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Kingston is a quaint historic city known for its older buildings, and where innovation thrives. Known as the Limestone City, Kingston is also a neighbour to many other small counties across Ontario.
Belleville, for example, is known for its picturesque locations, situated right on the Bay of Quinte. While it may be associated more with iconic waterfront trails and a vibrant downtown area, our design story takes place in what may seem like a whole other world away.
Miles away from the nearest building, and right next to their own gravel airport runway, Mary Lee Smyth’s clients were delighted to have her as their interior designer, helping them create the living room they always wanted.
So, how did it go, and what were the steps Mary Lee took to get to help them? Let’s dive in!
In This Article...
About the Project
Our clients first met with Leah at the beginning of 2025, in the early spring. Leah remembers that as soon as she met them, she knew they would be a pleasure to work with. “They are a lovely couple that I still keep in touch with today,” she says.
While the husband was very easy going with wanting to go with whatever his spouse decided, the wife was a little bit more apprehensive. Mary Lee says that her clients had two things in mind when wanting to furnish their living room.
“The furniture had to fit them, and it had to be very comfortable,” she explains. The two of them have arthritis, which means comfort was especially important for them.
The house itself faces the southern exposure of the sun, and their living room holds a great view of their private airport, which this couple is very proud of.
Their first impression of the living room before they got to work was the fact that it looked like a time capsule.
However, even though they enjoyed the vintage look of the place, Mary Lee felt it looked a bit too rich and dense in terms of colour. “It was a little claustrophobic, because of the size of the furniture and the colours being very dark,” she says, “And the fact that it was a small space to work with, it needed to be opened up.”
“I think there was a lot of expectation,” Leah says. Having done everything on their own for so long, they’ve only ever received advice from their daughter about interior decorating, since she works in that field.
Even though Leah and Mary Lee had some tough shoes to fill, they were up for the challenge.
Before...
After!
The Interior Design Process
Mary Lee also states that the main vision all throughout was to help lighten up the room, since the furniture they had initially was dark and dated.
A lot of their space had darker elements attached to it, including the kitchen. Since the first level in an open concept space, the kitchen played a factor as well, and contributed to the dark colour palette, thanks to the dark wood cabinets. “We needed to balance the darker wood of the cabinets with a lighter tone that wouldn’t feel unnatural,” Leah says.
Another factor in play was the type of floors they own, which are in-floor radiant heated terracotta tiles, which means rugs weren’t used as much in this design project. So, if rugs were used majorly, the heating wouldn’t be as effective during the winter as it would’ve been.
“It was also a challenge to find the right colour to pair with the flooring, but I ended up picking a nice creamy white to help complement the light colours in the floor, which I think worked,” she says.
Furniture & Accessories Chosen
“The pieces before were beautiful, and looked expensive, but they were very dated and needed a lighter colour to it.”
In the before photos, you can see the dark mustard yellow sofa. While they both liked it, they agreed it was time to modernize their living space with new seating.
Some of the new furniture pieces included chairs from our latest Modern Swivel Gliding Recliner Collection, which are sleeker than our usual reclining pieces found on our floors.
To help configure the space for a more social living space, Mary Lee also added two Liam Recliners next to the window, which helped them provide more seating for their guests and more comfort for an all-around reclining experience.
And to tie the whole living room together, the Meyer Sofa was added as well for a more modern and intimate seating experience for guests.
While the overall design process from start to finish was quick, both Leah and the clients also became super close within the process.
Once they saw the finished space, the clients were thrilled with how seamlessly the accessories and décor brought the room together. “And you’d never guess they’re from La-Z-Boy!” Leah adds with a smile..
As for the lighting, Mary Lee needed to fix a very apparent problem in her eyes, which was the lack of ambient lighting. Aside from the natural light in the room, the only other light source was the overhead pot lights, which are a big interior design no-no when working with an interior designer.
So, she added some lamps in the corner of the room so that there could be more ambient light for a more appreciative living room. “That lighting could make Frankenstein look sexy,” she jokes.
End Result
Leah and Mary Lee stated that the wife has reservations throughout the process, which is normal. “Sometimes when we don’t know how it’s going to look in a space, we don’t know if it’s the right decision,” Mary Lee states.
However, when their daughter showed up unannounced on delivery day and was ecstatic to see the new living room furniture, she knew she had made the right decision with her furniture and decor choices.
The main thought that Leah leaves us with is to remember to trust the process. “If you’re unhappy with the design of the room, we’re not gonna leave you high and dry on the side of the highway. We are here for you, and we’re not gonna settle either.”
What's Next?
After finishing this project, Mary Lee and Leah hope that they will enjoy their new home for years to come, and maybe fly a plane from their private airport.
Now that you have seen what La-Z-Boy can come up with, how do you think they would do in your space?
If you enjoy the look of any of the furniture pieces showcased, take a look at our Design Program, so you can get a chance to become a design story today! You could work with Mary Lee at our Kingston, Ontario location if you’re looking to furnish your living space (or entire home!)
Feel free to take advantage of these interior design services by coming into any of our furniture stores in Ottawa, Gatineau or Kingston, or by booking an appointment online.
If you’re interested in seeing more design stories, take a look at some more by clicking this link. To learn more about La-Z-Boy as a whole, take a look at this comprehensive Furniture Guide.
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