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After years of driving in and out of the city, I finally did The Thing: I got myself a pied-à-terre in downtown Toronto. Somewhere to drop my bag and lay my head when work pulls me in, instead of white-knuckling the highway home at 11 p.m.
If you’ve ever rented an apartment in downtown Toronto, you know it’s a bit of an emotional roller coaster. When I was accepted as the new tenant and got the keys, I sat back and reflected on everything I went through to get this place. I had to submit multiple documents, and I even had to have an interview with the listing agent (weird, IMHO). After I walked into the apartment and looked around. I realized I got the “landlord special,” which is a flat with a cosmetic repair job with deeper issues. IYKYK. How in the hell did I have to jump through hoops for beat-up baseboards, stained walls from a hanging TV, a drain that needed snaking, and the previous tenant’s dog hair in every crevice I looked into?
With my best friend’s enthusiasm, we painted the entire unit. Despite being told the place was professionally cleaned and painted prior to move-in, we went deep into the corners. My mom came to visit for a weekend and helped, too. I put peel-and-stick backsplash in the bathroom, recaulked holes in the wall, sanded and steam-cleaned every crevice a nozzle fit into. Somewhere in the middle of that, standing in a half-painted apartment I had just committed to, I genuinely wondered WTF I had done. Was all this work worth it?
I pushed on. And when it was finished, I looked around and realized maybe I do like this place after all. That’s the part I was waiting for after the back pain, anxiety and regret, of course. If I hadn’t put that time in (or had a friend who pushed me to make it better), I don’t think I would have been able to see the bigger picture in having the unit. Putting in all that time and effort to make the space comfortable is not fussiness. It is the entire difference between somewhere you just crash in, and somewhere you actually enjoy being.
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First, look at the foundation
Stop. Do not run to the closest HomeSense; do the unglamorous stuff first. Declutter and clean.
“Before buying anything, walk through your space and remove what doesn’t need to be there,” says Red Barrineuvo, the principal designer at Redesign4More. “This costs nothing, and it’s honestly one of the most transformative things you can do. A room with less stuff but better placement will always look more expensive than a room that’s cramped and overflowing.”
This part was easy for me considering I moved into an apartment with nothing in it.
“A lot of people assume a small space means giving up on style,” says Daniela Alilovic, interior designer and founder of Spaces by Dee, who works out of her own sub-500-square-foot Toronto one-bedroom. “In fact, some of the most impactful, moody and bold designs I have seen are in small spaces. Think of a statement powder room. There is no shortage of style just because space is limited.”
If you’re renting and are told to not touch the walls, you still have options. “Peel-and-stick wallpaper and adhesive hooks let you add texture, pattern, and even hang art or mirrors,” says Barrineuvo. “No paint, no drilling, no damage when you move out.”
That’s what I did with my bathroom backsplash at my apartment, and I’ll warn you now: patience and precision are required for peel-and-stick, but it’s worth the annoyance.
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Get a bed that functions as your dresser
If you take one thing from my story, this is it. In a small apartment, the bed is the single largest object you own, which also means it’s your biggest missed storage opportunity.
“The biggest game-changer for storage in my space has been my hydraulic bed with storage,” says Alilovic. “My bedroom has no space for a dresser. It can only fit a double bed and two nightstands, and my apartment is under 500 square feet. Choosing a lift-up hydraulic bed with storage was the only way I could find a place for extra towels, bedding, my winter clothes and all the other things that needed a home.”
Barrineuvo agrees that this is where to start. “Every piece of furniture in a small space should be working overtime,” she says. “Instead of adding a separate storage piece that takes up more floor space, you’re building storage right into what you already need.”
I opted for Cozey’s Ara Bed, which comes with four big drawers, and the covers are removable and washable, which matters more than you think when the bed is also the couch and the reading chair.
Ara Bed, $1,045, at cozey.ca.
