Posts Tagged ‘small space’

If 2011 is the year of the Rabbit, then 2010 was the year of the “Shrinking Condo”!  The last quarter brought many new projects to the market and with it came the realization that our living space expectations are changing.  The condos of yesterday (think The Esplande or any of the units at Harbour Square) offered much larger layouts with a more spacious design.  Today the norm is glass clad buildings to give the illusion of more space paired with the ever popular “open concept” design.  Now we’re seeing 2 bedrooms being built in the same size as former one beds. The demand for a great downtown location is at an all time high, and with the price of land also increasing, developers are building as many units as they can in much smaller sizes! This is the new reality of realty, and to argue or complain about the shift is a much of a waste of time as the Toronto Land Transfer tax is to our pockets!

I’ve noticed a lot of new projects incorporating a “study” into their spaces instead of a den. Studies don’t have much of a dedicated space and are often looked at as a waste! It’s similar to the trend of cutting out the second bedroom and making it a den. I’ve walked into a countless number of resale units that feature this awkward space with no real sense of definition.  I don’t blame the sellers for not making better use as many condo showrooms don’t use the “study” layouts in their display.  A few simple (and cost effective) changes is all that’s needed to bring the space back to life!

During the holidays I was at my colleague, Chris Molders place over at Minto Skyy.  He had purchased a one bedroom and study layout a few years back and recently took possession of it. Instead of leaving the space empty, he transformed it into something both functional and aesthetically pleasing!

A few strips of wallpaper was all that was needed to give the study a separation from the rest of the unit. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you have an extra 80 inches in length and 40 inches in width in that den of yours? If yes, then that’s just enough room for 2 beds! The clip above is from New-York-based Resource Furniture. Watch in awe (as I did) as they demonstrate how a little ingenuity can give a small space a lot of room!

I’ve never been a fan of the 300 sqf studio, be it for living or an investment but as the price of land in Toronto goes up; the spaces we call home are becoming smaller! It’s inevitable as developers try to facilitate as many units possible into their towers to maximize the profit on the project. Even traditional 2 bedroom units are being built with less square footage than their older counter parts.

If you look at a building like The Esplanade, it’s very common to see 1 bedroom units pushing 700 sqf. Compare that with many of the newer buildings going up and the same square footage is now housing 2 bedrooms! Space saving decor like the ones available from Resource Furniture are the key to using every square inch in your condo and making the most out of the limited space available!

…I wonder if there’s a foldable garden available?

Ready to find your own space in one of Toronto’s many condo towers? Give me a call or send me an email… I’d love to help!