Yvonne Potter Interior Design Blog: Really Cool Spaces

Showing posts with label Really Cool Spaces. Show all posts

Thursday, April 13, 2017

The Cost of a Brand New Living Room

Want to start over and replace everything in your living room ? Most of us dream of doing that, especially if we've been living with the same old furniture and tchotchkes for 20 years+.
So what would it cost for a brand new living room ? What is your budget?

In this series, I delve into the costs of redesigning, redecorating and renovating typical rooms found in design magazines.

I've realized over time that when we see images of beautiful spaces in magazines, we have no idea of the money and time that has gone into that space.

Here is an example living room photo from Elle Decor interior design magazine and the estimated 2017 cost of all the items [mid-range price points] in Canadian dollars :

A : hardwood flooring refinishing $500 - 750

B : sectional sofa $3,000 - 6,000

C : rug $1,000 - $5,000

D : credenza $800 - 3,500

E : television + bracket $1,000 - 2,000

F : coffee table $800 - 2,500

G : floor lamp $750 - 1,800

H : nesting tables $750 - 1,500

I : blinds [x 3 ] $1,500 -2,900

J : fine art [36"x48"] $1,000 - 6,000

K : pillows [x 3 ] $150 - 375

L : throw $80 - 500

M : painted focal wall [including labor] $200 - 400

N : decor [x 3 ] $75 - 1,200

Total : $11,605 - 34,425 + 15% turnkey design service

All of the items sure add up! Even at mid-range price points there is a large price range. Most people are comfortable somewhere in this range for the "fit and finish" such as that shown here. Think about what is important to you and what would bring you the most joy, then prioritize accordingly.

Up next, the cost of a brand new bathroom.

Blogatchalater!

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Y Design Loop : Fifth Avenue Kitchen Retrofit

Kitchen Upgrades Need Not Cost an Arm and a Leg

Everyone knows that the kitchen is one of the most expensive renovations ... here is a great example of what can be done on a modest budget. My client had already updated her counter tops to quartz and flooring to clear maple hardwood a year before. These 2 items can easily account for $6,000 - $8,000 of a renovation budget depending on amount of material and number of cuts required. Here is the before photo :

Before

We gave her kitchen a fresh, clean look with open-back upper cabinets that show off the white fully-tiled wall and new hood vent. The cabinets are Baltic Birch plywood [ which has an interesting striped edge ], with a gloss white laminate lining the inner surfaces. :

After

Only the lower cabinet and pantry doors were changed, leaving the cabinet boxes as is. Another huge cost savings ! The ceiling light fixture was moved to the middle of the room, and pendants were added above the sink. The sink faucet was also replaced.

In total, these upgrades are in the $15,000 range for everything including new cabinet and pantry doors [not in photo], knobs, electrical, general contracting and design services. If you want to update your kitchen, doing it in 2 phases like this is definitely a feasible option!

Design Tip :

If you are wanting to do any sort of renovation, it is wise to start your project at least 3-6 months ahead of time in order to secure an A-list contractor, and to ensure all new products and materials are available for installation. The very best contractors are booked anywhere from 3 - 12 months in advance!

Inspiration :

Sunbrella fabrics ! This company manufactures outdoor fabrics for use on furniture, draperies, awnings, pillows, etc. It is made from 100% acrylic so it resists stains, fading and the elements. And of course, the color and pattern range is amazing :

photo : Sunbrella

http://www.sunbrella.com/en_us/
https://www.instagram.com/sunbrella/

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Y

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Y Design Loop : Powell Avenue Loft Renovation

Closets Doubled and Serenity Returned to Powell Avenue Loft

After enjoying their 2-bed, 2-bath, converted-school-condo for 10 years, the clients decided to tackle all the things that bugged them at once. Their overall wish was to make better use of their central Ottawa 1,000 sq. ft. condominium for their den, bedroom and closets.

Finding space for a lifetime of artwork, books, camera equipment and designer wardrobes is always a challenge....and what a great opportunity for improvement ! The space is open and inviting with a large wall of windows facing south. Most of the interior partitions go up 8' to the 10' high ceilings, giving the semi-industrial space a lot of interesting interior architecture to work with.

View from new bedroom looking into living room

The end result doubled the closet space by adding a Dressing Area in the "North Wing" and a new closet in the "Entry", which was a passage-way into the "South Wing" bathroom. See floor plans and photos [numbered] below showing the wish list and solutions to each area :

SOUTH WING

Wish List : Organize clutter, provide adequate storage, and brighten space including new bathroom.

1 BEDROOM

Solutions :
- switch office and bedroom
- change drywall wall to glass wall with wood Venetian blinds to better control light

- build walls up to the ceiling to create more sound privacy

AFTER - BEDROOM

BEFORE - OFFICE

2 BEDROOM

Solutions :
- install wall sconces to maximize space for other furniture
- add ceiling fixture for ambient lighting

BEFORE AFTER

3 BEDROOM

- enclose space above closet to hide storage
- change closet doors from triple doors to double doors for better access

BEFORE AFTER

4 SOUTH BATH Inspiration : designer Andree Putman
Solutions :
- use light colors and classic materials such as marble mosaic flooring to provide calming environment, off of new bedroom

5 SOUTH BATH
Solutions :
- rotate tub and close off 1 doorway, in order to create coat closet in Entry

BEFORE AFTER

ENTRY

Wish List : Provide better access to laundry room, create more closets for coats and shoes, upgrade and add lighting.

