Whether it is in a magazine, on a blog or in person I love a house tour, even if the house in question is less-than-perfect. Actually, I tend to like that more. And I'm kind of banking on you liking a less-than-perfect house too.
Sometimes I look at before photos of our townhouse and wonder, "what on earth possessed us to buy this hunk of bad design?" Take a good look at the before shots and picture us walking around the townhouse, nodding our heads and saying to one another, "yes, this will do nicely." Proof positive that house-hunting can make people lose their minds. But then I look around at the home we have created and smile, happy that we were able to see past the tiny room full of giant sofas, the pink & yellow bathroom fixtures, the miles and miles of stinky carpet and SpongeBob SquarePants (who was clearly traumatized by this formerly ugly house).
As long as you promise to remember that the townhouse is a work in progress, scroll down for some horrifying before and some "whew, can't believe we did it" after(ish) photos, and keep in touch because we're always working on something!
We finally started the basement makeover . . . more photos soon . . .
What lotsa huge improvements that you guys did! Amazing and inspiring. I especially love the ample of lights that you're getting now (gosh, check out that master bed!!)
ReplyDeleteI love it all! You have done so well keeping things modern but with old touches like the taps in the bathroom and the study desk.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to more makeover pics!
I second what Kristan had to say.I love your space it's clean, contemporary and looks so cozy. I used a picture from here to show the zigzag table, which is a big trend right now. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I have due credit of course..
ReplyDeleteI am in LOVE with the tiny dining table/chairs in your kitchen! Where are they from?
ReplyDeleteHi Tina!
ReplyDeleteI answered this Q on your blog too, but for anyone else interested: the chairs in the kitchen are vintage teak - I reupholstered them in a black & white houndstooth. The table is also vintage teak, but looks more late 60's/70's than the table, which was purchased in the 1950s (according to the elderly couple I purchased them from). Similar items can be found in vintage shops or in the online classifieds. Post a "want" ad, if you aren't finding what you are looking for.
Love the danish style funiture in your house!
ReplyDeleteYour home's style is so put-together!! I'm still in limbo. I keep hoping that once we move out of our (rented) townhome and into a house, maybe that will determine our furniture and decor.
ReplyDeleteSo funny I always look at the house tours first.............and am sadly lacking one on my blog. Great before and afters.............looks like you've put in a load of work.
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by my blog today.
I'm so glad you did a house tour! I love your style. beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLoved the home tour - especially the kitchen makeover is awesome...!! Love your artworks too...!!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks great! I plan to go back and compare the new photos with the older ones and see all the details of changes you've made when I have more time.
ReplyDeletelooks great! lots of hard work!
ReplyDeleteI feel like you need a larger rug in the foyer, no? Maybe this one:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50204778#/30211360/
or this?
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/40114014
Everything is so clean, modern, and fresh! You have done a wonderful job transforming each space!
ReplyDeleteColey @
www.whatyoumakeit-coley.blogspot.com
Hi Shannon,
ReplyDeleteI totally need a larger rug, visually speaking, but I have a collection of handmade rag rugs made by Finnish craftswomen and my great-grandma. The colours work and the hall is the only place I put rugs (I generally hate rugs), so there they go. Some are a bit larger than others. But thanks so much for thinking of me and including a link!!
I don't think I had ever taken your house tour - I'm wildly impressed [though not the least surprised]! Obviously, you have an enviable eye not only for what doesn't look good [most of us have that, no?] and what looks loads better, but also for what can be removed/replaced/altered in order to achieve the much-desired "Is this even the same space?" effect.
ReplyDeleteMad kudos. Mad, mad kudos.
[I, on the other hand, am looking at my sunroom right now and getting anxiety about moving an ottoman. We can't all be great]
i have to do a tour on my blog :)...pl help me coordinate it
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see your home tour, but I'm not sure what I can do to help. I'm a pretty good cheerleader though - maybe I can offer encouragement?
