A Light, Leafy, Lofty Small/Cool Space
A Light, Leafy, Lofty Small/Cool Space
Name: Tyler Rozicki
Instagram: @tyler_rozicki_design
Size: 523 sq ft
Home type: Condo
Location: Montreal, Canada
Years lived in: 5 years, owned
Household: It's me, the figs, ivy [winterrrsss], and the rest of the green get-along gang.
Have any design professionals worked on this space: Tyler Rozicki - artist/designer
Describe your space:
I had the great fortune to come across this (unbuilt) space in 2015 when there was a lull in the market here and builders were willing to negotiate. I work as a designer and the original layout needed work so I reconfigured everything; put the laundry and storage under the stairs, added a water closet upstairs, and moved the kitchen to the hall to do double-duty. I was grateful that the builder accepted my proposal with no extras and moved in 2016 when the building was done. My favorite aspect is the 17-foot ceiling and flood of natural daylight — the space may be small, but it feels mighty!
Did you DIY anything in your space? And, if so, what's your favorite DIY?
I've grown all of my plants from friend's cuttings that I started in water around January 2020. It has been exceptionally rewarding to nurture something, watch it grow, then share it with others. As the plants become larger, I shifted from seeing them as something to collect to now positioning them as actual living sculptures for their shape, height, or foliage — the effect is much more dramatic and allowed me to give some away and remove clutter.
How do you make your small space work for you and feel bigger than it really is?
I found the table/TV stand used online and it is genius, IKEA NORDEN. Fits almost anywhere, has storage, and when both 'leafs' are out it can seat six people. I have been "housepoor" for years after moving here so I have acquired things very slowly, often used, online by searching regularly if I find something I like somewhere. Milk crates stack really well in closets as a shelf if placed on their side using zipties to hold them together. Also, a small under-counter fridge is often enough and will free up an extra 2' of counter space — prime real estate in a small place!
How does your home reflect you?
I am often overwhelmed by noise — visual or auditory — so this place is really calming and good for me. Color is overpowering for me, so I prefer to work with daylight, shape, texture, and shadows or translucency/transparency — the shadows cast across the walls by the plants are dynamic and soothing to watch move and change as the sun shifts through the day and by season. This was the first interior project I designed that I got to see built, so it has been very rewarding and a great learning experience to live/work in it after.