B.C. woman transforms house through dynamic designs with connection to moon mission
Despite the dark paint on the exterior of Susan Strangway’s heritage house, there are hints of her home’s bright interior.
“It’s fun,” Susan Strangway says as life-sized statues of musicians seem to perform a sunny soundtrack along the wrap-around front deck.
“The whole feeling of the house is just fun.”
From the moment you walk into the front entrance, which features a large carousel horse and hot-air ballon chandelier, you’ll find moments of magic.
“My nephew gave me this set of Harry Potter dolls,” Susan points to a cabinet featuring Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the residents of Hogwarts.
While wizards greet you below, when you walk-up the ornate curved staircase to the second floor, you’ll pass a wall displaying dozens of quaint characters collected from McDonalds.
“I had to drink a lot of coffee to buy these little dolls,” Susan says.
When you enter the main living area, which is painted all in Barbie pink, don’t be surprised if you feel like you're nestling in a container of confectionary treats.
“As long as it looks like candy and edible,” Susan smiles. “That’s a big rule of mine.”
There’s a coffee table featuring a doll offering a tray full of doughnuts, and the dining table sports a centrepiece surrounded by sweets.
It’s a major transformation from the relatively plain space it was when Susan first walked into it.
“I don’t know what it was,” Susan says of the walkthrough with her realtor. “[The house] was just calling me.”
Susan answered the call by buying the place right away. Before her designs, ideas would often arrive in the middle of the night.
“They’re a-ha moments,” Susan says. “I never second-guess it. I just execute it.”
The professional graphic designer says she worked fast, filling the rooms with her bright prints and bold fabrics.
While the rooms are filled with the whimsical, they’re also inspired by the historical.
“That’s a big moon rock there,” Susan says, pointing to a framed photo of her father holding a large space stone.
Dr. David Strangway was the former chief of NASA’s geophysics branch, who worked on half a dozen space missions, from Apollo 11 through 17.
“He was telling the astronaut, ‘Yes. Pick that up’ or ‘No. Leave that behind,'” Susan says of her dad’s role in Mission Control.
While David studied the samples on Earth, he also brought them to Susan’s Grade 2 class for show and tell.
“His motto was reach for the stars, and he did,” Susan smiles. “He literally brought me the moon.”
It ultimately inspired Susan to boldly go beyond the beige box when transforming her house into a dynamic home.
“Maybe it will give people inspiration,” Susan says of her joyful design’s mix of bold patterns and bright colours. “To be brave enough to do what they want to do.”
And perhaps bring whatever seems out of reach, closer to home.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.