ReplyDeletehahah, tanya, i meant do a tour of your home..i want you to sort all the pics you would want me to publish :) and your snippets would be lovely too
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Too funny. I guess you need to really break things down for me in teeny tiny words. I would be so flattered if you featured the townhouse on your blog. Please take any photos you like! Shoot me an email: dans.le.townhouse@gmail.com & we can chat!
ReplyDeleteI have serious art-envy! Are they all your doing? I have my art scattered throughout our house and people always comment on all the art in our house. Whether it is yours or someone else's--it is FAB and really makes each space so warm.
ReplyDeleteThanks Julia!
ReplyDeleteSome of the paintings are DIY, some of the artwork has been found on travels and in antique stores, but most of the work is by our family members. My husband's grandfather is a professional artist and painted the large works in the guest bedroom, living room & dining room. I blogged about him here:
http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com/2011/02/art-attack-bert-weir.html
The three paintings in the master bedroom, the yellow painting in the bathroom, the "Sigh" painting in the guest half bath are mine. You will find other DIY art projects of mine on the DIY Projects page.
The sculpture in my office is by my grandpa. And there is some of my mom's & mother-in-law's artwork scattered about as well. I am a HUGE fan of artwork. Aside from a bed, I think a home needs art first. I can't wait to see your pieces.
You have a lot of wonderful art and your photography is great too !!
ReplyDeleteyour house is beautiful! love the artwork
ReplyDeletei love this house tour. one of the best i've seen. i can't WAIT to have my house done so i can do a complete before and after tour. you wouldn't want to see it all right now, lol! and i can't believe you think it's less than perfect...it IS perfect, at least in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your town-home make over! Loving it!
ReplyDeletemay i ask you something? how long did all of these amazing transformations take? we've been in our new home for one year, and have done next to nothing! do you do things on a strict budget or do you DIY as much as possible/thrift?
ReplyDeleteHi Ashlee (house no. 2). We are insane and did a huge chunk of the work before we moved in (over two weeks) including demolition, installing the hardwood flooring, bathroom re-dos, painting every surface and moving in. But that was two years ago. Since then we've tackled it bit by bit: the closets over one weekend, the kitchen & half bath spruce up in the summer of 2010, the garage this past spring, etc. And decorating has been done piece by piece, too.
ReplyDeleteWe have had a very small budget & have had to DIY almost everything (except the bathtub install). We have had to work with many things that were already here (weird mainfloor tile) and haven't been able to splurge on many supplies (laminate counters in kitchen). But we have splashed out on hardwood flooring and marble counters for our renovated baths, because those are good investments.
But our budget does slow things down because I will have a project in mind, but have to wait to complete because I've spent our alotted "house budget" for the month. Unlimited funds would be a DREAM! (Same with unlimited time!)
And we haven't even BEGUN to tackle the basement yet. Yikes!
Thanks for your question! I'll write a post soon outlining our timeline. Maybe for my one year blogiversary post!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog today via a comment left on another house blog - just wanted to tell you I think your home is absolutely gorgeous! Loving all of the white & bright colors & unique furnishings with that fantastic natural light. Your photos are beautiful!
We've recently started a new site dedicated to the fabulous community of regular folks who are house bloggers (www.bluedoorblogs.com) and would love to add your blog to The Reading List.
Erin @ blue door BLOGS
Wow! You made so much progress! I love how light everything is! Such a stark difference from the before pictures. Did you make all the art work in the house?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ashley! Some of the artwork is DIY (it is mostly listed under my DIY projects page). The paintings in the dining room, over the sofa, and guest bedroom are by my Hubby's grandpa.
ReplyDeleteHere's the post about him:
http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com/2011/02/art-attack-bert-weir.html
the art really pops with your light neutral walls!
ReplyDeleteI love it! Where did you find all those lovely pieces? :)
ReplyDeleteHi Callie,
ReplyDeleteThanks! We've mixed DIY pieces of furniture, furniture we found in the classifieds, hand-me-downs and big box items to create a personalized look. Then we added artwork by our family members, combined with a number of DIY creations. I'm planning a post about "where I got it" so check back for detailed info.
