New start for Bracebridge bungalow

The living room used to be very plain without anything special going

for it. We created a nine foot wide focal point which we clad in a

gorgeous travertine stone, and which now houses the fireplace and
the TV. By removing walls, we connected the living room with the kitchen.

 

 

The Bracebridge home that I’ve worked on for the last few months is almost done, and the result looks great! 

From having been a very ordinary bungalow from the late 1990s, it's now an inviting, comfortable and modern home for a small family.

Walls were removed, broadloom was torn up, and wooden floors were installed throughout the house.

This is the view from the front entrance before:

Before: A maze of walls.

And this is what it looks like now:

With two walls gone, the light-filled kitchen and dining area
are now integrated with the living room.

The kitchen before:


 

 

 

 

Here's a rendition of the new kitchen. We kept the sink, fridge and stove in the same locations, and left the centre free of upper cabinets. That way, we created a nine foot wide wall surface, where a beautiful marble backsplash has the undivided attention. The orientation of the island makes it possible to enjoy both the view outside and to take part in the activities in the rest of the room.



This is what the tile looks like installed.

The backsplash is a 1" hexagon

oriental white honed tile, which

relates nicely with the colours

and style of the tile of the living
room fireplace, on the opposite
side of the room.

















Here are a few more shots from the home:



The former dining room was turned into a boy's computer

and TV room.



Details from one of the
bedrooms.





 

 



View of the en-suite bathroom, seen from the

master bedroom.

En-suite bathroom before.

We mixed several sizes of the same

tile on the floors and the walls, and

installed a different tile, with a striped

effect, on the shower end wall, to add

depth and interest.

Just like in the kitchen, the tile work is the shining

star. And yes, those mirrors have yet to be installed.











I hope you enjoyed the tour and the transformation of this home. It's now working for the homeowners, in every sense of the word. Happy Mother's Day!

Instant bathroom update

Tired of your bathroom but not ready to renovate it yet? Give your old bathroom a second life with a new set of towels, mat and shower curtain. It's a minor investment that can make a huge difference. Try a colour that you haven't used before and don't shy away from bold patterns. Here are a few funky shower curtains that I found at Discount Cash and Carry in North Bay:

Cool, all-white bathroom

A well-chosen shower curtain

can transform an all-white 

bathroom. This curtain is from 

Canadian Tire's Debbie Travis 

collection.

Happy Monday! Here is a question from a reader: 


“We are in the middle of a bathroom reno. We have chosen to go with simple white tiles. Now I am looking for a shower curtain, bath mat and accessories. Do you have any colour suggestions? The colour scheme for the rest of the house is green.”

And here is my answer: I suggest you introduce some pattern and texture in your all-white bathroom. Start with the shower curtain. A patterned curtain in a “watery" hue such as light blue, turquoise or light green would look good. Let your bathroom mat pick up a colour from the pattern, and do the same for the towels. 


A black-and-white colour scheme is another option if you want a crisp, contemporary look. 


Soap dispenser, hangers and the likes would look sharp in a shiny metal finish. But take into account the finish on door handles, knobs and so on. You don't want to mix too many metals.

Another suggestion for adding interest in an all-white bathroom is to paint the ceiling a light, subtle colour. Repeat the colour, but in a darker shade, in towels and bath mat. Let the rest of the room remain white. It will look clean and cool - perfect for a bathroom!