Ceilings Treatments that Make You Look UP!

That fifth wall up above
that's so lonely and overlooked at times can be a real gift.

Especially when it looks like this!

Rarely do I get the chance to do something really interesting with the ceiling because it can be an investment to create beautiful architecture and often the client wants to focus the budget on furnishings that they are going to be sitting on and using every day.

But part of Interior Design is to enhance the good qualities in a room, while downplaying or improving the not so exciting elements.

I'm working on a project now with a beautiful 14 foot ceiling in the dining room (pictured below)
just crying out for a stunning chandelier to replace this boring shade.

And a gorgeous coffer ceiling in the family room (below)  

oh joy, oh bliss I get to start with this!

I MUST do something to enhance these beautiful surfaces.

There will be a stunning crystal fixture in the dining room for sure, client wants a very formal space.  I'm thinking a metallic finish of some sort in the central coffer, perhaps antiqued gold or silver leaf as a backdrop to the crystal fixture, like this



Or we could simply apply a dark paint to enhance the trim work

But fret not if you don't want to change the architecture of your room,  you can still get major bang for your buck with high gloss paint and a fantastic chandy, of course!

This black lacquered ceiling reflects the soft glow of the chandelier so beautifully as well as the sconces.  It truly creates a mysterious backdrop for this room with textured wallpaper and beautiful millwork.

Speaking of millwork...

How creative is this ceiling below?

Some trim strategically placed to form a circle then painted gold and sunbeams added 

make this room feel very special and again enhances the chandelier while providing 

a whimsical feeling to this lovely space.

A little bit of tape and some metallic paint... eh Voila!

A boring white ceiling is now a piece of art.

Or something as simple as a vintage ceiling medallion on a dark painted surface

even the simplest pendant looks fantastic.

This ceiling helps give the dining room an outdoor garden feeling 

echoing the lines of the floral area rug

Add a zingy lemon yellow to a neutral colour scheme and BAM!



Why not create the illusion of a coffer ceiling with patterned wallpaper?
Love this geometric pattern in a very modern room office space.
The contrasting gold chandelier creates a bit of tension but they work well together.




So the next time you walk into a room, look up and see the possibilities!

All images via Accents & Details board on Pinterest

Magazine Feature - Our Homes

I love what I do mostly because I love to transform people's homes into beautiful and more functional spaces.  There's nothing better than having a client shed a tear of joy or squeal with delight at the final product, and being told "I couldn't have done anything like this without you".

But the absolute cherry on top for any Designer is to be recognized by being published.  

Today I have accomplished a goal I set out to achieve when I started my business,

thanks to Our Homes Magazine.

Our Homes Magazine, Hamilton & Area 

This is my client's backyard on the cover.

Although I can't take credit for this gorgeous stone fireplace, I take full credit for the s'mores tray!

You can enjoy the entire Fall issue of the magazine here, for free.  

There are many editions from all around Ontario that feature local businesses, services and artisans - 

what a great way to support your community!

Thank you to Laurie, Melissa, Kelly and Lisa for making this a great experience.

Live-Edge Dining Room

It's been a while since I've posted project updates so here's the latest on one of the spaces I've been working on.  

This project is updating living, dining and family room with new furniture, lighting, accessories and  paint colours for the homeowners who moved into the space this past summer.

The clients wanted a "showpiece" dining table that would be the main statement piece of the open plan living/dining room.

current wall colour to be changed

This 8-foot custom made live-edge dining table was created by Urban Tree Salvage, who I discovered at the Interior Design Show last year.  The custom salvaged table top is reclaimed silver maple slabs that have been coated with a hand-rubbed oil finish to bring out the beauty of the wood.  The base is industrial steel.

I love the natural raw edge, the variation in colour throughout and the curves of the grain - just stunning!

Once this table was chosen, I sourced several options for the dining chairs to complement the table.  The client wanted comfort first because this is a dining room that will get a lot of use.  Secondly, and as important, was to have a streamlined chair that would not compete with the "star of the show" table but still be able to handle itself in the best-supporting role!  We decided the end chairs should be a bit different from the side chairs so we added a curved arm to the end chair to contrast with the sleek lines of the side chairs.

I selected the elegant and sleek solid wood Flame chair (top) by Jamco Wood, a Canadian company that custom makes Italian designed products for commercial and residential use.  We chose a dark espresso finish for the wood to contrast with the table (it's also the same wood tone of the sideboard near by) and the seats are done in a commercial grade camel coloured faux leather for easy clean up.   The end chairs (bottom pic) didn't arrive before the holidays (which we knew ahead of time) will add a bit of glamour to the industrial look.

The art behind the table is the client's own and is the foundation for some of the other colours in the room.

The adjacent living room will have this fabric and colour scheme - the patterned fabric is going on two occasional chairs, the taupe weave is on a chaise and the yummy charcoal grey luxe fabric is for pillows that will go on the client's existing sand coloured sofa.  The creamy grey paint swatch will be the main wall colour, the darker taupe/grey is for the wall behind the dining table, and the pop of deep orange will be painted over the fireplace to draw the eye over to that corner of the room.  Which incidentally was selected over one month ago before it was announced as Pantone's 2012 colour of the year - Tangerine Tango. 

We are still selecting new tile and hearth for the fireplace but will likely do a dark stone base with copper metal & light stone mosaic surround like the one above.  

The dining room now needs a very awesome light fixture (or two!) - which I have some ideas for.  

The living room still needs a rug and side tables, accessories and art... but that's all in the new year.  

I'm really happy with the mix of clean-lined furnishings with the raw-edge industrial look of the dining room so far - and so is the client...  I know there's a great bottle of Australian Shiraz waiting for me next time we meet - so that's a great sign!

I'd love to hear how you have used this combination of industrial and elegant pieces in your space?