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It requires time to make your dream home, and also to find a location in your dream neighborhood. Shona and Shaun Carcary waited 17 years until both brothers left for faculty — to eventually snag a cabin in Bayshore Beautiful, an oak-filled community inTampa, Florida, just steps from the bay.

Natives of South Africa, the Carcarys (she’s a personal trainer; he’s a property investor) managed to check past the pink walls and dark brown carpet that sullied the cottage’s 1940s interior. “We can see the huge workload involved but may see the property’s charm and great bones,” Shona says. The couple spent six years revamping and tailoring the house to their own liking. They painted floors, gutted and remodeled the bathrooms and the kitchen, converted the detached garage into a workout studio and “individual space,” and gave the entire house a dreamy, all-white makeover.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Shaun and Shona Carcary, and their Chihuahuas, Dinky, Peatri, Bumpy and Dobby
Location: Bayshore Beautiful neighborhood of Tampa, Florida
Size: 1,500 square feet (139 square meters); 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Year built: 1940

Mina Brinkey

The few ripped out of the dark brown carpet throughout the house to show hardwood floors. Shona is a huge fan of white painted the floors, pink walls and timber fireplace mantel the exact same color, Ultra Pure White by Behr.The couple also replaced the original windows.

Shona Attempts to store locally as muchas possible, and worked closely with designer Christy McGeachy of Nest Designs and Katy Gagnon of Tampa’s Blue Moon Trading Company. The majority of the living area furniture, including the couch, side table, tree trunk coffee table, lighting and decorative accents, are from Gagnon’s store.

The best way to paint your hardwood floors

Chaise: Deconstructed French Victorian Right-Arm Chaise, Restoration Hardware; wall and floor paint: Ultra Pure White PPU18-6,Behr

Mina Brinkey

An oversize floor mirror draped in series lights helps create the illusion of a bigger space.

An area Shona uses as her home office is observable through the French doors. “It is where I gather my thoughts and organize my times,” she says. She also converted a former garden table into a desk by adding a custom glass top.

Mirror, wooden vase, classic oar, cable light fixture: Blue Moon Trading Company; desk base: Anthropologie (no more available)

Mina Brinkey

Shona’s love of a (nearly) all-white palette mixes nicely with the earthy, nature-inspired accents. “I have found that natural elements such as wood, stone, metal and shells are what I’m attracted to,” she says.

Go gutsy with white floors

Mina Brinkey

Vintage French armchairs add a bit of elegance to Shona’s office. To supply some privacy from the living space, the owners added French doors, which they painted the exact same shade of white as the rest of the inside; they make a smooth transition between chambers.

Mina Brinkey

Painted staircase and risers sporting house numbers lead upstairs into the couple’s bedroom. Shona bought a different number each time she went into a hardware store, amassing a collection over time. “I added them because I count measures as I go up and down,” she says.

Curio cabinet: Blue Moon Trading Company

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The few fashioned a stair railing in the birch branch that they bought at Michaels.

Mina Brinkey

A local artisan created the dining area dividers light using materials salvaged from a chicken coop. “I love the eclectic sense of mixing new and old, repurposing items and using them in surprising ways,” Shona says.

Table: Sequoia Dining Table, Z Gallerie; dining chairs: Marshalls; mirror, lighting: Blue Moon Trading Company

Mina Brinkey

The Carcarys finished the kitchen remodel themselves, inspired by compact kitchens with spacious shelving which they saw during excursions to Italy and France. The tin ceiling proved to be the most demanding element, as every tile required to be laid individually. (Shaun set up the pieces while Shona held the ladder.) The countertops are marble, although the kitchen island was created from barn wood floors.

The general cost of the kitchen renovation was $20,000, including appliances and materials.

Shelves: Ekby Mossby/Ekby Bjärnum, Ikea; island: Blue Tooth Company; tin ceiling tiles: eBay; decorative items: T.J.Maxx and Marshalls; backsplash tile: The Home Depot

Mina Brinkey

The first-floor guest bedroom was kept light and airy, with both the floors and walls painted entirely white.

Vintage door, console, lighting: Blue Tooth Company; bed: Lydia, Anthropologie

Mina Brinkey

From the master bedroom upstairs, the few removed a cupboard to create the shower, which they enclosed with a glass wall to create the space feel bigger and look more spacious.

