I love home décor. I’ve owned six homes, and with each one, I’ve always wanted to make it mine. Fortunately… or unfortunately… I’ve never been someone who’s okay with the status quo. I enjoy expressing myself through décor.

We moved into our current home last November—a 3,200 sq. ft. century home with four fully finished levels, including a walk-up attic and finished basement. The previous owners had updated the space, so everything was technically “new.” But what suits one owner’s taste doesn’t always suit another’s.

I liked the house, but I didn’t love the house. In all fairness, unless I custom-built it, I’d always want to put my own touch on it. Still, it had good bones, as they say. Most importantly, it had updated plumbing, electrical, windows, and a roof. And coming from Toronto, I really loved the price. So once again, I set out to make our home… ours.

“Some people look for a beautiful place. Others make a place beautiful.”
— Hazrat Khan

I love homes that feel inviting and cozy—homes that say, “Friend, come on in for tea,” or “Let’s catch up over a glass of wine.” Each home I’ve owned has had a different look and feel depending on its history and style. I’ve lived in both brand-new builds and older century homes, and I’ve always gravitated toward the latter. They have so much character—wide baseboards, stained glass windows, solid wood doors, crown moulding, and railings.

Now that we’ve completed a large portion of the renovations, I thought I’d share our progress to date.

Kitchen

The kitchen had been newly installed by the previous owners. The cabinets were Santa Fe–style with a cherry finish, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and vinyl flooring with a tiled pattern. While it all matched nicely, it just wasn’t me.

There’s an addition at the back of the kitchen that houses a separate laundry area, a bar, a small seating nook, and our TV mounted on the back wall. The kitchen was nice, but I’ve never loved cherry wood—it has a red tinge that I’m not fond of. I also prefer shaker-style cabinets over Santa Fe; I like clean lines rather than ornate details. Between the decorative columns under the eat-in area, the dental moulding above the cabinets, the dark flooring, and the wall colour, the space felt heavy and dark.

I debated staining the cabinets a deep chocolate brown to modernize them or painting them white. If you know me, you know how that ended. I love white—white on white on white. Decision made: white cabinets.

The cabinets were brand new, and replacing or refacing them would’ve been a complete waste of money. Painting cabinets is no small task—it requires patience and prep, and this kitchen is massive. We couldn’t afford to replace them if I messed it up. So I researched. A lot.

Enter Plaster Paint. No sanding. No priming. No stripping on most surfaces. Two coats of paint and two coats of Liquid Gold matte wax later, the kitchen was transformed. Now—real talk—you are painting cabinets, not ordering factory-finished ones. Manage expectations. But I give this product two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Plaster Paint is often used to create a shabby or distressed look, but it works beautifully for a soft, modern finish as well. If you’re curious, you can check it out here:
👉 http://plasterpaintcanada.ca

There was no backsplash when we moved in—just mustard-yellow paint. I love backsplash; it defines the space and adds character. I chose long, wide white subway tiles. Important lesson learned: Home Depot suggested two-sided adhesive tape since we planned to DIY. Don’t do it. The tiles slid right off. We had to remove everything and reinstall properly with mastic. (Insert angry emoji here.)

We updated the lighting with off-white RANARP pendant lights from IKEA, and repainted the kitchen in a brighter off-white custom Benjamin Moore shade.

You’ll notice the cabinets are now two-toned. I love the two-tone look but wanted something subtle rather than high-contrast. The island and liquor cabinet were painted a soft grey.
Plaster Paint colours used: Ivory Lace and Mist.

I also swapped out the hardware for a more sleek, contemporary style (a few more still to add).

The floors were installed by my brother, with help from my fiancé and soon-to-be father-in-law—major shoutouts and love to all of you. We chose an earthy-toned laminate and carried it throughout the house for cleaner lines and better flow.

I originally wanted a dark, rich, hand-scraped walnut like the floors in my Toronto home—but realism kicked in. I wouldn’t see the return on investment in rural Manitoba. We found a fantastic 12 mm laminate at McMunn & Yates that gave us the look without the price tag.

Dining Room and Living Room

The vinyl tile continued into the dining area and then abruptly switched to dark chocolate-brown plush carpet in the living room. Totally not my thing. I can tolerate carpet in bedrooms or basements—but not in open-concept spaces. It breaks the flow and makes the room feel smaller.

We removed the carpet, extended the flooring throughout, and said goodbye to the mustard-yellow walls. I added accent walls—something I rarely do—, but I saw this colour combination in one of my favourite local shops and decided to take a chance. After all, it’s just paint.

The chandelier was replaced with a rectangular linear fixture featuring Edison bulbs.

Décor includes a print of back home (I ❤️ Toronto), a free-floating electric fireplace from Costco with a homemade mantle (not pictured), and a dining set we brought from Toronto (Structube). The sideboard came from one of my favourite local shops, Style Mercantile (see my previous blog “Let’s All Get Cozy With Our Local Shop Owners”). The couch is also from Toronto, originally purchased at Bowring & Co—though I may be on the hunt for something lighter. Still to come: a cowhide rug.

What’s Next, You Ask?

We’re far from done.

• The upper bathroom just needs white marble penny tile installed.
• The laundry room floor is complete; next up is stacking the washer and dryer and adding built-in cabinetry.
• The main-floor bathroom will get a new vanity and sink—sleek and simple. Wall colour TBD.
• Basement plans are underway: wall colour selected, fibre flooring (perfect for older basements), and exploring barn doors and built-in bookshelves.

So yes… the renovations continue.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Namaste
T xo

 

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