Before & After: The Bird House Reveal | Interior Home Transformation

This reveal has been in the works for what feels like forever. When designing a space outside of Toronto, the distance causes delays in more ways than one. I decided to wait to photograph the many renovations happening here simultaneously.

I am so excited to reveal this set of before and afters to you finally. This post shows the latest collection of renos from one of our favourite projects - a sprawling home just outside the city that challenged us in the best possible ways. The entire project can be viewed here.

Let me tell you a little about each space - why we transformed them the way we did and how we feel about the results.

The Primary Bathroom

The primary bathroom was the first to go. There was a leak in the shower, which snowballed into a complete gut. With a blank slate, we re-envisioned the whole space to maximize storage, efficiency, and design. We knocked out a hall closet to create our quirky but HUGE shower, resulting in enough room to add a gorgeous Victoria and Albert tub.

We mixed durable natural materials, like the black slate floors, with warmer elements, like the painted millwork, to create a juxtaposition of fresh and clean but also warm and welcoming. One of my favourite details is the Roman blind. Though a small part of the space, I love how the vines mirror the exterior of the house and the gardens around the property. The mix of masculine and feminine touches makes this room unique, and as a green freak, it puts this at the top of my favourite bathrooms ever list.

The Bar

In re-designing this home bar, the task was to use the same space but maximize the efficiency and aesthetic. Being in a prominent location near the entrance, we had to make this space spectacular.

The priority was to add plumbing to the existing DRY bar (not the kind of bar anyone wants... am I right?!) We sourced small bar appliances and got the perfect mini fridge and ice machine to fit our design. Working closely with our fabulous millworkers, we used old barn boards to face the drawers and appliances and to create the new display for the gorgeous selection of bottles. In its previous life, this bar held all its bottles in the cupboards below and cluttered the counter above. We decided to conceal all our glassware in the drawers and create a rustic and industrial display for the collection of booze.

One of my favourite features is the hammered nickel sink and antique nickel faucet. Up against our oxidized stainless counter, this bar feels indestructible and lived in, fitting in beautifully with the rest of the farmhouse.