Decor & Renovation
A traditional sitting room with floral flair
Image: Alex Lukey
Decor & Renovation
A traditional sitting room with floral flair
A bold floral wallcovering makes this updated traditional sitting room a standout.
Wallflower? This Toronto penthouse sitting room is anything but. Taking cues from the owners' old floral seating, designer Michelle Hurley sourced blue chinoiserie wallpaper to complement the rich millwork and the hardwood floors. Carefully selected furniture and accessories honour the clients' traditional tastes while introducing a welcoming vibe befitting laid-back living. Here's how she did it.
BEFORE
Oversize furniture and overdone drapery made the room feel dark, cramped and crowded.
AFTER
Image: Alex Lukey
Here's what designer Michelle Hurley used to create the look:
1. The perfect floral print
Inspired by celestial views, Hurley searched high and low for the right wallpaper. "I was specifically looking for a fresh blue backdrop," says the designer, who found the perfect fit in a Thibaut paper. Taking the treatment up to the ceiling coffer "envelops the space, making it feel cozy and decadent."
2. A colour palette pulled from the floral print
To maintain a cohesive feel, Hurley restricted the palette to the hues found within the wallpaper: sky blue, moss green, golden yellow and cranberry red. The dark mauve found its way into the toss cushions and throws as dusty rose and pale pink, "so it matches, but it's not too matchy-matchy," explains the designer.
Image: Alex Lukey
3. Tailored and modern pieces
"I balanced the luxurious wallpaper with simple and contemporary pieces, such as the tailored sectional, the table lamps and the rug," says Hurley. To offset the opulence of the homeowners' original solid brass sconces, she employed graphic modern artwork (gold zippers arranged in chevron patterns behind glass).
Image: Alex Lukey
4. Simple accents
"They were too encompassing," says Hurley of the previous ornate silk drapes. Stripping away much of their volume, plus the valances, gave the custom pieces new life. Hurley treated the iridescent yellow as a neutral gold tone and brought in accents in the finish to tie into the updated scheme.
GET THE LOOK
Coordonné Valentina wallpaper, $135/double roll, newwall.com. Botanical Duck Egg wallpaper, $158/double roll, grahambrown.com. Norwall Wallcoverings Abby Rose III Grand Floral wallpaper, $50/double roll, wayfair.ca.
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