Toronto Real Estate: how to furnish your small apartment or loft

Busy real estate market in Toronto caused boom in condominium construction. Many of the constructed apartments are geared to investors or first time buyers, and are very small. With the prices per square foot rising from below $200 to, depending on location, $550 and sometimes much more, the only way to provide affordable condos was to cut down on their size.

While the square footage of the newly built units is smaller, the ceiling heights are usually better than in older buildings. Very often the kitchen is open to the living-dining room combination, with breakfast bar separating it from the rest of the space. Even in one bedroom plus den units it is often impossible to fit both living room and dining room furniture into the available space.

It takes some ingenuity to furnish a really small space in a way which is both attractive and functional. The furnishings in small spaces should be chosen to fulfil multiple functions, and to well fit the space. Ideally, bookshelves should be able to also serve as kitchen fixtures, tables should fold away, and Murphy beds fit into wall units in studio apartments.

Lofts, with their high ceilings, allow some vertical space to be used in addition to the floor footage. It is typical to see sleeping platforms, often barely high enough to walk without hitting one's head, but allowing for a mattress and bedding which doesn't have to be put away in the morning. Shelves located at great heights can be accessed with a ladder, which can serve at other times as a towel or bedding rack.

It is possible to purchase desks and chairs made of translucent materials. That quality allows the space to appear larger. Modern, simple furniture and clean lines also help in creating an illusion of spaciousness. An effective way to solve layout problems and make the interior to appear larger and brighter is to simplify the design. Non-essential elements should be eliminated, and the setting should be dominated by clear, pure lines.

Another way to make small space more functional and flexible is to replace dividing walls with mobile elements. Such elements can be light panels sliding on rails and allowing for opening or closing parts of the space, as required. Other option is to use custom shelving units, which can divide the space as necessary, at the same time serving as storage.