Living With Ease

During our client on-boarding process we frequently refer to our philosophy of living with less friction – Frictionless Living – as we like to say. Friction is generally what brings people to us, even if that is not a term or a phrase they would use to describe the overwhelming feelings they can sometimes have of their home. 

That heavy feeling of not feeling at ease, at not being able to easily find things or put them away, or to feeling like they are the only one who can find and put things away is a frequent occurrence.

Often heavily used areas such as entrances, mudrooms and family rooms become like a jenga puzzle, where at any moment all might topple in, leaving the homes inhabitants buried in a mountain of stuff. 

There is nothing like (what seems like) a never ending Canadian winter to highlight your homes areas of friction. With so many layers worn, boots and mittens coming in often wet and sometimes salt encrusted it is no wonder that people at this time of the year loose hope in ever feeling sane again! Even the family dog has coat(s) and boots… 

So in this month’s journal I thought I’d talk about design challenges we have overcome to help with the bottle necks at your homes main point of entry as well as your mudroom by doing a bit of a deep dive into two different homes. 

This journal does tie back somewhat to last month’s piece on “Are Adult Women the Only People Who Now Use Coat Hangers” a read of this might also be helpful as it shines light on the whole hangers v hooks debate. 

Front Foyer & Mudroom Design

Case Study #1

The front door entrance can be a tricky one to navigate – we want it to look good but it also has to be really functional. In the home above we came up with a a couple of solutions to ensure all was streamlined and organised throughout the year taking into account the flux of seasons and the things that this brings into our homes. 

In the image above the front foyer storage is intended purely for guest coats and shoes. The homeowners use the mudroom entrance from the garage which we’ll showcase next. 

What we did here to encourage flow and reduce friction – 

1.

The space is generous but too narrow to accommodate a standard depth closet that needs around 25” of depth. Instead we opted to have a narrow closet where the rods run front to back accommodating enough hangers for guest coats.

2.

We raised the millwork of the floor. The space beneath was specifically scaled to accommodate rubber trays for winter boot and shoe storage. This way footwear doesn’t become a tripping hazard or block the entrance to the front door. We sourced and supplied the boot trays before we approved the millwork shop drawings.

3.

We sourced and scaled an indoor outdoor mat that fits perfectly in the space and allows room for people to enter, remove their shoes before entering the home. I like indoor outdoor mats that are of a similar colour to the floor. 

4.

The closet doors were upholstered to elevate the finish level. The upholstered banquette was covered in mohair – one of the softest yet most durable and hardworking fabrics you can use. The bench allows guests to sit down and take of their shoes with ease. 

5. 

The walls are wrapped in beautiful matte vinyl from Holly Hunt that looks like a woven textile but is in fact super durable. 

The home’s mudroom looks like this – it is accessed via the garage or from the side door which is how the home owners and their dog generally enter and leave. 

1.

Similar to the front entrance all the millwork was raised of the floor and boot trays were sourced prior to millwork drawings being approved. Benches with drawers look ‘’nice” but no one puts footwear in drawers and its easier to tuck all under the millwork where its easy to see but not in the way. 

2.

Yes we have wall hooks!! These are unseen in this image but on the wall opposite the millwork we have 16 wall hooks. They are set in a double height row and staggered to allow for maximum use and flexibility. This is for coats and jackets that are currently being used and they also hold dog leashes.

3.

The millwork holds outdoor clothing not in use or pieces that are better hung on a hanger than a hook. The ventilation holes allow for air flow and prevent anything damp getting musty.

4. 

The upholstered bench allows for a comfy perch and the baskets hold seasonal things such as caps and hats!  

5.

Walls are covered in a gorgeous large scale wallpaper – I actually have this in my studio and the client saw it there, loved it and so we found a home for it here. 

Case Study #2

A charming front foyer above that welcomes you from our Lawrence Park project.

1.

This clients love of pattern and play is up there with mine and this diminutive foyer still has room for drama. The ceiling is wallpapered using the iconic Brunschwig & Fils – Les Touches paper which was originally launched in the mid 1960’s. 

2.

A dynamic upholstered bench with a wrap around tray top to hold your phone or a spot to leave your bag! Everyone needs a spot to sit and remove their shoes or to regroup and arrange the contents of their handbag!

3.

The pendant  light fixture has sunshine yellow silk shades that glow when illuminated and are seen all the way through to the family room. 

4.

Unseen on the left hand side is a deep closet with tailored hanging and space for guest shoes. The floor is heated which adds another layer of comfort when you are shoeless.

5. 

A leaning full length mirror allows for that pause before you depart. 

This mudroom allows access from both the garage as well as the side door and its generally how the family leave and enter. This room is so good I have added another image below as it doubles as a doggie spa.

1.

Heated floors are a must in this space and we used a porcelain tile for maximum durability and ease of use. The tile has a light terrazzo feel and the chips of colour hide family life with two dogs!  The walls are covered in a very durable vinyl wallpaper in a botanical print that keeps everything looking ship shape.

2.

More open storage beneath the wooden benches that allows for shoes and boots to be tucked away. The seat height is 19” and so there is 17” of height below. 

3.

We opted not to upholster these benches as the space is more often used for backpacks and things in transition in and out of the home and the wood surface was more practical. 

4.

Through the opening (seen above) there is deep shelved storage on either side for bags and assorted misc mudroom and pantry items. 

5.

The doggie shower is great for both pets and muddy and winter boots alike. A really practical addition to this family home. A sink in a mudroom is a lovely treat – great for when you have been gardening, or cleaning up and the storage holds all the dog food. 

Frictionless Living in Review

Case study one was a newly constructed home and case study two was an extensive renovation in a home that was around 25+ years old.

Both homes had their unique quirks and challenges that we were able to present design solutions for. But as you can see both follow a similar model of development to assist in making entering and leaving as frictionless as possible. 

Thank You

Thank you for being one of my readers! 

Next month I will let you know some of the things I learned from a neuro-architect on a recent design immersive I attended. 

I’m constantly learning and seeking new ways to fully understand what makes us all (including myself) tick. Good design isn’t just pretty things, its functional (and good looking) things that make us known we have been heard and seen during the design process, its living with ease and less friction.

Wishing you an ease filled March! 

Warmly 

Gillian 

Credits, images, musings and some more contents of my head.

Trio of header images 1. English country home – Belmont Home  2. Leather clutch image – original source unknown. 3. Our entrance foyer at our Midtown Quiet Luxury project.

4. A foyer from a past project of ours, here we cleverly re imagined a rad cover to also have storage with addition of a drawer and a stone top! 5 & 6 are images from our Midtown Quiet Luxury project

7, 8 and 9 are from our Lawrence Park project 

All of the GGI images are shot by Virginia Macdonald and styled by Me & Mo. 

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