Monica Potvin and Markel Otaola bought the 30-square-meter (323-square-foot usable space) apartment in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter during their child-free years when location was more important than space.

The tiny quarters had once been a space for the doorlady and it was half under-ground. After a makeover that included a lot of custom, DIY furniture, Potvin dubbed the home the "cozy cave".

The couple lived here while Potvin was pregnant* and have even hosted dinner parties in this reduced volume. Thanks to some dual-purpose furniture, the place now sleeps four. In addition to the queen bed in the bedroom, there's a couch bed for one in the living room and a nook under the stairs where the couple crafted a mattress on top of what was once a seldom-used ledge.

Much of the home is custom and all was crafted by the creative couple. Potvin (co-founder of the eco-design store Matteria) found an old pallet on the street and covered it with plastic to create a stylish coffee table (with space for magazines and books between the wood). A salvaged door is now the hallway mirror and old airplane food storage carts serve as bedside tables.

Monica's design-build firm: http://www.fabrique.es/

Original story: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/...