I just checked out your blog after you left a comment on mine. You have a beautiful home and I love your style, so bright and beautiful! I'll be following you!
ReplyDeleteWow! You guys have been busy! Your place looks amazing! I love your clean, modern style!
ReplyDeleteLindsey Turner
http://thriftandshout.blogspot.com
okay, i just popped over from diy showoff and how happy i am! what an amazing job you and your husband have done!
ReplyDeletenow, about your furniture. are the chairs in the LR and Guest rooms matches? what is your source for the mid-century furn? other than recovering the kitchen chairs, have you had to refinish pieces?
off to peruse your blog...i may find my answers!!
Thanks Amy!
DeleteThe LR chair was bought from kijiji.ca (classifieds) and it had been freshly upholstered. The guest room chair was also a classifieds find, but I posted a "want" ad with a similar looking chair. I paid to have it upholstered. We've done office chairs, ottomans and more kitchen chairs but nothing more advanced - yet.
Thanks for reminding me I need a sources list.
Hi there, What a beautiful place you have! I just clicked through from Curbly where they are featuring some fabulous bathroom redos. I'm especially liking your main bathroom that they featured. Can you tell me what the flooring is there? I love the look.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I absolutely MUST do a sources page soon. The flooring is actually a vinyl flooring from Home Depot. I need to find the style/name but we installed it pre-blog (before I knew people would ask). But I would check Home Depot. In the meantime, I'll scour my receipts . . .
DeleteWow!!! Amazing results and really great pics! Do you do all of your own photography?
ReplyDeleteThanks!! Yes, I take all of my own photos and use (soon-to-be-gone) Picnik.
Deleteuh-oh... what do you plan to use once it is gone? Does the editing make all the difference? Sorry for all the questions!.. lol getting more into photography and I love your photos!
DeleteI do use manual settings on my camera and also a tripod (plus I take a million photos, so it increases the odds of a good one) so without picnik the photos looks similar. In picnik sometimes I crop (a lot), add text, change the size. I have tried using Pixlr & Photoshop express but it is taking me too long to figure out where everything is! I am hoping for a better alternative. Please - ask away! I really need an FAQ page, and a sources page . . .
DeleteHi, I love the updates you made to your house! Where did you get the yellow flowers in the white vase in the living room? Many thanks!!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThe little yellow flowers are DIY felted wool billy buttons. Here are the instructions:
http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com/2011/05/diy-felted-wool-billy-buttons.html
I love the abstract art works in your home. Especially loving the yellow piece. Was that a DIY or purchase? Great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Fatou! The yellow painting, in the bathroom, is a DIY project. Some paintings are DIY, I've listed them under my "DIY Projects" page, but others are by my Husband's grandfather (like the paintings over the couch and guest bed)
DeleteOMG! I LOVE your style!!!! Your collection of midcentury furniture is to-die-for. You've got a new follower in me =)
ReplyDeletetanya, i believe i may have asked you this before - but what paint colours do you have throughout home? i love how crisp and 'together' everything looks.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I used Behr Snow Fall in every room except the main floor half bath (which is a soft greige) and the basement (which is also a beige shade). But all of the white rooms are the same paint. That way, I bought 5 gallon pails and saved some money, plus painting (we painted the entire main floor and upper level at once) went very quickly.
DeleteWOW what a transformation! :) Looks great, Tanya!
ReplyDeleteOk...so now I really hate my house and want to start over after seeing your update! Amazing work, Tanya! Ãœber impressed. Are you getting a PhD in awesomeness? ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks Erica! Are you sure you took a good look at the basement? Whole lotta not-awesomeness going on down there. But thanks for your kind (and hilarious) words. My PhD will be in Women's Studies, so that's a kind of awesomeness, lol.
DeleteAs someone who went to an all-girls school and refused to change her name once married, Women's Studies = awesomeness. I have a basement that looks like a vintage McDonald's - maybe we can form some kind of support group.
DeleteThat has to be the best description of a basement, ever. Happily, I'm working on my basement right now . . . I am hoping paint will cure it!
