Designer Spaces Home & Decor

From Condo to Country

SURROUNDED BY ROLLING FIELDS AND TALL TREES, THIS 3,500 SQUARE FOOT BUNGALOW IS THE PERFECT ESCAPE FROM CITY LIFE. THE HOMEOWNER WORKS IN TECH AND PURCHASED THE HOME IN 2020.

To help bring the space to his tastes, he brought on Adriana Pietropaolo, a Licensed Interior Designer and the founder of Adriana Pietropaolo Design.

“I was looking for a property to build a home on but realized that it was going to be hard to do a full build and contain the costs. I found this new build and wanted to make it my own,” he says. “I wanted the space to feel usable, clean, and crisp. I wanted that clash of modern and country. I didn’t want any furniture for the purpose of filling the space. Everything had to serve a
function.”

With three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, two mudrooms, a three-car garage, and an extended covered terrace, the home had good bones, but the original finishes weren’t in line with the homeowner’s style.

“The homeowner was overwhelmed after acquiring the home that he now had to design and furnish amidst a pandemic,” says Pietropaolo. “It was a stark contrast to his former 500-square-foot condo. He needed help renovating and furnishing the house from top to bottom.

Although the homeowner wanted to change the space in a major way, he asked Pietropaolo to work with the existing layout, flooring, and millwork. Ultimately, he wanted to create a space that reflected his personal style, affinity for the outdoors, and love for entertaining.

Post the redesign, the home features an open-concept great room. The décor is mid-century modern, utilizing natural materials and textures. The color palette is muted but energized by rust and cognac upholstery — an ode to the homeowner’s favorite color, bright orange.

“You immediately get a sense of warmth upon walking through the door,” says Pietropaolo. “It is a perfect gathering nest with multiple seating options and an inviting layout.”

But the real star of the show is the primary bedroom. The room has a boucle headboard, limewash finish on the headboard wall, leather channeled sofa, layered ambient lighting, and its own walkout — but no TV.

“The homeowner is a busy entrepreneur and making this bedroom calm and disconnected from work was the priority,” says Pietropaolo.

The guest bedrooms are bright and airy, but ultimately simple, as not to detract from the scenery outdoors.

Due to the pandemic, the design journey took a full year to complete. Pietropaolo struggled with finding trusted contractors and unprecedented long lead times, amongst more. She often had to seek out work-arounds. For instance, there were complications when it came to the existing millwork stone veneer.

“A lot of what we thought we could work with had been poorly installed. We salvaged what we could and elevated the look of the feature fireplace and adjacent bar stonework to make it more modern and less literal country,” she says. “Another triumph was having so many items purchased, sight unseen, work so
harmoniously together in the end.”

The homeowner adds that he splurged on lighting fixtures, home automation, core furniture pieces in each room, and a heated towel rack. He was able to save by doing the tech and lighting control installations himself.

“I absolutely love my place,” he says. “Adriana is so good at knowing what works and making it personal. I love that every room and area has its own feel but all flows together as one.” When it comes to renovating personal spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms, Pietropaolo says it’s important to consider how you want these spaces to make you feel.

“Select colors, textures and pieces that bring you joy. This looks different for everyone. Pay attention to what makes you feel relaxed and happy and design with that in mind.” She adds that making the bedroom a tech-free zone is something worth considering.

“Disconnecting after being so virtually connected for years is more critical than ever. Your bedroom is your resting and waking space, where you start your day and set your mindset and where you end it with reflection.”

Space Designed by Adriana Pietropaolo
www.adrianadesign.ca
Photography by Alan Chakota
www.alanchakota.com

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