One of the areas of a home that I love to design the most is…the unfinished basement! That may come as no suprise if you’ve been following my blog for any length of time and saw my posts on the 3000 square foot basement that I designed last year for Baeumler Quality Construction. The beauty of the unfinished basement is the potential I find within them for all that my clients desire!
Just last week I presented to clients my two design options for a 1500 square foot basement and they also requested that I re-design their ensuite. Check out the virtual tour I put together for them in the video below. (remember, these specific plans are for space planning, not for specifying finishes)
When I present to clients on my laptop in person, after the presentation meeting I follow up by sending them a virtual tour of the space I’ve designed. This way they can take their time to look at it, pause it and even share it with others if they wish.
For these clients their wish list consisted of: Bar; living space with fireplace & built ins; spare guest bedroom; full bathroom; an office for hubby and an area for poker or playing games. The treadmill was a bit awkward to place as you will see in Option#1, but we found a better place for it in the second layout option.
The furnace room was already framed in and it offered lots of storage space within it which was great. Clients also requested a hidden bookcase similar to the one I did to the Xbox room in the contemporary basement, that lead to the office space.
To see both options for the basement as well as the ensuite redesign, watch my youtube video here.
The jury is still out on which design my clients will choose, but at the time of presenting, they were leaning towards option#1 with a few tweaks. I can’t wait to see what they decide upon for both projects.
Some big decisions for them to make now! Which design layout option do you like best? Comment below after watching the video to let me know.
Looking for space planning in your home? Contact me here and let’s do this!
For this ‘Teen Bathroom Renovation’, I once again had the wonderful opportunity to work with Bryan Baeumlers company, Baeumler Quality Construction. Clients were looking to renovate their kitchen and part of the second floor in their Oakvillle Ontario home, so I was called in to create various layouts for both spaces.
In this post I want to share with you the before photos, renderings of my two interior design options and the final reveal of the teen bathroom makeover. I’ll show you how we went ‘high and low’ on certain design elements without compromising the overall look of the space.
Before
Here is what the bathroom looked like when I first arrived to consult with my clients.
The need for more storage space was definitely a main prioritySeparate vanity and shower/toilet area is great for shared bathrooms, but updates were needed
One of my clients pet peeves was that you can see the toilet from the hallway as you walked up the stairs. They requested I consider moving the toilet so it was not the first thing people see as they approach the second floor.
Below is Option #1 where I moved the tub& shower along the wall with the window and the toilet to the left of the door, behind the wall as you enter this area of the bathroom.
Option #1 – Move Shower and Toilet
For Design Option #2, I removed the wall between the two rooms to make one large bathroom. This allowed for more room between the toilet and the tub. I also added a tower on top of the counter top of the vanity for extra storage space.
Option #2, removed the wall to make it one big washroom as oppose to a divider
As my clients were also renovating the main floor, they decided in the end not to make any changes to the layout of the kids bathroom in order to keep costs down. We did however, custom build a tower unit as shown in Option #2 and clients also splurged on heated flooring, as per my recommendation of things to consider for the design.
Fifty shades of Grey! LOL
Bathroom After…
Updated Bathroom with soft Greys and White Quartz CountertopThe tower provides shelving either side for each siblingHardwood Looking Tile that is heated, lovely!New Shower with ‘His and Her’ Niches
In an effort to save on costs, we opted to keep the existing vanity cabinet & doors but have them painted to work with the new colour palette. Also, as oppose to installing a glass shower enclosure, we decided a shower curtain was sufficient. After all, the kids did get the heated tile and a beautifully updated washroom, so they can’t really complain!
Contact me here if you need help with your upcoming bathroom renovation and want to see the possibilities before you renovate! 905-581-0776. My full portfolio can be seen here.
Photography & Renovations by Baeumler Quality Construction
Can you believe that this is one of the most common mistakes that I see in Interior Design? Many home owners often purchase area rugs that are too small for their space. The purpose of an area rug -other than adding softness & helping with acoustics – is that it defines a space. It brings together groupings of furnishings to create an ‘oasis’ and a connection between them all.
Click on the video above to see my 3D drawings of a clients Great Room where I show the wrong size and the perfect size for the space.
Below is a photo of another clients family room in Oakville Ontario where I purposely show the rug too small.
Area rug is Too Small
The rule I like to live by is that an area rug must be under the front legs (at the very least) of all of the furniture within an area. For the family room above, we did not want to extend the rug to the occasional chairs by the window and there was two reasons for this.
1) I suggested the chairs by the window with the table and lamp were a separately defined area in the space. They are far away enough from the sectional for this to work.
2) If we did choose to have a rug that extended to the chairs, the rug size would need to be customised and therefore the price tag increases dramatically.
Below the rug is shown in a more appropriate size for the family room.
