RURAL RENO

Project Location: Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Leaving the hustle and hum of The Big City is certainly a “thing” these days, and there are many reasons for that: greater access to nature, more space, smaller communities and, of course, more bang for your buck when it comes to real estate. When TOM founding partner Lindsay Mens Craig decided to decamp from her downtown digs and return, family in tow, to her hometown of Grimsby, Ontario. She wanted an opportunity for creative renovation on a larger scale than she had ever taken on. And she found it in a humble home on a quiet street.

The plan was deceptively simple: everything except the overall footprint and basic layout would change dramatically. Walls were opened up, but not moved. The kitchen stayed put but everything from major appliances to minor cabinet knobs were altered. Easy moves, like relocating the coat closet from one side of the foyer to the other were employed to create better flow and a more gracious look and feel. 

Lindsay reimagined the home’s original living room, creating a spectacularly spiffy library brimming with books and glistening with navy blue millwork. The dark hue helps hide the fact-of-life-at-home that is television, but also lends an air of sophistication that speaks to a certain kind of country living that balances rough elements with fine features.

Lindsay created a soft segue from the library’s dark glamour by designing a contrasting kitchen scheme in black and white, which itself opens into a bright white family room, completing the journey from front entrance to back in tone, as well as transition. Upstairs, the clever flow continues with bold bedrooms in little-girl pinks and blues for the home’s rambunctious young residents that are balanced by a serene and sophisticated principal bedroom and ensuite with soft tones in grey and blue with pastel pink.

Colour and contrast feel right at home here for a family that sought a change from the fast city life they left behind. There’s energy and history in these rooms. Combine that with quiet morning moments, walks on wandering tree-lined trails, and window-shopping the magic of main street, and you’ve got a picture-perfect family portrait, framed in living colour. 

Project Creative Community: Lindsay Mens Craig