Designs for micro-apartments prove less is more

From Hong Kong to Hamburg, micro-apartments are now offering a new twist on city-center living. Aimed at work-hard/play-hard millennials and techie types, these tiny homes offer everything the urban professional needs to live — usually, all in less than 300 square feet.

Now, thanks to an ambitious plan by the city, micro-apartments have arrived in New York. The first examples can be found at Carmel Place — a new-build micro-apartment development on East 27th Street in Kips Bay. Carmel Place houses 55 micro-apartments measuring 260 to 360 square feet.

Although tiny, the pads come with 9-foot ceiling and bijoux Juliet balconies with rents starting from $2,540 (a handful of affordable units are far cheaper). Pricier units come furnished with stylish (yet space-conscious) items from Resource Furniture — a design distributor specializing in pieces for smaller units. Here are seven additional design ideas to help even the most modest-sized home deliver a major dose of style.

Valencia Side Tables by Bo Concept ($399)

Made from gray bonded leather with a black-stained oak veneer, they come in a variety of cozy sizes. The piece offers a nice twist on the conventional nightstand, doubling as storage containers.

Isidoro Drinks Cabinet by Poltrona Frau ($9,540)

Clad in saddle leather and accented by walnut veneer, this all-in-one cocktail center is a splurge that will last as your apartments grow. When open, the full bar is just 4½ feet wide.

Oak Bench by MUJI ($129.50 and $159.50)

This simple oak bench stands barely 1½ feet high and effortlessly accents any small room. Put two oak benches together and you’ve got a minimalist dining table.

TA-09 by Gilat Blum ($75 + shipping)

This handmade woven storage pouch is handcrafted from weatherproof Dralon fabric and adds a visual twist to any flat surface. Great for shoes, magazines, books or tiny toys.

Bookniture by MUJI ($86 and $89)

Leave it to MUJI to craft a slim stool out of sturdy cardboard. Available in tan and black, the piece opens for seating — and then closes like a book for simple storage.

Anemos by Cappellini ($12,880)

Designed by Antonio Facco, this new piece from furniture king Cappellini melds a table and seating into one organically styled, highly functional piece. Pushed together, Anemos is a useful salon table. But when pulled apart, it reveals four retractable chairs. Available in a range of materials, finishes and colors.

URBANO Queen Loft Bed by Casa Collection ($7,000)

Nothing says “small space” like this bunk bed-styled piece from “micro-apartment” specialist Casa Collection. Made from walnut plywood, this all-in-one unit features a bench, open storage space and desk area — along with an actual queen-size bed. There is also a larger king-size version.