An Argument for Antiques

In today's National Post online, I've been quoted in an article about buying antique furniture vs. new. The article, written by Alexandra Lopez-Pacheco, talks with Enric Rose, a former antiques dealer; Barry Gordon, founder of MaxSold; Cripsin Butterfield, of Urban Theory Interior Design and myself. We all share the same view: that antiques can be incorporated into a modern home as long as the combination is in balance. In fact, as I've stated on this blog many times, antiques are extremely affordable when found at estate sales and auctions, both live and online.

"...That’s exactly what Pamela Graham, the Gen X blogger and interior designer behind Cherish Toronto did recently for a young client on a limited budget. She looked at the lines — and imagined the possibilities. “We bought two antique bedside tables for a lot less than we would have paid in a big box store. They weren’t fine antiques, but they were solid. We painted them white and changed the hardware to make them look more modern, and they were gorgeous...”

Read the full National Post article here.

On Time & Under Budget

Whaaaaaaaaaat? That's right, I just wrapped up a bedroom installation for a young lady (#ProjectA), and managed to come in on time and under budget. I gotta tell you, I love this room and I may just move in when it becomes a guest room in a few years. It's an incredible transformation, and my clients are super happy with the results. We achieved so much in just under 7 weeks, considering we changed everything from the chandelier to the broadloom.

Don't believe me? Check out the "Before" just before painting started:

I took this project on with a tight timeline of about 6 weeks, and the budget was tight as well. We wanted to hit a target of between $2400 ~ $2900, and I knew we could do it, but only with some thrifting luck and a lot of DIY projects. The first purchase was the 9 drawer dresser which I found at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. Although I wasn't convinced that the $55 price tag was a good deal, I made a quick decision to bite when they offered it to me for $29.99. The piece truly came to life after three coats of Para's* Whitewash White. The gold framed mirror above the dresser was a Kijiji score, and it's such a beauty, isn't it? I didn't have to change a thing!

Our original idea for the feature wall behind the bed was to choose a wallpaper, but we were having trouble finding a pattern that everyone could agree on. In the end, we took inspiration from a photo that my client had pinned on Pinterest and opted for an Indian Paisley Damask stencil. We painted the accent wall in Para's Exclusive Shopping, the other three walls in Trendsetting Style and stenciled the pattern in Whitewash White. This was my first time working with a stencil, and I was super nervous to tackle the task, but after figuring out the placement of the pattern it was actually quite easy.
 

I'm sure you've all been ogling that gorgeous, glowing chandelier up there^^^. It could be a vintage Murano leaf chandelier, but there's no way to know for sure without the papers to prove it. Regardless, it's my favourite piece in the room, and it may just be the best Kijiji find of all eternity.

 

The pair of bedside tables were another great score, and we lucked out at the online auction website, MaxSold. I bid on these tables based on the drawer hardware alone. Little brass pagodas? Yes, please! These bedsides also received three coats of Whitewash White to unify the look.

I finished off the room with lamps and accessories from HomeSense, bedding from Target, and added a punch of colour with pillows sewn by moi. I am so, so happy with the way the space came together, and I am even happier that my client loves her new bedroom. Mission accomplished!!

Photos by Aliya Amarsi, A Photography.

Design & Styling by Pamela Graham, Cherish Interior Design 

*Many thanks to Para Paints who supplied all of the paint for this project.