A 350-Square-Foot Studio Apartment Uses Vertical Space Wisely

Name: Nilanjana Biswas
Location: Toronto Downtown
Type of home: Studio Condo unit
Size: 350 square feet
Years lived in: 2 months, renting

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: With the ninety seconds of summer that Canada has, I often crave a lot of sun! So the moment I saw this tiny little studio with one side made entirely of glass, I fell for it. I am a technology consulting manager living alone in downtown Toronto. I love living downtown and my place had to reflect the fast-paced and modern vibe that this city throws at us.

I am also a painter, so colors carry a lot of weight for me. Any beautifully-done corner of a living room or a cafe has an absolute magnetism over me. I would aimlessly roam around vintage design shops just to soak in the stories I picture around the pieces. I have helped others to design their homes and the only thing that matters when it comes to interior is personification. It’s a very self-reflective process. It’s always that framed photo or the old record player! And most importantly, you have to feel welcomed when you step in.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Cozy, organic, chic, personal, organized.

What is your favorite room and why? Well it’s practically just one room, since it’s a studio. However, I have created very specific areas for specific purposes—like living, eating, studying, and, of course, sleeping. It’s important to use the vertical space in a small room since there isn’t much area horizontally anyway. The vertical furniture also creates the illusion of a divider between the separate areas.

My favorite area would be the study, since I sit there a lot when I am working or for my studies. It also has these pictures taken from everywhere I’ve traveled posted just in front of the table and I love that part. Those pictures are my absolute favorites and I love having that view in front of me while I am at the study table. The table is just perfectly sized and I love the chic and simple style.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I bought the bookshelf recently and I love it! I read a lot and I love to see all my books stacked in front of me all the time. I looked a lot for an apartment one and finally zeroed on in on this one from Wayfair. I definitely looked for a very tall and sleek one because the studio is so small. It also works as a perfect divider between the sleeping and the living space.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Plan ahead and plan well! I took two months to just plan and exactly four days to set up this place. Every inch counts when you are at a small place and going by the living trend of these big cities, you need planning! Measure the entire space (don’t just go by builders’ floor plan) and do the mathematics of spacing. Keeping five centimeters or more of spacing between two pieces of furniture can entirely change the look!

This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.