LABOUR OF LOVE

Designer Staci Edwards scores the kitchen of her dreams through a major renovation. TEXT MARY LEVITSKI PHOTOGRAPHY ASHLEY CAPP STYLING CATHERINE THERRIEN

A designer scores the kitchen of her dreams through a major renovation

RENOVATING A HOME CAN SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE GIVING BIRTH TO A BABY.

As the proud owner of a redone-from-topto-bottom Victorian and prouder mom to seven-month-old Spencer, designer Staci Edwards knows a lot about both.

Two years ago, ready to advance to their forever home, Staci and her partner, Chris Jackson, bought a 1895 abode in downtown Burlington, Ont. The house was well-kept but hadn’t been renovated since the 1960s. “It was a total time warp!” says Staci, who undertook a full redo that involved rejigging the main floor to eliminate an inefficient secondary stairwell and improve flow.

Ideally located at the rear of the house with easy access to the backyard barbecue, the new 230-square-foot kitchen is everything the pair wanted and more. Like their sweet son, this room is a happy blend of Staci and Chris: “It’s a fifty-fifty split,” says the designer, who took great care to balance her partner’s tastes with her own. The man’s man in Chris got his dark tones and wood finishes in the form of navy cabinetry, as well as a butcher block island countertop

and matching floating shelves – and he got a built-in bar to boot. For her part, Staci indulged her love for light and bright with white wall paint, subway tile backsplash and marblelook perimeter countertops; a dose of brass offers glamour. Meaningful mementoes, from family heirlooms to travel souvenirs, round out this personalized room.

Most days, the young family winds down in this space. Chris makes dinner while Spencer coos happily in his swing. And Staci? Perched on a cushy stool – made by Switch Studio, the upholstery arm of her busy business – the entrepreneur catches up on work emails, sits back and takes in the many fruits of her labours.

ABOVE This room gets its warm welcoming vibe from plenty of wooden elements, chief among them the wide-plank oak flooring laid in a showstopping herringbone pattern. “It’s a standout in this small kitchen,” says Staci. “Everyone comments on it.” A...

DESIGN, Switch Studio, switchstudio.ca; Behr Cameo White MQ3-32 WALL PAINT, The Home Depot; custom CABINETRY, butcher block COUNTERTOP & FLOATING SHELVES, Parand Design Kitchens; CABINETRY HARDWARE, Berenson Hardware; quartz COUNTERTOP, Cambria; BACKSPLAS ABOVE The kitchen speaks to both homeowners equally – right down to the details. “Chris loves India and I love California,” says Staci, “so this Taj Mahal print is for him and the Napa Valley one is for me.” In addition to offering display space, the...

LEFT “I’m not afraid to mix metals,” says Staci, who tempered the cool stainless steel appliances with hits of warm antiqued brass in the fixtures and cabinetry hardware. “It’s all in the balance.”