Overall, it wasn’t bad but there were a few things that simply weren’t working. The paint colour, while bright and light, made the space feel stark and cold. The area rug was way too busy and the futon was, well, broken. It was a bit cluttered, not as bad as I’ve seen, but the space just didn’t have that warm, cozy, welcoming feel that my client wanted.

We began by decluttering a bit, as always. The large chunky bookcase had to go as did the rug and futon. The shelf under the TV served no purpose so we decided to keep it and simply relocate it.

We chose a colour scheme of light cream (Benjamin Moore Baby Fawn OC-15) as our base colour and then chose orange and gray as accent colours.

To minimize contrast, which is critical in a small space, our walls, sofa and new area rug were all the same base colour. Contrast, as I’ve mentioned before, is one of the single greatest factors contributing to a space feeling small, so it’s important that all the large pieces be the same colour.

We brought in our accent colours in the cubes, vases, cushions and artwork. Everything ties in and relates to one another. There is gray in the rug, cushions and artwork mattes and orange in the photos themselves (which the client took on one of her trips – always try to personalize your artwork whenever possible), cubes, bowl and vases.

The result is absolutely beautiful. The space is warm, cozy and inviting. Everything ties in and relates. There’s lots of extra seating for guests and the home is clean, organized and simple.

Have a look:

Upon viewing the condo and discussing budgets I recommended that he not spend the entire budget on new furniture  but would see more value if we directed the majority of the resources to updating the kitchen and bathroom, which were both very out of date and tired looking. These are also two critical areas that condo buyers look at closely.

I had a particular concern with the kitchen. There was just way too much going on and it was hard to know where to look. There was a beautiful rustic looking wood floor, cabinetry in an odd combination of white and red mahogany and a massive butcher block island that completely dominated the space. On top of that was the old ugly counter top and faucet and a backsplash in 6 X 6 white ceramic tiles which looked as though they were leftover from the bathroom.

Bland, tired, out of date and confusing, this kitchen needed a big chunk of the budget.

We began by painting out all the cabinetry in an antique ivory to give some unity and flow and replaced the thick chunky island sides with 3/4 melamine also in antique ivory.

The old backsplash was removed which meant (as it usually does) replacing the drywall so the new backsplash would have an even clean surface to adhere to.

The counter tops were replaced with granite and a new under mount sink and faucet were installed.

We chose a high gloss black subway tile for the new backsplash for two reasons. First, it would pick up the black tones in the granite and second, it’s a classic, timeless look that has wide appeal among buyers.

A backsplash can often be like art. One person loves it and another hates it. It’s always better when thinking about resale, to keep it simple and clean and choose something that has universal appeal.

We changed the lighting, added a new rug, media unit, mirror new stools and some decor accessories.

The bathroom was much less involved. We simply painted the vanity in the same antique ivory and replaced the counter top with the same granite we chose for the kitchen. An under mount sink, a new faucet and a medicine cabinet completed the makeover.

The result is a condo that is modern, up to date, clean and simple and will have wide appeal when the time comes to sell.

She had bought a condo for her daughter to live in while attending university, but in order to make it work financially, she had to be able to rent out the den to another student. This meant converting the den into a bedroom.

Not easy considering it’s small size, just 6′ X 8′

We had to be able to accommodate a bed, a closet, some storage and a desk and shelf. We also needed sliding doors for privacy.

The final challenge was we to do it all on a limited budget.

So we headed off to Ikea to pick up an Odda  twin storage bed and a Pax wardrobe.

Since space was at a premium, we removed the baseboards to give an extra inch, critical in a space this size, which provided not only a tiny bit of extra room, but also the ability to give it a built in look.

Even with the baseboards removed, we still had to rip 1 1/2 inches off of the Pax width, to make it fit. We mounted a brilliant wall desk which could double as a night table, with a shelf above, then headed to Lowes to pick up some frosted sliding doors.

