Home Trends Budget Makeovers 2015 | Page 108

D TIP! When choosing a chandelier, consider these basic rules: Add the length and width of the room and translate that into inches for the correct diameter or length. (14' + 20' = 34' converted to inches is 34", so your chandelier should be around 34" wide or in diameter). Hang it about 30" - 36" above the table surface. Designer Evelyn Eshun’s well curated, contemporary design pays homage to the well-established homes of Toronto’s Leaside neighbourhood. By emphasizing gracious simplicity, the designer focuses attention on materials and family comfort. Eshun applied light and dark elements in the kitchen. “We used bright white cabinets and a deep walnut finish on the maple doors below. We pulled the cabinets all the way to the exterior wall and chose to finish the cabinets in white in order to keep the open and bright feeling,” she comments. Eshun advises to “Keep all your dark elements below eye level.” This ensures a sense of “expanse” in a room. Art Deco’s slim symmetrics and geometrics guide the design of the living room’s refined lines. Encouraging both conversation and outdoor views, the cream coloured, understated, furniture blends with the creamily neutral walls. “For the purpose of longevity and decorating flexibility, I like to choose a neutral colour for the largest pieces of upholstery,” Eshun remarks. The long rectangle of the red, mahogany fireplace is echoed in the striped rug. Its cream and black strokes add resonance to the furniture’s dark woods. ”The rug was chosen for its linear, graphic look. It adds a dynamic feeling to the room,” Eshun observes. The