A “Builder Beige” New Construction House Has Been Transformed With Wallpaper, Paint, and Tile

Name: Joan Churchill, cat, and two dogs
Location: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Type of home: Townhouse
Size: 1,249 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years, owned

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My townhouse complex was built on a former cornfield. The owner of the property had kept about eight acres of the land as forest. When the property was developed, the forest was bought by the city, and it’s now a public park with trails, a bog, and some resident owls. I live in my townhouse with my cat, Harry; Alfie, my Great Pyrenees dog; and Betty, my little Bug (Boston Terrier x Pug).

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: I bought new construction so over the past three years I’ve been transforming the “builder beige” to something more personal. The work is still in progress, but so far I’ve painted, wallpapered, and even tiled the powder room floor and changed its vanity. Next project is to paint the cheap foil over the MDF kitchen cabinets a dark, dramatic colour.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The vanity for my powder room on Wayfair.

What is your favorite room and why? My bedroom is my favourite room as it’s large and overlooks the lovely forest park. And it has an en-suite bathroom, something I’ve never had before. I personalized the bedroom with paint, wallpaper, and new light fixtures in both the bath and bedroom.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Have an anchor piece — mine’s a fabulous red leather couch I bought used on Kijiji almost 10 years ago — and find pieces to go with it. But don’t be too matchy-matchy. Buy what you love, and your home will reflect who you are.

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

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