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Don’t be afraid to play with lighting
Nothing screams cookie-cutter condo like recessed lighting and one builder-grade kitchen light fixture. Toss in a few ceiling covers and non-functioning light switches, too.
I didn’t change any of the original light fixtures in my apartment, but I did add a new one in an unused ceiling plate that was just asking for a light. Changing it is a 20-minute job (granted I had someone do it for me), but it’s a cost-effective way to make a room look like somebody chose something.
Alilovic puts light fixtures on a very short list of things that give you away. “Certain elements, such as light fixtures, can instantly read as cheap or expensive,” she says. “So I say to invest in these.”
Barrineuvo calls lighting the one upgrade that always shows. “Good lighting fixtures, like a statement pendant and quality lamps, instantly elevate a room,” he says. “Lighting affects the whole mood and feel of a space, so this is one area where spending a little more genuinely shows.”
1. Rice Paper Lamp
A chic cost-effective option: a rice paper lantern. Plus, you can hang these without needing wiring done. All you need is a hook and a plug outlet.
2. Pendant light
If you have a blank ceiling plate, this is your sign to zhuzh up the room. It’s hardwired, so unless you’re confident around a breaker, factor in an electrician or a very handy friend; mine was done in about twenty minutes to install. Box up whatever fixture you take down so you can put it back at move-out.
3. Statement lamp
Every room needs a table or floor lamp. This one with a pleated shade throws a warmer, softer glow than a bare bulb ever will, and this one is small enough for a nightstand but shapely enough for an impression.
Don’t opt for small furniture
Most Canadians have the instinct to keep everything small in a small space. The designers I spoke with told me that is backward thinking.
“Tiny frames, tiny trinkets, tiny everything,” says Barrineuvo. “It adds visual clutter fast. In a small space, a few bigger, meaningful pieces will always look more curated versus a dozen little ones competing for attention. Go for big art pieces, a full area rug and more intentional decor.”
While bigger may be better, you also need to consider how furniture and decor flow throughout the room, which Alilovic describes as the real test of whether a layout is working. You don’t want giant things in your way, but you also don’t want a bunch of clutter either.
“In a small space, you do not want to ‘run’ into any furniture,” she says. “Walking freely and easily within the space and throughout the different rooms is a good indication that you have flow.”
Field Stool, $340, at sundays-company.com.
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Make storage a priority
My entryway is roughly the size of a bath mat, and the hallway is incredibly narrow. I try to keep this area clear because opening the condo door feels awkward at times. Clutter in a narrow space is the fastest way to make a small place feel chaotic before you have even taken your coat off.
“Storage in a small space is all about being clever with the furniture pieces you choose,” says Alilovic. “In terms of adding storage pieces which don’t just add function but also style, this comes down to the pieces you choose. Being very mindful and taking your time to settle on the right piece is key. Adding function does not mean skimping on style.”
Barrineuvo adds on top of that: “The real secret to storage in small spaces: it should never look like storage. The moment it feels like you’re just hiding clutter, the room stops feeling curated.”
31.5″ W 5-Tier Shoe Cabinet, $170, wayfair.ca
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Invest in comfortable but chic bedding
I got this place to sleep in it. It felt ridiculous to spend on art before I had sheets.
“Quality sheets and a great duvet make a bedroom feel like a hotel suite,” says Barrineuvo. “This is one of those ‘you feel it every day’ investments that’s always worth it.”
1. Duvet
A duvet is the single biggest block of colour in the bedroom, so it sets the tone for the space. I went with a stripe because it’s fun. Wash it before the first use; the softness is worth it.
2. Sheets
Thread count is mostly marketing; fibre and weave are what you can actually judge. Long-staple cotton in a percale weave softens with every wash, whereas a big number on short fibres just pills. Read the back of the package, before you buy.
3. Sham
Shams are the cheapest way to change how your bed looks without replacing the duvet underneath it. I keep one set that matches sheets and one that contrasts, and swapping them takes about 30 seconds. Two sets is plenty; you have nowhere to put more.
