House Tour: A Carefully Collected and Eclectic Home
Find out how designer and blogger Sabrina Smelko expresses her ever-evolving style, and the one thing she says will always remain the same.
Name: Sabrina Smelko of Sabrina Smelko
Location: Milton, Ontario
Own/Rent: Own
Time in Home: 3 years
Sabrina Smelko is one busy blogger. The award-winning 26-year-old designer is also the creative director of production company Wild and Light, co-host of the show Save My Reno, and a celebrity judge for Wayfair's very own 2017 Trade Tastemaker Awards. Despite all this, she still finds time to style her own space as shown in her eclectically fresh and curated Ontario home—some of which she even furnished with curbside finds. Read on to find out what was a splurge and what she found on the curb.
1. How would you describe your décor style?
My personal style is an eclectic mix of modern, bohemian, and Scandinavian design. I always try to combine my favourite trends in any space, all while having fun and exploring new things. Any good designer will tell you that no one becomes a great stylist overnight. The only way to coin your own signature style is to be open to influence from anywhere and everywhere. My style has definitely evolved through the years, but my love of plants has remained the same. From where I sit right now I can count 15!
2. How did you want your home to look and feel?
When I first became a homeowner at the age of 22, the last thing on my mind was how my space should be decorated. It didn’t take long for my design sense to kick into full gear, however. My goal when designing my home was to create an airy, open space where people felt as though they could put their feet up. It took a lot of renovating and rearranging, but in the end I was able to create a fun and eclectic space.
"[N]o one becomes a great stylist overnight. The only way to coin your own signature style is to be open to influence from anywhere and everywhere."
Sabrina Smelko
3. What item(s) did you splurge on and which did you choose to save on?
I splurged on a new kitchen (although it still only came to $5,000), and a few items that I knew would get a lot of wear and tear (like my rugs and hardwood floors). That being said, I do have a passion for finding affordable pieces of furniture when I can. I never shy away from buying online, scouring classifieds, attending auctions, or visiting clearance warehouses. My sofa was purchased at a clearance warehouse and my chairs were found either curbside or at thrift stores.
4. What was your biggest decorating, renovation, or DIY failure?
I once tried to crochet a pot holder out of nylon rope which was a twofold failure. Not only was the material so thick and stiff that it shredded my hands with each loop, but it never dawned on me until I was halfway done that it would melt if used correctly! Nylon and a hot pot? Not a good mix. It did turn out to be a good teething toy for my then three-month-old puppy!
5. What is your favourite room or space in the house, and why?
I would have to give the favourite space award to my kitchen/living space. I love it because I designed it for how I personally live and function, from the layout to the furniture. I work from home and spend a lot of time in this area of my home (despite the fact that I have an office), so it has to function as a work space, kitchen, dining room, and the place we relax at the end of the day.
6. What do you hide when company comes over?
Everything in the bathroom! Our main bathroom is quite small and has limited storage, so on any given day there are articles of clothing and (often wet) towels on the floor or on hooks, as well as makeup and toothpaste balancing on the edge of the tiny pedestal sink. The upside is that small-living usually translates to quick-cleaning!
7. What advice do you have for those who want to achieve your style?
First, look at your space and determine what a given day in your life looks like—how you eat, who you share the space with, what’s important to you—and then build a space that caters to that using inspiration from multiple sources. The more people or things you’re influenced and inspired by, the more your own style will develop. To achieve my style in particular, don’t shy away from colour or mixing different materials and textures. My style is all about mixing and matching, as well as playing until you get it just right—oh, and plants!
