Skip to main content

Hmmm, a tiny bedroom or a walk-in closet? No contest.

Open this photo in gallery:

My clients, a fashion editor and a scholar, were searching for a first home in west end Toronto. A spacious master bedroom with walk-in closet didn’t seem like too much to ask … until they went house hunting. They ended up with a four-bedroom home with a smallish master bedroom and a three-piece bathroom in horrible condition. That tiny 8 by 10-foot fourth bedroom was the saving grace. By shifting walls and entrances, we created a shared bathroom for the three remaining bedrooms, a refreshed and redecorated principal bedroom, and a walk-in closet to satisfy the lady of the house’s need to store many a designer dud.Stacey Brandford

1 of 5
Open this photo in gallery:

The enemy of small-space living is clutter. Your bedroom should be a restful and relaxing area. It should not be junked up with bills, paperwork or any unnecessary items that might impede relaxation and sleep. When moving into a new space or redecorating an existing one, consider the old William Morris adage I try to live by: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” If you don’t love it, and you don’t need it, why make space for it?Stacey Brandford

2 of 5
Open this photo in gallery:

Another theme of small-space living is that every piece of furniture needs to have something that makes it better than the average. Instead of a bed that just allows your mattress to sit on top, while inviting dust bunnies to move in below, why not invest in a bed base that both supports the mattress and offers four oversized storage drawers. Instead of just settling for a bedside table with a single top surface, choose one that features a second shelf.Stacey Brandford

3 of 5
Open this photo in gallery:

This industrial loft-inspired closet system is comprised of vertical posts that run from floor to ceiling and can be filled in with your desired combination of drawers, hooks, hanging bars, open shelves, and of course … the oh so desirable slanted shoe shelf that allows you to elevate your expensive shoe-collecting habit into eye-level art.Stacey Brandford

4 of 5
Open this photo in gallery:

Component storage systems allow you to configure your closet to suit your lifestyle, with a variety of elements that attach to an easy-to-install frameworkStacey Brandford

5 of 5

Interact with The Globe