Irene Turnbull & Turnbull Interiors of Distinction Inc. Presents
The Dining Room

estate-on-the-bay-dining-room-turnbull-sm

The opportunity to participate in this first ever type of fundraiser for United Way was one I welcomed readily from the start. It was easy toy-in to the worthiness of the project on principle along, given the valuable role that this organization plays in Simcoe County. However, there was another equally important reason that drew me in and that was the opportunity for our regional interior design and decorating community to be showcased as significant players in a globally influenced marketplace. Clearly, this project provides a unique opportunity for our local businesses to visually demonstrate that real talent and value in our own "backyards".

It has been my contention that competition is healthy and in fact, when we work together to maintain high standards within our profession, everyone in the interior design and decorating industry benefits. As National Chair of CDECA (Canadian Decorators' Association) I strove to encourage this type of co-operative spirit among our membership. The Estate on the Bay has provided a meaningful forum for the public to experience the personification of this industry talent and the synergy of its united co-operation.

When I was asked to tackle the dining room as Turnbull Interiors contribution, I realized that the undertaking would be driven from a broader perspective than our usual projects which are always directly connected to our clients' personal needs and emotional connection to their space. The appeal in this case was directed towards a more liberal and artistic interpretation of the dining room as a place for luxurious but comfortable entertaining, and as such it presented a great chance to feature a little of the unusual.

before

left: Dining Room, before transformation

below: Dining Room, after transformation
after
 after-1
after-2 after-3

We brought in Glenna Wedge, a local "wall treatment artist" whom we had worked with on previous projects, to interpret our connection to the natural elements through the creation of faux copper walls.

Together, with the warmth of the custom-coloured ceiling, this grounded the room and set the stage for an intimate entertaining space, which naturally encourages engaging conversation from its uniqueness. By mirroring the wall between the built-in cabinets upper and lower units, Refraction Glass created the illusion of a window reflecting light and the exterior view of trees and water back into the room while giving the space added depth perception.

We added two recessed ceiling lights to highlight featured art, and a hand-made Italian Morano glass chandelier from Eurofase to enhance the warm glow of the room. Continuing with our artistic theme, the furniture and furnishings complete the ambience.

The layered Fabricut's silk drapery treatment from Turnbull Interiors frames the wonderful lakeside view and anchors the feeling of warmth and luxury in an understated fashion. The furniture is Canadian made by Leda Furniture and boasts fine craftsmanship in every detail. The carpet from W Studio is one-of-a-kind, fine hand knotted Persian rug. Our artistic interpretation is completed addition of original art from Dave Beckett and wonderful Rhodin bronze sculptures courtesy of the MacLaren Art Centre.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this great project and thank all those who have helped us with the dining room.

—Irene Turnbull

Go to the Estate on the Bay Website for event details.

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Testimonials

"In no time flat, Irene knew who I was, what my lifestyle was, what my background was, what I liked and didn't like and I think that's the key to the whole thing.  I love it, just love it."

Sheila Clarke

"Details that were already in the house were part of the plan...there was a particular kind of furniture we had and they picked up some of the line in the detail and colour right away. It was amazing to me what they were able to do with the fabrics. I never would have thought of that, but it looks great!"

Rev. Art Storey

"The interesting thing about Irene was that she took me outside of the 'box'...it was an awesome experience...courteous and fun. Irene offers more than just decorating like furniture refinishing and draperies so for me it was one stop shopping."

Cathy Barker

"Initially, we were he hesitant to contact an Interior Designer because we wanted our home to reflect our tastes and not someone else's. Contacting Turnbull Interiors was the best thing we could have done. Irene took detailed notes of our colour preferences and of environments that made us feel comfortable. She spent many hours developing designs and colour schemes that worked for us. We feel happy and relaxed in our new surroundings and thank Bill and Irene for turning our house into our home.

Linda and Bill Huttons

"Irene has a knack of drawing out our feelings and likes and with her amazing team put together a room that gives us the warm cozy feeling we were looking for. Through conversations with both of us, Irene was able to determine what colour and style we preferred to feel calm and relaxed in our new space.

Dave and Patty Wainwright

 

Irene Turnbull is an award-winning interior decorator.
Interior Decorating and Home Renovation for Barrie, Midland, Orillia, Muskoka, Newmarket, Toronto and surrounding areas.