Home & Design
This is one of those projects that I am lucky enough to be involved in from conception down to its final product! I’ve talked about why having a designer in on a project from the very beginning is a huge pro when it comes to designing a house from scratch, and Project Ava is a great example of this!
My clients and I have been able to shape our vision from the very beginning, and as we exit the long drawn out phase of skeleton work where we take care of electrical and plumbing, we are finally getting in details like tiles and cabinetry, hardwood floors, all those layers and finishes that really make the house start to feel like it’s coming together!
My clients involve a young and contemporary family, so fitting their vision to this house as it was built from the ground up, working together with the builders and the architect has been a blast – here is where we are now with just the first floor!
The Front Hall and Office
My client works from home and wants a large office at the front of the house. The front hall and office are separated by a stunning floor to ceiling glass partition, complete with matte black frames for a really industrial look that feels open and modern! We are also about to add built in cabinetry along the wall where the window is for the office, for added storage and opportunity to display her favorite objects and knick-knacks that she has collected.
I also got to work closely with the architect to build stunning lighting from top to bottom in the front hall to make it feel really sleek and contemporary!
The Kitchen and Family Space
This has been my favorite space to work with so far – it’s at the back of the house, so we made sure to include oversized sliding window doors to make for gorgeous backyard views.
That’s not all – the open concept area involves the family lounging area and the kitchen, so that even when you are cooking up a storm in the kitchen, you can also stay involved in family time! It’s really designed to become the hub of the home. We are also adding a feature wall around the fireplace, cladded with stone and fitted with extra storage space to center the whole space.
Right off the kitchen we’ve carved out a little nook area that will have a wrap around bench, perfect for a breakfast area. It’s still open to everything and feels included in the hub, but adds an element of coziness the family will definitely enjoy in years to come.
The Dining Room
We were originally going to have a dining and kitchen area, but opted instead to make this long room into a separate dining space that will be sure to entertain guests. The ceiling will be a point of interest, reminiscent of old world dining rooms with its small architectural lights for added glow, as well as two oversized chandeliers hanging over the guests’ heads for a regal vibe that will definitely add to the wine and dine experience.
Project Ava has barely started, so stay tuned for more updates! I will be sharing more about the second floor very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for more blueprint style fun!
For now, it’s a nursery, but soon enough that little baby will grow into a toddler, and that toddler into a teenager. How do you create a nursery that can transition through the stages of our rapidly growing kids’ lives, without aging the space too much? All it takes is a little bit of imagination!
In one project involving a baby boy’s nursery, my client and I wanted a nursery that would be easy to transition, but will also be an inviting environment for her son. We started by painting the walls a gorgeous dark blue colour that we agreed would easily transition to later stages in life. We added a feature wall by using white plus sign stickers, which added that crisp clean interest that softened up the moody colour a bit, but also makes it easily removable in the future as the room grows with her baby boy.
Speaking of crisp white, we wanted to go with more white elements that contrast against the darker walls to bring a brightness to the room. The minimal crib is a stark white with simple lines, as well as added storage underneath, sitting underneath our feature wall of white plus signs. We also added light with the light fixture – literally and visually! The geometric shape is not only another point of interest as your eyes travel up, but the yellow light also adds warmth to the white and blue.
As far as styling goes, we didn’t hold back! My client had mentioned that she wanted to dd pops of colour with the objects and art that’s added in the space, so I delivered. We have a collage wall – including an airplane! – as well as a focal feature, our tipi! The tipi was not only budget friendly, but it created a little nook for a child to read, play, and let their imagination run wild. We also added shelves that were not only inexpensive, but easy for kid’s access.
Speaking of budget, we agreed that certain investments must be made in order for a room to live a long life. We invested more money on the carpet, which ties in with that blue/white palette, so that her boy could freely play around and not worry about wear and tear. We also poured more money in the rocker, so mother and son could comfortably bond.
Working closely with your client to establish their vision while blending practicality is a delicate balance, but I think we definitely accomplished it with this imaginative little boy’s nursery!
Are you looking to completely renovate and transform your space? Ensure the careful smart planning you need from day one, and contact Dvira Interiors! We look forward to incorporating our vision, scope, technical expertise and industry connections to make your home’s design/build experience as positive and rewarding as possible.
I’m thrilled to be sharing the second part of Project Ava’s reveal, now featuring the second floor! Be sure to check out the First Floor Reveal of this house from scratch, where I talked about the office, the kitchen, the dining room, and more!
Skylights
The second floor of this beautiful home in the works is illuminated by all the skylights! We are angling for that contemporary, modern feel, and nothing feels more modern than a light and airy skylight to make everything feel fresh and bright! We have one over the staircase, one in the master closet, and one for the study, where the kids will be completing all their homework.
