Any visitor to Grand Bend cannot help but notice the stunning seven-storey condominium located at the end of the beach looking over Lake Huron.

As the original owners of the penthouse suite at Beach Place Condominiums, Sandy and Keith Pearce have enjoyed countless stunning sunsets, hours of entertaining and the peaceful sounds of waves lapping on the beach.

But after 25 years of living in the same monochromatic colour scheme, they felt it was time for their home to reflect the beauty of the environment in which they live. “I wanted to achieve harmony,” says Sandy, “and to tie the outside beauty with the inside as we prepare for the next stage of life.”

What started as a plan to install new flooring quickly spiraled into a complete gut that spread from the front door through the kitchen and living areas, and into the three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

“You now get that ‘wow’ factor as soon as you walk through the door,” says Sandy, pointing to the mural flex installed horizontally to mimic the nearby waves.

“We continue that wave theme throughout the condo, from the seafoam-coloured, wave-like formation on the kitchen peninsula, to the light fixture in the dining area, to the tile in the showers.”

Enhanced with pops of yellow, orange, and seafoam colours, the beach at their doorstep is now mirrored in the interior.

“There are times, depending on the natural light, when the seafoam colour on our bedroom wall or in the kitchen, matches the colour of Lake Huron. It’s absolutely spectacular,” explains Sandy.

The Pearces realized early in their planning that they could not do the renovation on their own and called in Gloria Bartlett, a certified redesign specialist from London. Aside from helping with their design, Bartlett acted as counsellor when challenges and surprises surfaced.

“We did run into one challenge in the kitchen: the countertop we purchased did not fit in the elevator. It was too long,” says Bartlett. “But we worked with the supplier who made excellent suggestions on where to cut the countertop, and it looks just as beautiful.”

The reno ran over budget and over schedule, something Bartlett advises to take into consideration when planning. Renovating a condo can also be problematic as there are rules and regulations which need to be followed. In this case, Bartlett says the condo board was onboard for changes the Pearces wanted to make, which included removing a bulkhead in the kitchen.

The kitchen is where Sandy anticipates spending a lot of her time entertaining family and friends. “But first, I want to take some cooking classes so I know how to properly use this stunning new space!”