Get Affordable Decorating Tips From the Designer of This Chic Vancouver Home

Vancouver-based designer Gillian Segal walks us through a craftsman-style home she redesigned and offers her best tips for achievable home design upgrades.

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April 30, 2021

By: Kassondra Cloos

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Photo By: Ema Peter Photography

A Redesigned Home for a New Chapter of Life

When a now-retired Vancouver woman bought this house in the city’s beachside Kitsilano neighborhood, she hired Gillian Segal — who also lives in the neighborhood — to help her create a vision for a home that would see her through to the next chapter of her life. After roughly two years of renovations and design work on this Craftsman-style home, Gillian walks us through a total redesign that places an emphasis on sculptural lighting.

The Light Fixture That Started it All

These light fixtures from Pelle Designs — or light sculptures, as Gillian prefers to call them — are what started it all. Some design projects are inspired by one specific element and then the whole project unfolds around it, Gillian says, and this fixture is what anchored the design of this home. “I had recently come back from New York, visiting vendors and trade shows, and I had seen they [Pelle] had just released this lighting series,” Gillian says. “They were showing a sconce version of it and I absolutely fell in love with it, and the client did, too.” The arched entrances to the dining room were designed specifically to frame this fixture, Gillian says. To the left, the homeowner’s dog, Lexie, sits at the entrance to the kitchen.

The Owner's Collection of Commissioned Artwork Features Local Artists

Gillian and the homeowner worked together closely throughout the project to make sure it all came together perfectly. Throughout the home, you’ll see pieces of artwork that were specifically commissioned for this project, including these two paintings by Canadian artist Erin Armstrong. “I love supporting artists from everywhere, but when I can, I really love to support local, emerging and Canadian artists,” Gillian says. “The client knew what she wanted with this commission and they’re fantastic pieces.” Here, you can also see how the arch between the dining and living room perfectly frames the Pelle light fixtures.

Circular Design Features Add Playfulness to the Guest Bedroom

“This room was such a study of shape,” Gillian says. From the pillows to the artwork to the light fixture, a recurring theme of circles ties this guest bedroom together. “We were really having fun playing with that.” She also loves the large window seat in this room. She says window seats can add an element of romance to a room.

A Cocoon-Like Primary Bedroom

The windows in the primary bedroom were some of the few elements of the original home’s design that Gillian and her team decided to retain for the renovation. With a theme filled with gray, blues and gold accents, the room feels “cocoon-like,” Gillian says, and is a cozy escape. The drapes can be opened and closed automatically with a switch to make the room perfectly dark for sleeping. Both the floor lamp and the wallpaper are from American designer Kelly Wearstler. “Often I find that clients don’t prioritize their own principal bedroom,” Gillian says. “For most people working within budget constraints, they want to focus on entertaining areas of their home that are more ‘public’ spaces versus private spaces, where your guests are going to be coming in and out. But if there’s one thing Covid has taught us, it’s that it’s equally, if not more, important to prioritize your private spaces.”

An Open-Walled Shower Makes the Master Bath Feel Bigger

The homeowner wanted a standup shower and a standalone tub in her master bathroom, and Gillian had to get creative with the small space. The way she designed the open-walled shower feels like it “gives you walls without really having walls,” she says, which makes the space feel more open. The glass door entrance to the bathroom — to the left of this photo — is another of the home’s original features.

Your Bathroom Might Be the Best Place to Start Your Own Design Refresh

The master bathroom remains bright and airy, and features a freestanding tub for luxurious baths. If you're hoping to redesign part of your home but can't budget to do everything at once, you might consider starting with just one corner of your home, like your own bathroom, Gillian says.

Repetition Is a Striking Design Element to Play With

Gillian redesigned the railing and spindles for this staircase, which is one of the original elements of the house. The accent chair to the right of the stairs provides visually satisfying repetition thanks to its high ladder-back style.

