Room Renos: 11 Beautiful Before and Afters

Many a makeover has graced the pages of Western Living over the years€”here’s a look back at some of our favourites.

1. Bright Idea. Stools on either side of the 16-foot kitchen island (topped with invincible glacier-white Corian) hosts a more casual, tapas-style meal; the nearby dining room serves for more formal affairs; and direct access to the outdoors (left) is perfect for summer barbecues. Interior designer Mary Burgers didn’t want anything to detract from the beautiful floors (eight-inch planks of white oak). See the full reno here.2. Hidden Potential. This spa-like refuge has come a long way from its start as a closet with rudimentary plumbing. See the full reno here.3. Modern Vintage. Nearly six decades after it appeared in this magazine, a Vancouver home is lovingly restored to its original glory. The home was designed to have a strong connection to the outdoors, and its original landscape designer, the legendary Cornelia Oberlander, was brought back to restore its gardens. Teak veneer cabinetry in the kitchen is a perfect match to the mid-century furniture in the home. See the full reno here.4. Let There Be Light. The new kitchen design in this West Vancouver home loses the island and includes a peninsula instead, creating a more efficient work space. Everything went whiter and brighter. See the full reno here.5. Dining en Blanc. Interior designer Stephanie Brown transformed the living room in this Calgary house into a bright and white kitchen, taking advantage of the beautiful skylights. The vintage-inspired chandelier and custom wrought iron detailing on the wood-topped island add a hit of French charm. See the full reno here.6. Personal Space. This second-story loft was reimagined as a multi-purpose atrium with refuge areas for different members of the family, like this sitting room in the loft where the homeowners’ daughter could read. Oiled European oak flooring and a coat of crisp white paint accentuate the Euro-chic look, while cozy, oversized sofas invite relaxation. See the full reno here.7. Out with the old. In this Deep Cove kitchen, a dated design made way for a modern white space, which gets a hit of visual texture thanks to a chevron-patterned backsplash laid in Walker Zanger tile. See the full reno here.8. Make Room. While the home appears quite colourful, the space itself has a very neutral colour palette: it’s the furnishings and accessories that add lively pops of colour, including a cozy Softline beanbag chair in chartreuse green. We love chartreuse! See full reno here.9. Grey Matters. In this transformation the designer went with a soft grey palette in the formal sitting room to get a sophisticated look elegant enough for entertaining that’s still kid-friendly for the Vancouver family of five. See the full reno here.10. From the ground up. The biggest change interior designer Kelly Deck made in the maser ensuite of this Vancouver home may be underfoot—dated tile was swapped out for sleek Bianco Carrara marble—but it makes a world of difference. A new Acri-tec free-standing bath, kitted out with a modern Blu Bathworks tub-filler, makes for a luxurious soak. See the full reno here.11. Goodbye dark and dated. In the newly renovated kitchen (which features a playful chevron backsplash), the bold light fixtures provide plenty of wow factor. A redesigned kitchen island is now big enough to accommodate the whole family with five beautiful Bonaldo Rest Too seats. See the full reno here.