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National Post

Design trends: A party-ready pad

Before designer Valerie Meghory got her hands on it, this two-storey semi in Seaton Village was perfect for a game of hide-and-seek. Article content The front door opened to an enclosed porch followed by a narrow hallway that led to a maze of rooms. Upstairs, a rental apartment's nooks and crannies held more adventure. Article content But the piecemeal layout was the pits for single-family living. The social couple, who have three young kids, couldn't entertain without banging elbows. Plus the 1,800-square-foot century house, nipped and tucked over the years, was dated. Article content Article content So they enlisted the principal designer of Valerie Meghory Interiors for a substantial revamp undertaken over 15 months. This included adding a third-floor sanctuary for the parents, with a swanky spa bathroom, office, walk-in closet and bedroom; the addition increased the house to 2,600 square feet overall. The architect on the project was Justin Sherry of Justin Sherry Design Studio with general contracting by Robert Cuch. Article content In a lucky turn, the designer and the homeowners shared the same taste. 'They like simplicity and minimalism, so our aesthetics aligned,' says Meghory, who filled the home with soothing, easy-to-live-with tones and modern finishes, like oak veneer cabinetry, quartzite countertops and engineered white oak herringbone floors. Article content Article content Meghory's rule of thumb is to prioritize neutrals for tiles, cabinetry and other permanent design elements. 'Then we add colour in other ways that are easier to switch out to get a fresh look when you get bored of it.' Article content Article content But before any decorating, she tackled the main floor. She rejigged it to highlight the most important room in the house: the kitchen, which was built by Hays Woodworking. Article content 'We positioned the kitchen in the middle of the house, so it could be the centre of everything,' she says. 'They host a lot of people for holidays and parties.' Article content Article content For improved flow, Meghory shifted the staircase (formerly in the entranceway) to the back of the house, tucking it along the wall by the loungey new living room. Article content 'We did a long bench [for seating in the living room] to accommodate a lot of people,' says Meghory. The built-in is topped in a grey boucle cushion — perfect for perching with a cocktail — and has storage to keep the area shipshape. Display cubbies, a decorative slatted wall, fun pylon-shaped stair railings and an exposed red brick chimney trailing up to the second floor are embellishments that elevate the home. Article content