Decor & Renovation
A Toronto condo accented with hits of blue
Image: Stephen Buchman | Design: Rebecca Hay
Decor & Renovation
A Toronto condo accented with hits of blue
A condo’s dowdy living and dining area gets a much needed bright and elegant update.
When moving house, it’s easy to just plop your existing furniture into your new digs, but it rarely nets the stylish result and the fresh start a new home calls for. Such was the case with the couple who downsized from their house to this two-bedroom condo. They’d brought their old pieces with them, and it showed. The outdated furnishings (the floral couch was from the 1950s) made the space feel dark and drab.
The homeowners called in Toronto-based designer Rebecca Hay, who knew what the condo needed. In the living room, that meant tailored custom seating in mostly pale tones to match the muted wall paint and the sheer white window treatments. “I know that the homeowners love blue—it’s classy and classic—so, for me, that was a natural fit,” says Hay, citing her choice of the accent hue, which is visible in pieces such as the herringbone rug, the checked armchairs and the accessories. She introduced brass-coloured accents to brighten the room further and lend sophistication. The adjacent dining area got a matching update, including transitional furniture, a casual lantern-style light fixture and a generous coat of cream-coloured paint on the dark wood built-in cabinetry.
Stunningly decorated, bright and inviting, the space now lives up to the new beginning the homeowners craved.
LIGHTEN UP
A wall of windows brought in plenty of natural light, yet the living room felt dim. “It’s amazing how switching the dreary furnishings with the fresh and simple new ones affected the room’s light,” says designer Rebecca Hay.
STYLE IS SERVED
The dining area welcomes with pleasing off-white tones and streamlined furniture. Blue-and-white elements, including the china on display in the existing glass-front built-ins, connect the zone to the adjacent living room.
BRASS BOOST
Throughout the spaces, hits of brass—from the tables to the lamps to the decorative pieces— introduce a touch of luxury and a sense of warmth.
Gray Mist OC-30 Wall Paint, benjaminmoore.ca. Side Tables, elte.com. Rug, dominionrug.com.
PAINTERLY PICKS
Hay ensured that the homeowners’ artwork would be right at home in the new scheme by selecting a complementary tonal brushstroke-patterned accent fabric for the barrel-back chairs and a few toss cushions.
FINE FLOURISHES
Natural accessories, such as the butterfly artwork and fresh flowers, finish the crisp look.
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