Let There Be Light!
This bathroom badly needed lightening and brightening! Due to the homeowner’s advanced age, there were some guidelines to follow: the layout stays the same, no hard flooring, no deep tubs and tons more lighting. We found a great ceramic tile-look vinyl to keep things soft underfoot, a low but pretty tub, and we quadrupled the wattage in the room — while adding a dimmer switch for easy adjusting. Plush towels, a piece of remnant quartz countertop and a couple of simple accessories add lots of sparkle to this compact but efficient space.
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A Mix of Old and New
This living room is a mix of use-what-you-have decorating and new purchases. We used the owner’s couch and wall art and had the gold lamp, a family favourite, rewired. We needed a good-sized coffee table to balance out the seven-foot-long couch and we found that (and a matching side table) at a consignment store. This custom-sized shag rug ended up being less expensive than a ready-made one and a few decor items help pull the colour scheme together. What a pretty way to recycle!
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Saying Hello to the 21st-Century
This 1980s-style suburban home wanted a 21st-century solution to this somewhat small and narrow living room. Low profile armless furnishings, simple white wooden blinds and minimal accessories make the room look and feel more spacious and modern.
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Wrapped in Warmth
The original bright blue walls in this bedroom were anything but sleep-inducing. We started off with the red duvet cover the owners had already purchased and then warmed up the room with sumptuous drapes, espresso-coloured wood furniture and a rich caramel-coloured paint on the walls. Now it is a warm and inviting getaway.
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Zen Condo
This two-bedroom condo was about to be listed for sale so it just needed a bit of decluttering, decorating and de-purple-ing to help it appeal to men and women alike. By decluttering, moving some furniture and bringing in some accessories with a bit of punch, we were able to create a zen space that appealed to a wide audience of potential purchasers, without any repainting. This condo sold in just five days at full asking price, even with other units for sale in the building priced lower!
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Big Impact on a Small Budget
Neutral is nice, but sometimes we crave something with a bit more drama — but without the dramatic price tag! In this not-too-large master bedroom we painted the walls a moody blue-grey. The softer-styled lamps and silvery accents add some sparkle to the room and the prints on the wall enhance the bed as a focal point. When the budget permits, a simple but elegant glass/crystal ceiling light fixture can be added and an armchair and lamp could eventually replace the existing vase and dogwood branches.
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