Perfect Timing
STORY JODY SCULLY | PHOTOGRAPHY GORDON KING
As seen in the Ottawa Fall 2026 issue.
It's a rare occurrence for a large-scale renovation to be completed without a single hiccup or delay. But that’s exactly what happened when homeowners Katie and Mitch Baldwin hired Natalie Cox of CPI Interiors to redesign their Orleans home.
Katie and Mitch purchased the home in 2013 with the intention of renovating it. “The home was well-kept, but it was dark, outdated and didn’t fit our style,” Katie explains. To prepare for the renovation, she followed local designers on social media, and that’s how she discovered CPI. “They really stood out as a company that aligned with our style,” she says.
It turns out CPI was their first and only call. “Natalie came to our home to discuss the project and we just clicked. We communicated well, and she really seemed to understand our vision. The consultation went so well that we didn’t even contact anyone else. We knew this was who we wanted to work with,” says Katie.
Natalie believes the secret to successful client meetings is knowing the right questions to ask to understand not only the homeowners’ design style, but also how they want their homes to function in daily life. “I want to make them feel comfortable talking about their home so I can uncover what would make them fall in love with it again,” she explains.
“The catalyst for this project was the kitchen renovation. They wanted to remove some walls to open the space, bring in more natural light and add an island to make the kitchen more functional,” Natalie explains. “But when you take down walls, you have to think about the flooring, and when you change the flooring, you have to consider the staircase, and then the flooring on the second floor is also affected.”
Thankfully, Katie and Mitch were on board with the additional modifications. The results speak for themselves. The first thing you see when you enter the home is the stunning curved staircase in the foyer, which serves as a beautiful focal point and sets the tone for the rest of the home.
“I was grateful that they understood why so many pieces of the home needed to be touched upon when the initial goal was to update the kitchen and dining room,” adds Natalie.
The stair treads and railings were redone to match the new white oak engineered flooring that runs through both floors of the home. Likewise, the kitchen island and bulkheads are now clad in white oak that complements the flooring, creating continuity throughout the main living spaces.
Katie requested a “neutral backdrop without a lot of colour that I would be tied to in years to come,” but she loves the pops of colour CPI added with blue tile in the main bathroom and the pretty blue cabinets in the mudroom/laundry room. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of them,” she says.
Looking back on the project’s smooth progression, Katie says, “We can’t give enough credit to our builder, Erik Damsbaek and his team at Damsbaek Carpentry. Every single step of the project was on time or even ahead of schedule. We were only out of the house for four months, and there were no delays or major surprises.” In fact, the renovation was completed on the exact date Katie and Mitch had been given at the outset of the project.
Natalie credits very thorough planning as the key to CPI’s many successful projects. “We provide comprehensive plans that cover every detail – right down to the grout colour and tile pattern. Everything is clearly indicated on the plans so once construction begins, the contractor has minimal questions,” she explains. “And we only work with the best. Erik, Jonathan, Austin and Nick from Damsbaek are incredibly organized and share our commitment to customer service. When everyone involved has aligned priorities, it helps the project to run smoothly and stay on schedule.”
After working together for over a decade, Natalie and her business partner Megan Patterson have perfected their process. Both began at CPI as design consultants and have grown with the company to become co-owners. Natalie is president and principal designer, while Megan is CEO and director of design, overseeing everything from business operations to quality control.
Their successful partnership has also led them to acquire a custom cabinetry company, which they rebranded Cox Patterson Home Cabinetry. Because custom cabinets are a key element in almost every design project they undertake, owning a cabinet company was a natural fit. Cox Patterson Home Cabinetry provides tailored cabinetry solutions for CPI’s projects and other designers and contractors.
Now that Katie and her family are back in their newly renovated home, she has nothing but praise for CPI and Damsbaek Carpentry. “We’re so happy with the end results and the entire process that we plan to use them again when we’re ready to renovate our basement,” she says. “Natalie really listened to our needs and wants and put that into a design that turned out even better than I imagined. The entire project has exceeded our expectations.” OH