Welcome to the next installment of our Floor Tours series, where we step inside the spaces of some of our favorite design-world friends to chat all things rugs and decor and learn how they’ve turned their house into a home.
After getting an up close look of Mia Trezzi from @thecalicottage‘s dreamy bedroom (check it out here!), we knew immediately that we had to see more of the inside of her home. Luckily, she was game—and what we saw definitely did not disappoint! Mia and her husband moved into their Toronto-area home less than a year ago, and have done some seriously impressive DIY and design work to transform it into the beautiful space it is today. Ready to step inside, and learn exactly why Mia calls her Canada home “The Cali Cottage”? Keep reading—we’ll let her spill all the inspirational details!
Tell us about your style! How would you describe the look of your home and your aesthetic?
I would say our home embodies a combination of Scandinavian and bohemian design styles, complemented by a lot of neutral earthy tones and accents of greenery. One thing I’ll say is that our style is always evolving and having a neutral color palette makes any design transitions that much easier.
How did you land on calling your account the Cali Cottage?
I love this question! About 8 years ago, some of my best girlfriends and I headed down to Venice Beach, California for my birthday and it was one of the best times of my life. My other favorite place is our family cottage up in Muskoka, Canada. We’ve been traveling up there on weekends for 30 years, and it’s the one place on this earth that fills my cup completely. When I began designing our home, I wanted to take pieces of both of those places to create my dream home. This would later inspire the name “The Cali Cottage.”
What made you choose to move into this home? What were you looking for?
Believe it or not, my husband and I have moved four times in eight years. We’re always looking for the next best spot. Before we bought the place we’re in now, we knew that we wanted a home away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but close enough to get to all of the essentials. We were also wanting an open-concept home that we could grow into with hopefully a family one day as well! And lastly, we wanted a bigger lot since we love spending time outdoors.
What has the process been like designing your space, and making your house feel like a home?
It’s been amazing and challenging all at the same time. Like everything in life, good things take time. We were given a blank slate with this home so the options were endless, which can be a blessing and a curse. I knew I wanted this home to have natural wood elements to radiate that cozy feeling I get from our family cottage, while being light and airy with muted colours for that California look and feel.
What is your most treasured item in your home?
This is a great question and the simple answer is my couch! I have always wanted a big cozy sectional that I could dive into after a crazy day, or enjoy when family and friends are over. As I’ve gotten older, my version of fun is laying on the couch with a cup of tea in hand and a good movie on. It’s the best way to recharge and enjoy the beautiful home we’ve built!
What challenges have you come across while decorating your home?
Dead spaces! I never know if some walls and spaces need to be kept empty or accented with something. Finding that sweet spot has been really challenging. I often find myself spending so much time contemplating on how to tackle these dead spaces that I quickly shift to another project while I keep the other one in the back of my mind!
What are your favorite things to do at home? Is there a particular space you like to gather and spend time in?
I would say my nightly wind-down routine is my favorite thing to do at home. After dinner, that’s my time to let go of the day completely. We actually turned one of our bedrooms into a meditation room, and between 7-9pm that’s usually where you’ll find me. I also love hosting, so I would say my favorite gathering space is our living room and kitchen!
We have to ask about your rugs! What rugs do you have from Rugs USA, and what made them the perfect fit for your space?
In our living room, we have the Veronica Braided Wool rug in 10×14 and it’s perfect. We needed something that was muted but also packed a ton of textures. Because this rug is braided, it elevates the space without taking away from our couch.
We also have the Shaggy Moroccan rug in 9×12 in our master bedroom, and it has so many components: different pile heights, neutral colors, and fringe. It checks all of the boxes!
Lastly, we have the Wool Tasseled rug in 8×10 in our guest bedroom and it’s by far my favorite. We created a terracotta vibe in that room, and the rug pulled it together so nicely. I’m still eyeing for that rug to come back in stock in 9×12 so that I can layer it into my living room!
Let’s talk projects! What DIYs or renovations have been done in your home? What’s next on your to-do list?
That’s a loaded question! We’ve DIY’d so many areas of our home, but we started with our bedroom chevron feature wall. Since then, we’ve done another two feature walls in our other bedrooms. I love how much a feature wall can impact a room. It’s both inexpensive and fun to do.
Currently, I’m working on our servery right off of our kitchen area. I switched out the countertops for a butcher block and have now started tiling up the walls. Given that it’s so close to the kitchen, I wanted these two spaces to complement each other.
Do you have any design tips you’ve discovered while decorating that you’re willing to spill?
I am always on the hunt for deals! I say this to anyone who will listen to me: You don’t need to break the bank to have a beautiful home. For us, the wish list didn’t match the budget, which meant we needed to start doing the work ourselves to save on labor. Most people love getting a good deal and I’m one of them! I don’t shop for expensive products and a lot of times, I purchase floor models to save us money. It all looks just the same if not better!
Where do you love looking for inspiration?
For me, inspiration is everywhere. Local stores, magazines, Instagram and Pinterest—anything! On a daily basis, Instagram and Pinterest are my go-tos. I love Studio McGee and I try to embody a lot of those design styles with our own twist on it. I love the looks but I’m always looking for the most cost-effective way to make it happen in our home.
What do you love most about your home?
I love that it’s sacred. I’m a big believer in infusing a home with good energy. This home has already opened so many doors for me because of that! When I started this account, I had no idea how many people it would reach. And for that, I am beyond grateful.
