Home renovation: Inspired by red

It may seem unlikely, but the starting point for decorator Barbara Grace’s colourful home was a can of white paint. “I’m a traditional country girl at heart,” she says, “but I wanted to freshen up my dark furniture, so I painted it all white.” In addition to infusing the pieces with a polished edge, the palette also serves as the perfect backdrop for what Barbara describes as her “beloved bursts of colour.”

Barbara and her husband, Bryan, have lived in this 3,200-square-foot bungalow near Sudbury, Ontario, for more than 25 years. The family’s roots are so deep that daughter Dawn-Marie, 38, and her husband live next door.