House Tours
Interior: Beachy-glam on a budget
Images: Stacey Brandford
House Tours
Interior: Beachy-glam on a budget
Decorator and blogger Laura Collins dresses up her beachy-glam Toronto townhouse apartment with a few tried-and-true tricks as well as some inventive DIYs.
Decorator and blogger Laura Collins pours tea into petite teal cups as Bruce Wayne, her Boston-pug mix, bolts up and down a flight of stairs. The giddiness is palpable in this cheery, personality-packed Palm Beach-meets-the-Hamptons pad that Laura also shares with a human companion - her boyfriend, Blayre Ellestad. When the couple, who films weddings and lifestyle events through their company, Elle & Be Films, was hunting for a rental property three years ago, they were immediately drawn to the architecture of this 1,500-square-foot duplex apartment in a 1920s townhouse in Toronto's Cabbagetown neighbourhood. "I loved that it had high ceilings and traditional bones but was still modern and open concept," says Laura, who often writes about the space on her decor and lifestyle blog, Laura Collins Design.
Laura kept the wall colour the same as the previous renter - white - but then brought the urban space to the coast with a classic Palm Beach palette of punchy blues and greens. She also repeated sea scenes throughout to add a masculine feel. The fabulously layered flat - featuring bright hues, flashes of bronze, lighthearted gallery-style artwork displays and beachy rattan furniture - looks like it cost a fortune to decorate, but came together on a dime. To keep costs down, she filled the home with inexpensive artwork and revamped retro furniture culled from a variety of sources, including Craigslist, secondhand shops, Toronto's popular Sunday antiques fair at the St. Lawrence Market and - adventurously - the side of the road. Other treasures came from the couple's travels and big box stores.
"The mix of new and vintage pieces makes the space feel authentic," she says. Laura's vintage preferences are primarily lifted from the disco and synth-pop eras. "I have an eclectic sensibility, and I'm very specific about what kind of 1970s and '80s decor I like - chunky Lucite and clean lines. I also like Art Deco style," says Laura. Additionally, she's inspired by designers who combine traditional furniture with splashy hues and fiercely fun prints. The influence has certainly been a good one: The home feels modern with a retro-tinged flair that's a tad cheeky and full of energy - and that's what Palm Beach is all about.
Comments