A Former Beige Snorefest Is Now Anything But Boring

Name: Katie Avram and Butterscotch the cat
Location: Bankview — Calgary, Alberta
Size: 700 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, owned

I bought my condo a year ago and went to town on personalizing it from the beige/tan snorefest it was. I had been looking to buy a condo for over a year and had seen dozens in person that were definitely nice, but just weren’t me. The windows and view sold me on the place from the listing photos and I called my realtor right away to arrange a viewing. Right from walking in the door you see the view and the natural light flooding the place, and I knew with a little work I could transform it into a fun, homey oasis for me and my cat, Butterscotch.

What is your favorite room and why? I love the living room area—my wallpaper is inspired by the pattern in the Beverly Hills Hotel, and paired with my red couch, brightly patterned rug, and a secondhand dresser from Kijiji that I painted years ago creates a feminine but modern space to relax in. The room has huge windows that take up the entire east wall with a view of downtown and lets in tons of natural light—sometimes too much—so I got these beautiful white custom drapes that remind me of a theatre when fully drawn.

I am a 26-year-old CPA working in commercial banking for the last few years. While my day job involves a combination of sales and number-crunching, I’ve always loved working with my hands and haven’t been able to find many opportunities to do that in the last few years until I bought this place. I always enjoyed trade classes growing up in school and my dad was a very hands-on, build-it-yourself kind of person, while my mother has unbelievable sewing skills… so it must be in the genes!

I learned a lot about DIY and very basic renovations through the whole process. My boyfriend helped me install the laminate flooring, we painted the walls together, and survived furniture assembly together. I painted the cabinets and put up the wallpaper backsplash. I was lucky enough with some of the bigger projects to have the advice of an uncle very experienced in construction and home renovation, and when it came to plumbing and installing the glass shower tile, I called it a day and hired a pro.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I didn’t have a proper bed frame or headboard when I moved my things in so I took a chance and ordered this green upholstered velvet bed on Wayfair.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Don’t be afraid to take your time! When I bought this condo, I really rushed into A LOT of projects at once and it was very overwhelming (and expensive) over a short period of time to get everything finished at once. I’m really trying to step back now and take a lot of consideration before bringing anything new into the space, whether it’s decor or furniture. I’m very wary of it becoming too cluttered and want to avoid that!

Butterscotch loves the little sunroom. It’s an enclosed patio, which I love because I don’t have to worry about her getting out or lost, and she loves the warm sunlight and pawing at the plants I have growing in there.

Thanks, Katie!

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