FUTURE PERFECT
Designer Jordy Fagan reimagines a cramped fixerupper as an airy open space fit for a family... eventually.
Designer Jordy Fagan reimagines a cramped fixerupper as an open airy space fit for a family... eventually
“I THOUGHT I COULD HANDLE THE MAKEOVER ON MY OWN.”
Famous last words when spoken by homeowners with little or no reno experience, not to mention full-time jobs. Wanting a forever home where they could raise a family, this young couple sold their condo and purchased a 3,000-square-foot four-bedroom house – a 1920s fixer-upper that needed a serious overhaul – in Toronto’s Humewood neighbourhood.
“I planned to consult with a designer but oversee it all myself and then call in a professional to help with just the finishing touches,” says one of the homeowners. But that professional – designer Jordy Fagan of Cabin Co. Design – got the call sooner than planned. “The owners quickly realized how much is involved in renovating and furnishing an entire home,” says Jordy, “and that’s when I stepped in.”
Before she could deliver the cozy and youthful – but not too trendy – aesthetic the couple sought, however, the whole house required a reboot. It hadn’t been renovated since the ’70s and harboured the usual suspects: closed-off rooms, cheap fixtures and odd paint colours.
Yet it was not without its charms. “It had great bones, original stained glass windows and an amazing staircase,” says Jordy. “But I knew the couple planned to have kids one day, and with all its small rooms, this home just wasn’t conducive to how young families live today. I wanted an open concept plan that still felt warm and cozy.”
To achieve that openness, Jordy had the first floor gutted and knocked down almost all the walls to create one great room with a living room, dining room and kitchen.
A palette of deep warm greys and blues in a white envelope unifies the plan, while traditional details like Shaker-style cabinetry, open shelving, and plush and tufted furnishings keep it homey. Muted patterns and textures – in such pieces as the dining chair seat cushions, kitchen stools and porcelain backsplash – add interest, and geometric light fixtures and brass accents infuse a youthfulness befitting the young couple.
“THIS HOME JUST WASN’T CONDUCIVE TO HOW YOUNG FAMILIES LIVE TODAY. I wanted an open concept plan that still felt warm and cozy.”
That aesthetic continues upstairs, where the owners were happy to lose one of their four bedrooms to create a master suite. The one caveat? They would have to remove a fireplace to accommodate the new floor plan – something most homeowners are reluctant to do. But these ones were game. After all, they got to keep the original stained glass windows that flanked it, and a custom king headboard fit perfectly in-between.
The other two bedrooms? Well, those stayed intact for future family members. For now, these homeowners are happy hosting friends or enjoying some one-onone time. But one day, the chitter-chatter of their wicked dinner parties may give way to the pitter-patter of little feet. And when that day comes, they can rest assured that at least their home is ready.