MISSION POSSIBLE
category design section & decor title
DESIGNER'S NOTEBOOK
MISSION POSSIBLE with
Mia Parres
“It’s so rewarding when we can make homes function better.”
Go Faux: Coffered ceiling created with a custom, easy-install foam/plaster product.
Carving out more space within their main floor’s tight squeeze seemed impossible. Until a television crew showed up and opened up the walls of possibility By Wendy Helfenbaum • Photos by Paul Kapridov
Ever wish your crowded house could somehow magically reveal hidden space? That’s exactly what designer Mia Parres does as co-host of HGTV’s The Expandables, which helps homeowners maximize every inch. “I love working with master contractor Rob Evans, and our design and contracting teams,” says Parres. “It’s so rewarding when we can make homes function better.” On the recent episode, Chaos Reigns, Parres worked her magic on a semidetached house with tight rooms and too many walls. “Mike and Laura purchased it as a starter home, but nine years and two growing boys later, their living room had become a hockey rink, and the dining table was the office,” says Parres. “There were no designated spaces; it was a free-for-all.” Laura loves to cook and entertain, which was challenging in the tiny kitchen, says Parres.
14
| HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
“Her oven and dishwasher opened onto each other, so you couldn’t do two things at once. It was an apartment-style kitchen in a house. Opening it up and creating one big living space with room to entertain, plus a dining area that could accommodate lots of people was our top priority.” During the six-week reno, Parres’ team tore down three walls to improve the layout and create more storage options. The team faced an unexpected surprise once the walls came tumbling down: the floor between the dining room and living room sagged in the middle. To correct it, carpenters built up the floor by adding another support beam, sistered to the existing ones. Then they laid dark oak flooring over top. Solving that sag created another issue—the uneven ceiling was quite the eyesore. The solution? A custom-made coffered living room ceiling that added architectural detail and depth, while drawing the eye up but away from the uneven lines. →
H HO OM M EE O OW WN N EE RR ’’ SS SS II M M PP LL EE SS O O LL U U TT II O ON N SS ||
15 15
design &decor
design & decor Store-bought cabinets extend into living/dining area for more storage.
“The coffered ceiling is my favourite feature, and it’s a really inexpensive way to add extra elegance,” says Parres. “It’s actually foam dipped in plaster; you determine the shape, scale and size, and they tailor it to your needs. It’s a fraction of what you’d pay for solid wood, and it’s super easy to install. I like keeping the ceiling light, and then having other elements really pop below, to add contrast.”
16
| HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
Parres glammed up the existing fireplace with crown moulding and rich charcoal paint. Open shelving and bookcases display family photos and items collected on their travels. To give Laura her gourmet kitchen, Parres improved the flow by rearranging appliances, adding expansive white quartz countertops and customizing store-bought cabinets, which were extended into the living/dining room area. →
"The homeowners love yellow, so Parres included bright hits in pillows and accessories, contrasting with the warm taupe grass cloth on the walls and natural wood tones throughout."
HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS |
17
design & decor
design & decor
Banquette means dining table seats 10. Bonus feature: Storage drawers underneath!
The homeowners love yellow, so Parres included bright hits in pillows and accessories, contrasting with the warm taupe grass cloth on the walls and natural wood tones throughout. A dining table, paired with an oversized banquette, seats 10 while deep drawers underneath store bulky or seldomused items. Custom upholstery along one wall adds luxurious texture. “By pushing the dining table up against the wall with banquette seating, they gained space to walk, plus they can seat four more people than they would’ve been able to with just chairs,” notes Parres. “It’s perfect for breakfast and homework—comfy and cozy.”
“The fun part is seeing the homeowners’ initial reaction, being blown away. We want them to come home and say, ‘Hey! That’s exactly what I was looking for.’ Now, theirs is the most gorgeous house on the block.”
For lighting, it’s all about options, adds Parres, who put everything on dimmers, while layering different fixtures for maximum effect and functionality. “Sconces are great, because when you have kids running around, it’s nice to keep things off the floor,” she says. “The kitchen pendants create a central hearth, and that gorgeous hanging fixture above the dining table accents a key space.” Parres loves finding space in impossible places. -H 18
| HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
Toronto-based designer Mia Parres studied interior design at Parsons: The New School for Design. She holds an Honours Bachelor Degree in Architecture and an Architecture Certificate from the Architecture Association of London, England. She co-hosts HGTV’s series The Expandables.
HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS |
19
DESIGNER'S NOTEBOOK
MISSION POSSIBLE with
Mia Parres
“It’s so rewarding when we can make homes function better.”
Go Faux: Coffered ceiling created with a custom, easy-install foam/plaster product.
Carving out more space within their main floor’s tight squeeze seemed impossible. Until a television crew showed up and opened up the walls of possibility By Wendy Helfenbaum • Photos by Paul Kapridov
Ever wish your crowded house could somehow magically reveal hidden space? That’s exactly what designer Mia Parres does as co-host of HGTV’s The Expandables, which helps homeowners maximize every inch. “I love working with master contractor Rob Evans, and our design and contracting teams,” says Parres. “It’s so rewarding when we can make homes function better.” On the recent episode, Chaos Reigns, Parres worked her magic on a semidetached house with tight rooms and too many walls. “Mike and Laura purchased it as a starter home, but nine years and two growing boys later, their living room had become a hockey rink, and the dining table was the office,” says Parres. “There were no designated spaces; it was a free-for-all.” Laura loves to cook and entertain, which was challenging in the tiny kitchen, says Parres.
14
| HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
“Her oven and dishwasher opened onto each other, so you couldn’t do two things at once. It was an apartment-style kitchen in a house. Opening it up and creating one big living space with room to entertain, plus a dining area that could accommodate lots of people was our top priority.” During the six-week reno, Parres’ team tore down three walls to improve the layout and create more storage options. The team faced an unexpected surprise once the walls came tumbling down: the floor between the dining room and living room sagged in the middle. To correct it, carpenters built up the floor by adding another support beam, sistered to the existing ones. Then they laid dark oak flooring over top. Solving that sag created another issue—the uneven ceiling was quite the eyesore. The solution? A custom-made coffered living room ceiling that added architectural detail and depth, while drawing the eye up but away from the uneven lines. →
H HO OM M EE O OW WN N EE RR ’’ SS SS II M M PP LL EE SS O O LL U U TT II O ON N SS ||
15 15
design &decor
design & decor Store-bought cabinets extend into living/dining area for more storage.
“The coffered ceiling is my favourite feature, and it’s a really inexpensive way to add extra elegance,” says Parres. “It’s actually foam dipped in plaster; you determine the shape, scale and size, and they tailor it to your needs. It’s a fraction of what you’d pay for solid wood, and it’s super easy to install. I like keeping the ceiling light, and then having other elements really pop below, to add contrast.”
16
| HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
Parres glammed up the existing fireplace with crown moulding and rich charcoal paint. Open shelving and bookcases display family photos and items collected on their travels. To give Laura her gourmet kitchen, Parres improved the flow by rearranging appliances, adding expansive white quartz countertops and customizing store-bought cabinets, which were extended into the living/dining room area. →
"The homeowners love yellow, so Parres included bright hits in pillows and accessories, contrasting with the warm taupe grass cloth on the walls and natural wood tones throughout."
HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS |
17
design & decor
design & decor
Banquette means dining table seats 10. Bonus feature: Storage drawers underneath!
The homeowners love yellow, so Parres included bright hits in pillows and accessories, contrasting with the warm taupe grass cloth on the walls and natural wood tones throughout. A dining table, paired with an oversized banquette, seats 10 while deep drawers underneath store bulky or seldomused items. Custom upholstery along one wall adds luxurious texture. “By pushing the dining table up against the wall with banquette seating, they gained space to walk, plus they can seat four more people than they would’ve been able to with just chairs,” notes Parres. “It’s perfect for breakfast and homework—comfy and cozy.”
“The fun part is seeing the homeowners’ initial reaction, being blown away. We want them to come home and say, ‘Hey! That’s exactly what I was looking for.’ Now, theirs is the most gorgeous house on the block.”
For lighting, it’s all about options, adds Parres, who put everything on dimmers, while layering different fixtures for maximum effect and functionality. “Sconces are great, because when you have kids running around, it’s nice to keep things off the floor,” she says. “The kitchen pendants create a central hearth, and that gorgeous hanging fixture above the dining table accents a key space.” Parres loves finding space in impossible places. -H 18
| HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
Toronto-based designer Mia Parres studied interior design at Parsons: The New School for Design. She holds an Honours Bachelor Degree in Architecture and an Architecture Certificate from the Architecture Association of London, England. She co-hosts HGTV’s series The Expandables.
HOMEOWNER’S SIMPLE SOLUTIONS |
19
