Living Smarter in Small Spaces

Living small is taking off in a big way.

Inspired by necessity or desire, renters and owners, alike, are looking for smaller spaces to call home.

Conscientious developers like Jay Michael, co-founder and partner of CEDARst, are making sure these spaces make up for their small stature by boasting big design. Some apartments are less than 600 square-feet, others are larger. All are smart spaces that capitalize on light, height, color, and organization systems so residents can live large, while living small.

"We're seeing millennials eschewing 'stuff' to focus on personal development and experience; people who have lost or downsized a job and need to do with less; families who are opting to live more simply so they can save for their children's college tuition or their own retirement," says Michael. "Our priority at CEDARst is to provide beautiful, smart apartments that suit people's specific needs-whether it's a studio, one- or two-bedroom unit, and then show our residents ways to maximize the space."

Toward that goal, model apartments often are decorated with CB2 furnishings, a CEDARst partner. CB2, a suburban Chicago-based retailer and subsidiary of Crate&Barrel, prides itself on spare and simple furnishings with meticulous attention to detail.

Apartment by apartment, CEDARst is proving that beautiful things DO come in small packages.