Living Large in Small Spaces

Picture Source: Style At Home

The small space lifestyle is on the rise, whether it's your first place or you're down-sizing from a large family home. With condo sales continuing to boom in Toronto this trend is not cooling off anytime soon. Since the average size condo is estimated at only 750 square feet there is definitely a need to make the most of your small space and that can be difficult for some. My own condo suite is less than 600 square feet and I know that it is easy to feel claustrophobic if you don't design your space smart. Based on my experience and design education I've developed a list of tips to live large in a small space:

Tip 1 - Invest in condo-sized furniture
Condo owners often make the mistake of buying bulky house-sized furniture for their small condo suites and then find that their space is swallowed up by large pieces that just don't fit. It can be a costly mistake which is easily avoided before you throw down your credit card. The condo boom didn't just spur on record real estate sales in Toronto, it also gave way to a number of stores that specialize in condo-sized furniture. My favourites are Casalife, Style Garage and West Elm. When looking for seating to outfit your suite choose tailored styles with tight backs, shallow seats and slim arms or armless. Stay away from chunky, heavy furniture that encroaches on your tiny square footage.

Tip 2 - Buy furniture that does double duty
When you have minimal square footage in your home buying furniture that doubles it's functionality is key to smart space design. Take a leather bench for example. It makes a great coffee table by placing a chic tray on top and when you need extra seating just remove the tray! Invest in nesting tables as your side table that can be easily pulled out and moved around your space for placing drinks and plates on. Another great piece that can have a dual personality is a sleek console table. It works as a front hall table for keys and other items but can easily be converted into a desk by moving a dining chair in front.

Tip 3 - Choose neutral tones for your furniture & walls and make your accessories the attention grabber
If you want to create a sense of living large in a space space I recommend painting your walls a light neutral tone throughout (especially in open concept spaces). Dark colours make walls visually retract and when you want to enhance your square footage this is a negative. I also recommend buying neutral toned furniture and letting your accessories add the punch of colour. You can make a statement by choosing a bold colour for just one key wall and add colour & texture through accent chairs, accessories, pillows and artwork. It's a lot less expensive to switch up accessories as colour trends change than to buy a new sofa or spending hours re-painting walls.

Tip 4 - When it comes to furniture & accessories, less is always more
Embrace your small space living and don't clutter it up with too many pieces of furniture. This is an opportunity to live minimally and create great flow around your space. You don't want your guests (or even yourself) bumping and tripping over furniture as they mingle in your home. Since the average condo in Toronto is just 750 square feet the actual living room usually measures 12 x 15 feet. So you truly only need one sofa, a side chair, a coffee table or bench (think double duty), and a side table/nesting tables to make a functional and spacious living room. So many stores offer sleek, stylish, low TV consoles that can hide the not so attractive HD PVR Box and Blu Ray player, but if your flat screen TV can be mounted on the wall even better. Invest in great closet organizers so that your space is always clutter free.

Tip 5 - Create the illusion of living large
To create a sense of space seek out pieces with glass tops and go for leggy furniture... when you can see the floor beneath it gives an airy feel and doesn't weigh down your small space.  A large well placed mirror can also give the illusion of a larger space, especially in a dining room, hallway or bedroom.

Picture Source: House and Home