How to Optimize Your Living Space
As one of most livable cities in the world, Vancouver’s real estate landscape is becoming more competitive and many developers are evolving their home design by finding smarter ways to optimize spaces for modern condo living. Design improvements such as open floorplan concepts, larger window walls, higher ceilings, and intelligent storage solutions are some of the many elements that sophisticated developers are incorporating to allow you to have more useable space for less dollars. First time home buyers, downsizers, and investors alike are now also putting on their creative hats to find ways to get more out of every square foot. Here are some insights on what to look for in a floorplan layout and how to choose the right type of furnishings to get more space out of your new home.
- Assess your lifestyle needs
Do a bit of planning before shopping for a home. Audit your lifestyle and understand how you plan to use your space. If you know that you rarely cook at home, then consider a home that has a built-in breakfast bar in the kitchen. That way, instead of having a dining room table, you can use that extra space to expand your living area and set up a media room if that’s your priority. Understanding your own lifestyle can help you come up with other space saving ideas, so — assess your habits before you search! - Look for developers who provide great architectural design
Maximizing space while maintaining smooth traffic flow is key. Hallways can be one of the largest sources of wasted space while door openings and swings can negatively impede the home by interrupting wall space. Sliding or pocket doors can often help efficiency. Also look for higher ceiling heights (higher than standard 8’) and large window walls that span across the living area to allow more natural light. In addition, homes that offer smarter storage solutions such as a “Lazy Susan” in cupboard corners, bathroom vanities, pull-out pantries, and built-in shelving units can vastly improve your use of every square inch. Look out for these details when visiting display homes and be sure to ask which features are included. - Smart furnishings is essential
Beyond architectural design, selecting the right furnishings for your home can make a big difference. Reduce clutter by making sure every furniture piece is essential to your daily needs and invest in multi-functional pieces. Seek out innovative and efficient furniture and interior designers. Creative ideas such as the folding transforming bed systems from Resource Furniture, collapsing dining tables and ottomans and sofas that do double duty as guest beds from Flûff Design & Décor are just a few of the amazing ideas out there.
Thinking of creative solutions to fit your lifestyle and understanding architectural design fundamentals can go a long way to maximizing your living space.
