Your bathroom is more than just a functional space; it’s a sanctuary where you can unwind and rejuvenate. If you’re looking to elevate your bathroom’s aesthetic, we’ve gathered our best tips to get you started. From creating a spa-like space on a budget to designer-approved home decor ideas, read on to learn how you can turn your bathroom into your dream oasis.

Looking for more design advice? Learn how to enhance your entryway and front porch, and discover 4 easy ways to create a healthy home environment.

In the fast-paced world we live in, finding moments of peace within our own homes has never been more crucial. One way to achieve this sense of calm is by incorporating cool tones into your home’s interior design, as seen in the Loretto model at Empire Canals in Welland, Ontario. From cool-toned staple pieces to the use of darker metals and natural materials, here are five ways to infuse a sense of cool, calm, and aesthetic into your living space.

Here are a few pieces to get your cool-toned aesthetic started.

Next, discover these 5 nautical home decor touches for a coastal retreat, and how to pick the perfect paint colour for your home.

Images courtesy of: Maison Corbeil (Black Coated Wood Side Table); Spoonflower (Summer Check Wallpaper); iFurniture (Mary Janet Velvet Sofa); Rove Concepts (Angelo Dining Chair); CB2 (Organic Cotton Velvet Window Curtain Panel, Gallery Picture Frame); JD Lighting (Brody Large Chandelier); Wayfair (Chaffins Faux Leather Armchair). 

Welcome to Camellia Gardens, where the charm of Harrisburg, NC, meets the epitome of modern living. Nestled in this serene neighborhood are two exceptional model homes — the Redwood and the Madison. Discover the inspiration, design process, and distinctive features that make each home stand out.

Inspiration Behind the Design:

The driving force behind the design of these model homes was to create a distinct look for each. The Madison exudes a masculine and modern vibe, while the Redwood embraces a more feminine and transitional design. From the start of the design process through to the end, the goal of Unscripted Interior Design’s team has been clear — to create distinct identities for each home, ensuring that homeowners find a space that resonates with their unique tastes and preferences.

Design Process:

Crafting two distinct homes requires careful consideration. Instead of adhering to a single design, the Unscripted Interior Design team took a bold approach, opting for a modern and industrial concept for the Madison and a fresh, light, and bright aesthetic for the Redwood.

Unique Features of Each Room:

The Redwood:

• Kitchen & Breakfast Area: A built-in breakfast banquette provides additional sitting space and a casual dining area.
• Dining Room: A grand statement is made with ceiling details and slipcovered dining chairs which add softness.
• Family Room: The mix of materials creates a dynamic space, offering plenty of room for the whole family.
• Rec Room: A multi-use space with a modular sofa for various activities, from watching TV to hosting game nights.
• Premier Suite: Tonal trim details on the headboard wall bring a sense of calm.
• Covered Porch: Extra dining and seating areas for outdoor enjoyment.

To recreate the Redwood’s look, focus on natural materials, stained furniture, and soft upholstered items.

The Madison:

• Kitchen: Show-stopping countertops with natural movement in quartzite.
• Dining Room: Defined dining space with an area rug anchoring the table and chairs.
• Family Room: Modern and masculine aesthetic with dynamic lighting and clean lines.
• Loft: Playful paint details perfect for a kids’ space.
• Premier Suite: Sophisticated trim details incorporating art into the headboard wall.
• Flex Room: Ample storage and natural light create a space ideal for those who work from home.
• Covered Porch: Perfectly sized for a family lounge set.

To recreate the look, opt for clean lines, a mix of light and dark materials, and black-and-white photos or artwork.

What Stands Out:

The standout feature of both floorplans is their size and open-concept design. The Redwood’s soaring ceilings add a sense of grandeur upon entering, while the second floor in both models allows for versatile usage tailored to homeowners’ needs.

Materials, Textures, and Colors:

In the Redwood, a transitional coastal Americana style prevails with subtle red, white, and blue tones, complemented by natural materials like stained woods and natural fibers. The Madison embraces a modern design with a high-contrast palette, incorporating hints of yellow and abstract artwork.

Interested in seeing how we’ve designed some of our other model homes? Check out this modern farmhouse look in Gastonia and discover how we put a moody twist on contemporary.

Dive into Sherwin-Williams’ 2024 color trends. These four distinctive palettes are poised to redefine our living spaces, capturing the changing tastes of a society increasingly attuned to wellness and sustainability. As we explore these palettes, discover how we’ve seamlessly integrated these color trends into our model homes, offering a glimpse into the future of thoughtful and stylish living. From calming blues and greens to warm reds and purples, comforting deeps and darks, and subtle tints, these palettes showcase a harmonious blend of aesthetics and mindful living that you can experience firsthand in our thoughtfully-designed homes.

