PETITE (BUT OH SO POSH) BATHROOM

Posted by rmitchell on August 28, 2026

These clients completely gutted their Victorian bathroom during an extensive third floor renovation and called me in to pull it all together. Keeping only the original claw-footed bathtub (whose exterior was repainted the same pale greyish blue as the walls and whose feet were treated to black gloss to tie in with the new black Damask tiles), I wanted to create a balance between old and new, feminine and masculine. The crowning glory is definitely the unexpected chandelier. It may be the smallest bathroom I have ever done, but it’s also the loveliest.

By the way, the fantastic contractor on this project was Mr. Gary Sharkey (514.830.5504).

SUBURBAN KITCHEN GOES URBAN CHIC

Posted by rmitchell on August 26, 2026

This kitchen had laminate cupboards with plastic blue handles, bathroom tiles as a backsplash and powder blue laminate counter tops. Something had to be done - but on a minimal budget. The cupboard doors were removed, sanded and painted with oil, giving them a wood look and paired with sleek stainless steel hardware from Ikea. The upper cupboards above the stove and dated microwave shelf were removed and replaced with open shelving and a stainless steel panel - and a small vertical space next to the fridge became a wine rack. And new dark mahogany-like laminate countertops and stylish black subway tiles transformed the space into a dramatic and urban kitchen.

FAMILY ROOM FIX

Posted by rmitchell on August 10, 2026

Once I convinced these clients to repaint all the dark wood panelling (if it’s ugly, paint it) in their family room a soft green and the windows and floors were replaced, they weren’t sure how to pull this much used television and music room together. Working with their new leather furniture, I just added an area rug, throw cushions, side tables and lamps and took some old colour photographs, transferred them to black and white and framed them over the sofa. The guitars that used to lie all over the floor were relocated to one wall creating a functional and attractive focal point. Finally, a sentimental (but dated) watercolour print from Paris was treated to a contemporary mat and frame and hung where it could be seen and enjoyed.

BOWLING ALLEY ROOM STRIKES OUT

Posted by admin on August 9, 2026

These clients rarely used this double room and I’m not surprised – it was about as inviting as a funeral parlour (and I say that with affection as I LOVE these clients but these rooms did not reflect their warmth and personalities).

It was a long double room (more like a bowling alley) with no defined spaces and it was so boring that I convinced them to paint it red. They were skeptical at first but love the result. New, comfortable furniture, draperies, and area rugs defined the two separate spaces and a rearrangement of their artwork created a warm, inviting and dramatic interior.

GIRL’S BEDROOM (1)

Posted by admin on August 6, 2026

This nine-year-old girl wanted a room with ”cool colours and circles” and somewhere to sit for her and her friends. By relocating the drums to the basement, removing the dated wallpaper and bedding and updating everything else, she got what she wanted and more. As you can imagine, she was thrilled with the results below.

GIRL’S BEDROOM (2)

Posted by admin on August 5, 2026

This eleven-year-old girl wanted a modern, sophisticated bedroom that included a “dressing table!” My client had already purchased the bedding and painted the walls, so I had to work around the black and white scheme. This small but funky and functional bedroom will see this girl through her teenage years.

MASTER BEDROOM

Posted by admin on August 3, 2026

These clients wanted a boutique hotel style bedroom with an Asian influence that was not too feminine. They also wanted to reframe and display four prints that had special sentimental value. With some help, I built them a custom headboard inspired by this wonderful cotton shower curtain I found – saving them hundreds of dollars in fabric. Then I added some crisp black and white bedding (ironically I bought the same set as the one that I would find in the girl’s bedroom), had their artwork reframed, found them a new dresser for a song in the clearance room of a major furniture store, added some accessories, and they absolutely love their new master bedroom.

So do I !

BUY ME (PLEASE)!

Posted by rmitchell on August 2, 2026

This client lived across the street from a client whose entire house I had redecorated during an extensive renovation. When she saw the results, she called me to help her as she wanted to sell her house and hadn’t received very positive feedback from realtors.

Hmmm. Wonder why? Could it have had something to do with the fact that EVERYTHING WAS PINK?

New paint colour on the walls and fireplace to make it the focal point it should be, pulling up the carpets, rearranging all over her furniture (buying nothing new), inexpensive draperies and a trip to the dollar store (!) for accents and her house was ready to show (and sell).

LESS IS MORE

Posted by rmitchell on August 1, 2026

Okay, this is actually my living room but it’s a great example of “less is more” so I decided to add it to my portfolio. I let the beautiful fireplace speak for itself and kept the rest of the room neutral with black and silver accents. It’s a great space to sit and relax.