It's a well-spoken rule here at HGTV.ca HQ that nobody is allowed to buy, renovate, redecorate or refinish any part of their homes without sharing it here and so I guess my time has come. And I do it not just to be a self-indulgent show-off (though admittedly, there's an ounce of that) but rather to share the process that works for me, maybe offer a nugget or two from my own learnings and hopefully get a little advice from you, valued-reader, in return.
Our exhaustive nine month house hunt finally concluded this past October with the purchase of a decent-sized semi-detached home in an "up and coming" (read: still affordable) nabe in downtown Toronto. The relief I felt at having the search behind me and the "make-it-our-own" in front of me was palpable. And now here I am, almost seven months - and one sizable renovation later - finally at the stage in this crazy home-buying process that I find truly enjoyable. The decorating! All these rooms, each one a blank canvas, a veritable dream come true for an interiors junkie like myself.
First up on my long list of rooms to tackle is my daughter's bedroom. It's important to me to get her set up and comfortable in a pretty new space as quickly as possible - I've promised her a special room and I intend to give her one.
Here's how it looked the day we bought it - stark, pink, completely uninspired:
Closet view; clearly previous owners were still mid-move.
Window view -- gorgeous, wasn't it?
Renovations in this room included new hardwood floors, removal of popcorn ceilings, paint, new baseboards, door and window trim, a new door and the addition of a built-in nook for open shelving (which used to be the closet in the master bedroom next door).
This is where I pause to offer some advice. When it comes to finishing touches like trim work, doors and hardware, take your time and choose carefully. Not all are created equal and it will serve you well to dedicate some considerable budget to these areas. Most importantly hire a talented contractor/carpenter who understands the impact of these elements on their finished product. These details are the absolute unsung heros of a renovation and will elevate your space immeasurably.
Post renos we were left with a room that looks like this:
Closet view, after.
Window view, after.
And here's the inspiration board that I'm using to help create the final look:
Top row, left to right: Flamingo No. 3 by Sharon Montrose; Bellavista 3-light Petite Chandelier, Canadian Tire; Ugly Dolls
Middle row, left to right: Petal Hook, Anthropologie; Tempo, Salsa fabric by P. Kaufman, Tonic Living; mid-century side table, Craig's List
Bottom row, left to right: Rens sheepskin, Ikea; Minnen Extendable bed, Ikea; Ribbon Throw Pillow, Land of Nod
Here's how I built the board:
1. Pick the jumping off point - the pretty, punchy floral fabric in the center.
2. Add in the items that I already had on hand - the bed, the nightstand and the chandelier.
3. Finish with some wish-list items (the Sharon Montrose print, which I covet but can't afford) and other embellishments, some may be literally used in the room, other may just provide inspiration.
Next steps:
1. Identify outstanding needs - a dresser, new bedding, some shelving, a mirror. There's shopping and refinishing in my future!
2. Add style - this is the hardest part for me, I'm a terrible stylist. I'm not a collector so I rarely have interesting objects just lying around waiting to be displayed just so. This is where I get to challenge myself and learn something from this amazing career I've found myself in.
3. ASK FOR HELP - here's where I turn to you, talented readers, for tips and advice -
What can I do to inject life, warmth and creativity into this very special space? Please leave me your suggestions in the comments.
Stay tuned for the final reveal of my baby's big girl room coming soon!
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