New OPUS Home in Brampton Features Tasteful French Country Design
by Personify Photography
At OPUS Homes, we love to see what our homeowners do with their new homes. For some, moving in is an occasion to decorate, choosing their favourite colours, styles and having fun realizing their design dreams. One of our homeowners at our ValleyLands community in Brampton saw an opportunity to create a distinctive look that’s all her own. We were so inspired by her gorgeous projects, we asked for a closer look…
OPUS Homes Client, Andrea S. shared some of her amazing DIY projects on Instagram and we were instantly in love with her signature style, and her ability to turn a found object into a stunning show piece in her home. We had the pleasure of a tour of her home and learned about the hard work she and husband Peter had put in.
About Andrea & Peter
Not only does she have a flair for design, Andrea loves to cook. Five years ago, she took her passion for food and entertaining and started her company, Savoury & Cake. Peter loves to work side-by-side with Andrea, particularly in the garden. He has a passion for landscaping, and takes tremendous pride in the results.
OPUS Homes Client, Andrea S. shared some of her amazing DIY projects on Instagram and we were instantly in love with her signature style, and her ability to turn a found object into a stunning show piece in her home. We had the pleasure of a tour of her home and learned about the hard work she and husband Peter had put in.
About Andrea & Peter
Not only does she have a flair for design, Andrea loves to cook. Five years ago, she took her passion for food and entertaining and started her company, Savoury & Cake. Peter loves to work side-by-side with Andrea, particularly in the garden. He has a passion for landscaping, and takes tremendous pride in the results.
Being a foodie, you’d expect Andrea’s kitchen to be functional, but you might not expect it to have such flair! Certainly the most striking feature of her home is her incredible kitchen. At the OPUS Homes Decor Studio, she chose a classic white cabinet that looks so crisp, clean and timeless. But what she did with her back splash really ‘kicked it up a notch’ to quote another famous chef… Andrea loves french country style and you can see her inspiration is drawn from that. She took a design risk, and used black as her accent colour. The black of the wall also helps to achieve the crisp white cabinet look that she really loves.
Interestingly, the tiles are actually cement. These ‘encaustic’ tiles are actually floor tiles, created using an age-old practice of moulding the different colours of cement in stages, so that the pattern forms part of the tile, not just the glaze. The stunning effects can last forever, because as the tile wears, the pattern stays put. The tiles also have a lovely warm feeling, not icy cold the way glazed tiles do.
In the photo above, you’ll also see an elegant chandelier, one of three DIY lighting projects that Andrea and Peter took on. Rescued from a local Habitat for Humanity store, this old brass fixture got a new life with some paint from the hardware store. What’s cool about this one is that Andrea layered chalk paint over gold to create an antique effect. In this kitchen, the white, black and gold colours all work together to create an exceptionally warm and inviting space.
Interestingly, the tiles are actually cement. These ‘encaustic’ tiles are actually floor tiles, created using an age-old practice of moulding the different colours of cement in stages, so that the pattern forms part of the tile, not just the glaze. The stunning effects can last forever, because as the tile wears, the pattern stays put. The tiles also have a lovely warm feeling, not icy cold the way glazed tiles do.
In the photo above, you’ll also see an elegant chandelier, one of three DIY lighting projects that Andrea and Peter took on. Rescued from a local Habitat for Humanity store, this old brass fixture got a new life with some paint from the hardware store. What’s cool about this one is that Andrea layered chalk paint over gold to create an antique effect. In this kitchen, the white, black and gold colours all work together to create an exceptionally warm and inviting space.
Just outside the back door is another DIY project this duo took on. This one took the whole summer. But wow. The results are both beautiful, but best of all, practical. This backyard takes care of itself with trees planted for privacy, river rock borders, and inlaid stone work. No grass to mow.
Andrea says it took Peter many weeks of work to carefully place each stone in place. The stone work is also neatly finished along the side of the house, allowing convenient access to the back yard without walking through damp grass.
Once finished, now the backyard maintains itself, and provides an outdoor living space the neighbours will envy! In a few years as the cedar trees grow, it will only get better.
Along with this, Andrea and Peter did what they do best, and brought out the beauty in their front yard, too. This home stands out like a gem on the street, with careful attention to detail with accents like a found piece of driftwood and uplighting, to go along with more clean and simple stone.
Andrea says it took Peter many weeks of work to carefully place each stone in place. The stone work is also neatly finished along the side of the house, allowing convenient access to the back yard without walking through damp grass.
Once finished, now the backyard maintains itself, and provides an outdoor living space the neighbours will envy! In a few years as the cedar trees grow, it will only get better.
Along with this, Andrea and Peter did what they do best, and brought out the beauty in their front yard, too. This home stands out like a gem on the street, with careful attention to detail with accents like a found piece of driftwood and uplighting, to go along with more clean and simple stone.
Another great find Andrea shared with us is this elegant dresser. Just goes to show, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. With a little love, and some paint, the foyer now has handy storage.
What makes this piece special though is the way it has been accessorized with Arabesque patterned mirrors. From a practical standpoint, this makes the ideal place to pause and check the lipstick before leaving the house.
Repurposing something old not only goes easy on the pocket-book, it’s also really satisfying to bring out the beauty in something unloved. Many thanks to Andrea for opening her home to us and sharing some of her design secrets. We enjoyed our tour and learning about how she expresses herself creatively through her cooking and through her wonderful design taste!
Visit the Savoury & Cake website here.
Do you have design ideas or design projects you’re especially proud of? Tag us @OPUSHomes, we’d love to see them!
OPUS Homes has returned to Brampton! Our Origins Presentation Centre is now open, and we are now registering for our next release, including townhomes. Please view our Brampton new homes here.
Repurposing something old not only goes easy on the pocket-book, it’s also really satisfying to bring out the beauty in something unloved. Many thanks to Andrea for opening her home to us and sharing some of her design secrets. We enjoyed our tour and learning about how she expresses herself creatively through her cooking and through her wonderful design taste!
Visit the Savoury & Cake website here.
Do you have design ideas or design projects you’re especially proud of? Tag us @OPUSHomes, we’d love to see them!
OPUS Homes has returned to Brampton! Our Origins Presentation Centre is now open, and we are now registering for our next release, including townhomes. Please view our Brampton new homes here.
