Welcome to our first blog in our Ingeva Design Studio series! In this series, we sit down to do a Q&A with our expert designers at our Ingeva Design Studio and get to know each one. We'll cover their personal style, advice for home owners and a detailed look at what finishes they would select in a Landmark Home! We can't wait to dive deep and learn something new with each, amazing designer.
To kick off our series, meet Mckinley!
1. What’s your favourite room to stage in our show homes?
My favourite room to stage in the show homes is the kid's rooms! You really get to be creative, pick a theme and run with it! It is a lot of fun to see your vision come to life.
2. What is the best part about staging show homes?
The best part about staging show homes is bringing the home to life! You get to make the house feel like a home and it truly makes such a difference once the staging is complete.
3. What is a timeless interior finish for you?
White cabinets are such a timeless interior finish that allows you to play and have fun with other finishes. Having white as a base allows for way more freedom when it comes to selecting flooring and more. The cabinetry is the heart of the home, and having timeless cabinetry will make it easy to change other finishes later on.
4. In three words, how would you describe your design style?
Minimal, classic, earthy.
5. Where do you find inspiration?
There is inspiration everywhere you look nowadays! I love to scroll through Pinterest and Instagram to see what everyone is dreaming up in the design world.
6. What do you love about Ingeva?
I love how we are constantly working to bring in the best products and sourcing new finishes — so our options continue to grow! It allows for a lot of creativity when it comes to working with clients to design their homes, as well as show homes.
7. What is the biggest advice you can give homeowners on their one-on-one appointment?
I always tell clients to come with some inspiration images and a rough idea of what they want to do cabinetry-wise. As I mentioned, cabinetry is the heart of the home and where we always start! If you have a cabinetry colour in mind, it helps to get the ball rolling, and everything else falls in place.
8. Lastly, show us a flat lay of finishes you would choose in your Landmark Home, and tell us why you picked them.
For my flat lay I went for a modern farmhouse vibe. The light oak floor and white cabinetry is the perfect choice for a light, airy feel in your home that will also be timeless. The number one thing I hear from clients is they are worried about white cabinets, white backsplash and white countertop being too much white. If you still want that light and airy feeling but are worried about too much white, I suggest still doing a light backsplash but with a slight colour variation. It creates texture and provides visual interest without being a sharp contrast!
For the countertop, I selected white with subtle veining to break up the white while maintaining the light, airy, soft feeling. You will notice the cabinet hardware is brushed nickel and the plumbing is black — people are always scared to mix metals, but I encourage it! Mixing metals creates visual interest and adds to the design. If you are mixing metals, I would stick to 2 different metals and ensure balance throughout the home.
I chose the grey tile to compliment the palette as it is very natural and earthy. You don’t always need something super extravagant when it comes to tile, as you can see how the texture of tiles adds to the design without overwhelming it. Lastly, the rug and area rug add additional texture and warmth people often forget will be there during the design process. Sometimes it is nice to have a neutral palette that you add to with your furnishings and décor.
Thank you so much, Mckinley, for your thorough answers and being the first to do our new Ingeva series! Is there something we didn't cover that you're dying to know? Send us your questions on any of our social media platforms, and we'll cover them next month!