Before & After
June 15, 2023
Before & After: A Dated Suburban Home Transforms Into An Inviting Family Hub
One look at the peaceful, leafy enclave just west of Toronto and it’s easy to see why Cat Halliday and her husband, Brian Carr, moved to Mineola West, an area in Mississauga, Ont. Cat, a marketing professional, describes the charming community as something out of a Hallmark movie: the neighbors are welcoming, their two kids can roam freely and, the first week they were there, Santa appeared on their street in a horse-drawn carriage.
The couple purchased the sprawling 4,500-square-foot home in 2020, after outgrowing their Toronto rowhouse. Emilia Wisniewski of Studio 1Nine1 was brought on to turn the dark and dated space into a calm oasis befitting the idyllic setting. Despite facing some supply chain issues, the makeover was finished just nine months later. Together, Cat and Emilia discussed overcoming the challenging layout, and how they proved that kids and white fabrics do mix.
We chatted with Cat and Emilia to learn more about this must-see transformation. Scroll down!
House & Home: What made Emilia the perfect fit for this project?
Cat Halliday: Emilia and I lived in the same community in Toronto, and our kids went to the same school. I once asked her for a wallpaper recommendation, which escalated into her designing us a dream bathroom. When we bought this house, I was thrilled that she agreed to take it on. She has vision, great style and understands how families live.
Before: The fireplace in the den had a traditional mantel and brick hearth.
After: Emilia swapped it for smooth stone and stained-black oak. Contemporary art draws the eye.
H&H: There are many comfortable corners in your home. Is there one the family gravitates toward?
CH: The den, also known as “Mommy’s happy place,” is one of our favorite spots. It’s where the Christmas tree lives in December, where I drink wine fireside with girlfriends, or sit and read the paper. It also doubles as my office. I spend the first 10 minutes of every Zoom call talking about how beautiful my background is.
A wall of built-ins does triple duty as storage, a workstation and display space.
Before: “The house had good bones but was definitely in need of a facelift,” says Cat.
H&H: What was your vision for the renovation?
CH: We wanted a warm, modern aesthetic that was low-maintenance and kid-friendly. Forgiving, light- colored fabrics mean it’s not the end of the world if the kids jump on the furniture, which they’ve been known to do. Having high quality fabrics that can be professionally cleaned is more affordable than I expected.
Before: The dining area felt disconnected from the kitchen before custom floor-to-ceiling built-ins were added.
Reeded glass in the cabinets and spindle-back Windsor chairs make the dining room feel open and airy. The oak table expands to seat 10.
H&H: How do you feel now, looking back at the renovation? Is there anything you’d do differently?
EW: At the end of every project, I look at my vision boards and design ideas to see where we netted out. We really didn’t deviate from the initial presentation. The vision for this home was always there, and I don’t think I would change anything. It’s a comfortable, functional, livable space. The energy now matches its storybook setting.
Before: The kitchen was lacking contrast and character.
After: Bold black cabinets juxtapose neutral quartz counters and sculptural pendants in the updated kitchen.
“I think this is what truly gives our home that continuous flow; each room harmonizes, but has its own personality. If I’d done it myself, I would have tackled the rooms one at a time and lost the consistency Emilia created,” says Cat.
H&H: Emilia, were there any design challenges, and how did you address them?
Emilia Wisniewski: The house has an interesting layout; it’s very long. When you walk in the front door, a hall and stairway split the home in half, almost into separate wings. To keep things cohesive, we installed hand-scraped oak floors throughout for a warm, vintage vibe, and to balance the more contemporary furniture. We also pulled the rooms together using a muted color palette that made the space feel airy and more expansive.
In the principal bedroom, hemp wallpaper adds a feeling of luxury and warmth.
H&H: What were some of the highlights during the makeover?
CH: The most exciting part of the renovation was being part of the design process. Watching Emilia and her team do what they love brought us a lot of joy, and their energy was contagious and fun to be around. The process required patience, though. I was already picking out wallpaper and Emilia had to slow me down and get me comfortable with moving methodically through each phase of the reno.
Jackson, the couple’s son, chose a deep navy for his bedroom. Emilia layered in a playful gorilla rug. “Kids spend so much time on their floors, so they have to be soft and inviting,” she says.
Daughter London helped choose the wallpaper, drapes and paint for her room. “I like to involve kids in the design process for their rooms, and she loved pink and unicorns and fluffy things, so we went with it,” says Emilia.
White walls and cloud wallpaper on the ceiling transform a spare bedroom into a meditative yoga sanctuary.
H&H: Your biggest splurge and save?
CH: The floors were the biggest splurge, but they made the biggest impact. They brightened the house and gave it the continuity it needed. Most of the saves happened in the kids’ rooms on things we knew they would eventually outgrow.
Valerie Wilcox
Emilia Wisniewski