Pictured: The Bradbury model at Empire Camber Woods in Gastonia, NC. 

Pictured: The Hamilton model at Empire Kennington in Charlotte, NC.

Pictured: The Alpine model at Empire River Reserve in Greer, SC and the Redwood model at Empire Camellia Gardens in Harrisburg, NC.

Pictured: The Alpine model at Empire River Reserve in Greer, SC

Interested in replicating some of these design styles? We’ve made it easier than ever. Check out our guide to traditional contemporary design, fresh and contemporary, and modern farmhouse.

In the world of interior design, there’s one particular style that has captured our hearts, featuring a unique blend of comfort, vibrant colours, and a touch of the unconventional. Welcome to the realm of Boho Chic — an interior design that marries the bohemian spirit with chic sophistication. Designer Jane Lockhart showcases this interior design style in our Belfountain model at Empire Canals in Welland. Learn more about what was involved in the design process and how to replicate the look at home.

Thoughtful Design Choices

Encompassing solid surface countertops and hardwood floors, the interiors of the Belfountain exude the essence of boho chic, with meticulous design elements tailored to meet the diverse needs of its homeowners. An upstairs bedroom was transformed into a spacious work nook for homework and virtual meetings, while an open-concept living room serves as the perfect gathering point. The convenience of a second-floor laundry room adds practicality, ensuring that household tasks are both functional and stylish. The home’s well-designed floor plan creates a natural airiness and fosters a sense of innate spaciousness, bathing each room in ample natural light. This contributes to achieving the boho chic aesthetic and ambiance, even without additional elements.

Designer-Selected Finishes, Furnishings, and Accessories

One of the main attractions of the Belfountain’s boho chic look is its attainable nature. Without compromising elegance, this design embraces cost-conscious choices that are beautiful, functional, and can be incorporated into the home’s aesthetic with ease. The strategic use of paint accents and feature walls introduces colour and texture, infusing the space with warmth and visual interest.

What Makes the Belfountain Unique

What makes this boho chic home special is its harmonious connection between the interior and exterior. Maintaining consistent colour palettes and textures, a cohesive narrative is woven from the outside in. Its minimal but impactful upgrades cater to the cost-conscious homeowner, creating a home filled with immense potential, without the need for extravagant investments in enhancements or furniture.

Looking to Achieve this Boho Chic Look in Your Home? Incorporate These Staple Products

1. Light Linen: Opt for light linen textiles, such as curtains, throw pillows, and bedding. The breezy and relaxed feel of linen complements the boho chic aesthetic.

2. Natural Coloured Wicker: Incorporate wicker furniture or accents to bring an organic touch to your space. These pieces add texture and contribute to the laid-back vibe of the style.

3. Greenery: Embrace the bohemian love for nature by introducing a variety of indoor plants. Greenery adds vibrancy and life to the space, creating a refreshing atmosphere.

4. Medium to Light Hardwood: Hardwood is a crucial element in achieving the boho chic look. Choose flooring, furniture pieces and accessories in medium to light washes to enhance the natural feel of the space.

5. Woven Tapestries or Macramé: Adorn your walls with woven tapestries or macramé hangings. These intricate pieces of art introduce texture and an authentic bohemian touch.

Interested in exploring some of other trending design styles? Take a look at this modern farmhouse in the heart of Thorold, ON, and discover 4 inspiring ways to design rooms to suit your needs.

From greenery and furnishings to lighting and colour palettes, we’ve compiled some of our most popular blog posts on entryways and front porches to create a one-stop shop of design tips. Put your design hat on and get ready to curate a home entrance that’ll leave a lasting impression.

Looking for more design advice? Learn how to light every room in your home and discover how to give your ordinary household items a refresh.

Empire’s Belfountain model at Calderwood in Thorold is the modern farmhouse you’ve been dreaming of. Taking inspiration from where this special community resides, Helena Da Costa of interior design firm Twelveo5 created a look that zeros in on comfort — a place that makes you feel at home from the minute you walk through its front doors.

So, how did Helena achieve this modern farmhouse look? Using warm brown finishes from Empire’s Design Center, she took this new-build home and gave it a sense of warmth and coziness right from the start of her design process. Bold black accents were implemented afterwards through furnishings, artwork and accessories to add contrast against the home’s warm tones. Read on to learn how warm wood textures, brown leathers, black metals and crisp white paint all work together to create this modern farmhouse design.

