Small Spaces Need not Stifle Your Creativity
Beach Living -
With their house hunt over, Robin and Jason were anxious to hunt again - this time to find a Toronto Interior Designer to decorate their new Beaches-area home. “We knew what colours and style we liked, but we needed help pulling things together,” says Robin. An internet search led her to Liz Watkinson and Susan Pollock’s company, 5th Business Associates. “we all met and hit it off,” says Robyn, who loved the comfy yet classy feel of their work. The house hunting was over, but the adventure was just starting. Here’s what Liz and Susan did to give Jason and Robyn a personalized, polished space.
A charming stained glass window was the jumping-off point for the palette. The designers identified the paint colours - blues, greens and golds - directly from the stained glass colors.Painting the original wood panelling might be controversial for some, but even at the house hunting stage, the homeowners knew a coat of white on the wainscotting would lighten up the dark house. Two tufted chairs were custom made to fit the cosy bay window nook in the living area. Low arms keep sightlines clear, while pale neutral colour upholstery maintains a light look.
New built-ins transformed the small space. To the left of the fireplace, screened doors hide electronic equipment yet allow the wireless remotes to be used. To the right a big-screen TV is concealed behind identical doors. By converting the wood burning fireplace to gas, the couple can up the comfort factor at the touch of a button.
The dining room embodies the transitional spirit that both the designers and the homeowners were striving for - definitely more traditional than Robyn and Jason’s old place and respectful of the Arts and Crafts pedigree of the architecture but also of today. Robyn and Jason love the tiny, bright room off the kitchen. “We have a bird feeder right outside the the window, so on weekends we have long breakfasts, read the paper and watch birds” says Robyn. Her collection of yellowware bowls made the move from the old house. they fit well with the golden colour scheme and look great behind glass doors on the side of the kitchen. On the sink wall, the upper cabinets were removed. “It really opens up the space.” says Liz.
Liz and Susan’s 5 tricks for living large in a small space.
1) Incorporate storage: built ins reduce the number of separate pieces of furniture you need and multi-purpose items save space.
2) Use monochromatic colour to some degree or at least use soft shades.
3) Carefully select accessories: you need only a few
4) Install good lighting to eliminate dark corners and ensure there’s a wash of light on the walls, use dimmers everywhere.
5)Simplify window treatments, keep them plain and light, like sheers; forgo them altogether were privacy isn’t an issue.
5th Business Associates has been providing interior design services in Toronto since 1997.
Related Articles
- Growing Trees in Small Spaces Everybody has different tastes and preferences and this is also true when it comes to gardening. Some people find one garden appealing while others may not, however, it is reasonably
- Improve The Quality Of Your Home Lighting With A Crystal Chandelier Admit it or not, we tend to overlook our lighting needs when we redecorate the interiors of our homes. Usually, homes have ceiling fixtures that gives out little or no
- Overviewing The World Of Air Conditioning Air conditioning is very important in the places people live in. It goes a long way to ensure that people are comfortable. Consequently, many households and business premises have the
- Chooing a Home Theater System Installing a Home Theater System As anyone who has ever seen a home theater system knows, the components take up a good deal of room and for this reason, many
- Learn How To Write For An Online Audience One of the points that an associate marketer must understand is how to compose for an internet audience. This is because, on the net, an internet businessman is restricted to
- Modern Bathroom Furniture Guide When it comes to fine home redesigning, the bathroom is perhaps the last place in your house you think of. This was the general outlook of many homeowners prior to
- Mini dishwasher for space restricted kitchen. We humans have been striving hard since time immemorial for an easy life. The market has produced appliances that help us in easing our daily chores. We can find
- Can 50cc Scooters Help You Deal With Economical Crisis? The economy has everyone in a position to look for ways to save money. Well this is one time that you can save money by spending money. Go out
Comments
Leave a Reply