A renovation moment with Holly Baker offers Toronto homeowners a genuine designer perspective on what makes paint the most powerful transformation tool in any home renovation, a philosophy that aligns closely with what Home Painters Toronto, the HomeStars Best of Award 2026 winner with over 1,200 positive reviews and 37 years serving the GTA, has practised across thousands of residential painting projects. Sometimes those designer genes are there right from the beginning! Or such was the case for Holly Baker. Home Painters Toronto wanted to take the time to talk to Holly since renovation can be another huge part of the design process. Holly Baker lives in renovation, real estate and design. She recently bought a bungalow in Edmonton from the 1930s. Holly Baker has been spending her time renovating and styling every room to fit her family's design aesthetic.
At Home Painters Toronto, we're interested in and inspired by what design obsessed individuals are doing all over this beautiful country. Let's dig into our conversation with Holly Baker!
Holly Baker has spent well over 10 years flipping houses, but her latest project is deeply personal: a 1930s Edmonton bungalow she and her family are restoring room by room.
Holly Baker's Career in TV Renovation
So, when exactly did Holly Baker realize that she had a true love of design and renovation? Way back when she was six or seven years old! Even as a young child, she used to 'obsess over blueprints' and 'sketch places where she would put in furniture.' Holly Baker knew, way back then, that it was a lifelong love of hers.
And even though she studied business in college, she ended up getting a job working on a home renovation show for HGTV. And that led to her work on A&E's Vacation Rental Potential, which she calls her 'dream job.' Holly Baker has vast experience in both flipping houses and renovation, so it was the 'perfect marriage' of the two things she loves the most!
Holly Baker's Home Restoration and Renovation
Holly has been flipping houses for well over 10 years now, but it was always done as a business venture. Prior, her family was finding that their 2,400 sq. foot house was just too big for them, and they did too much cleaning. They just wanted to spend more time together. It was totally on a whim that Holly Baker and her family found a bungalow in Edmonton in the 1930s. She just happened to turn her head at the exact right moment! Talk about fate.
Holly Baker has always been passionate about restoring and saving older homes. She loves to feature the 'original characteristics' while at the same time helping 'the guts' of the house become beautiful again. She has been sharing all of the renovation's ups and downs on her Instagram. Be sure to check out Holly Baker's Instagram to see all of her charming home related posts!
Her Favorite Design Project So Far...
Holly Baker is someone who finds aspects that she loves in every renovation and design project she takes on. She has named her dining room as her favourite room to renovate thus far. She names it as such because it's the room that has the most original features. Holly Baker finds something 'really magical about the different stories that have passed through a home.' She really appreciates the 'little quirks that you can't replicate' in a newer home.
She's also a big fan of the natural light that comes in through her dining room. And even though it has been her favourite room to design, it was also the room that required the least amount of work. Which actually offered up more challenges! Holly still wanted to tie it into the rest of the home though. They took the chance of painting the windows black, which she recalls was a 'painstaking job' but so worth it in the end.
Why Holly Baker's Philosophy Resonates with Toronto's Heritage Home Owners
The connection between Holly Baker's renovation philosophy and the experience of Toronto homeowners is direct. Toronto has one of the highest concentrations of Victorian and Edwardian semidetached homes in North America, with neighbourhoods like Riverdale, The Annex, Roncesvalles, and Leaside containing streets of homes built between 1890 and 1920 that have the same original architectural character Holly Baker describes. The original trim profiles, plaster walls, and heritage details that she finds 'magical' are present in thousands of Toronto homes. According to CMHC's guidance on home maintenance and investment protection, preserving the original character elements of older Canadian homes while updating their finishes and systems is one of the most effective strategies for maintaining long term property value.
Paint is where Toronto homeowners most reliably implement this philosophy. A fresh coat of period appropriate colour on original trim profiles, a carefully chosen wall colour that works with the proportions of a Victorian dining room, or a bold choice like black window frames on a heritage sash window, all achieve the 'transformation without erasing history' approach that Holly Baker describes. These are decisions that define the character of a room without altering the original fabric of the home.
What Does Paint Mean to Holly Baker?
Of course, Home Painters Toronto has to inquire about what paint means to Holly Baker. With a designer's eye that's used to coming into a space that needs some love again, Holly Baker really appreciates what paint can do. She says that 'paint is the canvas' and without a fresh canvas, you might find yourself unsure of where to start.
Paint is almost always where Holly Baker begins with her renovations and designs. She considers it the ideal 'jumping off point' as 'fresh paint can work miracles'. Holly loves to bring in unexpected pops of colour, like terracotta or even pink. She doesn't often focus too much on trends but looks for spaces that feel open and bright.
Holly Baker really appreciates that paint is also something that can be changed at any time. And in the end, paint can be really transformative into how you want your room to look and make you feel.
"Paint is the canvas."
— Holly BakerPaint as the Starting Point: What Holly Baker's Philosophy Looks Like in a Toronto Renovation
Holly Baker's observation that paint is 'the canvas' reflects a principle that professional painters see confirmed on every residential project. In Toronto's heritage homes, the paint decisions made at the beginning of a renovation set the framework for every other finish selection that follows. According to Health Canada's guidance on VOCs and indoor air quality, choosing low or zero VOC paint products in a heritage renovation is particularly important because older homes often have lower natural ventilation than modern construction, making off gassing from high VOC products more concentrated in the occupied space.
The 'unexpected pops of colour' that Holly Baker references, terracotta, pink, and other warm tones, are increasingly common in Toronto interior renovations. These colours work particularly well in heritage homes with original plaster walls and wood trim because they echo the warm undertones of the original wood and tile materials. A soft terracotta on Victorian dining room walls paired with painted white trim is a combination that feels both contemporary and historically appropriate.
