One Room At A Time
STORY GINA MAKKAR | PHOTOGRAPHY YOUNG GLASS PHOTOGRAPHY
As seen in the Golden Horseshoe Summer 2026 Issue.
A well-designed home brings together beauty, function and practicality in a way that enhances everyday living. For this Oakville family, that feeling was thoughtfully crafted through the vision of Nadine Sakr, founder of Nadine Interiors.
Working with Nadine was an absolute pleasure,” says homeowner Sumaira. “She helped design nearly our entire home, including the living room, family room, basement, bedrooms and entryway, and the results exceeded our expectations.” A key aspect of the transformation was the reconfiguration of the main-floor layout to better support how Sumaira and her busy family of six live. “We reworked the floor plan to make sure the furniture layout made sense and the spaces were able to function efficiently,” says Nadine.
The cohesive design marries a curated colour palette with complementary materials and textures, allowing each room to flow seamlessly into the next. Fresh paint colours from Benjamin Moore set the tone throughout. On the main floor, contrasting trim adds a tailored touch. Custom furnishings, drapery, layered patterns and rich textures in soft, muted tones create a calm, lived-in feel that’s inviting and intentional.
“Nadine is incredibly passionate about what she does,” says Sumaira. “She has a natural talent for colour selection and a strong background in architecture, which shows in how effortlessly she understands scale, proportion and the right pieces for each space. Her eye for detail is remarkable.”
The entryway marries beauty with function. “The client walked me through how they live in their day-to-day life, and we designed the layout so it serves everyday living,” says Nadine. A pedestal table, adorned with an artisanal vase filled with whimsical branches that reach upward, adds height and movement. Ottomans provide additional storage and a place to sit and tie shoes. A console and mirror are both beautiful and functional, with drawers to tuck smaller items out of sight. In the powder room, a tongue-and-groove wall treatment drenched in a whimsical, muted sage adds texture. A custom vanity completes the look and lends a sense of timeless craftsmanship.
The kitchen, an existing feature of the home, offered a strong and neutral foundation to build upon. With its soft white cabinetry and black granite countertops, the space carries a timeless quality that blends with the design vision. The fresh wall colour was carefully chosen to connect the old and new space. Simple updates, from new counter stools to refreshed pendant lighting and black accents, create cohesion, allowing the kitchen to feel current without competing with the newly designed areas. The result is a space that feels intentional, proving that good design doesn’t always require starting from scratch, but rather knowing how to build beautifully on what already exists. Lighting was sourced from Light House Co. and Union Lighting & Furnishings, and hardware from Rejuvenation.
Nadine says a good layout sets the stage for everything that follows. “It’s not about getting some new décor items,” says Nadine. “It’s not about getting a piece of art. You need to make sure the layout makes sense first, whether that involves knocking down a wall or just swapping where the dining room used to be. Play with it and make sure the layout makes sense and then build on that.” In the living room, the furnishings were thoughtfully repositioned to create usable space. Originally, the sofas were pushed against the walls, a common choice that can make a room feel confined. The centre of the room was redefined by pulling the sofa away from the window and adding a slim console. This created better flow, allowing the coffee table to be repositioned and expand the seating with swivel chairs.
In the dining room, the design prioritized comfort and usability. Aligning the table with the fireplace makes better use of the room’s length, improves the flow and allows the family to accommodate a bigger dining table with seating for eight.
What was once the dining room was reimagined as a sitting area. A custom striped sofa centred beneath the window anchors the room. In place of a traditional coffee table, a tailored ottoman offers flexibility, serving as a functional surface and storage. Furnishings and accents throughout are from The Decorating Centre, Crate & Barrel, Urban Barn and Pottery Barn.
On the upper level, the bedroom layouts were thoughtfully reworked to improve function and flow, introducing custom cabinetry throughout from Eureka Kitchen & Bath. In a secondary bedroom, the cabinetry was designed to match the trim in a deep, muted blue, creating a cohesive and elevated look. Many of the existing pieces – from the bed to the dresser and carpet – were kept in place. Instead, the transformation came through paint, millwork and the addition of bedside sconces, proving that small, intentional updates can shift the feel of a space.
In the primary bedroom, Nadine suggested colour drenching the room in a dark, moody hue. A custom king bed with a softly curved, upholstered headboard in a creamy oatmeal brings a sense of calm against the rich walls. Walnut nightstands add warmth. The overall effect is soothing and serene, proof that taking a risk with colour can transform a room into an inviting retreat.
For Nadine, design should feel accessible and grounded in real life. “Yes, it is a luxury service, but you don’t have to increase the scope so much that you spread the budget thin and dilute the design. This could ultimately mean that none of the spaces end up matching what you initially had in mind,” Nadine says. Instead, she suggests managing a project in stages if there are budget restrictions. “I’d rather you tell me, ‘let’s do the living room and powder room this year.’ It’s okay to do it in steps. We do other things in our lives that way. I think there’s often this need to have everything done at once, but if you have the forethought and the vision to wait, it actually works out better. Good design takes time.”
With the redesign complete, the space works in harmony with the way the family lives. Sumaira is pleased with the result from start to finish. “What really stood out to me was Nadine’s dedication and excellent communication,” Sumaira says. “She was always available to answer questions and responded quickly, which made the whole process smooth and enjoyable. I was especially impressed with her colour choices. They brought so much warmth and personality to our home. Nadine is truly a hidden gem in the interior design world, especially in Oakville. I would recommend her to anyone in a heartbeat.” OH