This Cozy 450-Square-Foot Studio Rents for $1560 a Month (in a Big City!)
This Cozy 450-Square-Foot Studio Rents for $1560 a Month (in a Big City!)
Interior designer Marnie Salmon, who works for a firm specializing in workplace design, moved to Toronto from Calgary seven years ago for a new job and “very quickly needed to find a place to live,” explaining she got lucky when she stumbled on this place: a 450-square-foot studio apartment she rents for $1560 a month.

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Marnie explains that the space looked a bit dated, decor-wise, in the listing photos, but says that it “did look like it had some good bones to work with, and it included parking (which in Toronto is hard to come by). When I came to view the apartment I quickly realized I wasn’t being shown the one from the ad, which was a one-bedroom. This was a studio, but it was better!”
Marnie’s ground-floor studio apartment comes with “its own entrance with some exposed brick, beautiful high 10.5-foot ceilings, large almost floor-to-ceiling windows in the front, and a small front room that would make an excellent office or eating nook. I immediately fell in love with this place and signed the lease that day. This was the first and only place that I looked at.”
Over the past seven years that Marnie has rented this unit, she’s made small but impactful updates to the space. “I switched out some of the light fixtures, removed the existing white venetian blinds, installed window film and draperies, and used contact paper to change the countertops and backsplash. I thoughtfully made my selections of finishes, lighting, and color, so they felt intentional and reflected the character of the building.”
“I would say that I identify as creative, introverted, adventurous, and reserved, and I would say my home reflects those qualities. I have a variety of the different styles living harmoniously in this small studio. It’s no wonder that I have gravitated towards the eclectic Parisian design style,” Marnie writes. “I also love to travel and have incorporated some of the photography I have taken on my overseas adventures mixed in with some of my favorite artists. I like to mix bold patterns and textures to create a layered depth within the space. I feel like the color and finish choices I have made create an understated or reserved elegance that mirrors that aspect of my personality.”
Resources
PAINT & COLORS
- Paint — Behr Limousine Leather “Satin Finish”
LIVING ROOM
- Sofa — Homesense
- Coffee Table — Bouclair Home
- Gold Mirror — Jysk
- Black Side Table — IKEA
- Gustav Klimt Print — IKEA
- Area Rug — Amazon
- Floor Lamp — IKEA
- Pillows — Amazon
- Window Film — Amazon
KITCHEN
- Kitchen Cart — IKEA
- Wood Contact Paper — Amazon
- Terrazzo Contact Paper — Amazon
- Kettle — Homesense
- Cutting Board — Amish Farmers Market
- Stainless Steel Containers — IKEA
- Green Fruit Bowl — Homesense
- Cast Iron Pans — Inherited from Grandmother
- Sea Grass Rug — Homesense
BEDROOM
- Headboard — Existing Re-upholstered in Black Stretch Velvet
- Bedding — Amazon
- Green Lumbar Pillow — Homesense
- Green Throw Blanket — IKEA
- Black Tufted Bench — Homesense
- Wicker Nightstands — IKEA
- Picture Frames — IKEA
- Print — Jack Vettriano
- Antique Style Gold Knobs — Amazon
- Large Round Mirror — Homesense
- Picture Frame — IKEA
- Print in Frame — Jack Vettriano
- Caesar Bust and Magnifying Glass — Homesense
DINING ROOM
- Bistro Table — CB2
- Antique Chairs — Inherited from Grandmother
- Horse Bust — Hand Carved by My Father
- Picture Frames — IKEA
- Art — Jack Vetriano Print
- Photography — By Me
- Pendant Light — Homesense
- Cow Hide Rug — Calgary Leather Shop
BATHROOM
- Dried Eucalyptus — Amazon
- Seagrass Tray — Homesense
- Bathmat — Homesense
- White Linen Shower Curtain — Homesense
- Basket and Rolled Towels — Homesense
Thanks, Marnie!
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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