My Houzz: From Dated to Dreamy in 3 Weeks

“Nothing beats the thrill of finding a special vintage, well-crafted piece,” says Marie-Eve Best, a Quebec blogger and design consultant. “It’s satisfying to know that you can give an old piece a second chance at life.”

Best and her husband, Michael Johnson, a marketing director, took that same approach when it came time to decorate and renovate their 1940s Point-Claire home. Although the house was dated and needed lots of work, they were able to look past that due to its ample light, interesting architectural details and generous spaces. With help from their friends, family and contractors, they revamped the home in just three weeks by building their own furniture and adding new baseboards, doors, stair rails and lighting. They also gave their kitchen a makeover with new flooring, new hardware and repainted cabinets.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Marie-Eve Best and Michael Johnson; their son, Theo (age 2); and their cat, Penny
Location: Point-Claire, just west of Montreal
Size: 1,700 square feet (158 square meters); 4 bedrooms, 1½ bathrooms

The couple feels most at home in the living room, as it’s where they spend the most time with their son and entertaining friends and family. Best built the banquette with her father using salvaged wood and Ikea cushions.

Wall paint: Decorators White, Benjamin Moore; rug: RugsUSA.com; floor lamp: Lambert & Fils; coffee table: La-Z-Boy


With its dark walls and wood trim, the living room looked a little dreary before the update. The owners wanted to create a cozy corner seating unit to conserve floor space and take advantage of the light.


AFTER: Special pieces, like this beautiful vintage Dutch wall unit, anchor the living room. “It was given to me by my aunt, who had it in her home for decades until she decided to part with it,” says Best. “I kept it in storage for years until we had a space that could hold it.”

Wall paint: Decorators White, Benjamin Moore; Dutch wall unit: vintage; banquette corner couch: built by Marie-Eve Best and her father with Ikea cushions


The homeowners decided to replace the vinyl flooring in the kitchen with hardwood, so that the kitchen and breakfast area would flow more naturally into each other and make the spaces feel bigger. The wooden door trim kept the eye from flowing outside and begged to be painted.


AFTER: “Even if you’re budget conscious about your renovation and focused on the finish line, always share your thoughts and concerns with your contractor,” says Best. The couple considered just laying the new hardwood on top of the existing kitchen floor to save time. But their contractor thought it would be a better idea to pull up the subflooring, so that the hardwood would be uniform throughout the entire first level of the house.

Dining table: Docksta, Ikea


What that revealed was an unexpected surprise: a massive colony of carpenter ants. “There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into the reno — a lot of tears,” says Best.

The carpenter ants put a big dent in their budget, but they were able to deal with the issue immediately. “With an older home, you come to expect nasty surprises behind walls and under floors,” says Best.

Wall paint: Decorators White, Benjamin Moore; cabinetry hardware, LED light: Ikea; tile: The Home Depot; artwork: Norma Dvorsky


The original master bedroom felt chilly with the cool wall color and wood window trim and base. The color contrasts also drew attention to the millwork, which was one of the room’s weakest features.


AFTER: White paint and some wall lights gave the room a nice update.

Wall paint: Decorators White, Benjamin Moore; bed: Malm, Ikea; wall lamps: PS 2012 LED Wall lamp in black, Ikea; side tables: Tate End Table, EQ3


The family room is where the couple enjoys watching TV. The bright yellow and white rug adds a jolt of color; the vintage oar is a tribute to Best’s grandfather. (It came from his cottage, and the couple made it their own by painting chevron stripes on it.)

Wall paint: Decorators White, Benjamin Moore; rug: Draper, DwellStudio; coffee table: Structube


The original dining room was spacious but unexceptional. The French doors limited how much furniture could go into the room, so any pieces the owners chose would have to make a statement.


AFTER: Best built the dining room table and bench with her father. The dining room pendant was designed and built by Lambert & Fils. “I think it’s important to invest in lighting,” she says.

Wall paint: Decorators White, Benjamin Moore; chairs: The Home Depot; chandelier: Lambert & Fils


Theo’s nursery is decorated in a rugged nautical theme. The rug and crib are from Ikea, and the rocker is from EQ3. “It’s the most comfortable thing in the world,” Best gushes.

Rocker: Karbon Swivel Chair in Urban Vapour, EQ3; crib: Sniglar, Ikea


This angled fireplace is located in the center of the house, adding a quirky touch to the floor plan that the couple has come to love. “By the time we moved in, the house felt updated and a better reflection of our style — modern, comfortable, casual,” Best says. “We hosted Christmas two weeks after moving in, and it confirmed that we had made the right choice. Everyone was so comfortable in this home, and the open, airy feel made it a great space to entertain.”


The historical legacy of the house lives on through framed architectural drawings on the living room wall. “We were given the original blueprints drawn up by the original owners in 1946,” Best says. “I’ve framed some of them, and I am obsessed with dissecting their details.”


The original entry hallway was looking a bit ragged, especially around the door frame and where the surfaces met — none of which did much to enhance the view into the kitchen.


AFTER: Two-year-old Theo approves of the updates, which include a new pendant light and a fresh coat of white paint on the existing painted brick.

Bench: Target; pendant lamp: vintage


Best and Johnson love to read to Theo on their banquette couch. That’s their cat, Penny, lounging on the coffee table. The room is often flooded with gorgeous afternoon light, which warms the entire first floor of the house.

“My advice to any first-time homeowner is to try to salvage and update what is already there if you can, before resorting to a full gut job,” says Best. “It’s amazing how much money you can save by putting in some elbow grease. We can be quick to tear it all down and start from scratch, but I think we have to be careful not to destroy the home’s personality. The quirky details are what give it character!”

Wall paint: Decorators White, Benjamin Moore; rug: RugsUSA.com; floor lamp: Lambert & Fils; coffee table: La-Z-Boy

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