Interior design lessons from a spectacular show home in Canada

Sarah Tolle—Homify Canada Sarah Tolle—Homify Canada
Broadview Showhome, Sonata Design Sonata Design Modern style study/office
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The interior designers from Sonata Design—a Calgary-based window fashion and interior design company—present a beautiful model of a modern interior in this show home tour. This space focuses on the creation of a cohesive theme that unites the rooms of the home, adopting a fresh, crisp aesthetic throughout. Explore the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and library of this show home to learn about interior design from the pros—learn techniques to illuminate, balance, and rejuvenate your own home decor through the example set by this stunning model!

1. ​Create a palette

Your interior scheme will look more like an intentional scheme if it actually is one. Explore how various colours make you feel, and determine a palette based on the variations of the colour. The interiors of this home foster a sense of harmony and deep calm with the use of a blue palette, with crisp white and silver details bringing imagery from celestial skies and beachy ocean waves.

​2. Let the shape of the room dictate your furniture placement

Don’t fight against an awkward heater or a lower-than-average window—work with it! This room may not enjoy a wall full of windows, but the furniture has been thoughtfully placed to take full advantage of the sunlight, with a chaise lounge resting directly underneath. Low furniture all around works well with the lower ceilings of this room, exaggerating the room’s height by offering smaller dimensions in contrast.

​3. Highlight your high investment furniture

You don’t need to invest in high-quality everything, but the furniture that you do really love should enjoy the spotlight. Place high investment items like an antique sofa or luxurious bed at the focal points of your room, and give them a generous stage that gives them enough space to soak up the glory.

Find more bedroom designs in this ideabook with 10 creative bedroom ideas to inspire you

​4. Focus on texture

Especially for a predominantly neutral palette like the one in this room, playing with texture will make a big impact on the look—and feel—of the environment. The plush carpet certainly adds a luxurious and decadent feel to this bedroom, along with satin-esque linens and lightweight, gauzy drapes. With smooth grey surfaces in the furniture, this bedroom offers the senses a comforting environment rich in soothing textures.

​5. Try mixing instead of matching

This snapshot of the show home’s modern bathroom reveals a tendency to mix patterns and surface textures, rather than attempting to create a perfectly matched environment. Zebra stripes, marbled granite and geometric prints all make a unique contribution to the room, adding interest and personality.

​6. Create layers of lighting

It’s unusual to find a room with too much light—increasing the light in a space can increase the feeling of energy and productivity, and natural light is also known to aid in the reduction of bacteria in a room. However, don’t rely on just one window for your light. Layer your lighting, as you see in this kitchen. The room receives light from the window, from the ceiling lights, and from the suspended fixtures that dangle over the kitchen island, providing multiple options for properly illuminating the space.

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