple functions (e.g., a door that is also a bookshelf and pantry) |
| Material continuity | Using the same flooring and finishes throughout all rooms to reduce visual transition clutter |
| Aging/patina as aesthetic | Selecting materials intentionally chosen to develop character through use over time |
Notes
Relationship to the Existing Building
- 1936 Art Deco building designed by Best Overend, with ocean liner and ship detailing
- Design goal: complement the building's existing details, not compete with or overtake them
- Generous ceiling heights were an existing asset leveraged throughout the design
Spatial Strategy
- Deliberately kept walls and doors to create a "suite of different spaces"
- Distinct zones: kitchen/living, bedroom, bathroom/dressing room
- Separation provides quiet, private areas — not possible in a fully open-plan layout
The Toolbox Kitchen
- Kitchen designed around a simple, almost farm-like structural system
- Folds and unfolds: when closed, the kitchen disappears and the surrounding space becomes a calm, quiet room
- Everything has an assigned place — functions like a toolbox
- Materials chosen to age and develop patina with use
Multifunctional Joinery
- Door to bedroom doubles as a bookshelf and pantry — allows the bedroom to be fully closed off
- Bed is elevated with a crawl space underneath housing a washing machine and shoe storage (accessed via a small ladder)
- All light fittings hidden within joinery, uplighting the ceiling for a soft, diffused wash
Lighting
- North-facing apartment provides generous natural light, reducing reliance on artificial lighting during the day
- Artificial lighting integrated into joinery; uplighting creates an even, atmospheric ceiling wash
Bathroom & Dressing Room
- Original apartment layout included a separate dressing room with washbasin — a 19th-century detail retained in the redesign
- Treated as a feature, not removed
Material Palette
- Same flooring used in kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom
- Limiting materials reduces visual clutter at room transitions
- Continuity reinforces the feeling of a unified, calm space despite small footprint
Actionable Takeaways
- When renovating a characterful older building, audit existing details first — design *with* them rather than stripping them out
- Use a folding or enclosed kitchen design to allow the living area to fully transform when cooking is not in use
- Make doors do double duty (bookshelf, pantry, storage) to reclaim wall space without adding furniture
- Raise the bed platform to create underbed utility space (laundry, storage) in place of a separate laundry room
- Limit your material palette to one or two continuous finishes across all rooms to visually enlarge and unify a small apartment
- Hide artificial lighting inside joinery and uplight the ceiling to avoid pendant or surface fittings that visually lower the room
Quotes Worth Keeping
I was interested in creating a suite of different spaces rather than completely clearing out walls and doors and turning it into one big space.
When the kitchen's closed, this space out here completely transforms into a sort of really nice quiet space.
Things in an apartment tend to be a bit more hybridised — the door is also a bookshelf and a pantry.
Limiting those materials just means there's sort of less clutter in terms of transitions in between different rooms.