Since the den doorway opening went all the way to the ceiling, we had to make a decision. We couldn’t get doors tall enough to go all the way to the ceiling so we either had to build the opening down with studs and drywall or simply mount a 2 X 3 across the opening to suspend the doors from. This was the preferred method, due to budget and time constraints and actually worked out well as the open space above the doors  prevented the room from being too dark and feeling too closed in. A little trim on either side of the 2 X 3 to dress it up was the finishing touch.

The baseboards were re cut and re attached and the result is a functional “dorm room” with lots of storage, a space to work, some privacy and a comfortable bed. Perfect for a student looking to live downtown in the heart of all the action.

I see a LOT of homes and in almost every case, the entry is a mess. It feels as though you are walking into a mud room or a huge closet. There is stuff everywhere, shoes all over the place, coats hanging all over the walls, keys, boxes, shopping bags and junk that has been simply dropped and left there to die. Not a great first impression.

Your entry is the first thing people experience when they enter your home and sets the tone for what they are about to encounter. It should be neat, organized, welcoming and a space you should be proud of and not embarassed about. You shouldn’t have to apologize with “please, excuse the mess”.

Don’t tell me you have kids, pets, busy schedules and not enough space. All it takes is a little effort and ongoing maintenance and you will be able to come home at the end of a hectic day, open your door and feel relaxed as you enter. After all, there’s enough chaos out in the world, you don’t need to be greeted by it when you come home.

Some things to keep in mind.

DECLUTTER!!!!!!! This is especially true if you live in a small space. Get rid of things you never ever wear. Donate them. Someone would love to have your things that are simply collecting dust. Then don’t keep every single coat, shoe, hat and scarf you own in your entry.

You only need to keep things there that you are regularly wearing.

You don’t need 12 pairs of flip flops in your entry closet in the winter any more than you need an assortment of boots, mittens and scarves there in the summer. Seasonal flipping is a must. Out of season items can go in plastic bins and other closets.

If you feel you don’t have the space, then get creative. Plastic bins on wheels that roll under the bed are fantastic for gloves, sweaters, scarves and hats and you can buy inexpensive wicker baskets, throw your boots in there and store them on top of your kitchen cabinets. No one has to know what’s in them. You can buy beautiful decorative boxes, throw all your out of season items in them and then stack them as an end table in your living room. Storage ottomans are great as well.

Check out http://www.solutions-stores.ca and http://www.ikea.ca

Both stores have amazing and beautiful boxes, baskets and bins that you can store all your stuff in.

Check out http://www.easytrack.com or http://www.closetmaid.com for fantastic closet organizing systems. Of course google images is always a great way to find ideas and get inspired.

Once your closet is done, to create a beautiful entry you need a few things. A console or  floating shelf is a great place for some decor items and a bowl or small basket for keys. You can slide a storage cube or two underneath for small items and they can be pulled out when you need to sit to put on your shoes. A mirror above will open up the space and allow you to check yourself one final time before you leave. A beautiful light fixture above or a small lamp and an area rug or runner will add some ambiance and warmth.

Hopefully this has been helpful.

Spring is on it’s way and it’s a great time to declutter and get your house in order. Take some time and make your entry a fantastic first impression for your home. Imagine how great it will feel to come home at the end of a busy day, open your door and breathe a sigh of relief. You might even crack a smile.

Finally, here are just a few examples of some entries we’ve done:

Everything was pretty much just thrown in. It was a catch-all for many items that really didn’t need to be there and the heavy mirrored sliding doors made it extremely difficult and awkward to access the closet, especially for their young children who were being taught to put their things away. There wasn’t enough room in the closet for everything, so there were a series of hooks, a hallway shelf  and a console table  to catch everything else.

The first thing we did was declutter. 

The entry is your guest’s’ first impression of your home and should set the tone for what they are about to encounter. It should be warm and inviting and shouldn’t feel as though you are walking into a huge closet.

You only need clothing in the entry closet that are used on a regular basis. Seasonal switching of the items is a must. You don’t need to keep every single coat, shoe and hat that you own in there. Just keep things in there that you will be wearing on a daily basis for that season and keep everything else somewhere else.

