residential Residential Design Residential Interiors

A blend of modern and rustic chic decorates this Niagara-on-the-Lake home

• Tracy Clipsham May 13, 2023
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Charlie’s house was in need of a complete update, from redesigning  the exterior facade, to creating a more functional interior layout. With the help of all the trades we included a second floor addition and opened up the interior space  to allow more natural light.

Aesthetically, it was important that we balance urban and rustic elements without losing the charming Niagara-On-The-Lake 'feel', and incorporate some of the client's existing furniture and art pieces into the design to create a warm and inviting haven for the owners.

Interior Designer: Tracy Clipsham, ARIDO
Design Firm: Liv 4 Design Inc.
Photographer: Kelly Horkoff

By adding a covered front porch, squaring off the existing bay window and removing the half circle transom window from the second floor, we increased the visual curb appeal of this home. The new exterior finishes compliment the charm of Niagara-On-The-Lake that the homeowners were very fond of. Besides adding to the curb appeal of the home, the newly added covered porch protects the homeowners from the elements when entering and leaving the home.

Indoors, our design solution created a blend of modern and rustic style the clients gravitate towards. The new layout on both the main and second floor have visually opened up the space and have increased the functionality of the square footage. 

By taking out dividing walls between the living and dining area, and replacing the wall between the office and entrance foyer with a modern glass partition and door, we managed to really open up the space. This design solution allowed the light to stream into the previously dark and confining entrance and entire main floor to create a bright and airy space.

The original compartmentalized floor plan did not compliment or emphasize the existing half-cathedral ceiling. Once we opened up the living space by removing walls, the vaulted ceiling became a celebrated feature of the home.

Moving the laundry up to the second floor allowed us to design the client's spacious dream kitchen with a large island topped with a durable engineered quartz,  ample seating, and of course, tons of storage. Specifying the hickory engineered hardwood flooring throughout, not only added the rustic elements the client was looking for but it also created fabulous acoustics for our client when playing the banjo!

The second floor addition above the garage was designed to blend seamlessly into the rest of the home and the new finishes updated the look of the home while maintaining the chic and tasteful Niagara-On-The-Lake Character. 

On the second floor, the main bedroom and small ensuite were at the front of the house while a family room with a balcony overlooking the yard was at the rear of the home. There was also a guest bedroom and bathroom in this area. 

The main bedroom, with accompanying ensuite, was moved to the back of the house, which now provides private access to an existing balcony overlooking the home’s backyard. The new addition above the garage became the guest room with an improved ensuite. 

The area that was once a main bedroom turned into the perfect spot for a media room that looks down onto the main level living space through a glass railing. This feature allows for another opportunity for natural light to flow throughout the home. 

We wished to add to the vintage feel by decorating the space with  several antique pieces throughout the interior. An antique bar cart given as a gift from a family member has the perfect spot below an art piece from the clients’ collection. The  art collection was strategically hung in a gallery format in the living room and throughout the home. 

The homeowners just fell in love with their renovated home. This quote from our clients best describes the success of this project. “Tracy has the ability to look at a raw space (in our case a very dated, somewhat compartmentalized home we purchased in 2017 with a challenging half-cathedral layout) and imagine the possibilities. The result is a fully transformed space that we LOVE. It’s unique, interesting, beautiful and functional – a seamless blend of the modern and rustic styles we gravitate toward. The real tell is in the details; the design is about fluidity – accents and themes that carry from downstairs to upstairs, room to room, interior to exterior”.