The Inner Track
On Saskatoon Interior Style
It is interesting to see how perceptions of Saskatoon interior décor and design both among the professional practitioners and home owners have evolved. We asked four interesting city interior designers and decorators to share their observations on what interior enhancements clients are undertaking and why. We also wanted them to share their own thoughts on such issues as design and décor trends and influences as personal preferences and philosophies. What emerges are responses that in some cases are markedly different and in others, quite consensual.
Professional Panel
Chantelle Butterfield is the owner of Funktional Space, a Saskatoon based interior decorating business. Chantelle has worked with colour for over 15 years, taking courses in Boston, Calgary, Edmonton and SIAST with continued education on different design styles, including traditional, contemporary and modern. Chantelle was a professional kitchen designer for over five years before starting her own business three years ago with the main philosophy that everyone’s space is unique, personal and should be both attractive and functional.
Contact: Funktional Space Interior Decorating www.funktionalspace.com or 306.227.3008
Happy Grove received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Calgary and has studied interior design at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto, and Mount Royal University in Calgary, where he also taught the subject. Owner and manager of a design firm since 1992, Grove moved to Saskatoon six years ago. Most recently Happy and partner Adrian Stimson have been renovating an old store front on 20th Street to be their home, Happy’s office, and Adrian’s art studio.
Contact: Happylivingspace Interior Design Ltd., 306.220.2289
Norinne A. Moore attended the University of Manitoba where she earned a bachelor of interior design degree and Red River Community College where she studied business administration. She opened her own design firm shortly thereafter. Since relocating her firm to Saskatchewan, her project list includes hospitals, libraries, schools and churches in addition to teaching design & marketing/merchandising consulting. Her main focus is a balance between corporate design and residential design. She is a registered member of the Interior Design Association of Saskatchewan & Interior Designers of Canada.
Contact: Norinne Keys Interior Design Ltd., 306.665.8262.
Rebecca Stewart is currently employed with Stantec Architecture in Saskatoon. She has been gaining experience in interior design working on both small and large commercial renovations, as well as new construction. As an interior design technologist, she has currently been working towards building on her education and experience to become both LEED accredited as well as a registered interior designer. Her interest and passion to learn continues to enhance and influence her knowledge of people, products and good design.
Contact:Stantech Architecture & Interior Design, 306.667.2400
Discussions
What new trends in Saskatoon residential interior design/decor are you noticing right now?
Butterfield: I’m finding people are doing facelifts, using what they love and making their space more functional for themselves and their families, whether it’s a large or small home. Unlike other generations in the past that may have only done one large renovation in the time they lived in the home, most clients today don’t want to be caught in an era, so they do smaller scale revamps. They change a room every few years so it’s not as hard on the budget or disruptive to the family. Others will change the paint, furniture and a few accessories every year or two, to keep up with the times, not the neighbours.
Grove: Saskatoon boasts some very exciting design fashion, although certainly there is much room to grow if we are inspired to be leaders in this area. Green design is the most exciting ‘trend’ we are seeing, and is universal in nature. When it comes to the look and feel of our homes, this is a very personal choice. I always encourage my clients to develop their own statement or concept, thus avoiding designing specific spaces to current trends. With this in mind, I do not try to sell clients on the newest trends.
Moore: I have had numerous requests for Craftsman Style detailing. In general, there is more interest in using mouldings to enhance a space; crown mouldings at ceilings, wider casings and higher baseboards, architraves over windows and doors or corner blocks.
Stewart: Saskatoon has recently seen a huge growth in residential development. However, given the cost of new construction, some people are putting more money into customizing their existing spaces. Given the high rate of return on their investments, if they bought prior to the past two years, renovators are looking for real products like stone, granite, marble; environmentally friendly materials such as Benjamin Moore’s Aura Paint with no VOCs (volatile organic compounds); and all things natural, sustainable and energy efficient as possible. There’s a strong “green” initiative prevalent throughout the design industry in general.
How would you typify current interior Saskatoon style and what are the influences?
Butterfield: Many clients are unsatisfied with the way their home is currently and want to make it a little more contemporary. I believe the main influences behind that desire are travel, internet, the great selection of stores we have in Saskatoon, as well as all knowledge and inspiration we have at our finger tips with magazines and design shows on television.
Grove: I do not see a pervasive strong individual look or style developing within the custom home/renovation sector here in Saskatoon. Quite the opposite, as you drive around and see homes that have been custom built or renovated you see a diverse collection of styles and tastes. I do not believe there is a strong specific ‘Saskatoon Style’. However, there are strong influences that make the clients’ chosen style ‘fit’ well with this geographical location. Positive Influences: a keen interest in the home space, financial willingness, education, travel, and the environment in which we live. Negative Influences: Builders with profit as their main objective, cheap decisions as to materials and finishes. Lack of inspired guidelines from our city planners.
