Design solutions for small homes
Donna Griffith
Bring in the light
What do you do when you love your home but are about to outgrow it? Kate Halpenny and her husband, Sean Smith, didn’t want to leave their perfect downtown Toronto neighbourhood in a red-hot real-estate market, so they called in the pros to make their existing house work.
Enter architect Heather Dubbeldam, whose firm is known for making small houses feel bigger by bringing light in and maximizing storage solutions. Since the home is attached on one side, and local bylaws did not allow for added windows on the other side, the only solution to make it less dark and poky was to rip out the central stairwell and replace it with one that had open risers and a skylight at the top. That brought light down through the middle of the house. Heather then had partitions built around the stairwell to keep a sense of separate rooms (and for safety) without sacrificing any of the light. The hard-wearing, easy-to-clean acrylic wall was the perfect solution for this young family.
Increasing storage was another priority. By cleverly reimagining and building walls around big-box pieces, the family got maximum storage without the hefty price tag that comes with custom built-ins. With Heather’s careful interior design, every nook and cranny was turned into a hideaway spot so that the clean contemporary look the adults craved is now in perfect harmony with the reality of having a five-year-old and a seven-year-old.
Replace drywall with clear plastic panels
Open-concept living doesn’t mean you have to forgo the cozy feeling of rooms. Installing a see-through partition instead of a wall allows natural light to flood an entire floor while still dividing eating and living zones. Wall-to-wall cherry floors work seamlessly to make the space feel cohesive and offer a warm contrast to the white-oak dining table and darker wood accents in the living room.
Get this look: Sophie Cook vases, Hollacecluny.ca. Table, Daniel
Bowden Custom Cabinets & Carpentry, Danielbowden.ca. Chairs, Kioskdesign.ca. Design and architecture, Heather Dubbeldam, Dubbeldamarchitects.com. Contracting, Florin Dumitras, Ddfcontracting.com. Additional interior design, Jennifer Wishart, 416-271-1064.
Paint the brick, too!
Make differences in textures — like drywall and brick — disappear by treating them with the same colour. White lower cabinets match the pale tones of the creamy walls to make the small kitchen open and airy.
Get this look: Cabinets, Ikea.ca. Slate countertop, Acmeslate.com. Blue vase, Crateandbarrel.ca. Chairs, Planbimports.co.za. Iittala Origo dishes, Williamashley.com. Art, Caballo con Burbujas, by Marcelo Suaznabar, Artinteriors.ca.
Hide toys in your living room
In a small house, there’s no such thing as an off-limits room. The small living room makes the most of its modest size by incorporating toy storage in the bottom section of the built-in sofa. Heather designed the sofa out of a bookcase turned sideways with cushions on top. Throw pillows add a little colour and texture, as does a tonal geometric rug.
Choose two-in-one furniture
In a child’s room, get more storage with a trundle bed. A trunk that doubles as a bedside table is a clever way to hide toys and books. Kate also chose a pale colour scheme that’s consistent with the rest of the house and accessorized it with primary blues, greens and reds for a look that grows with her son.
Get this look: Bed, light, Ikea.ca. Bedding, Potterybarnkids.com. Small pillow, Pilo.ca. Pear and Apple art, Ellaandelliot.com. Rug, Elte.com.
Mix and match colour coordinated baskets with books and toys to create a graphic and functional storage wall. The cubbies are just the right size to hold children’s smaller toys. Make it easier for kids to stay organized and tidy up by grouping similar toys.
Get this look: Bookshelf and basket, Ikea.ca. Panton Junior chair, Ellaandelliot.com. Bedding, Dwell.com.
Build a gallery wall
Steal a trick from museums to build your family’s portrait gallery. Choose a professional rail to hang all your family pictures from — it gives you the flexibility to add to the display as your family grows and changes.
Get this look: Custom millwork, Lakeland Interiors, 705-527-7691. Additional millwork, Caledonwoodworks.com. Stairs, Royaloakstair.ca. Screen frame, Bocreativesteel.com.
Choose frameless mirrors
When dealing with an awkward ceiling line, mirror the entire area above the vanity to make the room seem brighter and larger. For a contemporary look, leave some exposed wall above and below the mirror to emphasize calm, horizontal lines. Stack one towel bar above the other for a simple and graphic way to increase towel storage.
Get the look: All fixtures, Tapsbath.com. Light, Systemalux.com. Bath products, Teatroverde.com. Martha Sturdy tray and bowl, Hollacecluny.ca.
Pick a colour scheme from your art
Keep the basic palette in a room neutral and choose accessories that pick up one colour from a key piece of art. It’s easy to change the accessories if you decide to move the painting to another room in the house.
Get the look: Throws (on bed), Elte.com. Bedside tables, Design Within Reach, Dwr.com. Lamps, Artemide.ca. Dwell pillow, Hollacecluny.ca. Art, Speedscape 214, by Trevor Craig McDonnell, Artinteriors.ca.
Add storage to awkward corners
Never let any space go to waste. Here, the sloped ceiling line is used to create a hideaway for laundry bins.
Get the look: Laundry basket,
Stack home accessories, 416-693-
6868. Custom blinds, Solarfective.com.
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