Area Rug Shown in a Better Size -8×10
I also purposely pulled the rug to the edge of the fireplace so as you enter the room it doesn’t draw the eye to show the rug only half way to the fireplace.
Here are some more examples of my designs showing the right size area rug.
Below in this family room the width of the space wasn’t overly big so the area rug (non customised) was able to fit perfectly and go all the way under the stunning blue swivel chairs.
Rug fits beautifully to fit the entire room
One of the only exceptions to this rule is if you are using an animal hide rug as shown below in this photo by Christie Architecture. This is a different style – often Mid Century Modern Style – and so it’s meant to exude a specific look.
If I’m totally honest, when I first began my Interior Decorating course more than 7 years ago now and the instructor told the class of this rule, I realised that my own area rug was too small in my living room. I went out and bought a brand new one immediately and it made such a difference in how the room looked!
Undoubtedly, this is one of the biggest pet peeves for many designers. Does it bother you? Is your area rug too small for your room? I would love to know if you have made this mistake, comment below and share your thoughts. Let’s get the conversation going!
Not signed up for my weekly blog posts yet? Whatcha waitin for?! Get the goods each week by clicking here and let’s do this! I’m on Youtube as well, subscribe to my channel here and I’ll see you there!
There are so many things that I love about what I do, which is why I followed my dream & started up my business of Interior Design just 5 short years ago. But this post is not about me, it’s about my clients. Everything I do in my business is with the focus of Continue reading “Client Main Floor Redesign – Virtual Tour”
I did something last year that most people hardly ever get around to doing in their home. I know it may be hard to believe, but this is so true of many homeowners.
When we decorate our homes, we concentrate on the main living spaces, which makes sense right? We need the hubs of our homes to function, especially the kitchen and other rooms that we use the most with our families and where we entertain in with friends. But what about Continue reading “My Master Bedroom – From Fugly to Fantastic!”
You know the saying “You wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time?” The reason why many of us do this is that we understand what works for our body types, with our skin tones and our preferred style sense.
Believe it or not, the same can be true for choosing paint colours. This is part of the reason why I specify Benjamin Moore’s Pashmina so often.
Pashmina by Benjamin Moore
Pashmina, AF100 is from the Affinity Line by Benjamin Moore.
I have created a Perfect Colour Palette for Pashmina. In it, you will find info on undertone(s), comparable colours, best whites and 10 gorgeous colours that look amazing with it.
It’s a muddy colour with a green undertone and has slightly more intensity & depth than the popular Revere Pewter.
It’s one of those rare colours that often works well with both the beiges and the grays.
If you’re looking to update your home’s decor without necessarily changing out fixed elements such as floor tiles & countertops, Pashmina may be the answer for you.
In my client’s elegant dining room design, our ‘jumping off point’ was this wallpaper (above) that I sourced for the accent wall behind the beautifully handcrafted custom wood buffet.
I created a soft monochromatic, neutral palette for an understated yet very refined & elegant look in this space which also happens to be the first room you see as you enter the home.
This meant that I wanted to set the tone of what guests can expect, design and style-wise, for the rest of the home’s décor.
Pashmina provided a rich yet subtle tone that complemented all other aspects of the design.
The Host and Hostess Chairs were custom made in this stunning large scale fabric from Duralee. The artwork is an abstract canvas of a lady in a bodice and it again repeats all the neutral ‘greige’ tones that we used in the space.
Pinch pleated custom drapery with a cream backdrop works wonderfully with the Pashmina and we repeated this lighter tone in the lampshades as well as in the beautiful oval-shaped, drum chandelier which takes centre stage in this elegant dining room.
Versatility at its Best!
The other thing that I absolutely love about Pashmina is that it rarely discriminates against any other colour.
The granite counters in my client’s kitchen (below) had such variations of neutral tones within them.
Not only did that allow me to introduce the colour Pashmina to work with this fixed element, but it also worked very well with the bold colours of their original heirloom area rug (shown above) and the accent pillows that I sourced to work with the colour scheme.
My clients are thrilled with the paint colour and tell me that they are always receiving compliments on this space. YAY!
This chameleon of a colour worked well with the design palette I created with the custom finishes & fabrics as well as with the countertops and backsplash in their adjacent kitchen (not shown).
Always be guided by fixed elements in adjoined rooms to achieve successful flow within your design.
Pashmina with Blues
Pashmina with dark tones of the furniture and complementing beautifully with the area rug design
Custom Cabinetry design by Claire Jefford, cabinetry painted Ivory White by Benjamin Moore
It can be used with so many other colours which is why I just love it so much!
Which colour do you think it looks the best with?
I feel Pashmina will continue to be one of my favourite colours for a long time seeing as the grays are slowly being taken over by these ‘Greige’ tones.
If you want to get all my Benjamin Moore colour guides in one place, look no further than my Benjamin Moore Ultimate Collection. All 20 of my guides in one handy collection.
Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!
Perfect For Pinning
Take my Colour Quiz to discover your Perfect Colour Palette.
Have you wanted to use a ceramic tile that looks like hardwood in your home design but aren’t sure how or where to incorporate this fabulous material? There are so many interesting shapes, patterns, tones and styles available today that it can be difficult to decide which is the best choice for you. Here I will giving you my expert advice on this topic to share everything you need to know Continue reading “What You Need To Know When Using Hardwood Looking Tile”
Would you like to understand the costs and benefits to hiring an Interior Design Professional to help you with your renovation or decorating project?
There seems to be so much mystery around the costs associated with hiring professional design services and because every designer works differently, this can add to the confusion for many home owners looking for assistance with their renovation or decorating project.
I break it all down for you in a video today as I found it easier to say it, than to write it. So let’s do this!
If you want to Love Where You Live, contact me to hep you with your upcoming renovation or decorating project, I’d love to help! 905-599-2588 or email us: info@clairejefford.com.
The biggest mistakes I see in residential design are related to colour, hands down!
Whether it’s incorrect choices in the undertones of paint colours, mismatched colour tones in counter and flooring, or home owners trying to introduce the now popular cool grays with their fixed elements of warm and beige finishes, I’ve seen it all.
In this post I share tips on ‘How To Choose A Paint Colour’ by using large sample boards. I always encourage clients to get the largest samples of finishes that they can when trying to make informed decisions about choosing finishes for their home.
Stop Using Small Paint Chips!
Look at the difference in my large painted board in comparison to the chip colour in my Benjamin Moore fan deck. It really is no wonder mistakes are made in choosing paint colours so frequently when this is how most people pick a colour for an entire room.
I can’t imagine choosing the largest area in square footage of a room based on the smallest sample ever! If you are a colour consultant and you are still using small paint chips to specify colours for your clients, shame on you.
While shopping with my client to select finishes for her kitchen design, I brought all 150 of my large paint samples. We chose the counter top first, then the cabinet & island colour, followed by the subway tile for her backsplash and lastly, the paint colour for her walls.
In the photos below, it’s clear to see with the large painted board how the island and cabinet colour we choose work wonderfully with the tones in the sample of our Cambria Countertop (shown in the bottom right of the photo).
Copley Gray for the island cabinets & Ivory White for the other cabinetry
Ivory White was chosen for the rest of the kitchen cabinetry and we used Manchester Tan for the wall colour in the kitchen & throughout the main floor. I have all of these large painted boards so I was able to easily show my client why these choices all worked well together with the finishes we were using for her kitchen design.
Ivory White – Copley Gray – Manchester Tan – all colours by Benjamin Moore
I never worry about choosing a wrong colour for clients and am always super confident in my choices. This means no second guessing and no costly mistakes. Below is a picture I took of my clients gorgeous kitchen in Oakville Ontatio. See the full gallery in my portfolio here.
Photo by me – How Beautifully it all came together, eh?!
Gather ALL Your Samples
Because you know that choosing your paint colour LAST is the only way to accurately choose the best colour for your interior design project, it’s imperative to have all your samples together in order to make that informed decision.
Lay your samples out in the same way in which they will be used within your space & use large paint boards to determine which colour works best with all your finishes.
Drapery & upholstery fabrics, wallpaper & hardwood samples shown with large paint chip
This palette was for my clients monochromatic dining room design we created. We could have gone with either Pashmina or Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore for the wall colour.
Both colour options worked well with all the finishes, but ultimately we choose Pashmina as it has slightly more intensity and depth which I felt worked best for this calming and sophisticated space.
Dining room by Claire Jefford Inc, Photography by Stephani Buchman
The paint colour worked lovely with the artwork as well
Use a White Background When Sampling Colour Boards
It’s really important to ensure you use a white backdrop behind your painted colour board. A common mistake that people make is taking a roller and painting an area on top of their wall current wall colour, but this is incorrect for two reasons:
1) You will find yourself comparing the new colour to your current wall colour as opposed to viewing it independently with other finishes & with a neutral background.
2) You are only looking at the proposed wall colour in one area of the room, so fully understanding how it will work at various times of the day under different light sources is not possible.
Use a White Backdrop to view possibly new paint colours
Painting is not inexpensive if you are hiring a professional to do the job. Even if you are doing the paint work yourself, it’s really time consuming. Take the extra step and save yourself time and money in the long run by painting large sample boards, you won’t regret it!
Below is my latest Youtube video on this very subject, click on the picture to watch the video.
Do you live in my area and want help choosing the right paint colours for your home? Professional design services are just a click away. Contact me here and let me help you to Live Beautifully.
We are located in Burlington Ontario in Canada & service the following areas: Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby and the surrounding Greater Toronto Area.
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