6 ENTRY

Solutions :
- add new coat closet on right by rotating the tub 90 degrees and building a wall

- re-purpose old bedroom closet into entry coat closet by expanding doorway in entry wall; enlarged coat closet and laundry room are on left

BEFORE AFTER

7 ENTRY

Solutions :

- change 2 sets of swing doors to triple-panel sliding doors 13' wide
- add pot lights

NORTH WING

Wish List : Create illusion of a larger, contemporary bathroom with a higher ceiling, add dressing area, create den comprised of tv viewing and office area.

8 NORTH BATH Inspiration : designer Paul Smith

Solutions :
- install long narrow tiles vertically, to create illusion of height

- create seamless bathroom floor to visually enlarge the space

9 NORTH BATH

Solutions :
- replace acoustic ceiling tiles with punched MDF panels and paint to match walls
- create interesting, intriguing ceiling while still providing access to mechanical systems

10 NORTH BATH

Solutions :
- change swing door to a pocket door so it doesn't block linen shelving
- design floating vanity

BEFORE AFTER

11 NORTH BATH

Solutions :
- remove linen closet door to make storage more accessible and provide opportunity to display beautiful items

BEFORE AFTER

12 DRESSING AREA

Solutions :
- add 35 sq ft. of closet space for clothing and camera equipment; walk-in closet on left, shoe closet and shelving on right [not shown in photo]

13 DEN
Solutions :

- add floating shelves for tv, books and display
- material : white-washed quarter-sawn oak


BEFORE AFTER [Dressing area in mid-ground]

14 DEN

Solutions :
- close off unnecessary interior window to provide wall for art
- add more floating shelves for artwork

BEFORE AFTER

15 DEN
Solutions :

- create 8' wide custom desk with slot for large format photographs
- material : white-washed quarter-sawn oak

16 DEN
Solutions :
- source new modern sofa and pair with concrete sculpture/ coffee table
- sits across from floating shelves and tv, making a cozy entertainment area

After months of planning and design, almost every area was redesigned, [except for the kitchen and dining], including new walls, doors, lighting and electrical, built-in cabinets & shelving and furniture. Open spaces that flow into each other are maintained, keeping the condominium peaceful and serene.

Thank you to Handwerk, Cadieux Interiors, Astro, Marchand Electric, Randalls, Komandor Doors, Ceragres, and JRB Construction for their part in making this project a reality! The fabulous photography is by David Taylor Photo Studio.

See more photos at yvonnepotter.com

Blogatchalater!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Y Design Loop : A Custom Dining Table Project

The need for a custom dining table arose while designing a contemporary kitchen for a penthouse condominium at 131 Holland Avenue, Ottawa, Canada. My clients wanted a banquette to be part of the design, to be used as a casual eating area, adjacent to the more formal dining room. This drove the need for something custom, as finding a table with the exact shape, size, materials and style was impossible.

View into kitchen and banquette eating area [on right] from dining room :

It was obvious that the table had to be a pedestal table, so that you could slide around the banquette without bumping your knees. The top needed to float on a stable, yet elegant base. How to design a table that looks elegant yet strong? Unique yet match the banquette? Delicate yet stable? Complimentary not conflicting? Where to start?

I was inspired by several tables including the ultimate modern pedestal table from Knoll, the Platner table :

But it needed to be rectangular like this one from Tonelli :

There aren't many rectangular pedestal tables to study and learn from.....finally I found this one from Nilo :

My inspirational search continued with the stacked rock sculptures along the Ottawa River :

I started to draft the table, and to study the ergonomics, i.e. maximum glass size, glass to banquette overhang, glass to top plate overhang, minimum column size, etc. Dimensions were key and were massaged many times over several weeks, in order to get the visual and physical balance perfect.

Concurrently, I started to make small to-scale maquettes using dimensions of the existing banquette. I used simple card stock for the base and clear acrylic to model the glass :

I knew I needed to use steel for strength, and sought the expertise of Ottawa sculptor Cairn Cunnane. We decided along with the clients that cold rolled steel with hand-rubbed was finish was best to achieve the blackened look I was going for :

Next I had to figure out a way to fasten the glass to the base and with the assistance of The Glass Shop, had a test piece made :

As it turned out, the glass not only didn't need any fastening [thank you gravity], the natural turquoise/green edge matched the leather and fabric of the banquette beautifully.

The steel plates were fastened together with knock-down stainless steel hardware and using 1/4" thick spacers to provide hairline shadows between the parts. Here is the top plate where it meets the center column :

Voila! The final installation photographed by Marc Fowler of Metropolis Studio, as seen in Ottawa Magazine :

Ciao !

Friday, August 5, 2011

Top 10 Movie Interiors

More Fabulous Sources of Design Inspiration

Down with Love, 1993

- a really fluffy girl movie with wonderfully re-created 1960's interiors throughout the film; we love the black, yellow, pink and white color palettes!