It’s really hard to make 425 square feet look spacious but Specht Harpman Architects managed to do just that in this once awkward New York City apartment that’s set at the top of a six-story building.

By creating “living platforms,” they were able to accommodate all the necessities an apartment might need while keeping the space open and bright. Helping with that was the fact that they were working with over 24 feet of vertical space, making it possible to create the multiple layers of “rooms.”

The compact bathroom is hidden away on the bottom floor beneath the staircase.

While the kitchen is small, it remains open to the living room.

They kept the cabinets and countertops white which helps keep it bright and airy. Every detail was kept simple as not to overwhelm the tight quarters and it really appears larger than the actual square footage.

The space under the stairs doesn’t go to waste…

It’s packed full of storage spaces!

Up the first set of stairs you have the bedroom layer which seems to almost float above the living room below.

More storage is found under this staircase which leads to the roof garden.

That’s the view when you go out to the garden.

I love the simplicity of the staircases – no chunky balusters here!

The before photos: