Hope Designs Featured in TorontoLife Once More!

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February 25, 2018

When an oversized downtown condo is transformed to blend the feel of a family retreat with the sophistication of an urban dwelling, people take notice. And this time, it was TorontoLife magazine who paid particular attention to a King West condo staged for the market.

Lori Howard and her team at Hope Designs put their magic touch on this 1,425-square-foot condo located in the downtown Toronto core at King and Tecumseth. At this size, the unit isn’t exactly a tiny condo that is typical of downtown city centers. In fact, this unit has plenty of space that rivals some detached properties.

But because the three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with 360-degree balconies features a size and layout that isn’t exactly the norm in the city, Lori and her team had their work cut out for them. Since the condo is family-sized and located in a part of the city that mostly sees young professionals in much smaller spaces, Lori’s job was to make the unit attract both couples and families with kids.

hope designs

That’s a tall order since the features of each tend to be vastly different. Blending the two to be able to attract both sets of buyers were not going to be easy. But with Lori’s experience and track record of successful staging stories, she was certainly the best stager for the job.

Lori admits that this was a tough project, since “most spaces are cut and dry.” Her task in this particular project was to create a stylish and sophisticated look without compromising the warmth that is typical of a family home.

The Transformation

To create a space that would attract both sets of buyers, Lori and her team at Hope Designs filled the dining room with larger pieces to showcase the spaciousness of the area. An in-trend live-edge table with chrome legs brought the space to life. In the living room, white leather chairs were coupled with a cowhide rug, along with a glass-topped coffee table. To create a cozy look, Lori plumped up the sofa with a slew of throw pillows.

hope designs

While the main living space was quite large in this home, the master bedroom was small in comparison. To offset this, Lori worked to make the room look as opulent as possible. The king-sized bed that was already there overpowered the space, making it look smaller than it was. Lori swapped the bed for a queen-sized mattress to free up some floor space and topped it with king-sized bedsheets and pillows.

In the second bedroom, Lori chose to equip the space with a single twin bed to highlight the room’s size. Such a tactic also lets buyers see that the space can be multi-functional and serve as an office or den in addition to a bedroom.

Who is Hope Designs?

Hope Designs is a home staging and interior decorating company backed by Lori Howard, a seasoned home stager and interior decorator who left her career as a social worker to get into the business of transforming homes.

With more than a decade worth of experience, Lori has managed to grow her team and go on to transform countless spaces that have helped homeowners sell for top dollar. And with her mounting accolades and recognition, it’s clear that Lori’s switch in careers all those years ago was the right move to make.