The Globe and Mail’s architecture critic Alex Bozikovic, recently published an article on “designs that make the most out of small spaces.”

“From empty nesters to first-time homeowners, more and more Canadians are inhabiting tighter quarters,” he wrote. So how can one live stylishly in a small space? Bozikovic featured three residences, including a skinny Toronto home designed by Assistant Professor Tom Bessai and Instructor Maria Denegri.

The duo, both partners in the firm Denegri Bessai Studio,  removed walls, installed storage units, and created taller doors to make rooms appear more spacious.

“The most surprising move, however, is back down in the kitchen,” writes Bozikovic.

The galley space, just 12 feet wide, adjoins a small back room that is even narrower and lower. A bit of visual trickery bridges that gap: A light fixture, fashioned out of translucent acrylic, flows over the step in the ceiling. Its pattern, determined with an algorithm and cut using computer-controlled milling machines, suggests lace or drops of water. “By taking your eye away from that step-down, it makes the transition more seamless,” Denegri says. “You’re reading one long space, as opposed to a kitchen plus add-on.”

To read the full article, visit the Globe and Mail's website.