LYNN HADDRALL I EDITOR’S NOTE
This issue is packed with home décor inspiration.
A SUNNY DAY helped me learn a valuable lesson about colour and light.
My family recently completed an interior renovation. This was new territory for us.
My first step was to peruse back issues of Grand, looking to the fall Home Décor editions and their handy tips. I looked for inspiration and researched local companies specializing in interior renovations.
After hiring a contractor, we had to make some major choices — paint colours, hardwood, carpet, kitchen counter and sinks. It was a bit overwhelming. We learned some valuable lessons, especially about paint colours.
We finalized our colour palette in gloomy weather. Then the sun emerged. My son noticed that most of the paint samples leaning against our walls now had a pink undertone. That might have worked in one room but not throughout the house. So it was back to the paint store after learning how light can play with colour.
I’m happy to report that we survived living in our basement for a while and now enjoy our upgraded home.
Our fall issue of Grand always focuses on home décor so I’ve had a few years to work up to my personal project. We like to include stories about lessons people learned and the beautiful results produced by local companies.
We featured interior designer Jessica Cotton Polzl on our cover in 2009 when she was relocating to Waterloo Region. Now she has settled here and talks about how she and her husband, Mike Polzl, renovated a 1950s home to suit an active young family. That story includes five helpful tips for tackling a major redesign (page 54).
At the other end of the spectrum, we talk to couples moving to smaller accommodations. Writer Carol Jankowski addresses the challenges and advantages of downsizing. It can be liberating if tackled with the right attitude. We get advice and lessons learned from each of the couples featured (page 72).
When planning a new living space, it helps to put your personal stamp on it. We feature local artisans who are creating one-of-a kind items for builders and home renovators.
Corey Honsberger uses concrete to craft custom sinks and countertops. Some feature fibre optics and “glow veins” (page 148). Blacksmith Robb Martin creates original work at his Floradale workshop, from fireplace doors and railings to range hoods in kitchens. He’s also your guy if you’re looking for medieval armour (page 144).
Our Great Space feature shows how a backyard deck and patio can become another room. Opera singer Kimberly Barber and Markus Philipp rebuilt their outdoor space, transforming it into their own “Little Italy.” It now provides a quiet place for contemplation as well as a gathering spot for friends and family (page 138).
Artist Terry Black tackled a remarkable renovation. He was looking to provide an imaginative space to function as a home, cottage and work space. The answer turned out to be a remodelled 19th century Mennonite barn in Cambridge. Writer Paul Gains talks to Terry about the ambitious project and his attention to detail. For example, a beam speaks to the past but also becomes a handy way to store CD containers (page 84).
There’s a wealth of information in these pages whether you’re thinking about your own project or just want to admire what others have done. All the tips and advice from home renovators may even save you from going pink when that was never your plan.