Sunday, January 13, 2008

8. Is Less Really More?




i just read an article in Toronto Life on this 500-square-foot condo which starts by stating "is this 500 sq.ft condo the insane brainchild of greedy developers or a triumphant symbol of the new downtown?"

i don't know about you but i've been noticing there are a lot of condominiums going up around town and 90% of these condo units are less than 800 sq.ft. in size. if you go back to my earlier posts you'll notice i mention these tiny spaces quite frequently.

i read somewhere once that where we choose to live directly reflects what we’re lacking in the rest of our lives. i love how it's put...

"Toronto condos have been getting smaller and smaller since the ’90s. About three per cent of new ones are truly teeny: 500 square feet or less. In other words, a few thousand people in this city have opted to live in a space the size of a suburban one-car garage.

And what happens when young people trade backyards for café patios, dining rooms for restaurants and private cocktail parties for picnics?"


what do you think?
do you agree or disagree with the shrinking sizes of our homes in the city?

personally, as much as i love my cafe patios and restaurants, i couldn't imagine life without a great bbq in my backyard with friends & family or a great evening around a lavish dining room table sipping on cocktails with good company in the comforts of my own home. i'm an entertainer - not an outter so the idea of loosing space breaks my heart. 500 sq ft, could you do it?

mind you, i've seen some great small spaces - and i know many who live in them and love them, but i guess for the price, the lifestyle and the things i would miss out on, i pass.

7 comments:

massi said...

I think...If I could I wouldn't live in about 600 sqf as I'm doing now.
And we are 2.
I also think that it is possible to live in little spaces with no big sacrifices.

Jennifer Lee said...

i know many ppl like yourself who live in 600-700 sq.ft spaces as a couple and love it. i totally agree that it's completely possible to live in small spaces with no big sacrifices but i couldn't do it. i guess it depends on your living habits.

i entertain 10-20 ppl on average at least once a month and that wouldn't be possible for me to do in a smaller space.

massi said...

...i had a party with 22 peoples...almost everywhere in the flat...and it was nice.
Not the day after as I found glasses and plates and...other stuffs in every corner...
: D

Jennifer Lee said...

wow - 22ppl in 600 sqft now i must applaud that task! :)

Alkemie said...

Although I do agree the trend right now seems to be going towards less is more, I still like my space. I lived in a space in Hong Kong that was under 250 square feet - I certainly do not miss it at all. I find that spaces that her too small make it more stressful. I couldn't relax even after a long day at work when I came home to an apartment where I could barely stretch out.

Jen of MadeByGirl said...

i dont mind it if it has al the cool amenities, but the drawback is dont have much room for my dogs.....

Jen Ramos
'100% Recycled DESIGNER Cards'
www.madebygirl.com

Jennifer Lee said...

jen i agree with you on that one. i love my dogs too much - so even if i didn't need the space or could do without, my dogs would be an issue.