Moore: Our economy in Saskatchewan is booming so the big push is to upgrade both in function and materials. Walls are not sacred and redefined space is a frequent request. When a wood finish is desired, there is more consideration for species other than the old standard of oak. There is less carpet and more hard surface flooring; tile, hardwood. Clients are using higher quality finishes; granite counters and stainless steel appliances.
Stewart: As interior designers, we design according to a concept that integrates the wants, needs and desires of the client, in keeping with the functional needs of the space. Therefore, each space has a style and character of its own. With the world getting smaller every day, global influences are prevalent, yet the reality of where we live plays a huge role on the style we have grown to know as home. That being said, residential style in Saskatoon is leaning towards clean modern lines in some areas, and a rejuvenation of classical details in others, with a tendency to be on the conservative side.
Which rooms are people most inclined to design and decorate in their homes?
Butterfield: Most people are working on making the most of their space with a new kitchen, furniture, paint, flooring, lighting, appliances and accessories. Whether it is all at once or in stages, I find one of the most rewarding parts of my career is to help clients source items for their projects, by going shopping with or for them so they feel confident in their decisions. Most can’t believe how easy and fast it really can be.
Grove: For the most part clients will hire a designer to work on the more public spaces in their homes. Within this I am seeing a tendency to redesigning the kitchen as most are original to the home, and this is an area where newer cabinetry will increase storage, and the new technology in appliances makes a noticeable difference.
Moore: I get more requests for kitchen redesign than any other room in a home. That inevitably leads to refinishing other spaces. The second is bathrooms.
Stewart: Because they are still the greatest return on your investments, kitchens and baths are still most likely to be the spaces that clients re-design and have renovated first. With more and more open-concept plans, living rooms have more recently become included as a kitchen/living, or loft-style space.
What are your favourite rooms to enhance?
Butterfield: The public ones, the ones you can see from the front door, the foyer, mud room, dining room, kitchen, living and or family room. I find clients feel more house pride when guests arrive, even if they haven’t invited the guest in to stay, if what they can see from the front door leaves them wanting more. We’ve all heard first impressions count!
Grove: This is a challenging question, as I love to do design, and will apply this love to any space given the opportunity. With this said, my favorite space to design is the powder room. It may be one of the smallest spaces in a home, yet it is an opportunity to do something amazing. Within this room the ‘concept’ of the design (the rationale, the guidelines, the intention of the space) can be fully implemented. This is a space where family and guests retreat, and within which delight may be inspired. Due to the smaller size of the room, finer finishes may be indulged. After that, I love designing kitchens. They have always been the heart of the home for me.
Moore: Kitchens, family rooms, bathrooms. Kitchen design is very satisfying because good design improves the function. I like designing family rooms because I particularly enjoy the cabinet design and the millwork detailing involved in fireplace/ bookcase walls. A great built-in wall creates a focal point, storage to reduce clutter and an organized space for electronic equipment. Bathrooms are a favourite to design because with all the great selections we now have for plumbing fixtures, faucets and lighting, they become a personal spa.
Stewart: Again as interior designers, we take every space as a challenge to improve it to its maximum potential. Every room can become a great space, when properly designed! Due to both return on investment and as a place for common household gathering, the kitchen is a very fascinating space to improve for function, usability, and durability as well as creativity… creating a natural hub for all to enjoy.
Which rooms yield the biggest return in the home when it is restyled?
Butterfield: As a kitchen designer, I would definitely say kitchens and bathrooms. A recent study reported 80% of monetary returns were gained in kitchen and bathrooms. I find that we as home owners, the ones paying the mortgage, leave our bedrooms until last. When everything else is done, it’s then that we feel we can spend time, money or energy on our retreat. For thousands less than a kitchen makeover, we could wake up to the splendour of a beautiful master bedroom. We spend so much time there; I think that’s a big yield. Don’t get me wrong, I love a spectacular kitchen and a good cup of coffee in the morning.
Grove: The types of projects that yield the greatest return are those that approach the home as a whole, and where we can infuse the design concept throughout. This cohesive application makes for a unified space. There is nothing more jarring than seeing a freshly-renovated space beside an original space as the new makes the old look older and more tired. For the client I’d say that most often, it is the kitchen that yields the highest return. This is the room that usually has the most activity in it. New cabinets, new appliances and new finishes definitely contribute to the functionality and the client’s appreciation and sense of value for the money.
