White, apple green lighten up Kingsway home
February 11, 2010
Tara Dalla-Nora
SPECIAL TO YOURHOME.CA
One of my ongoing interior design projects is a larger home in the Kingsway area. Built in the early 1900s, many of these homes display old English architectural elements both inside and out.
The exterior facades of these homes were often built with stone and intricate brick patterns, as well as the smaller windows and solid oak doors that were popular in Victorian architecture. While these details are aesthetically pleasing and stylized, they do limit the amount of light that filters into, and throughout, the home.
As a result, this project’s main design challenge was how to lighten up the interior – which is made even darker with heavy wooden elements such as thick dark trim around windows and doors as well as dark baseboards and staircases.
The existing paint colour on the main floor walls was a medium taupe, which, in conjunction with poor lighting, made the living room even darker and smaller than it really is.
Our first step was to choose a lighter colour. A creamy white, Benjamin Moore OC-86, gave the room a warm yet bright appearance. The hue also contrasts beautifully with the dark wood floors and baseboards, opening up the space.
The existing fireplace was a deep, heavy wood with a dark stone center. We decided to paint it out in white and use a cream marble for the hearth. We also clad the face of the fireplace with the light marble, which drastically changed its overall look. It went from being a dark and oppressive focal point for the room to an elegant and sophisticated design feature.
The living room was a large space, so we had the luxury of being able to include a variety of seating options. In order for the room to feel comfortable, we had to strike the right balance with the amount of furniture to make it functional without being cluttered. We decided on a U-shaped configuration with a sofa, two occasional chairs and a bench, arranged around a colourful ottoman.
We chose off-white for the larger pieces of furniture, and mixed it up with different textures and weaves to make the solid colours more interesting.
The accent colour is a fresh “apple” green which really breathes life into the space while creating an elegant contrast to the off-whites and creams. We started with the ottoman fabric, then carried the same shade throughout our cushions and throws.
While the dark hardwood flooring, which runs throughout the entire main floor, adds a rich and luxurious feel to the home it can also become visually overwhelming due to the sheer quantity.
To help break it up, we decided to frame the living room by adding an area rug. We chose a neutral colour to add longevity to the room and to give the client the ability to change her accent colour when the mood strikes. Her choices will not need to be dictated by the carpet. Because of the neutral shade we decided to use a tone-on-tone diamond pattern which gives the rug some character and visual interest.
We also decided to rethink the light fixtures throughout the house. The existing fixtures were ornate and heavy. While they went well with the home’s previous ambience and colour scheme, they needed to be updated to complement our new clean design and light palette.
The final result was exciting for both myself and my client. Now, upon entering the house from the foyer the living room is a refreshing sight that is both inviting and comfortable.
ara Dalla-Nora has a B.A. in interior design and is the owner and principal designer of Inner Luxe in Toronto's Bloor West Village.
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