A Perfect Home Renovation
by Nisha MacNeil, Design Manager, Kerr Design Studio
Perfection is in the eye of the beholder, especially the client. When you give them exactly what they want, that is perfection to us. Especially when they keep asking you to come back and do more for them.
In early 2020, we started a project for a couple on W 39 St. The lady of the house had decided that it was time to get the house the way she always wanted as their children were gone. It was now her time. This renovation was for her.
Time to make it right for them
So she was the only person with whom we consulted. All the planning meetings were with her and her alone. She made all the decisions as to the design, materials and renovation. We rarely saw the husband except to say hi in passing.
The first thing she wanted to start with was the kitchen.
Learn from the client to make it perfect
After research and observation to create the perfect look for her, we realized that her favourite colour was taupe and that everything in that whole kitchen needed to be based around her fashion sense of taupe. So we did, I think, three different shades on the cabinets alone.
The kitchen layout changed only a little bit. We placed her kitchen table set in a way so it was surrounded by a new entertainment buffet that displayed all of the beautiful crystal that she had acquired over the years.
We then replaced the cabinets, gave her a new beautiful backsplash that she wanted and nice quartz countertops. We did a tile floor that was seamless with her hardwood that existed throughout the house.
Our second project was to do some sprucing up of the exterior. This included painting and changing the layout of the front walkway.
After that, she asked us to reimagine her front foyer, the living and dining rooms to bring them up to the level of elegance she desired.
Requested more perfect rooms
So off we went. Every little detail was thought out and planned.
We installed full-wall wood panelling in her living room. Not inexpensive stuff either, real panelling floor to ceiling. The dining room and her front entryway were panelled as well, including a gorgeous new front door and side lights.
We did all new custom drapes with custom pillows too. We incorporated the taupe colour that she loved so much with a soft, Tiffany blue-like colour accent.
The feel of the whole room changed entirely by updating the lighting and installing a new fireplace with a new mantel. It was really fun.
She had two bedrooms upstairs she wanted transformed. Everything for those rooms was custom. Custom bed, custom bedding, custom pillows, everything. We did grasscloth wallpaper, panelling and new lighting. She got the works.
Then she wanted to update the doors throughout the house. So we did all new doors and trim work with crown moulding baseboard, including all new pretty glass doorknobs.
Still perfecting the house
Now we’re onto landscaping today. This will be completed sometime this year.
The usual renovation project is six months long. Three months of design and planning and three months of construction.
We’re going on over two years now, perfecting her home. It has been a fun, crazy journey.
It is our striving for perfection for this client that keeps us getting asked back for more.
If you are thinking about a perfect home renovation, we would love to talk to you. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to go over your project and give you a workable plan whether you use us or not.