The Study
Speaking of the study, it’s calling for a lot of custom work that I couldn’t be more excited about! We carved it out for the kids to have a designated workspace, so we included lots of space for LED lights to light up those late-night cram sessions, and tons of functional modern cabinetry for organization that’ll tie in to the modern, minimal style of storing all that school clutter!
The Kids’ Bedrooms + Bathrooms
With a study space, the kids also need their space. It can feel like you’re shooting in the dark when it comes to catering for kids’ bedroom, but we have an even trade off for this family. The two girls have bedrooms at the front of the house, which is sharing a bathroom. Meanwhile my client’s son will have a smaller bedroom near them idle of the house, but with a bedroom all too himself!
Plus, the shared bathroom is a real treat. There’s a generous amount of space to share, and we’ve already chosen a scalloped tile for the floor thats pretty and fun. The over-sized bathtub and double vanities really add a flair for the girls to enjoy and indulge their relaxation routines.
The Master Bedroom
The large space calls for a lot of creativity, and I did not disappoint! We added interest to the ceiling with an angled tray design, and the floors are all going to be hardwood. We opted for a bleached white oak for the floor, comprised of wide planks, to break away from the typical hardwood and keep that modern edge going. We also chose to have some fun with the baseboard, which is a tall 7 inches with a straight reveal design. We mixed it with mismatched casing, which is flat with a backbend detail. Don’t be afraid of mixing it up, as long as it still falls under the same design style – in this case, breathtakingly modern! It’s nice to break out of the matchy-matchy mindset, because you can really add a flair of customized detail instead of going for a cookie-cutter look!
I can’t mention the master bedroom and not talk about the hiccups. I always make sure my clients are aware that with construction, mistakes are bound to happen! For example, we had a plan of adding wall lights right into the drywall, but when it came to mudding the wall, there was a mistake in thinking that the allotted spaces were holes that needed to be patched up, leaving dents and bruises that need to be fixed. There’s always surprises along the way, so the focus becomes finding a solution, which as a designer, is something I’m very good at!
With all that said, this project is definitely one that I feel passionate about, because it is such a treat when a designer like me is called on board from the beginning! This enabled me and my clients to really build their dream house from the ground up, with support and reassurance that the end product will come as close as possible to the picture in their head with my help.
Are you looking to completely reno and transform your space? Ensure the careful smart planning you need from day one, and contact Dvira Interiors! We look forward to incorporating our vision, scope, technical expertise and industry connections to make your home’s design/build experience as positive and rewarding as possible.
A child’s room is a space where they can truly express themselves, share their personality, and have their interests come to life around them. For some parents it can be stressful trying to style a room that a child will feel at home in, but that also doesn’t feel like walking into a neon, toy-strewn, messy eye sore that just feels like a mark on the rest of a home designed to your taste.
I want to inspire you with a collection of kids’ rooms I’ve designed that not only make the kids happy but make you happy too!
- Have fun with wallpaper!
If you want a look for the kids’ rooms that reflect them in their present and their future, wallpaper is your best friend. Whether you go bold like with this skateboarder mural or more subtle with the nautical themes blue print paper, this is a refreshing way of making a kids space feel fun but sophisticated as well.
You can get so creative with all the funky designs that reflect the kids’ interests, without having to choose an outlandish wall color that a kid will grow out of in a couple years. You can use your grown-up superpower of foresight to choose the wallpaper you know can be styled up as the kid grows, like with this strong tiger print that can one day become a statement wall that can be styled up with brass or gold fixtures – for now, it makes a your animal lover kid want to roar with excitement every time they wake up in the morning!
Another great example of choosing a wallpaper that reflects a kids’ interests but can also feel transitional for later years is this beautiful multicolor print. If your kid is a huge fan of pink (who isn’t a fan of pink?), it’s would feel like the obvious choice as the main color in their room’s color palette. This wallpaper does a great job of complimenting that color palette without feeling overpowering, which will make it more likely to stay for along time even after all the interchangeable pink in the room has moved out. You might even consider moving into the room yourself!
- Display Interests Like Art
Kids have a way of obsessing over a single thing and making it their entire life. Naturally, they want to be surrounded by that interest, whether it’s animals, or batman, sports, history, or blueprints of WW2 airplanes or ships (kids love a niche!). Surround your kids with what they love tastefully! Instead of getting a poster and plastering it to the wall, consider getting knickknacks that reflect what they love.
Here’s a great example of displaying interests on a gallery shelf. The bat man idol alongside city and car figures that are representative of Gotham implies batman believer without feeling cluttered, and the foam fingers scream basketball fanatic! tells you two things about this kid’s interest already, in a way that feels collected and tasteful. In fact, really looking at this shot, you’ll notice a whole bunch of small details that speak to the eccentric occupant of this room, which was my goal!
