The kinds of homes I love sharing with you the most here on Haven are those that feel 100% approachable. Not only delivered with attainable ideas and inspiration, but also the kind that you can instantly envision the host grabbing a glass of wine, lighting a candle in the kitchen and turning on the beats for a cozy gathering. The kind where family dinners take place and kids run through the halls. The kind where you cry when you’ve had a horrible day (real life) and contrarily, where you slow dance in the kitchen with your love. That’s the vibe of today’s home, owned and designed by Andrea McQueen. It’s beautiful and attainable. So, if you’re convinced that a Pinterest-worthy home (while being totally functional) is far from your grasp, this home will challenge you in the best way. Read a bit about the home from Andrea below while you soak in the stunning images from Nicole Lewis and make sure to connect with her on The List when you’re done to see more (yes, there’s more!).
From Andrea McQueen… I had so much fun designing our home. From the initial stages of scouting the property and creating Pinterest boards for every room, to watching it all come together as a haven for our family, the process has been fun and so rewarding.
I spent a lot of time planning the layout of the home and how I wanted the space to function. From the front foyer to the layout of the backyard, the goal was to create a family friendly space. I have two young boys, so I wanted to make sure that nothing was too precious, that there was room to breathe and the rooms weren’t overcrowded.
This home was a 30 year old builder-grade original, with carpeting in the bathrooms and a choppy floor plan. I took it back to the studs and removed some walls to improve the flow and create a family-friendly layout. The result is a fresh and bright space, with clean lines and lots of texture.
There’s so much I love about this house, but I would have to say that our favourite places to hang out are the kitchen and the backyard. In addition to the fireplace, we installed heaters in the cabana so we can use it in the spring and fall. The kids love curling up and having family movie night outdoors in all kinds of weather.
