MELISSA JANSEN DESIGN
ABOUT ME.
I always joke that I grew up on a construction site. We moved frequently as a kid and my parents had a penchant for finding the most dilapidated house on the block. Each new house needed more wallpaper stripped and windows replaced than the last, and I was always eager to help. (Picture a 10 year old wearing a tool belt and steel toe boots.) After everything was put back together it was time to sell and start again. This is where my passion for design was born: on the plywood sub-floor of my bedroom, dreaming about paint colours and possibilities.
Today, I’m lucky to do this for a living in Canada’s capital. Each project I take on is a new and exciting start for the little-girl-wielding-a-tape-measure in me. I truly enjoy getting to know my clients and creating a stylish home for them in my favourite design esthetic I call “crisp transitional”. (And I've even grown to love wallpaper again.)
I strive to take the mystery out of working with a design professional, and love when past clients tell me they felt at ease with my transparent quoting and design process. My goal is to take the stress out of designing a perfect-for-you home.
MY COLOUR BASED DESIGN PHILOSOPHY.
Undertone is my name, and a harmonious colour scheme is my game.
I'm greatly affected by the colour of my environment, and after many years of paint colour consultations I know a lot of my clients are, too. That’s why I specialize in a colour-based approach to design finishes selection. Each fixed and moving design element in a home contains a colour undertone (even white!) and the proper co-ordination of these elements makes a huge impact. I understand it’s not always possible to renovate or re-decorate every room in your home at once, so it’s especially important that new styles and colours marry with the old.
I have a deep-rooted relationship with Benjamin Moore Paints (you can find one of their fan decks in my handbag at any given time) and have previously enjoyed working on a merchandising photo shoot with their Canadian marketing team.
I'd love to work with you to create a layered, comfortable home that combines modern amenities with tried and true sensibilities of the past.