Take one look at this comfortable city chic home, and you’d never guess the energetic chaos that went into putting it all together. After all, if you’re a young couple transitioning from your first city condo into your first quaint neighbourhood home, this move is one of life’s exciting milestones. But add a baby on the way and a photo shoot to prep for, and everything – from moving trucks teeming with furniture to dollies towering with tiles to strollers spilling with diapers – kicks into a happy high gear. Luckily, with a keen team of helpers, a talented eye for mastering small spaces and, let’s face it, a sheer tenacity to get it done, this young family has their dream home to start this new stage in style!

Living room
The key to balancing the size of this small nine-by-12-foot living room was restraint in colour, furniture and embellishments. Muted blues and yellows take a soft centre stage without overwhelming the space; the coffee table with rounded edges leaves more breathing room than a boxy, square shape would; and custom-designed drapery panels with horizontal banding increase the room’s perceived width.
Simple stylish storage
A sideboard with ample cabinets and drawers can handle overflow from a cramped kitchen. Chosen in sleek white to match the walls and dining chairs, this extra storage space doesn’t come at the cost of a bulky piece that screams “look at me!”
Guests welcome
For a family that loves entertaining, it’s fitting that the dining room is one of the largest rooms in the house. The heirloom table that the homeowner had refinished can comfortably seat six (with extra room for a highchair or two) while a sleek sideboard and a stacked bar cart sit at different ends of the space to accommodate guests’ food and beverage needs.
Almost better than a walk-in
IKEA Pax Birkeland wardrobes were customized to fit flush from floor to ceiling almost the whole length of one wall in the master bedroom suite. Panelled detailing on the doors lends the room a structure and height that’s repeated in the navy blue trim detail on the white drapery.
Bedroom unity
In the master bedroom, an eclectic mix of bohochic elements are unified by a circle motif that repeats like the beat of a drum: see it in the table lamps and ceiling fixture, in the wreath and on the curves of the headboard, in the vine-like flourishes on the bench as well as in the intricate blue medallion print of the quilt.
Pulling rank
It’s easy to customize bigbox storage solutions with the simple addition of some unique knobs. Here, the hardware takes this white wardrobe from everyday to elegantly embellished.
A cheerful welcome
Instead of big, make it bold! In a dimunitive entryway it’s difficult to make a strong statement that sets the stylish tone of the rest of the house. But a few choice details – like the tapered legs that seem to lightly lift the console, the sleek white stool that hides underneath, or the simple wall hook that stands in for a closet or coat rack – and fresh colours lend the welcoming entryway a sunny and striking first impression.
Primary school
Although the homeowners knew they were expecting a boy, they chose a colour palette – primary red decor, blue and yellow – and prints that aren’t limited to what’s typical (namely: trucks, trains and baby blue accents). The energy of the red star wallpaper patterns is echoed in the high-contrast piping on the rocking chair, and the slats of the crib are repeated in the drum stool to the side. These streamlined details that don’t go over the top amount to the perfect balance of colour and pattern and design for a baby boy to come home to.
Change in style
This sleek modern cabinet not only corrals books, toys and diapers but it also does double duty as a changing table with a curved pad to keep baby safe.
Peek-a-boo
It's a stuble detail, but decorating with yellow in the bumper pads adds a hit of texture and interest.