NEVER TOO SMALL: Architect Couple’s Small Heritage Apartment, France 57sqm/613sqft

Designers Maxime and Mary completely reshaped this 57sqm, post-war, Lyon apartment to be the perfect home for their young family. Featuring a minimal design and maximised built in storage throughout, the couple transformed the space by opening up the original, highly segmented layout. Combining an existing bedroom into a new, open plan living/dining/kitchen area and converting the home's existing kitchen into a kids room. This redesign gave them the opportunity to showcase the building's original 1950’s rough concrete walls in the kitchen and master bedroom; as well as align each room's window with the door; maximising light flow throughout the apartment. Low profile cabinetry and appliances are a subtle addition throughout the home, drawing attention to the home's breathtaking views of the Saône River and the French Alps and the couple's handpicked artwork and display pieces.

Ep 136
Project Name: Fourvière Apartment

Produced by New Mac Video Agency
Creator: Colin Chee
Director: Nam Tran
Cinematographer:
Producer: Lindsay Barnard
Editor: Sebastian Tibbs

[aninomiai]

I think this is my favorite episode of Never Too Small. This is the composition that I'm looking for. Natural but also colourful. Minimal, but functional and aesthetically pleasing to look at. I will be saving this as an inspiration.

[Pensées_depuis_mon_balcon]

Fantastic design, one of the best end-to-end designs ever on this channel. The cohesiveness of space, color, and flow is best of class. I know that if I was in Lyon and not Paris, that I would have these two talented architects on my short list for future renovations.

[srdiguzman]

Great apartment! The small “hidden” pantry on the side is amazing, allowing the kitchen to be fully synced with the living room, and still very handy. It gave me a lot of ideas for my own house!

[dannya]

I love that every video Never Too Small posts gets lots of "this is the best one yet" comments. They are all so amazing and unique. Really proves that good design is nuanced and so personal

[wojciechwilimowski]

It's rare to see a minimalistic apartment that is not boring and repetitive. I'd still hang more paintings though

[crowleysplants]

I think this is the first time I saw bare indoors concrete walls and actually liked it, it looks beautiful.

[lutamaki]

I love seeing families with kids actually living in these small places!

[lomalinke]

I don’t think you can do it any better. Huge amounts of storage, a super clever layout, and as tasteful as you’d expect it from a French couple 😊. This is just perfect.

[TamaraJoy]

There’s something very special and calming about this place. I loved it all!
I think all the clever built in storage and the one colour in the hallway is absolutely fantastic. The bright, open, simple living, dining and kitchen area is so well planned and so practical. The hidden pantry and fridge nook is very clever too. It’s pretty much perfection.

[conniebruckner]

It is a great example of adapting a place to meet one's needs, in this case minimalism with storage space. A pleasant calm vibe throughout. Bravo!

[AM]

Im in love with this place. It’s so nice to see a family living in a small space too!

[jennycampbell]

I absolutely love this apartment especially the exposed foundation wall. Marvellous concept. The area that this couple live in is also beautiful. The fact that an old apartment can be redesigned to bring it into the present is an excellent premise for living in this world today.

[eloisedricotdagneau]

I never thought about doors being aligned with windows. Smart. I like your discrete kitchen and the projector idea!

[gulsahcetin]

What a cute baby 🥰 ❤ I love the little pantry area in the kitchen and the scenery from the balcony.

[annefiftythree]

“to align the doors with the windows”… so well thought!

[pauz]

Is really clever how you keep the natural material of the apartment it provides an unique feeling and a personality to it, also the amount of storages is impressive, but my favorite part is the living room, is completely lovely how the light covers all that atmosphere.

[katharina]

Stunning apartment. Beautifully done. Beautiful AND functional. Love the esthetics! Placing of doors so that the light goes through is awesome.

This apartment benefits a lot by the windows on both sides and the balcony with the stunning view. I'm in love with this apartment. I would move in immediately! ❤

[claudiuswalter]

The highlight of this video is to see a child with the

[parshaupt]

Amazing colour palette throughout the apartment. Well done!

[guinevereshort]

Love this. Love the exposed concrete, the polished concrete, the abundance of floor-to-ceiling cupboards and the LED light in the kitchen.