Grassroots Design and Build

Grassroots Design and Build Ottawa designer Emma Doucet, whose mission is to dispel the myth that Ottawa is conservative and lacking style. Renovating isn't fun, but we are.

We are an Ottawa based design and build Company. Grassroots focuses on urban, residential design and small-scale renovations. Our specialty is small spaces and older homes. We deliver beautiful living spaces designed for every lifestyle and every wallet. At Grassroots, we know renovating isn’t always fun, but we are! So whether this is your first time working with a designer or you’re a seasoned vet, we strive to make you feel comfortable from start to finish.

1) My new living room set-up. I got a gold/camel coloured velvet couch which is beautiful, but some people have called ...
03/19/2025

1) My new living room set-up. I got a gold/camel coloured velvet couch which is beautiful, but some people have called it BEIGE. Traumatizing.

I was hoping the camel-coloured leather chairs would go with the gold/camel velvet. In my mind it looked a bit different. I am wondering if it is the rug that has to go... Maybe if it was a deep green, it would anchor the ceiling. Thoughts?

2) As mentioned, all pictures are better with a cat!

Carpet : ECARPETGALLERY
Photo: jvlphoto.com

1) I re-organized my place a little recently. I moved the blue couch from the living room into the back room. My eyes ...
03/18/2025

1) I re-organized my place a little recently. I moved the blue couch from the living room into the back room. My eyes were hankering for more colour back there.

I am feeling like I need to sink even further and go for a fern colour paint colour. Or a deep pink. It is stressing me out a bit if I am honest... (we need to keep our minds off of politics somehow right?)

2) I like this room a lot. But I like it SO MUCH more with my cats. Meet George and Louise. Agnes is hiding. But cats should be photographed as accessories as much as possible. Until they tell you to f’ off – which of course – because they are cats – is often.

Carpet: ECARPETGALLERY
Side tables: West Elm
Photo: jvlphoto.com

It took me forever to find a piece of furniture for this awkward corner in my dining room. I found it from one of my cl...
03/17/2025

It took me forever to find a piece of furniture for this awkward corner in my dining room. I found it from one of my clients who no longer had a space for it anymore. We traded! Most cost-effective way to shop – every time.

Because that corner does not have even wall space on both sides, I offset the artwork to one side. This makes the otherwise odd corner look intentional. And... Intentionality... is always beautiful. You don’t necessarily know when you see it, but trust me... you know it when it isn’t there ;-)

Photo: jvlphoto.com

The last time I posted this room there was no green ceiling and no round table. The round table has made for a lot more...
03/16/2025

The last time I posted this room there was no green ceiling and no round table. The round table has made for a lot more floor space. I also love how it complements the bay windows in that room.

It took me a little while to get used to the ceiling but now I feel I can’t go back. I don’t know if I ever want a white ceiling in my house anymore. However, I am trying not to go crazy and am taking my time, because it does happen for me to change my mind... fairly often. Just so many beautiful things out there!

Rug: ECARPETGALLERY
Stools: A Modern Space
Table: Crate and Barrel
Paint Colour: Farrow & Ball
Wallpaper: Farrow & Ball
Photo: jvlphoto.com

Does an antique gilded mirror ever get old? Not unless your soul has been robbed from you. Maybe that is intense, but ...
03/15/2025

Does an antique gilded mirror ever get old? Not unless your soul has been robbed from you. Maybe that is intense, but part of me believes it.

Wallpaper: Farrow & Ball
Photo: jvlphoto.com

I get to look at this every time I come down the stairs to go to the kitchen. And given these days that I forget why I ...
03/14/2025

I get to look at this every time I come down the stairs to go to the kitchen. And given these days that I forget why I am going downstairs or why I am going upstairs, at least this view keeps me feeling a little more sane!

Cabinet: West Elm
Wallpaper: Farrow & Ball
Wall paint: Farrow & Ball
Rug: ECARPETGALLERY
Photo: jvlphoto.com

I love this view as I step into my home. How can such a clash of colours and patterns not make one smile?Cabinet: West ...
03/13/2025

I love this view as I step into my home. How can such a clash of colours and patterns not make one smile?

Cabinet: West Elm
Wallpaper: Farrow & Ball
Wall paint: Farrow & Ball
Rug: ECARPETGALLERY
Photo: jvlphoto.com

To the best of my ability – I try to keep away from beige, all various 100 varieties of them, and grey, all 100 varietie...
03/11/2025

To the best of my ability – I try to keep away from beige, all various 100 varieties of them, and grey, all 100 varieties of them, stair runners.

For my own place I found this runner on Etsy and found someone to install it. Fun carpets turn a staircase, that otherwise you would not even notice, into a beautiful little unexpected delight within your home. Also, we walk up our stairs a lot, so not a bad place to splurge!

BUT, if you are ok with some dedicated time looking at Etsy, a fun runner won’t cost you more than a ‘greige’ one! True Fact.

Photo: jvlphoto.com

Welcome to my front entrance! I finally got some photos of it. I went for it! - Pelt walls (otherwise known as deep pu...
03/05/2025

Welcome to my front entrance! I finally got some photos of it. I went for it!
- Pelt walls (otherwise known as deep purple but love that name so much)
- Gold and pelt wallpaper
- My garbage find chair
- My garage sale chandelier find
- My beloved art pieces that some people do not enjoy (why it is so important to go for what YOU like, you are going to have to look at it every day, it is for your soul, no one else's 😉

Photo: jvlphoto.com
Paint: Farrow & Ball
Wallpaper: Farrow & Ball


We used baltic birch on this project. This was inspired by my friends reno where they used it everywhere and I loved it...
02/17/2025

We used baltic birch on this project. This was inspired by my friends reno where they used it everywhere and I loved it. It is a great product, clean looking, lovely, light, and easy to clean.

Photo:


I never get tired of adding a-symmetrical contrasts into my kitchens. I never want them to look like boxes piled onto b...
02/16/2025

I never get tired of adding a-symmetrical contrasts into my kitchens. I never want them to look like boxes piled onto boxes!

Photo: jvlphoto.com


I would never be able to keep open shelves looking like this! Photo: jvlphoto.com ...
02/15/2025

I would never be able to keep open shelves looking like this!

Photo: jvlphoto.com


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