Main-Floor Makeover: Designer Brian McCourt Shows the Power of Opening Up a Space

“You know I love a good before and after,” says designer Brian McCourt, who worked alongside his client, a fine artist known for her watercolour paintings, to reimagine her main floor. The homeowner wanted a house that reflected her style, so she and Brian set out to create a comfortable, cosy space for her and her family. To maximize natural light, they removed a structural wall, creating one cohesive space for the living room, breakfast table and kitchen.

The once dark cherrywood kitchen is now bright and elegant, dressed in a wallpaper the pair loved so much they carried it into the living room. Warm wide-plank oak floors, which replaced the tired travertine, tie the rooms together.