Interior: Feminine glam home

Three years ago, homeowner Christine Dovey did something drastic. She sold just about every stick of furniture in her Oakville, Ont., home on Craigslist and started all over. “What we had was a mix of stuff from before we were married, and it just didn’t work anymore,” she explains. The purge gave Christine an opportunity to indulge her super- feminine, glamorous side, including plenty of gold, pink and animal prints, and actually helped to kick-start her very own design blog, Bijou and Boheme. As for her husband’s tastes, hits of modern – like a Mid-Century Modern sideboard and a clean-lined sofa – keep him in mind.

With two children, Scarlett, 6, and Malcolm, 4, at home (eldest daughter Natasha, 18, is away at university) and another on the way come spring, all those pretty pastels and shiny things might seem to be risky choices. But happily, the fabric selections and finishes are durable and kid-friendly, and Christine cleverly worked in spots to stash toys in every room of the house.


Lighting and cabinets
A tall pantry cabinet at one end of the kitchen is fronted by antiqued mirrored glass to hide its contents. At the other end is a matching tall china cabinet with the same glass at the back to create a dramatic backdrop for homeowner Christine Dovey’s pretty things.

Stunning vintage lighting – over the island and above the dining table – brings glamour to the kitchen. Framed wallpaper panels flank the large window, which is dressed with custom-made hand-painted silk drapery created especially for Christine by designer Meredith Heron.