Colin and Justin: Baby blue strikes the right chord

Breezing into the tiny home of musician Teddy Fury (you may also know him as the much loved bartender in Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern) we couldn't have felt any more at home, reminding us as it did of many compact U.K. abodes we've so lovingly restored. Indeed to suggest that Chez Teddy is tiny is an understatement; it is, quite possibly, the smallest property we've ever tackled. But my, how we've bestowed upon it illusions of high elevated grandeur.

As Canadians, you guys have better domestic proportions than your British counterparts, albeit with much smaller gardens, although we remain, to this day, unsure why this is the case. Our home turf is a small island, while yours is second only to Russia as the world's largest land mass. Yet the balance of bricks and mortar versus yard yardage remains back to front each side of the pond. But we suppose size isn't everything ... it's what you do with it that makes the biggest difference.

Teddy's wee home, particularly his living room, could give Barbie's a run for its money. Good thing, then, that our likeable rocker is himself of compact stature, though his gravity-defying quiff adds sizeable extra dimension. Our entire crew fell head over heels in love with Teddy, the kind of bloke everyone would want as his or her best friend. Fact of the matter is, that with hair and confident attitude, he stands taller than most of us. His home simply needed to reflect his larger-than-life personality. Which is where two design giants came into their own.

Our retro revolutionary, it should be reported, was a joy to work with. Thoroughly absorbed by the popular culture that pertains to the '50s and '60s, Teddy had become so focussed on his career and on raising his beautiful daughter, that he'd never found the time to engender a home environment that suited his effortless personal style. Have we said before how much we love our job? Making ordinary homes extra ordinary? We're lucky boys and particularly so when we encounter a homeowner so trusting he says; "Thanks, guys, you clearly 'get' me. Now go do your stuff!'"

And so it came to pass that we dispensed with the notion of Happy Days as a starting point, even though one of our crew suggested that a spattering of diner style might just be the best way forward. No offence, but we'll be the judge of that. You probably know by now where we are with "theming"; it's so not our style. No stick-on one day/fall off the next quick fixes for us. And absolutely no picture of The Fonz lacquered to within an inch of his life. We'd rather be "inspired" by a moment in time rather than fasten on thematic layers which are almost guaranteed to date just as quickly.

The way forward for us? To whisper mid-century modern rather than scream it from the rooftops. Over a clutch of Bud Lights with our boy Ted, we chatted hair grease and movies, Cadillacs and home comforts and we came up with a cunning plan. A plan that would pull at the very fabric of his compact home to help a more spacious world emerge. Here's the lowdown that elevated this doll-sized house to a whole new level ...

STAIR OVERHAUL

A word of serious advice: pay proper attention to Canadian building code and call in the experts (see our resource list) before tackling a project like this. We spent the majority of our budget opening the staircase and designed an open concept look with glass elevations specifically composed to further enlarge the space. With one eye fixed firmly on future proofing real estate value and another on high design, the results, we hope, speak for themselves.

Opening the space below the stair (and removing part of the wall that leads to the kitchen) provides immediate balance, affording, as it does, a much grander feel.

FLOORING

Connecting flooring from the living room to the kitchen beyond was a simple coup de grace that immediately improved flow.

Tip: Choose product that's resilient to kitchen traffic and possible water overflow. If you lust for lumber, consider bamboo or teak as these are particularly appropriate. Another option is Amtico; possessed of similar visual properties to real wood, this avenue will also help sweeten out surface irregularities but bear in mind that it may be necessary to screed existing floor levels to create a perfectly flat surface. Refer to product information and installation advice to ensure perfect results.

RUG

To anchor the space and soften overall aesthetics, we specified a creamy white deep pile area rug. Bear in mind that an addition such as this isn't only visual and tactile; it's also an element that will help moderate echo in a room with lots of harder edged touches.

As designers we're all about taking a multi-sensory approach. New rooms are lovely, but we don't like them to "sound" new.

WALL COLOUR

Teddy hoped for a crisp finish against which to layer further detail as, and when, fashions dictate. To provide a low-key backbone for his lovely new retro scheme, we opted for palest baby blue. The fresh tone helps open the space and provides subtle detailing.

FIREPLACE UPDATE

Having lavished considerable budget on the stairs, we looked at ways in which to restrain spend elsewhere and an obvious cash saver was the fireplace.

First, our contractor sanded the metal then he applied several coats of heatproof blackmatte paint. This done, we installed a bullet tile ceramic hearth to protect the floor. At this point the focal point – short of chunky painted MDF shelving either side – was complete. Very often, as was the case here, minor refinements pay real dividends so don't always feel you have to rip out every detail and start again. If we had a dollar for every brass or gold detailed fireplace we've updated with the press of an aerosol button, we'd be wealthy beyond our wildest dreams!

DETAILING

We love adding unexpected touches and while the clocks are certainly redolent of the whole retro period, the tree trunk tables are probably less so. But hey, that's what confident design is all about. It's about freeing up decorating spirit and providing a few twists and turns.

We chose upholstery fabrics to conjure up a spot of mid-century magic and added ceramic and timber detailing to bolster this feel. Our latest obsession is the great Canadian yard sale and as we don't really do these in the U.K., they're still, for us, a new and exciting way to seek out precious collectibles.

Tip: Don't only drive round older housing enclaves searching out garage sale signs. Sniff out yard sales in new home developments, too. Often, buyers move with everything from their last home only to discover that it doesn't fit or go with their brand new nest. Which is when the real clear-outs start.

Next week: A boring brown kitchen is re-versioned as a slate grey fantasy with a careful paint job, replacement hardwares and a slick new granite counter.

Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan are the hosts of HGTV's Colin & Justin's Home Heist (Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and the authors of Colin & Justin's Home Heist Style Guide, published by Penguin Group (Canada). Go to hgtv.ca/homeheist and colinandjustin.tv for more on the design team.

Read more Colin and Justin here. Check out their top 10 shopping destinations and watch the video of their makeover of the Star editor's office. Scope out some of their previous transformations:

- Taking it up a notch
- Well-planned kitchen really cooks
- Asian-inspired glamour
- Reaching new heights
- Tweaking for a new decade
- Crazy for Canadiana, eh!
- Create a holiday affair to remember
- Please pass the mustard
- Hallelujah! Designer salvation
- Mauving right along
- A beach of a makeover
- It's a jungle in there
- Kitchen less than confidential
- Sweet dreams are made of this
- A sweet transformation
- Just a little bit country
- Calamitous kitchen
- Killer bee design
- Va va va voom!
- Cave dwelling
- A little Hollywood-style glamour
- Purple reign
- The boss's Office Heist
- Now that's making an entrance
- A Colonial charmer
- From ghastly to glorious
- Not so mellow yellow
- Answering nature's call
- Picture perfect loft makeover
- Shades of grey
- Beyond the 'wreck' room
- Check, mate
- Soaking in the lap of luxury
- Basement gloom be gone
- A country kitchen goes classy
- Kitchen full of Swedish glamour