A 450-Square-Foot Studio Apartment Has Gorgeous Brick Walls and the Coziest Bed Nook

Name: Michelle Jones
Location: Toronto, Canada
Type of home: Loft
Size: 450 square feet
Time lived in: 3 months, renting

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I’ve lived in Toronto for 10 years now and have spent the majority of my city slickin’ time in the stereotypical condo. My view has always included another towering building, and I can’t count on my fingers how many times I’ve waited more than 15 minutes for the elevator.

In the thick of the pandemic, I decided I wanted to move after having just been in my last place for only a year. The real estate market was looking optimal for renters, so I figured why not try to save a couple bucks? I immediately found a listing for a beautiful brick and beam hard loft in the west end of Toronto. Sitting across the street from a local brewery, transit accessible, and close to a lot of restaurants and boutiques, it was perfect. The building itself is an over 100-year-old converted factory. It had me at high ceilings and exposed brick; I signed the lease 24 hours after seeing it! It’s definitely a small space, but I am a big fan of minimalism, and thankfully, it has a ton of storage (albeit in some very hard to reach places). While it isn’t the most functional for the WFH time we live in (kitchen table = desk), the natural light that pours in from the break of dawn to sunset keeps me motivated.

With this place I have definitely felt the most at home of all of the apartments I’ve had over the years. I was lucky to have found a few key pieces when I moved into my last place that converted well to this one with the focal point being my green velvet couch. While I tend to stick to calm neutral tones throughout, I love the statement this piece brings. I’ve accented it with pops of color and texture in my throw pillows to bring in more of my personality. Extra bonus, it pulls out as a daybed for guests!

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Scandinavian-inspired, warm, minimalist

What is your favorite room and why? Although there are no walls, there are defined spaces thanks to the L-shape of the floor plan. I love my bedroom nook and look forward to crawling into bed each night (who doesn’t?). There is something very meditative about being able to lie in bed and look up into the night sky or wake up to the sunrise in the morning. My bedroom before had no window, so I have really come to appreciate the simple pleasures. My bed is also a storage bed that rises up and the amount of stuff I can fit under there is impressive. Keeping everything intentionally designed yet functional in this space was super important to me.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? This insanely adorable original ceramic mushroom lamp from the ’60s by Canadian potter Maurice Chalvignac. When designing this space I put more effort into mixing new and vintage finds. There are a lot of vintage Instagram shops popping up in Toronto that have made thrifting in the pandemic possible when stores are still closed.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Have fun with it, but make conscious choices if working with less space! Take your time, and always MEASURE.

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

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