Love Where You Live – Vancouver, BC

Do You Love Where You Live?

I am on a quest to find amazing spaces regardless of size, and find out how it came to be.  You can read other posts in this series here.

Michelle, Brandon and their 7 month old son moved into this apartment 2 years ago. After completing her masters degree, the Johnson family was thrilled to leave UBC campus.

There are hardly ever vacancies in the character apartments in Cambie village, Vancouver but its a great place to live because of its central location and close proximity to public transit, downtown, parks, community center, shops, and restaurants.

When there are vacancies they aren’t listed anywhere online; they are only advertised on signs
outside the buildings. So when the Johnson’s knew they wanted to live in this area, they drove around at the end of every month until they found a vacancy sign. A lease was signed on as soon as the tour was completed.

Coming from a 500 square foot apartment with one closet and bikes living in the living room, storage was the biggest priority. To keep rent affordable, they chose to look at older buildings that were kept up well over the years.  The space and storage in this new home are a dream.  At 800 square feet and with four closets (bedroom, entry, linen, and broom), a storage locker and bicycle room, the main criterion was definitely fulfilled. With experience living in small spaces, they learned that good storage is a must because it helps to keep your home uncluttered and organized and frees up your livable space.

All things shiny and new were a sad sacrifice to make.  Mostly, this adds to the charm of the apartment, but a handful of things get annoying at times. Old windows that are hard to open, sloping floors with nails poking out in places that rip all of the socks, and the skinniest kitchen known to man (it is so skinny the fridge doesn’t completely open).

The best room in the house is definitely the living room. It’s the biggest room and where they spend most of their  time. It also doubles as a guest room the sofa bed is pulled out.

Michelle says she has so many memories attached to this room such as “visiting with friends, Brandon feeling the baby kick for the first time, and lying on the carpet with my new baby as the sun streamed through the windows.”  Not only is the space amazing but the neighborhood is a part of what makes this place home.  People watching and walking the streets, enjoying the nearby parks, and eating at local restaurants are a great way to spend an afternoon.

I hope you enjoyed the tour!