The site TwistedSifter shows some of the coolest things on the web. The photos below are from a 500 sf apartment in the East Village NYC. The design details are beautiful, creating many functional spaces in a tiny apartment. The design by Jordan Pamass Digital Architecture won the American Institute of Architects 2010 award for small projects.

The isometric layout gives you a sense of the long, narrow space, so you can better appreciate the other detailed photos.

The bedroom nook just feels like a place I’d like to retreat to at the end of the day.

The living room, though small, still provides a nice community vibe.

Not having to abide by Accessibility or ADA code requirements really opens up the design options for efficiency, especially in kitchens and baths.

My favorite single detail was the stairs doubling as drawers. Though the drawer pulls are a poor design, they should have used a router to create a finger pull rather than a steel pull that will get stepped on, bend and cut your foot or shins.

Overall, though, it’s an amazing design. We all get to do some of our own design in our living spaces. I hope you consider a project like this as a challenge to be creative. Since you likely have building skills that few possess, use them in your own space to create some beauty and efficiency.