Victoria Designer Alexis Solomon's Tips for a Beautiful, Seamlessly Flowing Home

Interior architectural designer Alexis Solomon faced a familiar challenge with this Saanich home – helping a modern family find flow, function and beauty. Her clients – a busy young couple with children – needed something more functional as one of their kids has a disability and mom is a full-time caregiver. “She appreciated and valued a beautiful home that functions really well. One you can walk into and breathe that sigh of relief, but she just had no idea how to get there,” explains Alexis, owner and principal designer at MINT Freshly Inspired Design. They’ve lived in their two-storey, ’90s-built house for more than a decade, but that feeling of being settled was still missing. Alexis was tasked with redesigning the almost 3,000-square-foot Broadmead home in phases. The clients wanted maximized storage, a lighter and brighter feel and to be able to move through the space with ease. “While the home has lots of square footage, it just didn’t work for them as far as the room sizes, the layout and the flow.” One major problem was the kitchen, Alexis explains. There were oddly angled cabinets, the space was dark, forcing them to turn on all the lights even in the daytime, the light switches were all over the place, and there was a neglected room attached to the kitchen that was meant for a breakfast table but was hardly ever used. For a family where food brings connection and a love of cooking, it wasn’t working. “We had to get creative.” While most of the wall was removed that divided the unused room from the kitchen, plumbing stacks meant a portion had to stay, and that was repurposed with a floating shelf. “It worked out nicely because we still get all that extra lighting coming in, but it gives some separation for mom if she’s cooking.” What was once an odd nook now serves as a dining area with a walk-in pantry separated with French doors. Bringing in even more light was a challenge. Alexis had all of the kitchen windows upgraded so they are larger and taller, and the countertop now runs to the windowsills. The walls, which were beige (a colour that absorbed light), were painted a bright white, and a shiplap ceiling adds a soft visual interest. Rather than painting it with the typical flat paint, one with a higher sheen was used. A lighting plan pulls it all together by considering where the natural light comes from, then layering it with ambient, wall, decorative and under-cabinet lighting. Throughout the entire home, both calmness and energy are infused through intentional use of pattern and colour. A neutral colour palette was used, layered with golds, blacks, greys, charcoals, whites and custom-stained wood that retains the millwork. Brushed brass or antique gold handles were also used, adding a touch of elegance. Patterns were placed strategically on the tile floors in the entry, kitchen and nook to add pops of personality. “They wanted it to be fun and unique but not something that would date – timeless, but still a bit dramatic,” Alexis notes. The balance with using patterns comes from knowing where to place them so they don’t overwhelm the space but still create movement, she explains. One of her favourite places for patterns is the shower, which has a “peekaboo” effect. In one shower, a geometric wall features soft greys and taupes, with a built-in bench to make it functional. In another, large marble-like porcelain tiles in a creamy white with warm veining create a polished, luxurious backdrop. The third bathroom is more moody and dramatic, with a striking, heavily veined stone in the shower. Deep grey walls and brass hardware give it a rich, atmospheric feel. The overall result is one that’s sophisticated, calm and functional. “She told me, ‘I finally feel like I love my house.’” It’s that type of response that keeps Alexis driven in the work she does. “At the end of the day, I want them to feel just like how I do when I enter my house – to come home and feel like all the stress of the day is gone.” FINDING CALM IN YOUR OWN HOME For anyone looking to create a sense of peace in their home, the question Alexis asks all of her clients is to think about where they feel most comfortable and calm. It’s a really personal question, but a telling one. The key is then translating that into design. That goes beyond the colours and tones and into the finishes and even the reflective values of things. For instance, black or chrome might work for one person but be too harsh for another, she says. There’s also huge power in decluttering and only putting out things on display that you know you love or need. Functional storage space is key, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to call in a professional to help you decide what to keep and what to let go of. The goal, Alexis says, is simple – make choices that lighten your load, not add to it. When your home supports your life, even in small ways, the real sense of ease settles in.