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A bunk room made for four is a much better use of space than a queen-sized bed space in this cottage makeover
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Can it really be 18 years since we landed, for the first time, on Canadian shores, hellbent on unpacking an exciting new design chapter in hitherto uncharted C+J territory?
Sure, before jumping the pond, the majority of our British TV shows (Trading Up, Million Pound Property Experiment and the infamous How Not To Decorate) were playing on HGTV (as ‘acquisitions’, as we say in the biz).
But our first ‘original’ Canuck production – ‘Colin and Justin’s Home Heist’ – was still a decorative embryo. Little could we have imagined the fun that lay ahead as we developed the format and took it into full production.
One of the first rooms ‘deconstructed’ on Home Heist was a space previously occupied by a quartet of siblings who’d long since flown the coop. Their empty nester parents charged us with the task of turning their four-bunk bedded space (a veritable time capsule) into a luxurious queen bedded suite for use by any of their issue when home for the holidays. A
nd so it came to pass that, dutiful as ever, we ‘corrected’ the space, making it relevant to requirements at that time.
Today’s project works with similar logic, albeit played in reverse. That which started as a fairly basic bedroom, sufficiently scaled for a queen bed and two nightstands, was transformed during our latest show (Colin and Justin’s Sub-Zero Reno – streaming now on Paramount+) into a four bedded bunk room.
We have a vast coterie of nieces, nephews and God daughters, as well as several friends with loads of kids, so a bunk room allows us to optimise real estate and accommodate larger groups.
Having spent up on many aspects of our build, moderating outlay at furnishing stage was important. That’s why, rather than specify expensive custom bunks (or pricier off the shelf options, two sets of which could easily have skinned us several thousand dollars) we flexed our creative muscle using eminently more affordable Ikea products.
The Swedish brand’s Mydal bunks (at a modest $299) helped conspire an inviting nest to which several groups of adults (let alone kids) have already navigated during stay overs chez nous, many reporting that the battle for top or bottom berth remains fun, no matter their station in life.
To embolden the aesthetic, we painted the pine structures using satin finish ‘Granite’ by Benjamin Moore. If you’re tempted to tackle a project like this, use a primer first, then layer on colour with a soft bristled brush.
This done, go over with a small foam roller to achieve a stroke free finish. Note that we also painted the areas between each bunk to suffuse a more fitted, custom vibe. Details, huh?
Lighting is served in four ways: grace of Mother Nature, through windows, via a series of overhead spotlights from Home Depot and courtesy of a contemporary lamp on the shared nightstand. For ancillary illumination, our fourth brightening tactic – small push on/off lights in each sleep zone – accords individually controllable levels as required.
To add to the graphic nature of the space, we specified striped monochrome linens. These, also from IKEA can be switched up further down the line should tastes change.
A smoky grey faux fur rug, set upon 10” wide engineered boards by www.kentwoodfloors.com adds tactile appeal so guests feel cozy immediately they set foot upon the day.
We certainly enjoy lavishing projects with financial abandon – more for clients, sadly, than for ourselves – but, when it comes to the crunch, we make no bones about the satisfaction factor we achieve when expenditure is moderated. Hmm: maybe we’re allowing our Scottishness to show, but it’s wildly gratifying, nonetheless, to helm our craft whilst simultaneously balancing our books.
Watch for Colin and Justin on City-tv’s Breakfast Television and Colin and Justin’s Sub- Zero Reno
on Paramount TV. Find the Colin and Justin Home Collection in stores across Canada.
Visit www.colinandjustin.tv.