Unbarricaded Bliss Condo Renovation

Six hundred square feet is not much to work with, but for designer and homeowner, Lauren Webb, this small space condo renovation was more of a trial than a tribulation. The unit, located on the second floor of a three-story walk-up, was built in 1993 and was in its original condition when the family of four, including two dogs, first moved in. From a design standpoint, the space had good bones – a fact that jived well with Lauren’s forethought for the home. “I purchased the condo with the intention of renovating,” says Lauren, “so we wanted to consider resale value and make sure to not over-personalize.”

Lauren’s first goal was to open up the space. “The space was very dated and had a wall separating the kitchen from the main living area,” she explains. “As I spent more time in the space, I could see that it was begging for a light and airy atmosphere. We wanted to make sure to open up the kitchen to allow it to feel bigger and brighter.” Eradicating that wall as part of this condo renovation exposed the kitchen to the main living area, enhancing light flow and lending the illusion of expansiveness.

To maintain the visual divide between the two rooms, Lauren strategically employed a breakfast bar, full height marble tile from counter top to ceiling, and a floor-to-ceiling backsplash in the kitchen. “We splurged on the kitchen backsplash tile and counter top,” says Lauren.

“It was a challenge for me to decide where to save and where to splurge on the space,” Lauren divulges. “We wanted to keep the budget to $40,000 but I quickly realized that was not nearly enough. The renovation ended up costing around $60,000 and that was with the designer discounts that I was able to use to my advantage.” She notes that while they definitely splurged on a few quality furniture pieces, such as the sofa, ottoman, and bed, many items were sourced from IKEA and Craigslist in an effort to diminish costs. The eye catching light fixture displayed over the dining table was another save item, which Lauren describes as being a stroke of luck. “I had specified this light fixture in one of my client’s homes and when it arrived, it was damaged. We contacted the company and they sent us a new chandelier for our client and told us to keep this one!”

“We selected light colored, neutral finishes to add to the brightness that this space so desperately needed.” When asked why, Lauren explains, “The condo faces West towards the inner courtyard and only has windows on one side of the space. This makes natural sunlight something that is rare and important to harvest.” The muted color scheme flows right into the bedrooms, where further space-enhancing measures have been employed during this condo renovation. “In the bedroom, we hired a closet company to design and install the ideal closet storage system, maximizing storage as much as possible. The bed is a storage bed with a lift up system. Seasonal clothes are stored underneath and rotated once a year.”

Storage aside, the livability of the space is anything but limited. When asked about her favorite element of the condo renovation, Lauren cites, “The openness of the space and the cozy feeling that it gives me. I feel it supports us to live a good life. For being such a small space, I feel that we have a place for almost everything we own.”

Sources:

Space Designed by Form Collective
Photography by Eli Chamberlin
KITCHEN; Clock, Pistol Bespoke
Barstools, Pistol Bespoke
Cabinetry, KitchenCraft
Countertops, Vicostone
Kitchen Backsplash, Ican Tile
Kitchen Appliances, Bosch
Fridge, Blomberg
DINING AREA; Dining Table, IKEA
Dining Chairs, Craigslist, Breuer Chairs, Replicas can be found at www.seatsandstools.com
Sputnik Chandelier, YDesign Group
Mirror, Craigslist, Painted Frame using Benjamin Moore Spray Lacquer
SITTING ROOM; Sofa and Ottoman, Urban Barn
End Table, 18Karat
Wall Lamps, Robert Abbey, Koleman Wall Sconce
Art Above Sofa: Dania Furniture
Fireplace Facing Tile, Tierra Sol
Fireplace Artwork, HomeSense
Poufs; West Elm
BATHROOM; Bathroom Vanity, IKEA
Bathroom Wallpaper, Vycon
Bathroom Chandelier, West Elm
Roderick Wall Sconces, Wayfair
Bathroom Mirror, West Elm
Toilet, Kohler
Tub, Hytec
Bathroom Tile, Tierra Sol
Bathroom Fixtures, Riobel
Wall Shelves, Restoration Hardware
Art, Gabrielle Strong and Olga Cuttell
MASTER BEDROOM; Storage Bed, Urban Barn
Nightstands, Lamps, and Mirrors: HomeSense
Dresser, Family Heirloom
Framed Artwork, Photographic Print from Unsplash
Drapery, J.Ennis Fabrics and Valery Black

Bio
Latest Posts

Canadian Home Trends

Canadian Home Trends magazine gives you a personal tour of the most stunning homes and condos across Canada. You'll be inspired by a selection of accessible home décor products, trend reports, simple yet stylish DIY projects, and much more. In each issue, you are given the tools to recreate designer spaces you've always dreamt of having at home, in-depth renovation and design advice, colour palette and furniture pairings, and Canada's best places to shop.