Here you’ll see a different format come into play. The pictures on the wall speak to that sport fanatic again, but the artsy cartoon style will speak to you too. The subtle nod to superheroes is still there, with the red, blue, and white print cushions that imply a love for Captain America – again with the little details! Also, who doesn’t love a gumball machine?
In contrast, we see the little nook in this lovely pink room next to our sports/superhero lover, which feels a lot more minimal but doesn’t take away from a kid’s obsessions! The owl plushies and cute bird ballet dancer print speaks to the amateur bird watcher, still in keeping with that pink theme. The books on the side next to a comfy neutral chair also provides a cozy little corner for a bookworm to curl up and read. Not only speaking to a kid’s interests but catering to them too!
- Hide Your Mess
If you’re worried about clutter forming in these display spaces, fear not. There’s a solution to the dreaded whirlwind of mess that kids tend to create in the blink of an eye, making it easier for them to clean up and you to take a deep breath!
You might have noticed that in these rooms, you see a lot of chests being used as bedside tables, or display surfaces. This is absolutely on purpose, because they have a dual purpose – storage! Make it easy to hide toys away by getting chests that are easy to throw things into, then style them with cute little knickknacks to make them something nice to look at too.
The best advice I can give is to get your kid involved with what they want for their room and find that balance where you will both be happy with the end result. This is your opportunity to reclaim your own childish spirit and envision what you would have wanted for your room as a kid, without sacrificing a space that will get run over by the real childish spirit in the house. Who knows? You might end up getting inspired for your own room’s design!
Decorating your table for the holidays is essential but often overlooked! The dinner table inevitably becomes the center of any gathering with guests, be it friends or family, so why not make it the center of all your holiday décor?
Because it’s so important, here are my pointers on how to make sure your dinner table is not only looking cohesively festive, but to make it go down with a bang with all your loved ones!
The first step is to choose a theme that runs throughout and connects with décor from the rest of the house. You want something that subtle but creates a lot of interest when it gets down to the details, which your guests will delight in noticing. I chose a winter wildlife theme this year, which feels a lot less constrained to just the holidays – this makes for more creative and contemporary design choices!
With a theme, select your color scheme. Greens, gold, and white all inspire bold and bright palettes, but are still bold and bright as a base color that can be monochromatic. It should correspond with your theme, so for example, whites and greens made sense for my base colors: white like a sheet of snow, green for a pine motif. I want to feel like I’m outside, experiencing the winter magic for myself.
Top tip: Gold is still a classic, but don’t be afraid of mixing your metallics! Gold, silver, even rose gold can all come together to add to your dinner table décor!
Now comes the pleasure of the details – you can add wrapped present on each plate for an added bonus of fun and mystery, or alternatively, hang your stockings on the backs of chairs instead on crowded mantelpiece! This way you not only have placeholders, but you’re grounding the dinner table as the center of activity with all your guests! Make them feel extra comfy with some festive cushions, too!
Let’s pivot our focus for a second, and think about bringing décor down from the ceiling! A garland layered with décor, hanging Christmas baubles from the chandelier, you can get endlessly creative! Just keep it minimal and neutral, and you’ll really add a statement to your table!
Finally, I’m actually not pointing out the obvious when I say: don’t neglect your surfaces! Some inexpensive décor can be found in LED lights, decorative beads, or ornament baubles in a clear vase or bowl – the possibilities are endless.
I hope that I’ve inspired you to seize the opportunity of amping up the festivity on and around the dining table this holiday season! Be sure to share your creations with my on social media, and happy holidays!
Celebrities have popularized hiring help for décor at this time of year. With platforms like Instagram and Facebook, it’s really easy to feel some FOMO for all those elaborate designs, so I want to change that mindset and look at it as INSPO instead!
Keep these key tips in mind when decorating for the holidays and you’ll find yourself decorating like a designer!
First, you want to pick your color palette. Start with your tree – is it a classic green, a stunning white, or something different like red, or blue, or purple? Once you have that base color established, you can build the rest of your palette around it.
Once you have that foundation of a base color and accents centered around it, you can layer more elements or texture, light, and shape within that range!
Top tip: I would recommend exploring options outside the traditional – ditch the usual red, white, and green on top of green, and shoot for something a little more contemporary to shake things up! Silver and golds are all well and good, but consider your wilder accents on the spectrum too!
That being said, remember that your holiday décor doesn’t HAVE to be Christmas themed. Think of it instead as winter theme, and the options will immediately broaden! For example, instead of all the usual elves-and-bells bits and bobs, explore a winter flora theme, a forest theme, an icy winter wonderland theme!
You can get really creative with holiday decorations, and you’ll find yourself having a lot more fun. The more fun you have designing your home for the holidays, the more of a designer you’ll find you are at heart!
Best of luck decorating, and happy holidays, everyone!