Dual vanity: Ikea; bed: Italian Campaign Canopy Bed, Anthropologie; alloy hanging letters: Blue Tooth Company; wall paint: Ultra Pure White PPU18-6, Behr

Mina Brinkey

Shona and Shaun did all of the labor on their bathroom remodel. They sourced both the bathtub and the emerald-green and gold mosaic tile eBay.

Pendant: Long Hanging Capiz Pendant Lamp, West Elm (no more available)

Mina Brinkey

Shona painted the master bedroom floors black but adhered to white with the linens. The nightstand is a bird bath that Shona fitted with a custom glass top.

By the time the few found thishome, both of the daughters were grown and had moved from the house. (One of these, a real estate agent, helped them find this property.) The Bayshore Beautiful house is smaller compared to the Carcarys’ preceding place, so Shona attempts to maintain things as clutter free as possible. “Now we’ve got less wall area and storage, therefore that I only have things out that imply something or that I use,” she says.

Oversize mirror: Summer House Marketplace; birdbath: Lowe’s

Mina Brinkey

Shona splurged on this vintage-style shelf from Anthropologie, also uses it to display her collection of stage shoes and travel knickknacks. She is especially fond of the leather purse, which she bought on a trip to Ibiza. “I love to spend some time on the weekends searching for one-of-a-kind finds,” she says.

Mina Brinkey

Shona and Shaun utilize the family room the many and love to unwind together facing the TV.

The number 7 is very significant to Shona, as her brother passed away on December 7. This numerical accent is a small method of honoring and remembering him in one of her favourite spaces.

Sectional: Karlstad, Ikea; coffee table: Blue Moon Trading Company

Mina Brinkey

The outdoor places, like this deck which Shaun built, extend the inside with organic surfaces and bits of white. The few loves to entertain guests here, and hosts parties and evenings with wine often.

Wicker chairs put: HomeGoods

Mina Brinkey

This farm table on the rear deck provides Shaun and Shona plenty of chances to host al fresco meals.

Farm table, markets signal: Schiller’s Architectural Salvage; chairs: Blue Moon Trading Company

Mina Brinkey

The classic wrought iron bed at the end of the deck is where Shona and Shaun like to relax and look up at the stars.

Mina Brinkey

The desk, café chair and cart seat are classic and from Blue Moon Trading Company.

Mina Brinkey

The couple created a backyard bathing oasis with a salvaged claw-foot bath tub.

Mina Brinkey

A climbing plant shrouds the arbor leading to the converted garage, which now houses Shona’s gym and Shaun’s home pub.

Mina Brinkey

The couple split their detached garage into two distinct chambers. On the left is Shona’s gym, where she works from home. These French doors lead to what Shaun calls his “individual space,” where he buys time living in front of the TV.

Mina Brinkey

The pub in Shaun’s space is made of a kitchen doorway which the few salvaged during their remodel. The rear shelf was created from a headboard that they brought over from South Africa, while the walls are decorated with construction materials in the school in South Africa in which Shona used to work as a nursery school teacher.

Mina Brinkey

Hardwood floors grace the home exercise studio, in which Shona tends to customers as a personal trainer and nutrition expert.

Mina Brinkey

The cabin is nestled behind grand oaks on an old brick-lined street just steps from the bay. When the Carcarys transferred in, the exterior featured a mix of yellow siding, blue trim and exposed brick. The few painted the entire house precisely the same shade of white as the inside. Since they converted their garage into living space, they park their cars in the driveway.

Exterior paint: Ultra Pure White PPU18-6, Behr

Mina Brinkey

Shona and Shaun moved their family from South Africa to Florida nearly two decades ago. Reflecting on the change, Shona (shown here with their four energetic Chihuahuas) says, “I wake up daily sense grateful and blessed to be in this wonderful nation — our home.”

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Taylor Russell has seen a lot of interiors. After living in hotels for six years — her job in a communications agency had her moving every four weeks to places like Kuwait, Pakistan, Spain and Barbados — she underwent hundreds of distinct living spaces. Over enough to realize what fashion was right for her.

“I was most drawn to bright, airy spaces that were open and inviting, with pretty and intriguing pieces — places where you could curl up comfortably on the couch one night and host a cocktail party the next,” Russell says.

