Once dark and closed off, this now bright, airy bungalow in Cobourg, Ont., was redesigned by Barbara Wigmore. Her client’s mandate was clear. “She kept saying, ‘I want to see light,’” says Barbara, and that meant no dark colours, dark woods or dark furniture. Opening the choppy floor plan of separate rooms would improve flow, usher light into the entire first floor, and allow the space to breathe, says Barbara. To make an open-plan space work, the designer created separate zones based on function but linked them visually for continuity. “I wanted her to walk in and see the kitchen, banquette and living room as whole, so it had to be cohesive,” she says. Barbara’s tips are essential for anyone working to maximize functionality and bring calm continuity to a…
