Vancouver Province – Westcoast Homes+Design
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Moving to a smaller space means being creative with older pieces you’ve come to love
For many, a fresh start can be as intimidating as it is exciting. Those who find themselves downsizing from a larger older home to a new smaller suite may find the shift requires a change in mindset and expectations. At the same time, a new environment can inspire creativity and an escape from the accustomed comfort zone.
Home Ingredients Staging principal Andrea Foxman, who created the display suite at North Vancouver’s Loden Green town houses, has crafted a space that appeals to those homeowners who are readyto get a little creative, even as they’re a little nervous about shedding the trappings and the clutter of the longloved home.
“Generally, people have a hard time letting go of the old. So it does become challenging. We recommend that people embrace their new lifestyle and think of it as a new chapter,” says Foxman. Theresa Yoon of ID Lab, completed the finishes of the Loden Green homes.
Foxman advises that new homeowners could follow the example of her work in the living room and powder room at Loden Green: neutral- coloured furniture with gold accents that stand out in lighting fixtures, a bold mirror frame in the dining room, and living room pillows.
“In a smaller home, it’s best to tone down the colour. Start with a neutral palette and then build and layer on top of that. Just when you think you’re finished, take something away.”
It also pays to be strategic when tackling a project in a new home, she says. Think of what may make the biggest difference with the least amount of work? At Loden Green’s display home, the piece de resistance has to be the wainscotting work in the stairway leading to the bedrooms and inside the master bedroom. It’s a rich-looking element of architectural interest that looks as if it would be painstaking to complete, but it wasn’t difficult at all, Foxman says.
“It really is minimal work for the size of the impact. The biggest, most cost-effective impact that anyone can apply to their space is definitely (shown in) that stairwell and master bedroom panelling.”
As nerve-racking as it may be for new homeowners to shed old belongings when moving into a smaller home, Foxman advises downsizers to take a breath and be assured that there’s nothing wrong with attaching emotion to a few belongings, as long as they can get creative and adapt these beloved pieces to their new spaces.
“Keep accessories and furniture pieces that are sentimental and part with the rest,” she says.
“If you have a sofa with great bones that you just can’t part with, why not refurbish it? Make it fun and modern to suit your space.”