Meow Meow

We’ve all seen those impossibly chic tiny homes, but what about a realistic solution for urban living that doesn’t sacrifice comfort or functionality? Enter Ed Litman, founder of Litman Partnership, who took on the ultimate design challenge: transforming his son Mitch’s 50-square-meter (that’s just 538 sq. ft.!) apartment in bustling Darlinghurst, Sydney.

Mitch, a chef, had a very specific, and ambitious, brief: he needed a truly professional kitchen, a clever mezzanine bed, and insisted the final result be “good enough to appear on Never Too Small”. Did they deliver? Absolutely.

From “Pokey and Dark” to a Breath of Fresh Air
This building, originally a Reader’s Digest warehouse, was converted into apartments 50 years ago, blessed with an impressive 3.6-meter (nearly 12-foot) ceiling height. However, when Ed and Mitch first laid eyes on it, the apartment was “pokey and dark,” with outdated fixtures, a cramped bedroom, and a galley kitchen made even smaller by an ill-placed island.

Ed’s guiding principle for the renovation was a philosophy we can all learn from: to “do more with less”. This wasn’t about squeezing things in, but about finding the “most simple practical and high performance solution” for a space where “there’s no room for extravagance,” but every need for it to be “livable and delightful”. The transformation stripped the space back, revealing the original structure and embracing a simple timber and white palette to create warmth and amplify the sense of space.

The Secret Sauce: An Elevated Loft That Changes Everything
The most groundbreaking design move, and frankly, the one that makes this apartment sing, was elevating the loft bed. This ingenious decision freed up a significant amount of usable floor area underneath, proving that vertical space is your ultimate ally in small living.

Walk-Under Headroom: Crucially, there’s sufficient headroom to walk comfortably under the mattress, transforming what would typically be dead space into highly functional zones. The mattress itself is slightly raised above the plywood platform, not just for easier access, but specifically to ensure that vital headroom below.
Smart Under-Loft Living: Around the perimeter of this elevated undercroft, you’ll find a clothing wardrobe and a desk with a window, creating a private study nook that feels “cozy” and even reminds Ed of a “caravan or a boat”. There’s also storage for shoes, jumpers, and knitwear.
Seamless & Sustainable Design: The entire bed structure – including the floor, bed base, and cupboards below – is crafted from plywood, all fabricated off-site in a joiner’s workshop and then assembled on location. This not only ensures precision but also utilizes a sustainable material that “smells nice”.
Connection & Clever Dividers: The bedroom loft overlooks the living room, allowing for engagement with activities below, making the space feel “very grand and luxurious”. Yet, a clever barrier of big timber shelves provides a screen, preventing accidents while also acting as a desk where you can sit on the floor of the loft, dangle your feet, and read or write. The existing window was also integrated with the platform, allowing light to filter through to the desk below.
A Chef’s Kitchen & More Ingenious Touches
For Mitch, the chef, the kitchen was paramount. Ed ensured it wasn’t just functional but built for serious cooking.

Custom Kitchen & Storage: The kitchen, integrated into a floor-to-ceiling storage wall, is a masterpiece of efficiency. It’s custom-designed to accommodate the old building’s uneven floors and ceilings, showcasing incredible joinery that aims for seamless horizontal lines.
Chef-Approved Features: Mitch got his stainless steel bench, a practical choice for a chef. The apartment also features deep, wide drawers – much more practical than narrow ones for getting to the back of things. A gas cooktop was salvaged from a friend’s renovation.
Mirrored Splashback Magic: A mirrored splashback in the kitchen is a brilliant small-space hack, reflecting light to make the room feel bigger and allowing Mitch to “still see” his guests even when his back is turned.
Every Inch Counts
From the moment you step through the front door, the design thinking is evident. You walk through the storage wall, passing the bathroom, with the loft bed and stairs to the right, and the living room just steps away.

Stripped-Back Living: The living area has been stripped back to its basics, revealing original beams and walls, keeping the pallet simple and allowing the space to breathe.
Found Treasures: The furniture in the living area, all secondhand and eclectic, was Mitch’s doing, sourced from online marketplaces.
Strategic Lighting: An aluminum uplight throws light up towards the ceiling, enhancing the sense of space and guiding your eye through the room, paralleling the joinery to feel like part of that “service zone”.
Permeability & Privacy: Shelving between the living room and study creates “permeability and transparency”. Even the wardrobe isn’t completely walled off, with a timber screen offering a sense of a room behind it while maintaining an open feel.
This apartment is a powerful reminder that creativity, thoughtful design, and a “more with less” mindset can transform even the smallest of spaces into something truly extraordinary. It’s livable, delightful, and a perfect example of how good design works harder in compact environments.