Designer Karen Sealy repurposed
her garage into the ultimate
entertaining area for her family and
friends.
Canadian Home Trends WHAT WAS
THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THIS
ROOM?
Karen Sealy The playroom was originally a
garage, however older post-war bungalows
often have tiny garages that aren’t functional
with SUVs. I decided it was more important
to claim this area as living space. This allowed
me to make room for my ping-pong table,
additional storage, wine fridges, treadmill
and a pull-out queen bed (hidden in the
ottoman).
CHT WHAT INSPIRED THE DESIGN OF
THIS PLAYROOM?
KS Given the space was intended to be
a fun game room, I decided to allow the
design to reflect that. The blue doors
(inspired by the colour of the ping-pong
table) and the chartreuse green stripe (a.k.a.
my racing stripe) that travels up the wall,
through the quartz counter top and across
the ceiling provides fun and energy to the
design. The cork flooring is a perfect choice
- it’s an insulating floor offering a layer of
warmth above the existing concrete slab.
Cork has acoustical properties helping to
soften the boisterous sounds that accompany
every good game room.
CHT WHAT WORD WOULD YOU SAY
BEST DESCRIBES THE ROOM?
KS If I had to describe this room in one
word it would be FUN!
CHT WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DESIGN
THIS PLAYROOM?
KS I love to entertain, play music, ping-pong
and have friends over but dedicating an
entire room to a ping-pong table in a small
home wouldn’t have made much sense.
The room had to be multi-functional to
accommodate all of my needs.
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CANADIANHOMETRENDS.COM
“IF I HAD TO DESCRIBE
THIS ROOM IN ONE WORD
IT WOULD BE FUN!”
BEFORE
Photography by Larry Arnal, www.arnalpix.
com; Green Stripe, Tequila Lime 2028-30,
Benjamin Moore, www.benjaminmoore.
ca; Grey Walls, Revere Pewter HC-172,
Benjamin Moore, www.benjaminmoore.
ca; Quartz Counter Top, Silestone, www.
ca.silestone.com; Stools, Sealy Design,
www.sealydesigninc.com; Accessories,
Sealy Design, www.sealydesigninc.com;
Space Designed by Award Winning
Architectural Design and Build Firm Sealy
Design Inc., Led by Karen Sealy, Cityline
Design Expert, Journalist, and Celebrity
Speaker, www.sealydesigninc.com