Located on a hillside near central Seoul, a 56 sqm (603 sqft) apartment has become a case study in how a narrow floor plan can be reshaped around daily habits rather than abstract design trends.
Opening the Space
The original unit followed a long, linear layout typical of the building, with a series of doors separating each room. The first renovation step was to remove those interior doors, allowing natural light to travel the length of the home.
In place of the barriers, a sliding partition now separates the bedroom from the rest of the space but is often left open, extending the sightline to the balcony, the apartment’s main light source.
A small tiled entry marks a clear arrival point. A floating zinc cabinet above the floor holds the most‑worn shoes, while bins sit below. A single step up from tile to timber signals the transition into the living area, where a slim custom‑steel shelf offers a place for keys, cards and perfumes and doubles as a display for postcards and photographs.
Custom Furniture for Everyday Use
Much of the furniture was purpose‑designed by the resident interior designer, Juno Yoon, to suit the routines of his wife, photographer Mihyun Son, and their cat, Goyo. A large display bookshelf wraps around the wall, visually linking the entrance niche to the living zone.
Across from it, a custom leather couch—sourced from a Seoul wholesale market—rests on slender legs, keeping the floor visible and giving the piece a sense of lightness.
The desk, which also functions as a dining table, blends glass and white finishes atop a red‑oak base. Its rounded glass extension lets the couple shift between work and meals with a simple chair shuffle. The kitchen follows the same logic, with a stainless‑steel benchtop that drops into a ceramic breakfast bar topped with a windowsill shelf. Drawers hold everyday items, while pigeonholes beneath the bar are dedicated to tea and coffee supplies.
“Having breakfast at the bar table, and looking out towards the rock wall is one of the most special moments in the home,” Juno says. Mornings typically see him preparing coffee while Mihyun makes toast or sandwiches, the two zones flowing together through subtle changes in material and height.
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From a broader perspective, the design illustrates how compact apartments can prioritize lived experience over strict square‑foot efficiency. By aligning storage, seating and work areas with the occupants’ habits, the space feels larger than its dimensions suggest, a principle that could inform future urban housing projects where space is at a premium.
Storage Consolidated in the Bedroom
The bedroom doubles as the primary storage hub. A wall of custom full‑height IKEA cabinetry combines open shelving with concealed compartments for bedding, books and seasonal clothing. An integrated alcove serves as both a vanity and a reading desk for Mihyun.
Opposite the bed, another IKEA wardrobe adds further clothing space, while the former balcony has been enclosed to create a utility area for drying clothes and storing larger items.
These interventions keep most storage confined to the bedroom, allowing the rest of the apartment to remain open, calm and uncluttered. Artificial lighting is used sparingly, with lamps designed by Juno adding warmth to the dining zone, the home’s darkest area. The Reel Lamp, made from wrapped electrical wire, draws inspiration from Eole, a traditional Korean tool for winding thread.
“A space becomes meaningful when people bring their own way of living into it,” Juno notes.
The apartment reflects that idea, offering areas for work, rest, storage and, of course, plenty of coffee in the sun.
It stands as a reminder that a home is shaped not by a fixed notion of how space should be used, but by the people who inhabit it.
