Client Stories

A Contemporary Ottawa Condo Reimagined - Creating Warmth, Function and Personality in an Open Concept.   When Daniel relocated to the Ottawa region, he made the decision to leave most of his furnishings behind and embrace a fresh start in his new condominium. While the space offered abundant natural light, generous square footage, and striking architectural details, it lacked the warmth, functionality, and personality needed to truly feel like home. He wanted more than simply furnishing a condo—he envisioned creating a home that reflected his personality, supported his lifestyle, showcased his art collection, and provided comfortable spaces for entertaining, relaxing, and working from home. Starting with a relatively blank canvas presented an exciting opportunity to create a highly personalized environment. Together, we developed a design concept that balanced contemporary comfort with timeless character, incorporating carefully selected furnishings, thoughtfully chosen accent colours, rich textures, and layered lighting. Central to the design was Daniel's cherished collection of artwork, which served as both inspiration and a defining element throughout the home. To bring the vision to life, I collaborated with Ruth Bell of Heart & Home Ottawa Staging. This partnership  allowed us to create a cohesive, well-layered home tailored specifically to Daniel's needs and lifestyle. Whenever possible, we prioritized sourcing high-quality Canadian-made furnishings and accessories, supporting local suppliers while ensuring exceptional quality, comfort, and durability. These thoughtfully selected pieces brought authenticity and character to the design while contributing to a home built to stand the test of time. A prized chandelier that had accompanied him through previous residences became a focal point in the dining area, adding a sense of history, continuity, and personal significance. By thoughtfully integrating treasured pieces alongside new furnishings, we created spaces that feel both sophisticated and inviting. The result is a cohesive home that not only functions beautifully for everyday living and entertaining, but also tells Daniel's unique story—reflecting his experiences, passions, and sense of style in every room. BEFORE AFTER  

Downsizing With Care and Intention After 25 years in their family home, Michael and Sharron felt a natural apprehension about transitioning to a condo. This was more than just a move; it was an emotional exercise in selecting what to keep. Our approach was highly strategic and deeply sensitive: we first took the footprint of their new condo and meticulously determined which beloved items would fit, ensuring the new space felt familiar and personal. The centerpiece of this design was the creation of a beautiful, bespoke library, specifically designed to display the precious objects and collections they had gathered over the decades. The result is a bright, comfortable condo that honors their past while enthusiastically embracing their new chapter.      

The original kitchen was inadequate and suffered from poor workflow and a severe lack of functional storage. To truly meet the client's needs, we designed a custom addition. This allowed us to dramatically expand the footprint, reengineering the space to prioritize efficiency. By building out and incorporating bespoke cabinetry, we created a newkitchen that offers superior storage and a seamless workflow, transforming it into a beautiful and highly efficient space. Before After  

From a seasonal retreat to a year-round sanctuary. Turning this cottage into their forever home, we stripped away the dark and heavy elements—swapping the old stone fireplace for a lighter stone and opening up the walls. We also designed custom bunk beds for the grandkids, ensuring the house is ready to host the next generation. This transformation created a bright and inviting atmosphere, layering the space with warmth, comfort, and the unmistakable feeling of home. Here’s what they had to say "Over the years, Sylvie has worked together with us, in our new home builds and the renovation of our small cottage into a beautiful lake home. Sylvie understood our visions and helped us to make it a reality. She brings her expertise, attention to detail & her fun personality into every project that we bring her. It has been a real pleasure working with Sylvie and would highly recommend her to family & friends for their future projects." -Sandra & Robert   Before After     

Sometimes the best design ideas start with a playful suggestion! During one of our early design discussions for this waterfront patio, I jokingly made a remark about hanging a canoe from the ceiling to embrace the coastal theme. Our wonderfully innovative client took that thought to heart! He restored a beloved old canoe, outfitting it with internal lighting to create the most unique, show-stopping piece of evening ambiance. This fun project is a perfect reminder that the most memorable spaces are born from collaboration, a sense of humor, and a willingness to embrace truly custom, imaginative design.

This home originally felt compartmentalized,  with a small, outdated kitchen and formal living areas that rarely saw use. To support their love of entertaining, we completely reimagined the footprint, removing walls to merge the previously separate rooms into one spacious, open-concept gathering place. The design is deeply personal: the entire color palette was drawn from a cherished painting,  which now holds a place of honor above the fireplace.  A custom wine cellar completes the transformation,  blending functional luxury with a home designed for hosting family & friends.  The real reward, though, came after installing the furniture,  window treatments, and accessories were in place, seeing  Steven and Judy sit down, look around, and share a moment  of pure awe—that feeling of 'this is ours'—was the perfect  finale." Before After