When Charlene and Grant Gilmour first laid eyes on their west-end Toronto home, it was far from fetching. Virtually every wall was clad in fake wood panelling, and the one room that wasn't was, amazingly, covered in wallpaper depicting fake wood panelling. The semi-detached home had several other strikes against it, including a closed-in atmosphere accentuated by drop-tile ceilings, dingy shag carpeting, and, at the back of the first storey, an ad hoc addition that was close to falling down-not to mention infested with ants. “I didn't like it,” says Charlene, “but it had a big lot and a garage and I called it our ‘starter home.'”
Fortunately, Charlene and Grant have an edge when it comes to diamonds in the rough. It's an occupational advantage for the couple who own The Big Stuff, an upholstery outfit that routinely recasts tired old pieces for both residential and commerical contracts.
The same ingenuity and skill that earned them the title of the city's top upholsterer from Toronto Life magazine are clearly evident in the little house they transformed in just six weeks in 1999 (not including the splendid bathroom renovation that came later). At the time, their daughter, Shawn, was only 10 months old, while son Flynn, now 5, was just a twinkle in the eye. The couple removed all of the ceiling tiles, drywalled over the panelling (which, to their dismay, concealed crumbling walls), tore up carpet, refinished floors, and installed a gas fireplace. Grant tore down and rebuilt the addition at the back of the house, creating a main-floor TV room, as well as constructing a cedar deck over the cement pad in the backyard.
But it's the dramatic cosmetic overhaul of the formerly down-at-the-heels kitchen that may be the home's greatest testament to the transformational power of paint, mixed with new appliances and a solid vision of vintage charm. “Grant and I are on the same page when it comes to making changes,” notes Charlene.
Their makeover is a lesson in affordable chic. They rejuvenated cabinets with off-white paint, and added beadboard panelling as a backsplash. They removed the cupboard doors for open shelving, replaced tiles with Armstrong industrial flooring, and introduced chopping-block counters and an island-bought for a song and fixed up by Grant. They replaced appliances and gained floor space by recessing the fridge into an alcove.
Today, the atmosphere is one of retro cozy comfort, achieved with an assemblage of vintage accessories and small appliances. Elsewhere in the house, the same tone is reflected via a mismatched assortment of old family furnishings, Goodwill bargains and contemporary pieces, such as the living room sofa, that the couple designed themselves.
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