Character Named - Photos & Ideas

Living Room in Hodges Street | Room Type: Whole Home Interior Design | Project Name: Hodges Street | Key Feature: A builder-grade tract home transformed with personality through a playful mid-century modern design influence. Challenge: The home originally lacked character and felt like a typical builder-grade tract house. The goal was to elevate the space and create a more distinctive interior. Solution: The design introduced bold styling and mid-century modern touches throughout the home, adding personality and visual interest while creating a more elevated and cohesive interior. Timeline: Completed in 2018.

Reclaimed Pine-Old Dirty Goat

Mill & Woods

OLD DIRTY GOAT RECLAIMED & ANTIQUE HEART PINE A floor with so much character, no other name would do
Example of a large loft-style medium tone wood floor family room design in Atlanta with green walls

Bedroom Murals

Susan Harter Muralpapers

Our client sent us a photo of her new bedroom mural wallpaper, featuring the Barringtons Grisaille scenic. “The soft, misty tones of this mural were inspired by an early morning walk around the grounds of an inn near Paris. The name is borrowed from a character in an old novel, A Daughter of France, and in that moment, I felt like I was one. I painted this mural to eternalize that tranquil moment in France.” — Susan Harter, Muralist

Find the right local pro for your project

Find top design and renovation professionals on Houzz

Blueridge Family Home

Simply Home Decorating

This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

Reclaimed Pine-Old Dirty Goat

Mill & Woods

OLD DIRTY GOAT RECLAIMED & ANTIQUE HEART PINE A floor with so much character, no other name would do

Emerson Trestle - Driftwood Oak

Rustic Trades Furniture

This table is captivating to the eye and one of our best sellers! This is one of our signature rustic, farmhouse tables – the Emerson Trestle. This table is named after our founder, Clay Adams, middle daughter Emerson. The Emerson Trestle is one of our most compact trestle styles with ample legroom making seating easy. More than just the table model, the color selected is durable, unique, and incredibly popular. Our Driftwood Oak is a modern farmhouse staple. It has tones of grey and tan with subtle variation in the pieces. This table has the Driftwood Oak paired with a rustic, rough-sawn farm top. The blade marks from the rough sawn finish emphasize the exquisite rustic character. The standard matte finish protects the table without taking away from the desired rustic character. Within our customization process, you can pair Driftwood Oak with either a rustic farm top or a contemporary seamless slab top.

Hooker Furniture Corsica Metal Floor Mirror in Black

HomeClick

Hooker Furniture Corsica Metal Floor Mirror in Black Like the Mediterranean island for which it is named, Corsica is a melting pot of timeless design influences with a sun washed ambiance and casual attitude. Gracefully shaped architectural forms of Italian, French and Belgian origin are accentuated by a wire brushed artisan finish with a reclaimed character.

Sponsored

Columbus, OH

Everingham Design

Columbus' Home Design Experts Specializing in Custom Cabinets

Ashburton 2

Terrene Homes

Example of an arts and crafts open concept carpeted family room design in Seattle with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Black Rock Trail

Living with Lolo

Living Room in Black Rock Trail | Room Type: Whole Home (Vacation Home Interior) | Project Name: Black Rock Trail | Key Feature: A modern Southwestern vacation home with stunning Camelback Mountain views, blending preserved architectural features with updated furnishings and layered textures. Challenge: The homeowners wanted to modernize the existing Southwestern-style home while maintaining the character and architectural features they loved. The space also needed to feel warm and welcoming as a vacation home for their family and visiting guests. Solution: The design team refreshed the home by painting surfaces, staining existing beams, adding custom drapery, and introducing all new furnishings. These updates modernized the space while preserving its Southwestern character and enhancing the home’s connection to the surrounding desert landscape and mountain views. Materials: Custom upholstery from Moss Studio and grasscloth wallpaper from Thibaut. Budget: $100k-$150K | Timeline: Completed December 1, 2020.

Black Rock Trail

Living with Lolo

Safari Tree Mural - Personalized Sign

About Murals

The best part of having a mural painted is that you can personalize it with your child's name, favourite cartoon characters or animals, colours and position it around furniture in the room. See more at www.aboutmurals.ca.

Dining Room in Black Rock Trail | Room Type: Whole Home (Vacation Home Interior) | Project Name: Black Rock Trail | Key Feature: A modern Southwestern vacation home with stunning Camelback Mountain views, blending preserved architectural features with updated furnishings and layered textures. Challenge: The homeowners wanted to modernize the existing Southwestern-style home while maintaining the character and architectural features they loved. The space also needed to feel warm and welcoming as a vacation home for their family and visiting guests. Solution: The design team refreshed the home by painting surfaces, staining existing beams, adding custom drapery, and introducing all new furnishings. These updates modernized the space while preserving its Southwestern character and enhancing the home’s connection to the surrounding desert landscape and mountain views. Materials: Custom upholstery from Moss Studio and grasscloth wallpaper from Thibaut. Budget: $100k-$150K | Timeline: Completed December 1, 2020.