Burned out from her busy schedule, Russell quit her job from a pay phone in Heathrow airport back in 2007 while transitioning from a project in Kuwait to Jamaica. She bought a one-way ticket for her hometown of Toronto and chose about the flight to get a home. Four days after she bought a preconstruction condominium unit in the King West neighborhood.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Taylor Russell, entrepreneur, and her mini Australian shepherd, Hayete
Location: King West neighborhood of Toronto
Size: 1,250 square feet; two bedrooms, 2 baths

Andrew Snow Photography

Russell’s globe-trotting crash course in interior layout was not the one thing on her side. Her parents greatly influenced her new home decoration, too.

Their sculptures and paintings are featured throughout the area, and when Russell’s mother retired as a interior designer and owner of B.B. Bargoon’s, a well-known Toronto design store, Russell (shown here) inherited a number of her mother’s beautiful pieces that Russell had grown up . “Our homes were always beautifully decorated while being inviting and comfortable,” Russell says. “My parents never wanted to live in a museum but wanted to make spaces for us to like a family and while entertaining friends. The house was always full of wonderful pieces from around the world, each with its own story.”

Russell and Hayete relax on the living room couch, which came out of her mother’s store. A refuge for downtown dog owners, the neighborhood has six nearby parks and quick access to the waterfront, which the duo takes full advantage of.

Sofa: classic, B.B. Bargoon’s

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Needing her home to feel hot in the winter and cool in the summer, she landed a palette of mainly whites and camel browns with a bit of blue in the bedroom and green from the many plants to give the room a refreshing feel.

Russell’s sister discovered the massive coffee table with a chrome base on the road and wrapped it home. Russell’s mother painted the flower painting.

Chairs: classic, Lazy Farmer Antiques; coffee table: vintage, located on the road; painting: Bonnie Bickel

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This rock mantel came from Russell’s childhood home.

Andrew Snow Photography

Sofa, chair, lamp: B.B. Bargoon’s

Andrew Snow Photography

A cupboard near the stairs includes a collection of artifacts and other objects. Feminine elements, such as the gilded mirror, are contrasted with rustic, industrial pieces, such as the rusted letters.

Andrew Snow Photography

Tucked underneath the stairs, Russell’s office area — she co-owns Tkaro, that creates a portable drinking glasswith her sister — joins ornate, crafted elements using midcentury classics. The planter stand originally stood in her childhood home, and the painting on the wall is with her mother.

Office chair: Eames Aluminum Management Chair, Herman Miller; painting: Bonnie Bickel

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The completely modern kitchen combines high-gloss white kitchen cabinetry with granite counter tops.

Andrew Snow Photography

Chandelier: classic, from Mexico; portable drinking glass: Tkaro

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Dining chairs: A Chair, Tolix

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The entry gallery includes images taken by Russell while living overseas.

Andrew Snow Photography

Classic vases hold blossoms purchased around the corner. Russell was attracted to the King West neighborhood because of its proximity to both downtown and the significant highways out of the city — perfect for weekend getaways. Lots of Toronto’s finest restaurants and bars are within walking distance, as are multiple parks and the waterfront.

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Keeping an office downstairs has enabled Russell to turn the den into a guest bedroom. A classic American flag atop a mirrored cupboard makes for a stunning focal point there.

Andrew Snow Photography

The lofted bedroom overlooks the living room below, taking advantage of the soaring 24-foot ceilings. The chandelier, repurposed here as a nightlight, was sourced on a trip to a tiny Mexican city.

Andrew Snow Photography

Seat: A Seat, Tolix

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The serene master en suite comes with a large window that looks into the bedroom.

Andrew Snow Photography

Sink: Duravit

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Alaina Kaczmarski has a knack for design. The proof is at the DIY touches which improve her Chicago lease unit’s original architectural details. Kaczmarski, a stylist, writer and cofounder of the blog The Everygirl, used her trademark color palette of pinks, blacks and grays to liven elements such as floor-to-ceiling built-ins and exposed wood beams. The end result is a style that is glowing, dark, casual and funky all at one time.

at Glance
Who lives here: Alaina Kaczmarski, her roommate and both Cockapoos, Tucker and Fiona
Location: Buena Park neighborhood of Chicago
Size: Around 1,500 square feet; two bedrooms, 1 bathroom

Cynthia Lynn Photography

This gallery wall at Kaczmarski’s workplace is an ever-growing collection of online finds and travel souvenirs. “There is a painting I bought in Montmartre, my first actual work of art, and also my personal-credo ‘Live what you love’ letterpress poster that serves as a daily reminder to do what makes me really happy,” she says.

