finishing TOUCHES “For us, our home isn’t really ours until we’ve made it unique,” says Sally Baraz. She and her husband Raed Al-Dabbagh, and their two boys Soul, 4, and Logan, 2, moved into their newly-built Ancaster home a little over a year ago. Ever since, the couple has been steadily and decisively adding finishes and touches to make it feel even more like home. Continued on page 48 STORY MELISSA CAMPEAU PHOTOGRAPHY KELLY HORKOFF FLOWERS FASCINATION FLOWERS A stunning handcrafted 3D drywal l mural takes centre stage An area rug from Taj Rugs, darker pillows, and a drop ceiling make the mostly white living room feel cozy and inviting. ourhomes SUMMER 2018 | 47 46 | ourhomes SUMMER 2018 feature
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finishing TOUCHES“For us, our home isn’t really ours until we’ve made it unique,” says Sally Baraz. She and her husband Raed Al-Dabbagh, and their two boys Soul, 4, and Logan, 2, moved into their newly-built Ancaster home a little over a year ago. Ever since, the couple has been steadily and decisively adding finishes and touches to make it feel even more like home. Continued on page 48
STORY MELISSA CAMPEAU PHOTOGRAPHYKELLY HORKOFF FLOWERS FASCINATION FLOWERS
A stunning handcrafted 3D
drywal l mural takes centre stage
An area rug from Taj Rugs, darker pillows, and a drop ceiling make the mostly white living room feel cozy and inviting.
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JJust off the two-storey entrance foyer, for example, is a small sunny room that remained empty until this past spring because they had a very specific plan. “I was on Facebook one day and someone had posted some artwork by Bernie Mitchell (Creative Drywall Solutions by Bernie Mitchell),” says Baraz. “He’s a carpenter based in Peterborough, but in addition to that he does these amazing drywall art pieces for just five clients a year.” As soon as she saw his work, Baraz knew she wanted one of Mitchell’s creations in her room. “He is so in demand and does so few of these each year that it was tough to get him, but there was no way I was going to give up,” says Baraz. After many months of exchanging emails and planning, Mitchell spent eight days in Ancaster creating a mural relief depicting running horses, a field and mountains in the distance. For extra personalization, the family members’ names are all discreetly etched into the work.
In a seating nook on the other side of the foyer, they added another personal touch. A tufted, banquette cushion in a silvery fabric runs from the seat up the entire height of the wall. “You’ll see that trending a lot on Instagram,” says Baraz. “I thought it looked really beautiful, and I added rhinestones to make it just a little bit more glamorous.”
Continued on page 51
Social media also provided the inspiration for another bold design choice, this time in the family room, on a wall visitors don’t really spot until they’ve stepped right into the cosy space. “This wall!” says Baraz with a laugh. “We went through so many ideas with it. We talked about installing a waterfall, or a wall-size aquarium.” She adds, “We really wanted something that would spark conversation and also add some character to the room.” Then she stumbled on the wine wall idea and they instantly fell in love.
Carpenter David Banko of Monticello Carpentry was less sure, at first. “It was a new project idea for me,” says Banko. “But I’m always up for a new challenge and seeing homeowners’ ideas.”
TOP LEFT: Wainscotting as art, in Benjamin Moore’s warm neutral, Thunder. All paints from Aftica Decor. ABOVE: Nevio and David Banko, aka Monticello Carpentry, installed the wainscotting, ceiling details, and the innovative wine wall. LEFT: A mudroom that’s almost too pretty to use!
Baraz individualized the living room withcustom insets and, of course, there’s thatremarkable wine wall! Her husband, shesays, enjoys winding down at the end ofthe day with a nice glass of Shiraz.
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Banko even made them a smaller sample of the eventual wall before installing it, just to be sure. “We were still ok with it!’” says Baraz, and the job went full steam ahead.
“I was amazed with the outcome,” says Banko. ”I would never have thought to put a wine rack in a living area – most homeowners would want something more traditional like bookshelves – but it definitely worked in this home.”
