We can increasingly observe the appearance of the cubed structures in the homes and apartments. Some of them serve as a kitchen, and the other — dressing rooms, laundries and bathrooms. However, most cubes hide the bedroom inside, which reminds of a cocoon or a niche with a space for bed and storing things. Four architects who projected this construction will gladly share their experience and answer your questions.
Table of Contents
Project 1. Cubed bedroom
Technical specification
This Paris studio with an area of 32 sq.m is owned by a 40-year-old bachelor. He has lived here for a year, during which he understood, how to optimize space in the best way, and then contacted the architect Rebecca Benishu from Batiik Studio. “He literally asked me to design a cube-shaped structure”, — recalls Rebecca. This cube had to accommodate a bedroom, a bathroom and a dressing room in an area of 7.5 sq.m, or more specifically in the volume of 22.5 cubic meter.
Why cube?
“A young man is keen on the interior design, and when he came to the meeting, he already formed an opinion that the cube is exactly what he needs. Actually, fitting all space in a single apartment is a good opportunity to make space. This structure allows to increase the free area, as it eliminates the need to split the room into different compartments”, — explains the architect.
Implementation
The sizes of the cube are: about 2.5x3x3 m. Bedroom area is 1,6х2 m. It’s flanked by a 70 cm-deep wardrobe compartment from one side and a small bathroom with a size of 1х3 m from behind (in the photo above we can see an open door leading to the bathroom).
There is a 23 cm-thick comfortable mattress equipped with a platform located at the height of 70 cm from the floor. Initially, we considered a more significant height difference on the ceiling to equip the storage space. However, the tall apartment owner wanted to be able to stand upright. Therefore, false ceiling remained a decorative element.
This project is interesting from an engineering point of view. The frame of the cube is made of wood and coated with an innovative material “Fenix”, made of resins of the new generation with the use of technologies that increases wear resistance and dirt-repellent properties of the surface.
Functionality
In creating this structure every square centimeter was studied for use. Sleeping place can be opened or closed with two sliding doors. There is a storage space under the bed. Wardrobe occupies the entire height of the cube in the compartment on the right.
Decor
“The cube was conceived as an interior decoration”, — claims Rebecca Benishu. But the customer decided to strengthen the contrast and left the walls without finishing, which increasingly highlighted the design of the cube. The black matte material “Fenix”, which was used to finish the outer surface of the cube, contrasts with the inner surface of the bedroom. LED lighting completes the finishing, and also gives a soft night light.
Budget
Together with the kitchen, the project costed 30 000 euro. It also includes expenses on the color painting of the ceiling and varnishing of parquet.
Project 2. A small room that can be easily turned into a big one
Technical specification
A young couple acquired a studio with an area of 27 sq.m. The apartment was freshly renovated and represented an empty space. The idea of the arrangement was to shift the emphasis towards a single living space, deprived of partitions and use the daylight flowing from the three large windows.
Why cube?
“It seemed to us that the idea of a multifunctional cube is a great solution for a miniature apartment in which you want to accommodate everything that fits in the regular sized apartments”, — explains the chief architect of the project Benjamin Dele from the bureau “BLDB”.
Implementation
The cube with sleeping place is 2.50 m high, 1.60 m deep and 2 m wide. It is a wooden frame, upholstered by the MDF plates that connects to a 50 cm-wide ladder. To win some space in height, the bed frame was built into the platform. The cube was equipped with electrical outlets from both sides.
Functionality
You can get into this cozy shelter through a small door at the top of the stairs. You can open two doors not to feel trapped in a small space. They are equipped with shelves for magazines, and at the same time serve as bedside tables. In the daytime, the closed doors isolate the bedroom space, and the apartment always looks neat.
There are five storage modules hidden under the bed, each one is 50 cm wide and 90 cm deep. 3 of them are reserved for the wardrobe: they are equipped with hangers and fully retractable due to the telescopic guides. “We used the guides intended for the servers, as they are designed for a great weight”, — explains the architect, You can get into the space under the stairs that became the “basement” of the apartment through a small door. The owner of apartment even managed to keep your bike in the space behind the retractable modules.
Decor
In order not to reduce the area of a small apartment, the owners decided to paint the walls and the cube itself white. “All the hinges are hidden, and the wardrobes have no handles. All doors are opened with the specially provided recesses”, — adds the architect.
Budget
“Building a similar construction in any carpentry shop according to the individual measures costs at least 10 000 euro”, — claims author of the project. Please note that in case of resale, this structure is considered a dismountable element and doesn’t affect the calculation of the area of the apartment. However, the situation with this project was quite the opposite: “The apartment was sold in less than a week. The buyers literally fell in love with this design”, — shares us Benjamin. The cube turned from a disadvantage of apartment into a sort of highlight of interior.