Her cherished puppies, Fiona and Tucker, love lounging on her couch while she works.

Lamp: Neenas; Color: Sabine, Lulu & George; pouf: Amazon; throw pillows: Caitlin Wilson Textiles; “Live what you love” printing: Heartfish Press; “I believe you” printing: Birdaria; wall paint: Middleton Pink, Farrow & Ball

Cynthia Lynn Photography

Kaczmarski, revealed with Fiona, enjoys the positioning of her Chicago apartment. “There is always something new to do, and each of those regions all offer such distinct energy and types of individuals,” she says. “I never get tired or feel as though I am constantly going to the same place.”

Desk: parson’s, West Elm; rug: Rugs USA; pencil holder: Furbish

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A huge corkboard across from her desk retains invitations and decorating ideas. “My advice to other homeowners is, don’t worry over ‘completing’ your home,” Kaczmarski says. “Gradually acquire pieces you love and revel in the process of making it your own.”

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The blush hue on the walls — Middleton Pink by Farrow & Ball — matches this white built-in Fireplace, which Kaczmarski uses as a minibar.

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The home office space had been originally the dining area, but Kaczmarski had small use to get a big dining room. Now she uses the distance — seen from the kitchen — for Everygirl group meetings.

Dining table: walnut, Fashion for Home; kitchen shelves: Goal

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Kaczmarski took benefit of the apartment’s built-in fireplace and mantel, personalizing the shelves and mantel with knickknacks and keepsakes.

She added a little dining table into the oversize living room to create more room for entertaining guests. The chairs are Craigslist finds.

Dining table: Docksta, Ikea; wall mirror: Sunburst, Layla Grace; Paris Ferris Wheel picture: Etsy

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In the living area, Kaczmarski painted the walls grey to keep a neutral palette, layering at a graphic floor carpet and vertical bookshelves to allow the spines of her novels serve as graphic accents.

Rug: Rugs USA; pouf: Lulu & George

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Two of Kaczmarski’s favorite designers are Erika McPherson Powell of Urban Grace Interiors and Brad Ford ID. “Their layouts are both rooted in neutral, traditional style, but each of these adds intriguing, fresh elements which take them into the next level,” she says.

Lamp: Euro Style Lighting; lacquered box: Furbish

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Kaczmarski is on the search for a great steal. She picked up her coffee table at a Jayson Home & Garden warehouse selling. Her latest splurge, and her first major investment bit, is the Carlisle couch out of Pottery Barn.

Coffee table: Chelsea, Jayson Home; ostrich printing: The Animal Print Shop; cushions: Serena & Lily

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Kaczmarski produced a gallery wall round the tv, so the black screen wouldn’t be intrusive.

Cynthia Lynn Photography

Inside her bedroom she went with an unconventional shade — pitch black. “I had a black wall in my old workplace and absolutely loved it,” she says. “I thought it would be surprising to bring that color into the bedroom. This could have been very hit or miss, but it ended up being a very cozy, den-like space.”

Bed: Skyline Furniture; linens: Serena & Lilly; “Lust” pillow: Jonathan Adler; paint: Pitch Black No. 256, Farrow & Ball

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The bedroom is where she feels most at home. “It is so cozy — I never need to leave it! Sometimes I just work from bed,” she says.

Nightstand: West Elm; lamp: Euro Style Lighting; mercury bottles: Jayson Home

Cynthia Lynn Photography

On her dresser Kaczmarski uses vintage teacups to display and arrange her jewelry. A classic brass mirror rests on top, using a snapshot of her and her pups tucked in the framework.

Cynthia Lynn Photography

Kaczmarski’s biggest challenge was to convert the wood-paneled bathroom from its log cabin style. She transformed the distance with a few coats of white paint and by painting the centre ray a black.

Rug: Layla Grace; tote bag: Feed; accent paint: Pitch Black No. 256, Farrow & Ball

Cynthia Lynn Photography

Hand towels: West Elm; topiary: boxwood, New Growth Design

Cynthia Lynn Photography

Maintaining everything white on white at the bathroom made the somewhat narrow space brighter.

“My home is a means to express myself because I grow older — to change and adapt to new tastes and interests as they unfold,” Kaczmarski says.

Shelving unit: Expedit, Ikea

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