The Kitchen

When designing, Helena’s goal was to ensure that the aesthetic was consistent so the entire home felt like one cohesive space. To achieve that, she incorporated the same tones throughout all areas of the home, opting for warm woods in the kitchen, and darker hardware, countertops, and appliances. Two pendant lights are suspended from the ceiling, featuring a mix of wood and metal, with a square-tile backsplash adding subtle texture and dimension. 

Just off the kitchen, a wall-mounted desk and craft space makes use of a smaller space where traditional furniture might not fit. The result? A more organized and efficient area for kids’ creative endeavours, whether it be painting, drawing, or playing games.

The Dining Area

Designed for the modern entertainer, the dining room provides ample space for gathering and hosting dinners. Banquette seating complements the room’s black dining table, maximizing space and function. “Adding built-in bench seating along the exterior wall frees up floor space,” says Da Costa. “This creates a more spacious feel in the room which allows you to accommodate more guests than with traditional dining chairs.” Neutral woven chairs and patterned pillows add texture to the space, while a grey runner and candlesticks are incorporated for visual interest.

The Living Room

The living room’s fireplace is the focal point of the room and is a great addition to this open floor plan. Providing an immediate sense of warmth, it anchors the space and creates a natural gathering area for residents. A black feature wall adds interest to an otherwise neutral room, while an L-shaped leather couch adds another element of warmth and comfort. Sheer white curtains allow an abundance of light into the room, with pot lights and a standing lamp illuminating the space in the evening.

The Primary Bedroom

A true retreat, the primary bedroom provides a comfortable and relaxing space to unwind. Featuring soft curtains, plush bedding and soothing colours, this room exudes a feeling of calm. A patterned rug grounds the space, bringing together the room’s dark and light hues. The room’s rustic light fixtures and furniture pieces complement each other well.

The Secondary Bedroom

Designed with kids in mind, the Belfountain’s secondary bedroom is both playful and functional. Elements like patterned wallpaper, textured artwork and patterned rugs were incorporated into the space, while leaving ample room for kids to grow into. Storage solutions like shelving and baskets help keep the space clutter-free, housing items like books, toys, and other belongings.

Interested in exploring some of the other homes Helena has designed? Check out this modern chic home at Calderwood in Thorold or this timeless contemporary suite at Empire Maven in Toronto. Ready to begin your new home journey? Explore our new homes for sale in Southwestern Ontario.

As a space to come together, exchange stories, and create memories, the fireplace truly is the heart of every home — so why not make it a beautiful focal point? Read on to learn 4 ways to style your fireplace and mantel like a designer that combine artwork, texture, and balance to transform a lacklustre hearth into the centre of attention.

Feeling inspired? Check out these designer-approved tips to maximize every space in your home, and learn how you can amp up your current design style based on your zodiac sign.

Designer Helena Da Costa shares expert tips to make the most of small spaces in any room.

Limited space might make it feel like your home’s storage capabilities are lacking, but perhaps those areas aren’t being used to their fullest potential. Designer Helena Da Costa of Toronto design firm Twelveo5 shares her three-pronged approach to make the most of small spaces and live an intentional lifestyle with confidence.

Are there parts of your home that feel underutilized? Not anymore. Before designing a small space, decide what the area will be used for. Install a mudroom at the front entrance as a catch-all for items or convert a spare room into a three-in-one space to work from home, workout and wind down. “Form follows function” is the guiding principle of interior design, and is vital to customizing spaces to meet your needs.

The smallest spaces of our homes may be the most difficult to organize, but they’re actually much larger than they appear. Make the most of square footage with simple storage solutions, like closet organizers, which can double the amount of shelving and hanging space. Matching bins and clear containers can help organize pantries and kitchen cabinets, all while creating visual harmony. And for Helena’s most-used tool? “I like to use hand-written or printable labels to add that extra layer of organization,” says Da Costa.

Multi-functional furniture and small spaces are the dynamic duo of interior decorating, reducing clutter by limiting the number of pieces needed in a room. Since most come with additional storage space, these key pieces keep surfaces tidy and streamlined. Ottomans that store kids’ toys, seasonal blankets or board games turn ordinary furniture pieces into valuable additions to our home’s living spaces, and bed frames with built-in drawers are ideal for housing the items we want near but out of sight.

What’s next? Learn more about the 10 decorating tips every design enthusiast should know and check out these 20 designer-approved ideas to refresh your home’s decor.

Are you looking to redecorate or spruce up different areas of your home but don’t know where to begin? Look to the stars and take a few design hints from your Zodiac sign to inspire the process.

Need some more design inspo? Check out some trendy accent wall ideas and these 12 easy steps to help you decorate.