Go into any new condominium show suite these days and what do you see? Sleek, contemporary, urban furniture, perfectly staged to showcase the new homes offered for sale. But look a little closer and you may notice that as lovely as the furniture is, it’s on a scaled down size as well. You may wonder, are people getting smaller? No, the condos are! Condominium space is at a premium in Calgary. New condo buyers are adapting to much smaller living spaces. In fact, new condo owners confess that letting go of “stuff” they have been holding onto for years has been quite liberating.

One way people are doing this is to maximize all available floor space with furniture with great design. Sculpted chairs instead of loveseats, chaise lounges instead of bulky couches, ottomans that double as coffee tables or additional seating are but a few of the furniture choices today’s condo buyers are utilizing. And there are more choices than ever, to suit every budget range. From Ikea to Home Evolution, scaled down, chic furniture is available for everyone. For a lot of new condo buyers, new furniture is a major propriety after moving in!

Another trend appearing more frequently in newer condos is the use of builder installed built-in furniture. In additional to functional furniture, you’ll see built-in computer/work stations in numerous show suites around the city. Tucked against a wall or around corner is a customized work station for the new condo owner. It takes up less space than a desk and you don’t need a separate room to put it in. A perfect match in your cozy new pad!

But what does a new condo buyer do with all the “stuff” that we all seem to haul around? Christmas trees, bikes, winter snow tires for the car, your old stuffed animals you just can’t bear to part with? You certainly won’t be able to put all these items in a 650 square foot 1 bedroom condo! The solution is additional storage space or lockers in the building for each owner. This feature is rapidly becoming mandatory for buyers, and developers are listening by providing appropriate storage space conveniently located in the building.

If smaller condo living appeals to you the next step is to make a list of the amenities you require that will suit your new lifestyle.