Think Outside the Kitchen “Box”!

  After years of traveling, living and working in many different parts of the country, my clients finally decided to settle down in the quiet suburban area of Beaconsfield, This area filled with lush greenery, mature trees and large lot sizes was the perfect retreat for my clients’ forever home. But this area comes with a cost. They purchased this 2500 sq.ft. Home built in 1963 that had never seen any type of renovation in 50 years. Needless to say this house needed a major facelift, for today’s standards. With a tight budget of 200k everything in this home (except the basement & guest bathroom) needed to be torn down and put back together again. Major unforeseen works like plumbing, electrical and structural works also needed to be addressed. The home design was focused on the kitchen, living, dining, master bedroom & bathroom, the den and laundry room. 

The home owner’s request was to have a home with extra storage, space(s) for their beloved book collection, and an environment that was cozy and warm yet whimsical and eclectic.

I love working with the Moroccan style, a rich palette of texture, pattern and vibrant colors. When I think of Morocco, I think of marketplaces and long gauzy skirts and curtains. I think of a hippie-living, of furniture inlaid with intricate patterns. Of elaborately patterned textiles that glimmer and reflect light. Tiles and screens with precisely punctured geometric patterns. Lanterns made of metal and colored glass. Comfort sitting on the floor - oversized pillows and poufs.  I wanted to transform this dated 1970’s home with the same personality as my clients, energetic, full of flavor and love for life.

It's your typical home renovation story-besotted homeowners; a charming yet seriously outdated home long admired from afar. While the renovation process was par for the course, the results were anything but predictable. My Clients purchased this home as a contractors build and lived in it for 15 years, they were looking for something more grown-up and sophisticated, and this house had the potential but need the help of the professionals. At first they thought they could transform the house by simply painting it, but the flow was all wrong, the spaces too small, and no storage. “With 2 young boys and a baby, my life is hectic enough to have to deal with picking up toys” Melissa says. Soft greys and whites now prevail, replacing a profusion of jewel tones and black. Gold accents harmonious but never repetitive - lend their calming air to almost every room.
While updates were made throughout the first floor, heated floors, staining the existing wood floors to a warm walnut color, a much better distribution of recessed lighting, most structural changes were saved for the kitchen. We enlarged the opening between the dining and kitchen space and closed off the opening from the entrance hall way to the kitchen to create a full wall for the extra large fridge, double ovens, pantry and even a coffee station with a pull out shelf.
The original kitchen was tucked away in a corner and not utilized to its full potential. Dark, dated and miserable. Now it's where it all happens. It's a bright and happy room, a true Cooks kitchen and the perfect gathering space. It's by far the most used room in the house.