A Cozy Canadian Bungalow Is Marvelously Modern, Rustic, Minimalist, and Moody

Name: Rita Melkonian, my husband, and daughter
Location: Montreal, Canada
Type of home: Bungalow
Size: 950 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, owned

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I live in a 950-square-foot bungalow with my husband and our 2-year-old daughter. The three of us used to live in a 500 square-foot condo, which we adored, but we wanted a standalone home with a backyard, so we decided to upgrade the square footage just a little bit. We found the perfect bungalow in 2020 that required a complete gut job, which is a dream for any aspiring interior designer (me!). I designed the new floor plan from scratch, and I learned so much from the renovation process. Over a year later, I can finally say our home is complete, although my passion for interior design forces me to tweak the design of our home constantly — something that drives my husband crazy because he’s a creature of habit (haha).

My identity is definitely reflected in my home. I’m very creative and my sense of style is monochromatic, and that’s exactly how I’d describe my home. I don’t particularly enjoy color — my home is made up of whites, blacks, grays, and natural elements such as wood and metal. That’s how my wardrobe is too, minus the wood and metal of course. I’m not afraid of bold accent walls either — I have many black walls in my home and it’s a signature of mine that I don’t think I’ll ever let go of (my tiny condo had black walls, too.)

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Contemporary. Modern. Rustic. Minimalist. Moody.

What is your favorite room and why? Considering my home is essentially one big (well, small actually) open space, I don’t really have a favorite room. My entire home is my favorite because I see it as one big piece of art with different components instead of separate entities. My kitchen, living room, dining room, office nook, bathroom, bedrooms — they’re all within reach of each other and the same design style flows through each room.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? A beautiful rug and coffee table from Wayfair that completed our living room and made it look bigger than it is.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Design your home with intention. Don’t rush into buying furniture and decor items just to fill it as quickly as possible. Take your time, choose pieces you truly love, avoid clutter, and make sure all rooms have similar design elements to promote a good flow.

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

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