DeleteI love your townhouse so much that I featured it on my blog. It truly is beautiful! I'm inspired to try my hand at my own version of art. We'll see how it turns out. Love your home!
ReplyDeletemymulberrytree.blogspot.com
Thanks for the feature!
DeleteLoving everything-but really, you didn't think Sponge Bob added a whimsical touch, hehe!
ReplyDeleteTanya, you house is beautiful, I love how your whole house has many artwork around; with the many bright and fun colours. What was your inspiration when you were renovating your house?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Such a tough question . . .
DeleteI had some constraints when renovating & decorating: budget, Hubby's style, the age and size of the house, etc. I kept things somewhat traditional, in keeping with some original features of the house we couldn't afford to change (like the kitchen cabinets). Anything too modern would have looked out of place (like the bathroom vanities). But then I mixed up the furniture a bit: combined new and vintage pieces. We chose maple floors upstairs because maple was already laid on the main floor.
The house is small and, being a townhouse, doesn't have many windows. This inspired me to use lots of white: white curtains, white walls & ceilings, white bedding, etc. Hubby's grandfather paints, so I decorated around his gorgeous art work, then added some of my own in cheery colours. All of that white needed some colour!
I don't know how I would decorate without these kinds of constraints but I do love bright white rooms with colour. I pin them on Pinterest all the time, which has helped me realize what my "style" is. And I have binders filled with rooms I like, torn from magazines, that I always reference, to remind me of things I like or ideas I have flagged. That helped me a lot when we were getting started.
But the space is also different than when we first started out and will likely change as I continue to figure out what works. I have to say I'm excited to start decorating/renovating a new house, whenever that is, because I learned a lot and would like to try new things/do some things differently.
Lovely! Just perfect.
ReplyDeletelovely!
ReplyDeleteI love the new tabletop on the old Singer sewing machine table. Great way to incorporate an old piece and make it fresh and new. My compliments to your creativity!
ReplyDeleteIn the after photo of your dining room, I can see a glimpse of your tv/media set up. But while searching your blog I could only find one other photo of the tv (Captain Distracto). It looks nice from what I can see. Could you do a post on it and show how you have set up the tv (usually a decorating challenge)?
ReplyDeleteThe glass panel behind it look interesting; what's going on here? (can you tell I'm looking for stylish solutions for our TV/media paraphernalia?)
Excellent question!
DeleteI can definitely do a post on it. We purchased Ikea Besta pieces. The beachy looking glass is an option from Ikea also. The unit is modular, so you can put together whatever kind of storage you want. And also the backdrop the TV mounts onto comes in different finishes. All of the cords are hidden behind it so it's a pretty tidy solution. I'll post pics of our specific combination soon but here's a link at what other pieces there are:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/search/?query=besta
That's Hungarian over the fireplace is it not? What does it say?
ReplyDeleteGood eye! It's a poem by Sándor Petőfi. Roughly translated, it reads:
DeleteI'll be a tree, if you are its flower,
Or a flower, if you are the dew-
I'll be the dew, if you are the sunbeam,
Only to be united with you.
My lovely girl, if you are the Heaven,
I shall be a star above on high;
My darling, if you are hell-fire,
To unite us, damned I shall die.
The whole post about that DIY project is here:
http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.ca/2012/06/poem-stenciled-on-to-antiqued-mirror.html
Wow!! Totally impressed! Sorry I took so long to check out the site! You are an inspiration
ReplyDeleteHardly! But thanks, Kim. You will have to come see it in 3D once :)
DeleteLOVE your blog...I am currently working on my Expedit shelf, thanks to your inspiring shelf!