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Let one beautiful thing sit on the counter
Small kitchens don’t have room for very much decor. They do however, have room for one or two gorgeous objects you use. I opted for an oversized cutting board; functional and beautiful.
I lean it against the backsplash when not using it.
HexClad End Grain Large Walnut Charcuterie Board, $139, at hexclad.ca.
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Save on knick-knacks, and buy patterns
Here is where you get to be frivolous. Both designers draw the same line: splurge on what you sit on and sleep in, save on everything that sits on top of it (except for the sheets, of course!).
“When it comes to items such as smaller furniture pieces, such as end tables, coffee tables, tabletop decor and so on, these are the pieces I tend to look to save on,” says Alilovic.
Barrineuvo’s rule is even easier to remember. “Splurge on what you use often and what’s hard to replace or fix later,” he says. “Save on what’s easy to swap out as your taste changes or your budget grows.”
Mandy’s Plates, $22, at shop.mandys.ca.
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Upgrade the shower, because the daily ritual is the whole point
You cannot really renovate a rental bathroom. You can, however, unscrew the shower head, which takes about a minute and, at most, a wrench.
I know this is not furniture, and I know what I said about saving on anything that isn’t, but hear me out. The rule is about frequency of use, not furniture, and there is no object in this apartment I touch more reliably (other than the bed) than this one.
“Small spaces feel luxurious not because of size, but because of how intentional the little daily rituals feel,” says Barrineuvo. “Morning coffee, an evening shower, crawling into bed. Those little luxuries are what make a small space more elevated.”
Shower Head 2.0, $140, helloklean.com.
A shower filter can rid your water of chlorine and prevent limescale buildup, which also helps my hair behave and do what I want it to when styling.
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Go big on art, even if the art itself is cheap
I shopped at Temu for a few fun art prints. Once the prints arrived, I ran to IKEA with them in hand and held them up to the frames. Luckily, they fit perfectly and made my space feel filled with personality.
That is where budget shopping earns its keep. Tanasha Nality, a TikTok creator who went viral for ordering her couch on Temu and lives in a studio herself, is refreshingly unbothered about where a piece comes from.
“I’m not just buying decor for aesthetics but finding pieces that are double duty,” she says, blending Temu decor with vintage and secondhand items. “It looks cute while serving its purpose, and usually at a price point that works for my budget… I just want my space to feel like me.”
Her advice for anyone nervous about committing to buying furniture and art: “Put something in your space, live with it for a week, and then decide if you hate it. You’d be surprised how many things grow on you once they’re actually in the room.” So check the return policy before adding to cart.
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Finish with the photos, because that’s the part nobody can copy
Everything above can be bought. This part cannot, and it is the only reason a small apartment ever stops feeling like a hotel room.
“Leave room for the book you’re actually reading, the photo of people you love, the mug you use every morning,” says Barrineuvo.
Alilovic frames it as a filter for what you let in at all. “When you decorate with a good sense of your style, you gravitate towards pieces and combinations that feel like you,” she says. “You also incorporate artwork and pieces with sentimental value that are not just there to fill the space.”
A vertical multi-panel frame is the small-space cheat code here. It holds six photos in the footprint of one; it draws the eye upward, and the walnut finish keeps it from seeming like a dorm room.
Six-Slot Black Walnut Photo Frame, $7, at ca.shein.com
I recently did a DIY craft using this frame. I put fabric in the background and glued a photo of my fiancé and me on top of it.
Only a few months in, my pied-à-terre is still under 500 square feet. The walls are white, but they’re white because I painted them, which turns out to be a completely different thing entirely. It doesn’t feel like anyone else’s apartment anymore. It feels like mine. (Tip: Ask your landlord to reimburse you for the paint or take it off your rent that month. You’re saving them time.)
And, as Barrineuvo put it, “A home should tell your story, not someone else’s idea of a beautiful home. Small space or not, the goal isn’t perfection; it’s connection.”