True Teamwork

STORY: TIFFANY MAYER | PHOTOGRAPHY: JASON HARTOG

Featured in The Golden Horseshoe - Summer 2025

Every home renovation begins with a vision. This one started with a Designer translating the Homeowner’s wish list into plans and a Contractor bringing them to life.

This Beamsville raised-bungalow is an example of teamwork, where every custom finish came together beautifully, as planned. Reimagined by Isabel Rymarek of Isabel Catherine Design and renovated by her husband Quade Rogers of Rogers Contracting & Supply Inc., the project is a seamless blend of creativity, craftsmanship and heritage. “I work with other designers as well and they may come to us with ideas to figure out, but with Isabel, every detail is thoroughly planned out, which makes our work a smooth process,” Quade says.

The process began in March 2024 with a clear goal: update a tired interior and honour the family’s history by incorporating antique furniture and heirloom pieces passed down through generations.

“Good design is based on what clients want to showcase and that’s how I get my visions of how things should be designed and displayed beautifully and functionally,” Isabel says.

This vision begins with a custom, antique-oak barnboard cased-opening made and installed by Quade – sourced from West Lincoln Barnboards and Antique Flooring Inc. – that frames a sunken living room and sets the tone of “a juxtaposition of rustic-antique meets streamlined style.”

The welcoming foyer stars an Isabel Catherine Design’s signature – a dramatic charcoal porcelain tile inlay with bold Laurent veining from Eden Tile-It. It’s bordered in a picture-frame style with seven-and-a-half-inch Tosca white-oak plank hardwood from A to Z Floors & More that carries through most of the main floor and was installed by NewAge Interiors. Above, knotty pine tongue-and-groove ceiling panels, finished with translucent white stain, tie into the home’s style and reflect the serene rural surroundings.

The neighbouring kitchen underscores the careful collaboration in Isabel and Quade’s work. “The original 30-year-old, smaller-scale kitchen lacked the height the rest of the house had and lacked the desired size the clients were used to in their previous homes,” says Isabel. “By reconfiguring the layout and adding more functional areas, it makes the kitchen feel a lot larger than it is.”

Shaker-style oak cabinetry pairs with a contrasting island in Benjamin Moore Black Tar. The beverage bar, custom pantry and built-in storage bench – finished in Benjamin Moore Stoneware to match the walls – blend function and timeless appeal. Counters are topped in Dekton Laos Matte from Royal Stone Gallery, a durable, scratch-and-stain-resistant surface. The stone is carried down in a custom apron-front framing a deep ceramic basin, evoking a modern farmhouse sink. Polished brass faucets from Kingston Brass and a matching pot filler above the stainless-steel gas range add vintage charm, which is echoed in pendant lights over the island from Light House Co.

Thoughtful touches elevate the space. Textured artisan white subway tiles with shade variations were vertically placed in a brick style at an extended height to draw the eyes up and create a sense of height and uniqueness. A built-in bench with storage drawers extends into the window bay for roomy and flexible seating around a more formal dining table.

“They wanted the island as big as possible, so we designed the builtin bench along the furthest wall in order to fit a dining area without it feeling too crowded,” says Isabel. “We really considered how the space would flow with the multiple entries into the kitchen.”

A collection of antique scales that once belonged to the homeowner’s grandfather hangs artfully beside expansive windows flooding the space with natural light. Antique barnboards were utilized on the remaining openings into the living room. Quade crafted each to achieve the look of exposed support beams, as though they were always there. In the living room, built-in cabinetry and barnboard shelving add purpose and warmth. The extra storage was made possible by converting a former thruway into a hallway to create needed depth.

This room features one of Quade’s signatures – an inset for the flat-screen TV above the fireplace, keeping it flush and cord-free. The fireplace features an antique mantel Isabel sourced locally, freshly painted in Black Tar with a hearth clad in the same porcelain tile as the foyer for a streamlined look.

That tile reappears in the laundry room – redesigned for peak function – and in the mudroom near the kitchen, which used to be a powder room. In the primary bedroom, Quade elevated the space with custom wall panelling behind the bed and a monochromatic accent wall in Jojoba, which surrounds the window bay, giving the illusion of more space. A cosy sitting area fills the alcove.

The dresser – originally the homeowner’s father’s childhood piece – was refurbished in a beautiful distressed aqua colour. Isabel drew inspiration from this colour, carrying it throughout the primary bedroom and en suite.

In the en suite, aqua-accented wallpaper highlights a double vanity from Teodor Vanities, while a panelled wall in the same hue frames a freestanding tub. The curbless shower is outfitted with gold fixtures, including a water valve set near the glass door to avoid stepping into that first cold blast – a touch installed by Arscott Plumbing & Heating Inc. Heated black tile floors in a herringbone pattern add comfort underfoot.

Down the hall, the main bathroom gained height with the removal of the shower bulkhead. A 200-year-old dresser was repurposed by Isabel into a one-of-a-kind vanity. The bedroom wing includes a refreshed guest room featuring more of Quade’s custom panelling, and a refinished family rocker that has soothed generations.

But the true showcase of Isabel and Quade’s creative partnership is the home office. “My client was adamant on having a Black Tar accent wall somewhere in her home and an office space, so I took it to the next level,” Isabel says. A custom, built-in desk, shelving, panelling and detailed moulding – all in Black Tar – anchor the office.

“When I walk into this space, I get the family’s vision and this fully respects my vision,” Isabel says. “This is exactly what I wanted.” Adds Quade: “Her plans were very detailed, which makes it easy for us.” OH