For Toronto homeowners choosing colour for a heritage renovation, the best starting point is to identify the dominant warm or cool tone in the existing materials that will be retained, then build the paint colour palette outward from there. Our team assists with colour consultation as part of every interior residential painting project, and our guides on picking the right type of interior paint and the best white paint for interior walls cover the product decisions in detail.
Home Painters Toronto's Key Tips for a Successful House Renovation Project
Embarking on a renovation project can be an exciting adventure. However, turning your vision into reality requires careful planning, sound decisions, and, above all, patience. Whether renovating to update a space, improve functionality, or increase property value, these key tips can guide a fruitful renovation journey.
Applying Holly Baker's Renovation Approach to a Toronto Home: A Practical Framework
Holly Baker's renovation philosophy translates into a practical sequence that Home Painters Toronto applies across residential projects in the GTA. The sequence below reflects both her designer instincts and the professional experience of 37 years of Toronto painting and carpentry.
| Renovation Stage | Holly Baker Principle | Toronto Professional Application |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Assessment | Understand the home's original characteristics before deciding what to change | Identify what original elements are worth preserving: plaster profiles, wood trim, heritage hardware, original floor boards |
| 2. Paint selection | Paint is the canvas; choose it first, before other finishes | Match paint undertone to the dominant warm or cool tone in the retained materials; use low or zero VOC products in older homes with limited ventilation |
| 3. Start with the most characterful room | The dining room was her favourite because it had the most original features | In Toronto Victorian homes, this is often the front parlour or dining room where original plaster, trim, and hardware remain intact |
| 4. Make bold colour decisions confidently | Unexpected pops of colour like terracotta or pink; black window frames | Bold colour on heritage homes reads well because the original proportions can carry it; same principle applies to black window trim in Toronto heritage sash windows |
| 5. Accept that things will not go as planned | Renovation always presents challenges | Build a 15 to 20 percent contingency into the total budget; surface conditions in older Toronto homes often reveal unexpected work once opened up |
| 6. Paint as the finish line, not the afterthought | Fresh paint at the end locks in the transformation | Schedule painting as the final interior trade after all carpentry, drywall repair, and hardware installation is complete |
Cost of Professional Interior Painting for a Toronto Renovation in 2026
Home Painters Toronto is WSIB compliant, fully insured to $5 million in general liability, and all interior painting is backed by a lifetime warranty. All prices below are in CAD and exclude HST. For the full breakdown, see our interior and exterior painting cost guide.
| Scope | Estimated Cost (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Interior room (living or dining) | $400 – $900 | Includes prep, prime where needed, and two topcoats; colour consultation included |
| Interior room (bedroom) | $400 – $800 | Low or zero VOC products standard; particularly important in older Toronto homes |
| Interior trim, doors, and baseboards (full home) | $700 – $1,200 | Water based alkyd enamel (Benjamin Moore Advance); semi gloss finish standard |
| Heritage home interior (full repaint, plaster walls) | $3,000 – $7,000 | Includes crack fill, alkali resistant prime on plaster, and two topcoats throughout |
| Exterior residential painting (small Victorian semi) | $2,000 – $4,000 | Includes substrate assessment, prep, prime, and two topcoats |
| Exterior residential painting (two storey heritage home) | $4,000 – $8,000 | Full prep on all elevations; caulk renewal; two topcoats throughout |
In conclusion, planning for a renovation can be just as much work as the renovation itself, but careful planning, budgeting, and open communication can ensure a successful outcome. This renovation is about creating a space tailored for the people who live in it, so taking time to make considered decisions produces the most satisfying result.
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Renovation Planning in Toronto
Paint is almost always the final interior trade in a renovation sequence. Carpentry, drywall repair, plaster repair, and hardware installation should all be complete before painting begins. This sequence ensures that surface preparation addresses all new work and that paint is not damaged by subsequent trade activity. The exception is when painting is needed on surfaces that will later be covered by new flooring or tile, in which case painting those surfaces first makes practical sense.
Warm neutrals, soft whites with warm undertones, and rich accent colours like terracotta, deep sage, and warm taupe all perform well in Toronto Victorian and Edwardian homes because they complement the warm tones of original hardwood floors, red brick, and heritage wood trim. Cool whites and stark greys can feel stark in rooms with original warm toned materials. A colour consultation before committing to a palette is the most reliable way to find the right match for a specific room.
A 15 to 20 percent contingency on the total renovation budget is the professional standard for Toronto heritage homes built before 1940. These homes regularly reveal unexpected conditions once walls or floors are opened: knob and tube wiring, asbestos containing materials in older insulation, deteriorated subfloor sections, and unforeseen plaster damage. Heritage homes built between 1940 and 1970 warrant a 10 to 15 percent contingency. New construction or post 1990 homes can work with 5 to 10 percent.
Yes, in almost every scenario. Original plaster profiles, heritage wood trim, original hardwood floors, and period hardware all add character that cannot be replicated in new materials. Restoration of these features costs significantly less than replacement with new period style materials, and the result is more authentic. CMHC's guidance on home maintenance notes that preserving original character elements in older Canadian homes is one of the most effective strategies for maintaining property value. Our interior residential painting service includes colour consultation that specifically addresses how to use paint to highlight original features.
The best starting point, as Holly Baker articulates and Home Painters Toronto confirms across thousands of GTA projects, is paint selection. Choosing paint colours first establishes the visual framework that all other finish selections, flooring, hardware, tile, and furnishings, need to work within. A professional colour consultation costs nothing when it is part of a painting project quote from Home Painters Toronto. Call 416.494.9095 or complete the quote form for a same day response.
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