CONDO ‘BLUES’

Not the bad kind.

These are good blues.  PPG brand eggshell latex ‘CAVALRY ‘ to be precise.

BEFORE we redecorated, we were greeted with the usual hum-drum institutional beige.

Everywhere.  Throughout.

Which is OK if you’re into SHAKER STYLE and minimalism.

However the owner was downsizing from a 4,400 sq. ft. Edwardian brick and had a collection of cherished antiques and books that had to be incorporated into 800 sq. ft.

The lack of ANY Edwardian features (massive and ornate trims, plaster-work, cornices, parquet and plank floors, gorgeous windows) meant that COLOUR was the key here.  It’s all we had !

Here’s what greeted us:

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BEFORE – Kitchen and Gallery/Hall
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BEFORE – Entrance Foyer
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BEFORE – Living/Dining

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then the fun began.

Instantly we knew that the tranquility of blue was the remedy to all this drab; and the glue necessary to cohesion.  Like a great carved wooden bed, the choice of a complimentary quilt is vital.

And the client liked it too.  Which is everything: the designer must always remember that he/she won’t live there, and that our guidance is often all that is required.

Our custom-crafted Library/Media Bookcase blends perfectly in a relaxed and distressed Canadiana finish, made with heirloom tools and methods.

A skillful and strategic placing of antique mirrors makes the 12′ x 24′ Living/Dining, and adjacent hallways, seem bigger than they really are.  Mirrors are not always a sign of vanity; sometimes they are vital decorating tools.

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AFTER – Kitchen and Gallery/Hall
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AFTER – Living/Dining
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AFTER- Entrance Foyer. NOTE the custom upholstered padded & quilted bedroom door panels: we’ve done this for over 30 years, in those areas where softness is needed. AND it makes for great sound reduction in echoing hallways.
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AFTER – Living Room with our custom Georgian Canadianan pine Library case

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The AFTER photos present a lovely contrast. It’s not everyone’s taste, to be sure. But the client is thrilled. And that is what makes the creativity and art of Design-Building so personally rewarding.