The designers at the studio A Place to Be explain custom furniture, installations, and how to make small spaces more functional

Milan is a vibrant and growing city—and in the last few decades, entire neighborhoods have been transformed and modernized in the North Italian capital. Small space renovation tips abound from projects carried out by big developers and young creatives alike. The latter is the case with Sara, a founding partner of the graphic design studio Atto. With some help from local design studio A Place to Be , she transformed her small, 484-square-foot apartment into a contemporary, functional, and bright open space.

Before its renovation, this two-room apartment was typical of many 1960s public housing projects in Milan.…