The Model: Small-scale furniture and contrasting colours are a hit at Market Town Condos.

Interior designer Gordana Car takes a zen approach when tackling small spaces. Everything in a condominium unit has to be carefully selected, she says, so that it all has a place and there’s no excess. “Clutter is not allowed,” says the project manager of Gordana Car Interior Design Studio. “It’s quality over quantity, meaning that you spend your hard-earned money on the lifestyle as opposed to the big home.” That’s how she styled the model suite at Market Town Condos in Barrie, using small-scale furniture to better fit in the space and a limited colour palette that flows through the rooms. Dark laminate floors contrast beige walls and sheer window treatments. “It’s neutral and light,” Ms. Car says of the 730-square-foot Atwater suite. “In order to keep the space warm, I added a lot of contrast.” Market Town Condos — by Mady Development and Pen Equity Realty — features suites ranging from 552 to 949 square feet and priced from $159,990 to $232,990. The sales office is on Cundles Road, just south of Duckworth Road in Barrie. It’s open Monday to Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and weekends and holidays from noon to 5 p.m. Call 705-719-1222 or visit markettowncondos.com. 1. As the target market is both young adults and empty nesters, Ms. Car says: “I didn’t want to be too contemporary.” Thus, the drum-shade fixture with wire detailing from Union Lighting is both modern and sophisticated.

2. For the dining scene, the designer didn’t want chairs with high backs that would overpower the room and interrupt the sightlines. These fit perfectly. The bonus: The stud detailing and linen upholstery add a touch of traditional to the unit.

3. Next to the clean-lined sofa, the curved chairs add eclectic appeal. The linen upholstery is all the rage, Ms. Car says. “In today’s trends there’s a lot of linens and velvets, but with very clean, contemporary lines,” she explains “It’s marrying the old traditional designs with the modern.”

4. Using two small coffee tables instead of a larger one makes the space more flexible. The tables match the floors, while the glass top doesn’t hog visual space. They can be moved around easily for entertaining. The tables are from European House Furniture Interiors, as is most of the furniture in the unit.

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