Once we decluttered we were able to see what exactly needed to go into the closet so we could design the appropriate system.

The first thing we did was to completely empty the closet. We then removed the heavy doors and took out all the existing shelving and rods. The closet was patched and painted so we would have a blank canvas to work with.

The system we decided to use was by Easy Track. It is a wall mounted system and is fully customizable with drawers, rods, baskets, shelves and doors so you can design your closet exactly for your needs.

Their website http://www.easytrack.com has a fantastic design tool that will enable you to design your closet on line then print out a materials list.

We went with one tower containing drawers, shelves and baskets and two clothing rods. The lower shelves and rod was for the children, the uppers for the parents.

Next came 6 panel bi fold doors which not only updated the look, but also made it much easier for the children to open and close, and gave better access to the closet than sliding doors.

To complete the entry, the console was sprayed black and a mirror, a new runner, new updated lighting and some accessories were added.

Now this entry is neat, tidy and organized and is a much more inviting introduction to the home.

Recently I did some work transforming the master bedroom of a home, in a small town east of Toronto.

There were so many things wrong with this bedroom and so many missed opportunities. The wall colour was horrible, an awful pinkish taupe which had been carried onto the doors. There was a beautiful fireplace which provided the perfect place for a sitting area. The bedding was bland and boring. The crown moulding and trim were beautiful, but were painted in an off white that frankly just looked dirty and the windows were covered in gorgeous white shutters.

We wanted a bedroom that would be bold and dramatic, modern and clean with bright white trim and doors and we wanted to take advantage of the area around the fireplace. We chose a colour scheme of medium and dark grays and white and with the help of a colleague, we created a beautiful sitting area facing the fireplace and TV.

This is especially true when it comes to cabinetry. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend thousands of dollars on custom cabinetry when we can buy stock cabinets and then build them in to achieve a custom look.

Recently I had the opportunity to work with a wonderful couple building a “custom” closet for the master bedroom in their 1940′s mid-town Toronto home.

Being an older home, the closet space was limited and storage was a big issue, especially for the husband who had all of his clothing spread out in closets all over the house. Wandering from room to room to get dressed for work every morning was a huge waste of time and energy.

The plan was to take advantage of a large empty space in the master bedroom and by using the Pax system from Ikea, build him a custom closet that would look like it was part of the house and not just a couple of wardrobes set in place.

We began by removing the baseboards so the units could be mounted flush to the walls.

The next step was to build a base from 1″ X 10″ pine ripped down to 7 1/2″ to ensure the far right door would clear the radiator controls.

This was not without it’s challenges. As is often the case with older homes, the floor was not even close to being level and in fact was out by over 3/4″ from one end to the other. After much time and lots of shims, we were able to mount the two wardrobe units onto the base and then add a filler piece between the closet and the ceiling.

Next came the task of re-installing the baseboards around the unit and adding some crown moulding to the top. Then, lots of caulking and fill and a few coats of white paint.

Now we were ready to complete the insides of the two units.

The beauty of the Pax system is how easilly it can be customized to suit your individual needs. In this case, we needed drawers, shelves, shoe storage and hangers for pants, jackets, shirts, ties and belts.

Finally, we installed the doors, mounted the tie and belt racks to the back sides of two of them and instalied some beautiful decorative knobs.

And there you have it. A beautiful custom closet made from stock Ikea Pax wardrobes built to look as though it’s always been there.

The clients are thrilled with the results and the husband is so happy to finally have all of his clothing organized in one place and this now also frees up space elsewhere in the house. A nice bonus.

They had purchased this Liberty Village condo as a place to come home to for visits and when they weren’t in the country, the plan was to have it rented out.

Everything had to be proposed, modified and decided on through email, which was a particular challenge given the time zone difference.

In the end, the condo was painted, furnished and new flooring was installed in the bedrooms as well as sheer vertical blinds throughout.

If you have a closet in a bedroom or a den that isn’t needed for storage, how about transforming it into a reading nook, complete with a comfy bench for lounging and lots of storage for books.

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