Design & Decor Blog

Drum roll, please! So many of you have followed along with me and my tales of renovating and redecorating my condo. It was such a fun process, admittedly with a few hiccups along the way (aren’t there always?). But after enduring the stress of having my home turned completely on its head, everything has been righted and I’m so thrilled with the results – I can’t wait to show you and hear what you guys think!

OK – a quick refresher. I worked with designer Lisa Canning to transform my home from a cosy but outdated space into one that is bright, fresh and modern. Now my home feels like a truer reflection of me and my tastes and when I look at the before pictures, I can’t quite remember it looking that way. The transformation has been dramatic.

Here’s a quick reminder of what my space looked like before:

OK, maybe not so stylish but it was cosy and homey.

Here is the sketch that the talented Lisa presented me with as a representation of her vision for my space. We made joint decisions along the way that strayed a little bit from her original sketch but overall, her sketch was a great starting point, helping us to both envision where we were headed.

I instantly loved Lisa’s vision. It felt like just the kind of change I was seeking. Although I admit, the white couch and chair freaked me out a bit. Living comfortably in my home is really important to me. I didn’t want to live with furniture that I would be terrified of getting dirty.

Well – why delay any longer? Here, finally, are the ‘after’ shots of my new space!

I’m so thrilled with the change! Everything is so bright and airy compared to before. The couch and glass-top tables are from West Elm. As you can see, Lisa and I agreed to go with charcoal furniture as opposed to the white we’d contemplated in the beginning. I’m very happy we opted for grey – much more livable! But the surrounding white palette (like the white shag rugs from Home Depot and bookcases-cum-side tables from Walmart) add the light, bright effect we were going for.

Ooooooh, the new floors! Wow! It was time to ditch the laminate and go for the real thing. I opted for a bamboo flooring from Tarkett, called Solid Onyx. Installed by the folks at End of the Roll in Milton, the floors are, without a doubt, the biggest part of this overall transformation. I love the contrast of the near-black floors with the white walls (we used ‘Satin’ paint from the Style at Home paint collection from Home Hardware.) One of the elements I was most excited about was replacing the horrible venetian blinds that were on my windows with beautiful, luxurious drapery. These silk panels from InVu Drapery are incredibly decadent and add instant glam to the space. They’re full blackout drapes, which means that when needed, they block light out completely. A new flatscreen TV and media stand (from the George collection at Walmart) definitely help to update my space and I love the art on the walls – all from my own personal photograph collection!

I absolutely adore this custom piece of artwork, done by Becky Simpson of RLS Studios. Using one of my photographs (a favourite from a trip to Bora Bora), she turned it into an original piece of artwork. We hung it over the TV and I often find myself staring at it rather than the show I’m watching!

Lisa and I found some great items in unexpected places, like this writing desk from The Shopping Channel. Instead of putting a dining table in this area, we opted to turn it into a home office-like space – a much more practical use of the space for my needs. A Philippe Starck-inspired ghost chair adds another touch of glam.

The mirrors above the sofa (part of the Debbie Travis collection from Canadian Tire) are the perfect alternative to art. They make the room look larger and look fantastic against the wallpaper. And speaking of wallpaper … I adore this pattern (Lumimarja) from the Marimekko collection at New Wall. We repeated the wallpaper in the foyer and it really adds interest and character to the space. We updated the light fixtures – the one above the desk features crystal pendants and is from The Shopping Channel, while the white glass fixture in the kitchen is also part of the Debbie Travis collection from Canadian Tire. Another spectacular part of this transformation: Painting the kitchen cabinets. They were a honey coloured wood that definitely didn’t go with the new look. Tim from Beresford Inc. spray painted them and we updated the hardware. The result? It’s like a brand new kitchen for a fraction of the cost!

We’re working on a video so you can get an even closer look at the transformation. I’ll let you know when it’s ready! But in the meantime – what do you think of my makeover? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

‘After’ photographs by Tanja Tiziana of Double Crossed Photography.