“I do a lot of research and go through all the options,” says Baraz. “I don’t necessarily decide on things quickly, but when I do decide, I’m confident.”
Filling the wine wall has been an exercise in personalization, as well as just a lot of fun. “We’ve enjoyed going to wineries in Niagara and sampling as many wines as we can to fill the wall,” they say. “It holds 320 bottles and I think we have 150 bottles, so we’ll have to make another trip or two in the near future!”
As well as the show-stopping feature wall, Banko added character to the couple’s dining room with wainscotting on two walls (the room is open on its two other sides), providing warmth and making the wide-open space feel both more special and a little more intimate.
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Baraz loves the kitchen. “It sold me on the house,” she says. Mario’s Tile took time to line up watermarks when installing the gorgeous kitchen flooring. TOP RIGHT: The upholstered banquette seat in the foyer extends to the ceiling. The adjacent powder room showcases more stunning tile work.
“When we have parties, everyone always ends up here, and this room is absolutely perfect for a crowd,” says Baraz. “It’s our favourite part of the house.”
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The woodwork added enough textural interest to the walls that they felt comfortable leaving them bare. “We really wanted this room to be as neutral as possible,” she says. “I love to dress the table up according to the season, or to fit a party theme, since we entertain a lot.” Baraz adds, “With no pictures, we’re not tied to a particular colour scheme or theme.”
Throwing regular get-togethers also meant finding a kitchen with just the right mix of elements. It had to have practical elements, including a great big island for people to gather around (granite by Hamilton Granite), with plenty of room for appetizers and snacks. And it also needed a little bit of bling – enough presence to stand up to its role as the central meeting spot for guests. A backsplash with small sparkling stones placed at regular intervals adds shine and glitz. “That won us over right away,” says Baraz. Key pieces of cabinetry also feature subtle inlaid woodwork, and two feature cabinet doors are glass, ideal for displaying the couple’s prized Scotch collection.
“When we have parties, everyone always ends up here, and this room is absolutely perfect for a crowd,” says Baraz. “It’s our favourite part of the house.” Continued on page 56
LEFT: “It’s not a big house but it’s got a lot of detail,” says Baraz. Beautiful blinds throughout the home are from Girgenti Custom Window Treatments. BELOW AND BOTTOM: A palette of serene greys makes for a timeless, sophisticated master en suite.
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“This house just feels like it was made for us. When I imagined the house we wanted to move into, this was it. I’m so glad we waited and found it.”
TOP LEFT: A quiet spot for reflection in the master bedroom. ABOVE: Al-Dabbagh has thousands of comic books and collectibles. “It’s my inner geek,” he confesses. LEFT: The 19-foot entryway is enhanced by a tiered chandelier.
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As a finishing technical touch, the couple installed a wireless sound system by Russound that’s ideal for entertaining since they can manage music choices and volume levels for any room of the house, including the outdoor entertaining area. Out front MSM General Contracting finished the driveway.
“This house just feels like it was made for us,” they say. “It’s made for entertaining and it has lots of potential, too. We have projects planned for the backyard and the lower level to give us more flexibility and family living space.” Baraz adds, “When I imagined the house we wanted to move into, this was it. I’m so glad we waited and found it.” OH
Drywall Solutions by Bernie Mitchell • Designer Furniture
Outlet • Frank’s Glass & Mirror • Gillies Lumber Inc.
• Girgenti Custom Window Treatments • Hamilton Granite
• Mario’s Tile & Interiors • Monticello Carpentry • Peter
Martin Appliances • Pollard Windows & Doors • Sordo’s
Heating and Air Conditioning • Erindale Fireplace
• TajRugs Inc • The Flooring Warehouse • Turkstra Lumber
Rain or shine, there’s ample room forentertaining on the back patio. ExteriorPlanters provided by LaPointe InteriorDesign & Landscape. BELOW: HomeownersRaed and Sally enjoy family time on the patio with Logan and Soul.
