In the last edition of Living Spaces & LifeStyles, we spoke with Paula Coffey, owner of The Plumber’s Wife in Arthur, ON. The focus was on how easy and effective online design services can be. Granted, it does help somewhat when your designer just happens to own one of the most beautiful retail spaces focusing on beautiful home and outdoor décor. The end result is a stunning, unique, and timeless project, complete with Paula herself personally connected to her client’s style, taste and budget.
Enter Julie.
Downsizing is never easy. Deciding what to take, what to purge, and what you simply cannot live without can not only be daunting, it can be downright overwhelming. When Julie decided a few years ago to sell her farmhouse and move to a condo in Elora, she knew that Paula was going to be instrumental in helping with pairing the “old” from her farmhouse with the “new” of her condo. For most clients who own farmhouses, the general consensus is that their home has a warm and welcoming feel. So, how was Julie going to successfully mix her farmhouse warmth with this elegant new space?
Enter Paula, and her amazing team of stylists.
The main living room was the first space they tackled, as Julie wanted to ensure a “homey” feel to this area. “We started the process with an e-design where I did up a furniture plan for the living room”, explains Paula. “Julie’s main focus was comfort, while maintaining an elegant, upscale look. She entertains quite a bit, and her existing couch and chairs just weren’t comfortable. That’s when we took the design process to the next step, and I was hired to join Julie on a shopping trip. I had already selected the chair/couch styles, so it simplified our in-store search.”
The key benefit in taking this next step past the e-design, is the keen eye and classic taste Paula and her team have honed, and are then able to offer to the client. This one-on-one service allows the client to have the designer with them throughout the purchasing process, a task which can often be quite stressful. Another bonus is that a designer can see colours and styles that initially may go beyond one’s comfort zone, but with a little encouragement and some hands-on experimenting while shopping, clients will often begin to see what the designer sees.
“We made an unexpected choice of colour for her couch, which we both ultimately fell in love with”, shares Paula. “It’s a warm terracotta velour material with down-filled pillows – ultimate comfort and very stylish!” In addition, Paula and Julie chose chairs with a swivel feature which assist in both TV watching and entertaining. Choosing these swivel chairs made perfect sense for Julie’s open-concept condo, allowing people to engage in conversation in both the living room and kitchen areas.
Another smaller swivel chair sits inside the patio door so she can enjoy the beautiful view no matter what the weather is like.
“We chose the Weswood print from our collection for above the couch because of all the beautiful warm colour tones”, says Paula. “It incorporates a bit of black, which also complements her kitchen set.”
The coffee table is a show stopper and caught Julie’s eye immediately in the store. Paula explains, “It’s onyx inlay and is a serious conversation piece! With fall approaching we decided to dress her table for the season, bringing in the warm terracotta colours, textures, and even a little bling!” And we love when Paula does bling!
Paula continues, “In the kitchen, Julie has her memories from the farm through her vintage pieces. She chose a beautiful cloche which she’ll have great fun decorating for all the seasons! In addition, it fits in perfectly with her new pieces without looking out of place.”
Finally, Paula and team couldn’t resist sharing this picture taken from Julie’s gorgeous new patio, showcasing the beautiful view looking out over the Elora River.
Julie has truly achieved her wish, a new condo transformed into a warm, comfy little spot, all designed and delivered by The Plumber’s Wife!
WRITTEN BY: KELLI M. MADDOCKS | PHOTOGRAPHY: HALEY ROONEY CREATIVE
