Elegance, sophistication, glamour and period details aren’t words you might normally associate with a decade-old resale home in a subdivision, but that doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to being satisfied with minuscule trim profiles, lacklustre lighting, stucco ceilings and bare-bones design features. If you’re living in or looking at buying a house with principal main-floor rooms that are somewhere this side of uninspiring, have no fear: your blank canvas of a room is merely waiting to be turned into a work of art with a bit of creative energy.
Start From the Ground Up
Many subdivision homes suffer from dated flooring. Narrow plank light maple floors were the most common finish about a decade ago, and are probably the least desirable now. The common perception is that prefinished hardwood floors are impossible to change, and costly to replace, but that’s just not the case. Prefinished floors can be sanded and stained to achieve the colour and finish you want (and chances are it’s ready for a sprucing up if it’s been in place for a decade already). Once finished, your floor will look like what you would expect to find in a custom built home, not a subdivision. I paid about $3 a square foot to turn the floors in this house from honey maple to a rich walnut tone.
Delineate and Accentuate
A selling feature of new construction is their open plan layouts, but it can also be a problem if the spaces are open in all the wrong places. This house featured a sightline from the front door clear through the kitchen and out the back door thanks to an open upper wall that resembled a reception desk at the doctor’s office. Since the agenda for my clients was to make the room bright and airy while creating a better definition of rooms and spaces, I opted to add character and a bit of enclosure by installing antique glass door panels (you know how I love architectural salvage, after all). Since the doors came from a library cabinet, they were interior panels in perfect condition, complete with leaded glass and hinges ready to be affixed to the frame we created to hold them. At $475 for six panels, the addition of old world charm came at garage sale prices.
Smooth and Define
Underwhelmed by a ceiling with a sprayed-on stucco finish and dire lack of moulding? No problem. If your stucco has not been painted, removing it can be an easy, though a bit messy. Spray water at the stucco to soften and scrape it off with a wide putty knife. Then apply a thin coat of plaster to smooth it all out. Then say hello to an elegant plaster crown moulding. Handmade crown can be installed for about $8 a linear foot, and it won’t crack or require painting. It’s the final touch to frame the room.
Bring the Walls to Life
Red tends to be the “go-to” colour for dining room walls in need of an instant personality enhancement, but may not always be the best choice. It is possible to create a room with a subdued palette and uplifting energy through the use of layered texture and soothing shades. By installing a chair rail, I was able to use neutral geometric wallpaper around the base of the room, and a cheerful pattern featuring fluttering dragonflies on the upper section of the walls. The cream, silver and taupe palette creates a room that is light and bright while the classically inspired pattern brings a touch of beauty and elegance.
Get a Sweet Deal
Mixing and matching your furniture can really help the budget. The only problem may be that your accumulated finds may not be finished in complimentary wood tones, as was the case with us - the contemporary table hails from a design store and buffet and chairs were scooped up at different consignment shops. I’m okay with two distinct wood finishes mixed together in one room, as long as there’s repetition to reinforce their presence. So, the chairs and buffet were sprayed in a glossy platinum paint finish, while the rich chocolaty tone of the dining table mimics the newly refinished floor.
Don’t Be too Stuffy
If you want your dining room to be a place that’s used and enjoyed instead of ignored, I suggest you outfit it in a way that reflects your personality and the way you live and entertain. Forget fussy china and prim, proper place settings, and set a table that mixes fun patterns with practical easy-care dishes and accessories. By applying the same mix and match approach to everything from your furniture to your fabrics to your finishing touches, you’ll be able to create a room that inspires you to whip up a feast and call up your friends to invite them over for a memorable meal!
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Source Guide:
Dining Room
wallpaper above chair rail (Summertime T4192/Pearl), Thibaut Inc/Kravet Fabrics | wallpaper below chair rail (Lucas T13053/Beige), Thibaut Inc/Kravet Fabrics | mirrors, lantern, frames, placemats, napkins, hurricanes, glassware, side table & vase, decanters, Homesense | white dishes, Urban Barn | drapery fabric (Scollard, colour - oyster), Sarah Richardson for Kravet Fabrics | drapery hardware & chair fabric (strands: sterling 652263), 1360 Queen St W., Toronto, ON, 416.531.2810Designer Fabrics | chair upholstery, 1311 Alness Street, 905.738.6800, Windsor House Furniture | chairs, 196 Wicksteed Avenue, 416 421 1500, foc! | spraying of chairs, Benjamen Furniture Refinishing, 104 Kenhar Dr., Toronto, ON, 416.745.2559 | sideboard, silver tray & silver candlesticks, 1588 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON, 416.322.9744, Elegant Garage Sale | spraying of sideboard, 8 Ripley Ave, Toronto, ON, 416.762.6919, Eurocraft Restoration Co Ltd | candles, IKEA | chandelier, 185 Bridgeland, North York, ON, 416.256.9256, Of Things Past | chandelier rewiring, 489 Dupont St, Toronto, ON, 416.537.3138, Residential Lighting | dining table & rug, 80 Ronald Avenue, Toronto, ON, 416.785.7885, Elte | pewter birds, 92 Front Street East, Toronto, ON, 416.410.1310, St. Lawrence Antique Market | vintage windows, 1260 Castlefield Avenue, Toronto, ON, 416.863.1590, The Door Store | hardware on vintage windows, Lowe's | small bud vase, champagne bucket & small silver bowls, 150 Lesmill Rd, Toronto, ON, 416.546.1760, Around The Block | cutlery, client's own | chair rail & trim, 41 Racine Road, Toronto, ON, 416.749.6857, Brenlo | plaster crown moulding , Brienza Designs, 416.505.3532 | black & white photography, Sarah Richardson Design Inc. | orchid, Yang's Flower Market, 132 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON, 416.413.9195 | flowers Summerhill Market, www.summerhillmarket.com
Kitchen
backsplash tile, 115 Tycos Dr., Toronto, ON, 416.441.2224, Saltillo Imports | white dishes & white canisters, Urban Barn | Robert wing back chairs, Sarah Richardson Design Inc. | fabric on Robert wing back chairs (GWF-2812 111), Lee Jofa | spraying of shutters & kitchen cabinets, Benjamen Furniture Refinishing, 104 Kenhar Dr., Toronto, ON, 416.745.2559 | kitchen hardware, Lowe's | silver bowl & side table, Homesense | orchid & white orchid pot, Yang's Flower Market, 132 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON, 416.413.9195
Trades
contractor, MBKL Ltd Custom Contracting, 416.836.7295 | wallpaper installation, 416.994.8348, Russell Painting Inc. | electrician, Spindel Electric Inc., 416.225.0212 | crown moulding installation, Brienza Designs, 416.505.3532
Paint Colours
dining room ceiling - Tulle White (50BG 72/006), Dulux Paint Canada | trim - White on White (30GY 88/014), Dulux Paint Canada | hallway walls - Aviator Sky (30BB 62/044), Dulux Paint Canada | sideboard - Mansard Stone (30YY 20/029), Dulux Paint Canada | dining chairs - Frost Grey (30GG 52/011), Dulux Paint Canada | trim, shutters & kitchen cabinets - White on White (30GY 88/014), Dulux Paint Canada | kitchen walls - Touch of Grey (30BB 72/003), Dulux Paint Canada