Photography By Larry Arnal
The design details incorporated in this diminutive condo elevate the space in size and splendour.
A small space only really describes the way a place feels to the people using it. We prefer to have a big-space feel that just doesn’t require a whole lot of square footage. What we created for this homeowner was lots of grand living in a footprint of just 520 square feet, and he has loved it ever since.
GO BIG
There were far too many little rooms in the condo, in our opinion, to create a big life in the home. The first step was to remove the wall between the kitchen and the living room to visually create a more open look. One of the rules of small space is to allow each of the rooms to borrow from the other. When you are in the kitchen, it feels larger because it borrows space from the dining room and living space, and the same can be said for the living and dining room. Removing the wall made the condo seem larger, which is exactly the feel we hoped for.
REGAL RULES
The next element we addressed to achieve large and grand was changing all of the interior doors to a much taller profile. The originals were a standard 80 inches tall, however, taking each of the interior doors to 96 inches created the feeling of elegance. Much taller doors are more commonly found in regal rooms and large homes, so we included that feature along with the addition of a fireplace. This ethanol fireplace, which requires no traditional venting, fits beautifully under the television in a built-in column from floor to ceiling. Another great tip for small-space living is to use the wall space as much as possible. Adding another element to the floor crowds the room and makes it difficult to move around, however, the walls will never be used for walking. We placed smoked mirror on either side of the fireplace built-in, which also served to hide the cable box and other audio-visual electronics from view.
A FEAST FOR THE EYES
The kitchen and dining room space is now shared with the living room area, which means the elegance of the kitchen needed to be elevated to the status of the living room. The new cabinets and panel-recessed fridge give the whole kitchen the appearance of cabinetry so the homeowner would never feel as though he was entertaining or eating in the kitchen. The sink and faucet mechanics are hidden behind a glass panel that also serves as a reminder board.
MAXIMIZING FUNCTION
The bedroom and closet space were transformed to be both a closet and a home office. Since we could count on the closet always being immaculate, this allows for an open-concept closet space open to the bedroom. The bed, night-side tables and headboard clearly define the bedroom and the night-side tables provide extra storage on either side of the bed. The bed, although impossible to tell, is a storage bed, which allows the mattress to be raised on a hydraulic lift allowing for easy access to the items stored there. The room is highly functional without looking crowded or made to feel “small.”
The bathroom has all of the moulding details that are present in the rest of the space, which provide grandeur to the whole condo. The simple and consistent colour used throughout keep the eye moving smoothly from one element to the next. Again the bathroom is filled with function but the simple finishes make it feel as though it is larger and open.
The combination of using the height, space-enhancing details and uniform colour, coupled with the open concept architecture, both enhances and enlarges the space and this condo owner is delighted with the grand-living results.
SOURCES
BATHROOM: FAUCETS
: Riobel
BEDROOM: WALLPAPER:
JF Fabrics
NIGHTSIDE TABLES:
Geovin furniture
LIVING ROOM: FURNITURE:
JF Fabrics
CARPET:
Kalora rugs
KITCHEN: APPLIANCES:
Miele
PAINT: KITCHEN CABINETS:
American White 2112-70
WALLS :
Cement Gray 2112-60
FIREPLACE DOORS AND TRIM:
Stormy Monday 2112-50 Benjamin Moore
Glen Peloso and Jamie Alexander are co-founders and principals of Peloso Alexander Interiors. They bring 35 years of combined experience to creating environments that merge the client’s lifestyle, personality, and architecture. pelosoalexander.com , twitter @glenpeloso & @glenandjamie, Facebook.com/glenpeloso