Designer Touch: A Perfect Pair

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A blue & green palette creates a striking home for a colour-friendly couple

Photography By Michelle Peek

Colour inspiration can come from anywhere, but quite often what inspires us the most is right in our own backyard. Quite literally, part of the inspiration for this living room and dining room was the lush backyard of this mature south Burlington residence.

The young family that resides in this home didn’t have a clear design direction. The room had a few odds and ends from a previous home, but they were lacklustre and didn’t accommodate enough people. They knew they wanted to incorporate blue and that their blank slate had to ultimately become a hardworking living and dining room for their large extended family—and they made it clear that they weren’t afraid of colour.

KEEPING IT REAL

Sometimes bringing the outside in can be a bit too literal, but in this case there are subtle nods to nature without it feeling like an actual extension of the outdoor space. Blue was a starting point, but shades of green from mint to emerald play nicely with navy and sky blue to create a dynamic, playful and warm living and dining room.

The colours might be inspired by the outdoors, but the materials in the spaces add to the natural feel as well. The homeowner found a live-edge wood dining table and that was a great place to start. The warmth of the wood is inviting and doesn’t take itself too seriously—it is durable but also makes a design statement. Because the table is wood, the chairs are fully upholstered to add softness and the rich navy blue velvet is sophisticated with the more industrial table.

BACKGROUND TOUCHES

The dining room windows are dressed with linen sheers that give textural interest and diffuse light without blocking the beautiful backyard from the sightline. Black metal cabinets flank the window and juxtapose the softer fabric elements. They also tie back to the industrial style of the table and its metal legs.

COLOUR STORY COMES TOGETHER

The influence from outside is more obvious in the living space as many green shades were used in the ottoman upholstery, toss cushions, accessories and even some live plants and greenery. The fabrics are where the colour scheme really ties together with the blues, greens and greys all mingling together on toss cushions.

LESS IS MORE

The living room window expands the full width of the room and it was dressed using the same linen sheer as the dining room and then layered with white linen drapery. The drapery creates necessary height and softness, but in this case the lack of colour was equally as strategic as the use of colour in the space. Your eye is ultimately drawn to the focal point of the fireplace —where the colour lives and where the sofas lead you—while the drapery is clean and simple and doesn’t compete. The white linen is quiet and won’t distract from the sightline out the window.

FORMAL & FUN

There are more formal elements in the space, such as the velvet skirted cube ottomans and the long drapery, but through the smart use of textures, patterns and colour, the space remains accessible. There are two young children living in this home and with a large extended family, it was important that the space didn’t feel overly stuffy. Ample seating was required and it had to be comfortable, flexible and durable.

The two sofas are fairly casual, but the symmetrical layout of the room adds a touch of formality and creates balance. The brass elements in the cocktail table and bar cart are warm and contrast with the more plush surfaces in the space.

Black is a recurring grounding element in the spaces as well, with the black cabinets, black metal dining table base, hardware and base on the sideboard, the fireplace surround, accessories and the floor lamp. The black that runs through the space is not bold but adds a nice contrast and life to the rooms.

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL PIECES

Flexibility is key with potential for crowds in the home and the two ottomans are light and easily moveable to be used as additional seating. The bar cart also doubles as a side table, but is on wheels and can be used for serving at a party. The console behind the sofa allows the table lamps to be functional in the living room, but the unit itself is also full of great storage for special items, dishes or linens. The top surface can be used as a servery as well.

The space is long and narrow and required definition and better use of space. Floating the sofas and backing one with a larger furniture piece helped to define the living space from the dining space, but is easily adaptable depending on how the homeowners entertain.

The key with these spaces, as in nature, was to work with a fresh colour palette, add in textural elements for warmth and interest, keep pieces flexible and adaptable and of course, create a space where a young family can be playful and entertain.

SOURCES AREA RUG, SOFAS, TABLE LAMPS: Elte Mkt DINING TABLE, CHAIRS: Elte BLACK METAL CABINETS: Crate & Barrel SIDEBOARD, COCKTAIL TABLE, FLOOR LAMP: West Elm OTTOMANS: Custom Designed by Katie Campbell Interiors & Design DRAPERY & TOSS CUSHIONS: Custom Designed by Katie Campbell Interiors & Design; Manufactured by Q. Design ACCESSORIES: Cocoon Furnishings, HomeSense

Katie Campbell Interiors & Design is a full-service residential design firm located in Oakville, Ontario, serving the Greater Toronto Area. “We make it beautiful. We make it function. We make it you! Live Life Beautifully.” katiecampbellinteriors.com