A full life in 490 square feet
Tiny condo in Liberty Village is a cosy home for a couple who make the most of it, inside and out
Jenn Mason and Paula Rayson share the hopes and dreams of thousands of young couples. Together for six years, they plan to marry, have a family and tick all of life’s boxes with relish.
They’ve accomplished one of the largest goals, with the purchase of a home in the booming downtown Liberty Village neighbourhood: a one-bedroom condominium that at, 490 square feet would, to many, seem more a guest suite than residence.
Rayson, 36, an academic adviser at Ryerson University, set out on a methodical search for their home after establishing and organizing the parameters. “Liberty Village somehow felt ‘neighbourhoody’ and welcoming,” she recalls.
“The acceptable boundaries included Eglinton Ave., Dufferin St. and Lake Shore Blvd. Leslieville was a possibility but it was so mixed, with parts that were great and parts that were too seedy.
“Price was a clincher,” she says. “There were not many areas in the city we could afford.”
They found their airy, open-concept fifth-floor unit, with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and a bathroom laundry, for $198,000 plus $289 a month in maintenance fees.
They also bought a storage locker in the building for $2,000.
Mason, 31, a freelance producer of fashions shows, events and films appreciates that Liberty Village has an aura that is fresh and optimistic. “Lots of the neighbourhood is clean and new,” she says. “It’s like a little pocket where you can get groceries or go to Booster Juice in what feels like seconds. There are some fun places like EQ3 and West Elm to shop in and we like to browse. However, our place is small so we don’t buy much.”
So how much of a challenge is it for two adults to live comfortably in a space that seems to define the word “compact?”
Mason is a passionate environmentalist, adamant about recycling and not wasting anything — including space.
“I do not feel comfortable in a large place. I feel like I’m rattling around.” PAULA RAYSON
“Everything from excessive packaging to letting the water run while you brush your teeth hurts the environment,” she says.
“Small is excellent in that context. Paula and I both have a lot of clothes and I work in fashion, so keeping ourselves compact is something we have to work at. We review our wardrobes every six months and we cull mercilessly. We always donate our excess garments or tear them up for rags.”
As well, they enjoy the outdoors and have bicycles, tennis racquets, camping gear and off-season clothing — all housed in their storage locker along with Christmas decorations and a personal box each of mementoes.
Rayson, who comes from Jersey in the Channel Islands — territories of the U.K. — grew up with small living quarters and prefers that mode of living.
“I do not feel comfortable in a large place,” she points out. “I feel like I’m rattling around. This place is ideal for us at this point in our lives.”
In many ways, Mason and Rayson point out, Liberty Village’s location provides a solid basis for green living with its access to TTC and neighbourhood shops. “We sometimes use Cars 2 Go,” Paula says. “Or we just use our Metropasses.”
Moving did mean disposing of possessions; in the beginning, each had their own apartments before moving in together.
The purchase of their own home meant making final choices between duplicate pieces — for instance, selling their dining room table and chairs.
“Before we moved, we sold and gave away a lot of things. We used Kijiji and Craigslist,” Jenn says. “We listed items we couldn’t sell on the ‘free’ sections and people would just come and take them away.”
Then they made extensive lists, seriously planning what items would go where in their new home.
Storage in their home is optimized to the max, with ingenious solutions to make furniture do double duty. For instance a kitchen island that, in its compartments and behind its doors, houses the equipment and supplies to allow Mason to work from home.
As well, they designed a custom wall unit for their specific needs. “It even has a cat bed, which our cat, Eddie, has grown to love,” Mason notes.
Being green, though, doesn’t mean never shopping. History maven Rayson loves vintage items so the couple shop the big yearly antique markets in places such as Cambridge, Ont., or grab used things online when they see ridiculously low prices. “We almost have a map of our clothes closet,” Mason says, laughing, about the precision they must live with in their space.
“But being organized is actually a calming lifestyle. And don’t forget, in the summer, with our balcony we have an extra 100 square feet for dining and entertaining.”
“All talk of space issues aside,” Rayson adds, “Liberty Village is our home and we love it. You can walk to so many places from the SkyDome and BMO Field to everyday things like the bank. That was one of the attractions in buying here, and it has really panned out for us.”