A First-Time Homeowner’s Small Condo Features a Bold Bird Wallpaper Accent

published Dec 22, 2020

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Living room with window sliding doors and neutral color scheme — Credit: Kelsie Andeel

Name: Kelsie Andeel and Binks, the enormous and fluffy gray cat
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Type of home: Condo
Size: Around 760 square feet
Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned

Credit: Kelsie Andeel

Bedroom dresser details. The large painting was found at a consignment shop.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Antique-meets-modern, collected, refined, bold, ever-evolving.

Credit: Kelsie Andeel

The bathroom. A quarantine pastime was repainting the walls and the vanity and updating some of the hardware.

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I bought this condo (first-time owner!) after the end of a long-term relationship where I had been living in a house my partner owned. I found myself without a place to live, and after looking at the going rate for rentals, I figured it was time to buy. The timing was serendipitous, et voila. I’ve spent the last one and a half years turning this into my dream cocoon.

Credit: Kelsie Andeel

My proudest DIY was putting up the wallpaper (with the help of my mother), and arranging the Deco-inspired vignettes. The mirror was a Kijiji find.

I’m attracted to bold personalities, bold fashion, bold decor. Even if something isn’t my personal taste, I have respect for people when they really go for an aesthetic. I think my personality is reflected in some of the bolder patterns I’ve chosen (leopard print rug, large scale bird wallpaper), as well as the personalized art. Most of which was either painted or drawn by my mother, along with antique finds (and even a few I’ve done myself!)

Credit: Kelsie Andeel

The den is the first thing you see when you walk through the front door. The skull was painted by my mother, and the small abstract by my cousin who is an artist.

What is your favorite room and why? Hard to choose! I would have to say my bedroom, only because I haven’t changed much around in there. It just works. Whereas my living room, den, and entryway are constantly a work in progress.

Credit: Kelsie Andeel

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I found an antique glass jar in a beautiful shade of green. It was purchased from an antique store in a little town called Merrickville about an hour outside of Ottawa. My color palette is mostly blacks and neutrals, but I’m very attracted to moody shades of green.

Credit: Kelsie Andeel

Any advice for creating a home you love? It’s tempting to do one-stop shopping at big box stores because the prices are so attractive. But I would encourage people to think outside the box and get creative when looking for furniture and art. Check out antique stores, consignment shops, and Kijiji. I’ve found amazing finds over the years. I get a lot of inspiration from the big designers like Kelly Wearstler, and then I see if I can find something in my budget that looks like it. I also randomly get a lot of inspiration from Frasier Crane’s apartment.

Credit: Kelsie Andeel

My biggest embarrassment is the kitchen. The previous owner had purchased the unit as a rental income, so he didn’t opt for any upgrades to appliances or finishes. I’m saving up to renovate it.

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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