From showroom to your room: Parkview Estates

The homes at Parkview Estates in Fraser Heights in Surrey are stately, with restrained classic architecture. When Shannon Haerdi of First Impressions Designs was put in charge of the interior design for the show homes, she saw an opportunity to let her creativity run free. The combination of the refined spaces and a playful use of art and colour make for an elegant living space that is filled with personality.

New Home + Condo Guide: In this home, the dining room is striking, with the wallpaper and the interesting pops of blue. How did you choose artwork with a patterned wallpaper so it doesn’t appear too busy?

Shannon Haerdi: We really love the elegance the wallpaper brought to this formal dining room. The silver accent in the wallpaper juxtaposed against the crystal pendant light over the dining table really adds to the grandeur of the space. Artwork is carefully chosen for each home by considering all of the design elements in the room. We usually start with the furniture selection and then choose a wallpaper that complements our furniture and lighting elements. The finishing touches are drapery and art. Art is distinct and individual to each home, so drawing out the accent colour and art medium is important to our final choices. We always want to consider the size and scale of the piece as not to overpower the space with art that is too large or too little. Let the art be the final jewel that decorates the room.

NHCG: When you have many light fixtures in an area, such as the kitchen, how do you coordinate them? Is it a good idea to use the same style of light fixture throughout the home in order to promote continuity?

SH: Accent lighting is important in any home. This is generally where we get to have a little fun and let some personality shine in the space. In general, we do try to keep to a similar style in a home, but it doesn’t necessarily have to all match. A mix of metals and styles is on trend right now. Having a few larger accent lights in some of the main living areas of your home allows for great light and adds some extra charm to your space.

NHCG: In the bedroom, the wall art is very vibrant and distinctive. What is your rule-of-thumb for using dramatic wall art while searching for the other design elements? Can you use colour, or do you stick to neutrals?

SH: In the master bedroom, the wall art was chosen to complement the serenity of the furniture. The gold and white frames on the artwork sit nicely against the dark cobalt blue background, allowing the artwork to pop on the wall. The headboard wall was also a subtle pop of elegance with “Urban Walls” decals carefully placed around the beautiful custom upholstered headboard. The classic floral pattern was oversized, allowing for a burst of springtime, filling the wall with depth and character. When choosing colours for artwork, we always tell our clients to have a little fun and bring in some colours that appeal to them as well as conjure up memories of great times with family.