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Real Style on a Real Budget

Sunday, December 25, 2011 by Chris

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Today's post is a Christmas present to myself, the big reveal after a one-month makeover of a home in Oakville, Ontario. My client, Nikola, is a 28-year-old bachelor with a three-bedroom, detached home in a newish development. The location screams suburbs but Nikola wanted a space that was "modern and trendy, incorporating 'unique' vintage pieces and original art," according to the brief I distilled from our initial meeting. The client's wishlist included a revamp of the living room, dining room and master bedroom, if possible, on a budget of $5,000, which would include my 30 per cent decorating fee.

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Begged, Borrowed and Staged

Wednesday, October 26, 2011 by Chris

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When home stager Dennis Battler showed me photos of his most recent project, a small semi in Toronto's Riverside neighbourhood, I was instantly struck by how much personality he had injected into the spaces. His blend of vintage furnishings from different eras mixed with industrial and rustic pieces revealed a very definite point of view that runs counter to everything you see on TV staging shows where the mantra is always, "neutralize, depersonalize and de-clutter." The house had been neglected and fallen into disrepair but Dennis and the real estate agent rallied friends and neighbours who pitched in to strip and clean the property. Furniture was then borrowed or purchased for as little as possible on Craigslist — the set of dining chairs were sourced for just $50 — and thrift stores. Dennis blended the wall colour himself from paint store mis-tints.

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Sideways

Sunday, October 9, 2011 by Chris

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I never intended to keep the table but when I saw it on Craigslist for just $40 I was pretty sure I could strip it and flip it for a decent profit. The modern form — is it a Z or an N? — is crazy cool in an '80s sort of way. I also had the idea that it might make a good console if I flipped it on its side. And then, one afternoon while mooching through GUFF, I noticed some orphaned glass tops up for grabs, one of them a perfect fit for my table and priced at just $10. Score!

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The View From Your Bed?

Monday, July 25, 2011 by Chris

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One of the many things that impressed me on my tour of the Deck House earlier this month was the art wall assembled opposite the homeowner's bed. I've always paid special attention to this prime focal point, one that few visitors ever see but which we enjoy night after night, morning after morning. At the moment my Jules Cavailles still life is propped on the dresser at the foot of my bed along with some cherished family photos. What's at the foot of your bed?

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Inspired by a Master

Friday, July 8, 2011 by Chris

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It goes without saying that I'm no Jean-Michel Frank. But I was so inspired by the French designer's eponymous monograph by Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier (Rizzoli) that I decided to give my humble IKEA Fornbro tables the Frank treatment with custom upholstered tops. Of course, my tops are swathed in man-made vinyl rather than Frank's preferred parchment or shagreen, but nevertheless, the treatment has given them a real lift. The tables feel quite luxe despite the bargain nature of the surface material. The vinyl wipes clean in a jiffy and I'll never again have to worry about nicking the surface with a glass.

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