COTTAGE BOTOX

Steps to cute village, a butcher, baker, candlestick maker, had I hit cottage county gold? But a closer look, and sniff, revealed dry-rot & Titanic like floors. The structural issues alone screamed ‘walk away’. So I did.

Destiny pulled me back a year later. Once again up for sale, the agents ‘quick flip’ updates were a smidge underwhelming. But the house had good bones and I saw opportunity. This ancient cutie was getting a facelift.
I was glam-pussing her into 2025. And this is my design voyage.

OLD 50’s MAID

Cameron House remodel. Hudson Qc. Original 50's Kitchen. Sticky backed paper and doors rule.
Kitchen (Facing West). Bad art. Smelly mushroom-y cabs. Way too much sticky backed wallpaper.
Gutted!
Steep cramp-y staircase.
More sticky wallpaper.
Brown-purple painted treads (Ughh)
So many doors & cupboards to nowhere.
Basement Access (gahh.. more doors)
Dining room, old doors, stuffy closet!
Basement (unfinished)
Nippy Space. Noisy Furnace.
Willy Nilly Wire City!

GLAM PUSS 2025

Kraus Sink & Faucet.
A Mid Century vibe-y kitchen with crisp lines. Minimal upper cabs granted more visual space, with ‘heaving lifting & stretching’ reduced with smooth, soft close, handle-less drawers.
Quartz Countertops by Caesarstone Montreal.
Amazing storage and pantry.
Swing Arm Faucet by Kraus.
Push Open Pantry Storage.
Kitchen remodel. Hudson Qc. Bespoke shelving created from barn wood over 100yrs old. Stained to match kitchen cabinets & drawers.
Shhhhh. Such perfectly soft close drawers.
No handles = no dusting!
The no hardware trend for kitchen cabinets & drawers
Whirlpool Appliances.
(Wifi connected + air frier included)
Deep drawers provide spacious, easy access storage.
Access to basement (repositioned)
Repositioned basement entrance.
Dining Area. Walls fully re-plastered.
Paint c/o Benjamin Moore. Oxford White.
Table by Structube.
Pottery from Puerta Vallarta
Sitting Room in glorious morning sun
Plants & Sun.
Spring is on its way!
Sven Sofa by Article.
Rae Armchair in ‘Rusted Velvet’.
It feels so plush & I love the pop of colour.
Floor tiles by La Tuilerie. Plomb noir.
Its a steep staircase, so I installed a cast iron handrail (c/o Amazon) to prevent a trip causing a trip to hospital. The treads were a ‘sweat equity’ nightmare to stripe, sand & revarnish!
Let’s just say my arms got more toned.
Staircase restored. New door upstairs. The original stairwell had awful sticky back ‘flowery’ wallpaper all over the walls. After striping it off (which took forever) the holes were repaired, walls re-plastered and repainted.
A cute kitchen Island perfectly sized to prepare meals or gossip. Includes integrated garbage, food waste and recycling.
Backsplash Tiles by La Tuilerie, Montreal.
I hunted for just the right tile for months.
Splash splash. Chop chop. Scoop & Bin!
Open plan entrance to kitchen
Flow between dining and kitchen.
2025 Livingroom Refresh
Blue Velvet Sofa, Sven by Article.
Armchairs by Structube.
Lush Beni Ourain Rug.
Description goes here

ARCTIC TO DO

The basement was chilly. Concrete slab, gale moaning, rotten window cold. Wiring dangled. A bulky furnace grumbled. But the unused 1,000 sft beaconed with an awesome to do list. But it was a blank canvas with great living space potential.

Insulate everything (ceiling/floor/walls)
Windows & Flooring.
Build integrated and safe staircase
Full bathroom.
Media/Den/4th bed.
Designated laundry area.
Furnace utility room.
Additional storage options.

Arctic cold temps down below.
Renovated basement with designated Furnace room + WFH Office and 4th bedroom.
4th Bedroom/TV Den
Work From Home Office
Furnace Room + additional storage
Bathroom & shower remodel with Terrazzo floor tiles (c/o La Tuilerie, Montreal)
Bath & Shower Remodel.
Tiles c/o La Tuillerie
Bathroom remodel.
Niche mosaic tiles in cream & navy.
Ink black vertical subway.
La Tuillerie, Montreal.
Testing textures for new bespoke vanity.

Curb appeal is real. It says how much you care. Commissioning Chris, a height defying local painter - while he sprayed precariously, I face-lifted the banged up deck in Vanilla Bean, a creamy white deck paint with pale sage undertones. And wow, that ol’ flooring just transformed into sweet lil’ extra place to work, chill, flip a burger or sip that evening vino.

DON’T CURB
A TOUCAN

Outside, the original siding was a peeling garish yellow and the rear deck was rotting. Time to turn my attention to the exterior. Winter & spring passed in a flurry of demo-reno cycles, but once the May heat arrived, I was test painting the outside the gorgeous magical colour known as Toucan Black by Benjamin Moore.

A subtle dark dark indigo blue, with sooty noir undertones, her plumage flirted black in some lights and blue-ish hues in others. A brutal ice storm had left some damage, so new gutters were installed, plus a fancy new heat pump and new fencing around the deck (for us sunbathing junkies). The dangerously wobbily front steps were replaced too.

AI pre vis of new walkway and driveway design

COTTAGE BOTOX

ARCTIC TO DO

DON’T CURB A TOUCAN

DON’T CURB
A TOUCAN