Jewelry of a House

Lighting is one of Gillian’s favorite elements of design. “I love lighting,” she says. “I think it’s the jewelry of the house and I love the fixtures that we picked for this project.” To the right, you can see part of the Pelle fixture that was the first piece she and the client chose for this project. To the left, the chandelier by the stairwell is from Circa Lighting.

A Custom Cabinet Hides the Television From View

This room is both a formal entertaining space and an everyday den. The TV is hidden behind a cabinet above the fireplace so it’s not visible when it’s not in use. “We designed this cabinet so that when the TV wasn’t out, it still felt like an intentional, sculptural feature,” Gillian says. Blank TV screens just look like “black holes,” she says, so she loves when clients request to keep a TV hidden from view.

These Plush Velvet Armchairs Were Custom Upholstered

The two circular chairs framing the marble fireplace are from Avenue Road and were custom-upholstered with “the most beautiful, luxurious velvet,” Gillian says. “They’re so comfortable.”

Commissioning Artwork Can Be the Perfect Finishing Touch for a Specific Space

Two collages from Canadian artist Curtis Cutshaw frame the marble fireplace and mimic its colors. They were both commissioned specifically for the spaces where they hang, and are part of a collection Gillian's client has curated featuring Canadian artists.

Make the Bath a Green Space

A live floral arrangement really adds a lot of oomph to the powder room in this home. If you’re hoping to redesign some of your own spaces and working with a small budget, Gillian recommends starting small and focusing first on spaces where you personally spend a lot of time, which may or may not be the same space you usually use for entertaining. That might be your bedroom, or it might be your bathroom.

A TV That Becomes an Artwork

The kitchen in this home is one of Gillian’s favorites that she’s ever worked on. Soft, beige tones make this a neutral space that will stay in style for many years to come, and the sitting area in the corner provides a cozy space for the homeowner to drink her morning coffee. The picture frame to the right is actually a TV in disguise — a Samsung Picture Frame TV. The homeowner uses the kitchen TV while she’s cooking, Gillian says, but when it’s not in use, it looks like artwork. “It’s my favorite TV to use these days,” she says.

Arches Add Dimension

Originally, this home had Craftsman-style columns on the first floor. Gillian’s team removed them in favor of designing these arches, which frame the home’s stunning light fixtures, like the gorgeous one above the kitchen island from Apparatus Studio.

Create Unique, Bespoke Touches

Gillian designed this stained-glass window for the kitchen and had it custom-made. “It was a really fun piece to design,” she says. The bronze sconce above the sink is from Restoration Hardware.

Consider Integrated Appliance Cabinets

The appliances in this kitchen blend seamlessly with its neutral, beige-tinted design. The fridge is hidden behind an integrated cabinet. Unlike your fridge, an integrated appliance cabinet can be repainted later on if you ever decide you want to refresh your kitchen.

Use Art to Center Vignettes

Adding a cozy chair to the hallway on the second floor — the door to the right is the entrance to the guest bedroom — makes use of a cozy corner and adds depth to the hallway space.

Surprising Advice for Home Design Inspo

The hardware on the kitchen cabinets is cast bronze, which Gillian says is weighty and ages well. “A kitchen is something you do every 20 years, and has a long lifespan,” she says. Not sure where to start with inspiration for your own kitchen design, or a refresh of another area of your home? Gillian’s advice might catch you off-guard—“Look at a fashion magazine,” she says. Seeing what colors look good together on clothing is a great place to seek inspiration for your home, too.

Find Expert Design Advice on a Budget

This home was a super-collaborative project between Gillian and the homeowner that spanned years and involved inspiration from both digital resources — like Pinterest and Instagram — and real-life experiences traveling and visiting designer-specific trade shows and showrooms. But don’t be discouraged if you want to give your home a fresh look and can’t afford to hire someone to do the whole project for you. A middle-of-the-road approach could be to check out resources like The Expert, where some of the world’s most sought-after designers — including Gillian — offer one-hour video consultations for people who want expert input but can’t spring to outsource the whole project.