Meet Artist and Interior Decorator, Brittney Traver
This month’s No Place Like journal takes us to Brantford in Southwestern Ontario, the birthplace of hockey legend, Wayne Gretzky, and the home of Artist and Interior Decorator, Brittney Traver, and her family. Brittney describes her home as a four-bedroom, raised, ranch-style house, located in Brantford’s Myrtleville & Mayfair neighbourhood. Brittney has a deep, personal connection to the house as it first belonged to her grandmother who owned the house since 1989, the year in which it was built. “We purchased our home from my grandmother in 2019,” Brittney explained. “I have so many memories here with my cousins and we kept chalk drawings from when we were young in the crawlspace under the stairs.” Brittney’s artistic talent carried through from childhood to her post-secondary education, to her professional life. “Aside from fine art, I also went to school for interior decorating.”
A typical day will find Brittney settled with a cup of tea in her in-home art studio where she starts her workday off checking emails and social media before planning her day. This is after she has gotten her two young sons (ages 11 and 6) ready and off to school. “Some days,” Brittney said, “consist of working on commission paintings, or my own collections of artwork.” Often, Brittney will fit more painting into busy evenings that involve either she or her husband getting dinner ready and sometimes taking the boys to hockey or soccer, their extracurricular activities.
Brittney’s art is seamlessly incorporated into her home’s décor. “As much as I love almost every style, I find I am drawn to a contemporary look for my own home,” Brittney said of her decorating style. “I do love white walls so my artwork can pop.” Brittney continued to describe her home décor as keeping “the main design elements neutral (such as backsplash, larger pieces of furniture, light fixtures, etc.) so I can change artwork, pillows, accessories, and smaller pieces of furniture when the mood strikes.
My entryway consists of a large feature wall that is painted Hunter Green by Benjamin Moore. I love the pop of colour as soon as you open the front door. Some of my decor finds are mixed with old and new (i.e., new vases beside my great grandmother’s old schoolbooks).”
“I love following artists and designers on social media,” Brittney explained when speaking of decorating inspiration. “I also love using Pinterest for inspiration.”
Brittney names some of her favourite places for shopping home decor items as: online at Wayfair, Structube, and Amazon, and in person at Homesense, and local galleries and shops, Piper & Oak, in Paris, Ontario and Urban Cottage in Cainsville, Ontario.
Speaking of hobbies or special interests, Brittney noted her “main passion in life” as “painting abstract art. I love creating new pieces and displaying them in my home.” These pieces can be viewed in the beautiful accompanying images along with some of Brittney’s favourite items. These include: the dining table (from Urban Cottage Artwork - purchased at the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas Ontario, artist: Noelle Hamlyn); JuJu Hat (purchased from Piper & Oak in Paris Ontario); the original house drawings/plans (“my grandmother who was the original owner kept the drawings, so we have them displayed in frames”).
Brittney's Hacienda Picks:
- Quiet Place by the Water - Original Painting by Andrea Stokes. “As an artist myself I love collecting pieces of art that I’m instantly drawn to. This landscape painting by Andrea Stokes is calming and a perfect size for any room. Smaller paintings are perfect for bookshelves or narrow walls.”
- Gold Flatware Set - by Brimley: “Who doesn’t love a touch of gold in every room? This flatware set is perfect for entertaining. Gold flatware pairs well with white tablecloths, making them the star of the meal. Gold adds a touch of glamour, something I believe we all need more of at the dinner table.”
- Light Wood Round Antique Bread Board: “Bread boards are so versatile when it comes to kitchen décor. These boards can be displayed in layers on countertops, hung as artwork on the walls, or even used as a tray on the kitchen island. They are great for adding visual interest as well as a little dose of vintage to a modern kitchen.”
- Tall Black Ridged Vase: “I love using vases in home décor. This black vase is great for shelving in any room and can be paired with other vases, books, photographs, etc. Its sleek design adds texture and height to any shelf or surface.”
To view more of Brittney’s fabulous artwork and learn more about her interior decorating business, follow her on Instagram at @brittneytraverart, or visit her website at brittneytraver.com.
Written by Francine Flemming