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering what the artwork is above your couch...I couldn't find any info on my own and figured it'd be quicker to just ask. I like it!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas with us. : )
Hi, thanks so much!! I'd love if you would send me photos of your Expedit Hack when it's done! The paintings above the sofa (and the abstract in the dining room and the pair over the bed in the guest room and above the chair in the guest room) are all by Hubby's grandpa, Bert Weir, who is a professional artist. The pieces I favor were done by him in the 1980s. He's doing work in much more vivid, saturated hues now that I also love. See more on his website: bertweir.com
DeleteSure~~I still have a few more canvasses to hang (I'm hanging seven), and I have to arrange things so it looks a little more attractive. After that, I'll take a pic. : )
DeleteOh~~thanks for the info; I'll definitely check out his website. Talented man. How nice to have a professional artist in the family! That's awesome.
Everything has turned out so lovely you are so talanted. I want to decorate and I keep looking to buy new items but keep putting it off. lol. I guess i hav'nt found the right items yet.
ReplyDeleteYou're so kind :) The space has kind of evolved over time. As we've had money, we've bought things here and there. It's always changing - I have big plans for 2013 (we'll see if I get to them)! It's been a bit of a challenge, making these work when we've had to "make do". But when buying anything new (whether new-new or just new to me) I do try to pick things we just LOVE. When you find the perfect items, it will hit you and feel "right". Good luck with decorating!
DeleteI LOVE your house! It's so bright, open and airy. I really like your mix of furnishings and art. You have a great eye. The whole place is beautiful but the guest bedroom is my favorite. The art is gorgeous, those green pillows really set things off and that chair is fab!
ReplyDeleteWow, everything is absolutely gorgeous. I love all the light that you've brought into the house, and how crisp and clean everything looks. You captured comfortable without clutter, and all the artwork is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLooks fab! Love all of the mid-century mod touches. And especially love that you kept all of your kitchen & bath cabinets.
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrea! We did keep the kitchen cabinets (I refinished them) and the main floor half bath ones as well (painted). But the main bath and guest half bath are all new. The "before" pics don't show a lot - I wasn't a blogger then, lol. But they were grimy and dated and just didn't function, so those two rooms got top to bottom makeovers with crisp new cabinetry to boot.
DeleteBeautiful house! I love all the pops of color. Where is the shower curtain from in the main bathroom? We are looking for one right now and it is exactly what I wanted...hope it's something I can find/make?
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy! I really need a sources page, thanks for reminding me. You are in luck, the shower curtain is still produced! It is made by Marimekko. A touch pricey (on sale now though), but fabulous quality. I have had mine since 2009 and still love it, and it still looks great. Here's more info:
Deletehttp://www.finnstyle.com/tuuli-grey-shower-curtain.html
Your home is absolutely beautiful, Tanya - I Googled "townhouse curtains" and 10 minutes later I'm still loving your blog! :-)
ReplyDeleteI love your mix of pieces. In the guest bedroom where is the bed frame from?
ReplyDeleteThanks Brittany! I purchased the bed frame a local Ottawa shop, Hardy Mattress & Feather Inc. (http://www.hardymattressfeatherottawa.ca/). It was actually a light wood but we painted it white with leftover wall paint. Similar styles can be found at places like Ikea and then made more modern with a coat of paint. Hope this helps :)
DeleteI love the white couch! Where is it from?
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren! The sofa is from the classifieds (it was previously loved) but it is original sold at Sears. This post has more info and also links to purchase, although it looks like they are currently out of stock.
Deletehttp://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.ca/2011/11/new-sofa-new-living-room.html
Sears, who knew?! I'm looking to replace my current cream sofa and this looks easier to clean. Thanks so much
DeleteMy parents have the exact same one but in a cinnamon colour so I knew this was better quality when I spotted it in the classifieds. It is definitely pretty easy to keep clean. I've been horrified by some spots but they have all come off with a leather cleaner (from Danier Leather actually). It is nerve-wracking to see someone talk animatedly, waving their wine glass around on the sofa. We've decided our next sofa will be a grey leather, but I never regret buying this one because so far so good!
DeleteWow, you have so many amazing mid-century pieces, I am completely in love with your place. That piece in your dining room - that holds your bar ware, with the geode art above it , I am in LOVE!!
ReplyDeleteHayley
www.stuckonsmith.com
I love all the fresh, clean spaces your created! Such a great new look!
ReplyDelete