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An Apartment Therapy home tour profiles Katie Nielsen and Liam Grubb’s colorful 430-square-foot rental in Toronto’s Annex neighborhood. Nielsen says they used renter-friendly decorating, thrifted finds and custom-built furniture to add storage and make the compact home reflect their tastes.
Apartment Therapy has featured Katie Nielsen and Liam Grubb’s 430-square-foot rental in Toronto’s Annex neighborhood, documenting how the couple used colorful decor, handmade furniture and renter-friendly projects to adapt the one-bedroom apartment for two. The home tour offers a specific example of how renters can personalize a small space without describing a major renovation.
Nielsen moved to Toronto in 2021 to study speech pathology at the University of Toronto and found the apartment while searching for an affordable rental near campus. In the Apartment Therapy report, she says the natural light and balcony helped draw her to the home. She describes the building as older, likely dating from the 1970s or 1980s, with parquet flooring, large south-facing windows and rooms she considers more spacious than those in many newer Toronto condos.
The apartment was fairly plain when Nielsen moved in. She says she gradually added color and personality through projects undertaken as needs arose, rather than following one large renovation plan. The report describes thrifted and upcycled finds, plants and artwork alongside furniture the couple built or repurposed, including a TV shelf, room-divider shelf, desk and coffee table. Nielsen says custom-sized pieces helped them use the available space and add storage.
Grubb moved into the apartment in 2024, changing the challenge from decorating for one person to fitting two people into the compact home. The tour also lists items and materials used in different rooms, including IKEA storage pieces, a kitchen island bought secondhand and painted, and contact paper used to alter a countertop’s appearance. These are details reported in the home tour, not an independent assessment of the products or the apartment’s rental rules.
Making a Small Rental Work for Two
The tour matters to readers because it illustrates practical choices renters can make when they cannot or do not want to undertake a full renovation. In this apartment, the featured changes combine storage, flexible furniture and personal style: shelves use vertical space, while custom-built pieces address dimensions that standard furniture may not suit. The report presents these as the couple’s solutions, rather than as a universal formula for small homes.
It also shows how a rental’s existing features can shape its use. Nielsen says the balcony and south-facing windows were part of the appeal, and describes the balcony as a favorite place during summer. In a 430-square-foot home shared by two people, that outdoor area and the apartment’s existing character add to the way the couple uses and experiences the space. The article does not provide measurements of storage gained, project costs or a comparison with other apartments.
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Nielsen chose the apartment in 2021 while studying in Toronto and looking for a rental close to campus that she considered affordable. The unit’s layout and character gave her a starting point, but she says it lacked the color and personality she wanted. Her approach was to make changes gradually and in response to specific problems, such as needing more storage or furniture that fit the room.
When Grubb moved in three years later, the couple had to make the same one-bedroom layout work for two. The home tour documents their resulting combination of handmade furniture, repurposed items and decor. Apartment Therapy identifies the publication as the source of the tour; its description of the home is based on Nielsen’s account and the accompanying photographs.
“I never had one big renovation plan — instead, I’ve worked on projects as I went, usually to solve a specific problem, add storage, or make something feel more personal.”
— Katie Nielsen, as quoted in Apartment Therapy
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Project Costs and Rental Permissions
The Apartment Therapy feature does not state the total cost of the projects, how much time they took, or whether the landlord approved each change. It also does not specify which items can be removed without affecting the unit or what conditions apply when the renters leave. Nielsen’s account describes the projects as renter-friendly, but the report does not establish that every material or alteration is permitted under every lease.
The building’s exact construction date is not given; Nielsen describes it as likely from the 1970s or 1980s. The article also does not provide an independent rental-market comparison to verify the apartment’s affordability or data on how its design performs compared with other small homes.
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More Ideas From the Apartment Tour
The home tour is a published profile rather than an announcement of planned construction or a change to the apartment. Readers can consult Apartment Therapy’s room-by-room resource list for the items named in the feature. The report also points to Nielsen’s @annex.apartment accounts on Instagram and TikTok for additional decor and organizing ideas; it does not announce a future project or publication date.
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Key Questions
Where is the apartment featured in the report?
It is in Toronto’s Annex neighborhood. Nielsen found it while searching for an affordable rental near the University of Toronto, where she was studying speech pathology.
How large is the apartment, and who lives there?
The one-bedroom apartment measures 430 square feet. Katie Nielsen moved in in 2021, and her fiancé, Liam Grubb, joined her in 2024, according to Apartment Therapy.
What DIY projects did the couple describe?
Nielsen says they built a TV shelf, room-divider shelf, desk and coffee table, and added shelving to use vertical space. The tour also lists other decor and storage items used around the home.
Did the report give the cost of the projects?
No. The feature names some products and where certain items were acquired, but does not give a total project budget or full cost breakdown.
Does the article confirm the landlord approved the changes?
No. The feature describes the projects as renter-friendly, but it does not state whether the landlord approved each change or explain the apartment’s lease requirements.
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