You may remember Lisa (Santos) Canning from HGTV's Marriage Under Construction. She helped a newlywed couple design and decorate their new home on a very strict budget using a design style she calls “Reclaimed Chic.” The Toronto-based creative consultant and home stylist is now a newlywed herself with a new home full of stylish, antique and unique finds. And her penchant for revamping furniture and accessories she finds on sale, in flea markets, on the side of the road…just about anywhere, has carried over into her new abode.

Even the apartment itself is sort of reclaimed chic. The building is circa the early 20th century and the lighting fixtures in the living room are original. The previous occupant had a habit of gluing mirrors and utensils to walls and cabinets and Lisa has kept a few of those accents, including spoon and fork drawer pulls in the kitchen.

Lisa's Decor Style: 1950s Reclaimed Chic
A mix of vintage and new finds (often with a vintage feel) populate Lisa's pad. The vignette she created in the bathroom is a bit girly (the mirrored tray) with country touches like the antiqued washboard. She took inspiration from Carrie's bedroom makeover in the Sex and the City movie, creating a frame wall showcasing the couple's favourite wedding cards but the colours and fabrics she's used have a definite 1950s feel.



Lisa's Favourite Accessories: Lamps
"I have a thing for lamps. I'm always on the prowl," she says. The lamps in Lisa's dining room (below left) aren't even plugged in. They were bought because they accent the fabric of the curtains.

Favourite Home Decor Store: Antique Shops
The 1950s cream dining chairs with the nailhead trim were discovered for $100 for the pair at shop on Queen Street West in Toronto.

Favourite Room: The Kitchen (below right and top left, with Lisa)
"I love that my kitchen is small because it forces me to keep it clean." The 1950s bread box on the counter was also a Queen Street West antique find.