Moore: The kitchen yields the biggest return, particularly if it was not planned well in the first place. Kitchen renovations can affect the traffic flow of a home. Some older houses have as many as three doorways into the kitchen, creating cross-traffic through the work space and fragmenting the counter space.
Stewart: Again, as the kitchen and bathroom are the spaces that have the highest impact, these are most likely the spaces to have money thrown at it first. Once these spaces have been redesigned, the domino effect most often takes place, putting the entry and living areas next on the list.
What are your favourite colours, finishes, materials and accents to work with?
Butterfield: First would be good quality bones, in a colour and finish that will stand the test of time, and then layer those bones with the newest funky, trendy colours. A great example would be to take a beautiful leather couch and accessorize it with plenty of pillows to coordinate with your Christmas tree decorations. Sorry to mention it, but it’s true; it’s fast approaching! In the New Year, take another set of pillows in the latest spring colours, add a few more accessories like candles and vases in the same colour and you have a new space for very little money or effort. Then, when the trend has faded you can replace your accessories with whatever is hot, that season. Secondly would be art work; one can never have enough!
Grove: I like colours that are inspired from the local natural environment. Think of the different palates of spring, autumn, summer and winter in Saskatoon, Within each season there are many, many options for colour combinations and applications. My favourite finishes and materials are those that exhibit quality and longevity, and those which the client loves. With so many options now, this allows for very individual choices, leading to very distinct interiors. Regarding favourite accents, I absolutely love to work with those that have personal meaning for the client. If you have a beloved art collection, we’ll try to create focal points that accentuate the collection. If you don’t have these items, we’ll go together and collect them.
Moore: I prefer cool colours over warm tones. My all-time favourite colour is purple and I don’t do beige at all. Lighting is a fantastic design tool. Almost all of my design projects include upgrading the lighting both in quantity and quality. Most homes already have a reasonable amount of general lighting but the concept of high lighting has been underused or overlooked. Recessed pot lights are inexpensive and do not date. I use line voltage halogen bulbs for improved colour rendition and brightness.
Stewart: Especially in such a growing time, not only in development, but also technology, the field of interior design is heavily saturated with an overwhelming variety of new products on a daily basis. To create and design with new and innovative products whose characteristics are often unique, the applications are endless and the possibilities are always exciting. And of course, to “wow” a client with something they didn’t realize was possible, is the best reward.
Do you have a few design styles you like to work with?
Butterfield: My personal favourite styles would be the clean lines of the contemporary, art deco, mission or prairie style. But in the end, it’s all about what the client likes because, I don’t get to live in the places I decorate, but I do hope to come back! William Morris once wrote, “Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” I try to live by that motto.
Grove: I love working with all styles. Limiting oneself to a particular style may result in more and more refined executions of the style, but this doesn’t challenge the mind to explore and expand. I have often said to clients and students alike that it is best to be a leader, not a follower. This requires trying new things. For example in the past few years I’ve worked on designs that may be classified as: neo-classical, prairie modern, mid- century modern, traditional, modern.
Moore: My design style is classic rather than trend-driven. While trends change, good design doesn’t go out of style. I love colour and lots of it, rich colours in family rooms and bathrooms, lighter colours in hallways and bedrooms.
Stewart: Although my preference may be clean contemporary lines with a punch of high contrast and a minimal use of pattern, this is not always the ideal option for the project at hand. This being said, each and every well designed project will, without a doubt, provide a fresh perspective and appreciation for diverse Interior design style.
What is the difference between an interior designer and interior decorator?
Butterfield: A designer is an interior architect; they perform the same tasks an architect does, except on the inside. An interior decorator is concerned about surface decoration, paint, lighting, accessories, fabrics, furnishings. Adorning the space with appropriate, attractive, functional, fashionable items, with the main objective of how it looks!
Grove: Generally speaking, interior design is practiced by interior designers, architects, space planners, and decorators. Each has a particular viewpoint and level of expertise. Each viewpoint along with its merit and expertise will be debated in schools, professions, and the professional societies associated. The debates promote self evaluation and, hopefully the advancement of the field of interior design. The most important things for homeowners to explore are the qualifications of the design professional they are considering, and to know that this person is part of a team. Trust is the most important ingredient in this relationship. With trust, and the appropriate combination of professional talent, the project will succeed.
Moore: A decorator tells you what to put on the walls. A designer tells you where to put the walls, and then what to put on the walls. Space planning is the key. If a wall is in the wrong place, even gold won’t save it.
Stewart: According to Interior Designers of Canada (IDC), “Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants, and are aesthetically attractive. Designs are created in response to and coordinated with the building shell, and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability. The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.”
Interior decorators, on the other hand, although there is some very talented work out there, have varied education, and there is no third-party measure of diverse interior design style.