Project 3. Sleeping place in a niche
Technical specification
This small studio with an area of 28 sq.m was created on the project of the architect Cyril Reims for a student. “The customer clearly expressed her wishes — she wanted to sleep at a certain elevation, in a kind of niche, which would be joint with the rest of apartment”.
Why cube?
“To allocate a separate bedroom in a small studio, you must divide an apartment with the help of additional partitions, making it even smaller. Open cube allows you to create a cozy sleeping place without splitting the internal space”, — explains the architect.
Implementation
The design of a cube with a depth of 2.30 m, a width of 1.50 m and a height of 1.60 m was conceived as an overhanging element, to emphasize its isolated nature. The bottom is attached to the metal beam on the wall with a metal beam flooring. The rest of the frame is made of wood, while the whole structure is covered with painted MDF boards.
“At first we tried to make the bottom out of wood, but this material turned out too elastic; in future, it would fold at the joints of the wall and the bottom of the cube. It must be understood that for us, this project is also an experiment, and sometimes, the final decision comes at the second or third attempt”, — explains Cyril.
Functionality
This cube allows the student to win space. It is hanging at the height of 72 cm, and the mattress platform is providently made a little longer. So, the protruding part of the platform also serves as a writing table. The orange box also plays the role of a stool and storage space. The base of suspended structure is also equipped with hidden the storage spaces.
Decor
The niche was made in the same color range (white and grey-brown) as the rest of the apartment. Ventilation openings on the sides rhyme with the open shelves of the living room, kitchen and cube background. “They’re actually rather decorative, than functional. However, they give the impression that the structure is ventilated”, — explains the architect.
Budget
The complete rearrangement of apartment costed 56 000 euro.
Project 4. Two cubes for four
Technical specification
This project is made for an apartment with an area of 120 sq.m, which has been completely redesigned. There are five children in the family of customers — one of them is a young man, and four younger kids between the ages of 4 and 10. They bought an apartment a few years ago; its original area was 40 sq.m.
The house was gradually increased. The owners bought the adjoining rooms, and currently, its area has grown to 120 sq.m. But that still is not enough to give each of the children a separate room. Besides, the parents wanted their children to grow up together and learn to share with each other. Architects from the bureau “Graal” who have undertaken this project, have proposed a solution to in the form of two cubic structures.
Why cube?
“In a large room with an area of 39 sq.m, we designed two chequered bunk beds. This solution enabled us to properly plan the space and turned out less expensive than giving a room to everyone. Our design offers a special mode of interaction between brothers and sisters. We have done a lot of research work and came across this idea when studying the deployment of soldiers in Middle Ages. They all lived in one premise, and slept in the isolated niches, fenced off by the curtains. We offered a modern interpretation”, — explains one of the authors of the project Carlo Grispello.
Implementation
The structures are assembled from MDF boards, attached to a wooden frame, and the flooring — from pine plywood. Each of the two cubes covers an area of 4.5 sq.m (they are 1.45 m wide, 3 m long and 2.85 m high). Building of these structures somewhat facilitated the complex process of redevelopment: to allocate a large room with an area of 39 sq.m, we had to demolish the bearing wall, having agreed it with the co-owner of the house. Later, the supporting structures were newly built: in the photo, we can see the area between the library and the bed with concrete overlap and metal support, hidden behind the cube finishing.
Functionality
These cubic structures are multifunctional. Each of them hides two beds, as well as wardrobes, benches, library and desk. However, the architects didn’t stop there — each cube is provided with the sliding partitions, allowing you to easily change the space of the room. It can be divided into three isolated parts, as seen in the figure, and then an older sister and a younger brother will have separate rooms. In this case, two middle sisters will share one common central bedroom.
“When the sliding partitions are removed, beds turn into two large pylons, around which the children can run and play all together”, — explains the architect Carlo Grispello.
Decor
“I can’t speak about the decorative effect, as it’s not my profession, — tells the architect modestly, — but we decided to paint the design red, which is associated with the Swiss penknife”. The kids liked such an original and humorous approach! “When creating these designs, we didn’t even solve aesthetic issues, but the ethical issues. We have completely changed the approach to exploration of space inside the apartment. Children can easily create a secluded place and do their things, being in a single space with the rest of the family, which has a positive effect on kids. They can also play together.”
Budget
Each of the designs costed 4000 euro (however, only the cost of the carpentry was taken into account).
Such structures allow you to concentrate all the functions a full-fledged bedroom (bed, storage space, workplace or bookshelves) within a very limited space. The cube saves space and solves the lighting problem due to the absence of unnecessary partitions. Also worth mentioning is an innovative approach to the development of the space volume (and not its area). Besides, such design is not deprived of humor and can even increase the cost of the house.
TELL US…
What do you think about the bedrooms organized inside the cube? Is it a functional solution or a waste of space in the room? Share your opinion in the comments section!
