Project Yonge

Project Overview

The client came to Mignon with two penthouse units at 7167 Yonge Street in Markham, purchased together for AED 736,400. The investment thesis was straightforward: renovate, list on Airbnb, transition to long-term rental, then sell. Mignon took the project from July 2021 to December 2021 — six months from first design decision to both units ready for market. Unit one sold for AED 1,473,000. Unit two sold for AED 1,499,000. Combined return: AED 2,971,900.

Client Vision and Requirements

Stage both units to maximise short-term Airbnb appeal before transitioning to long-term rental

• Target a younger demographic with a bold, high-energy interior — the client was specific about colour
• Build an interior that photographed well and commanded attention on listing platforms
• Deliver both units simultaneously within a single six-month programme

Concept and Design Direction

The client’s brief was direct: vibrant, flashy, and designed to appeal to younger renters and short-stay guests. The investor had a clear eye on the demographic they were targeting — an energetic, visually led audience for whom the interior needed to feel immediate and considered, not neutral and forgettable.

Mignon designed around contrast. Bold colour on the statement pieces — yellow sofa, coloured bed frames — anchored against white pillows and white artwork, so the vibrancy read as intentional rather than overwhelming. Asad was on site throughout, ensuring every decision stayed consistent with the brief even at the pace a six-month programme demanded.

Key Design Elements

Yellow sofa as the centrepiece of the living space — high visual impact, immediately legible in listing photography

• Coloured bed frames and soft furnishings in bold tones throughout the bedrooms
• White pillows and white artwork used deliberately to balance the colour palette and prevent visual fatigue
• No renderings produced — design decisions were made in real time, on site, with Asad present at every stage
• Products sourced from IKEA and curated for maximum visual return within a disciplined budget

Structural Scope and Material Sourcing

Both units were delivered as fully staged, move-in ready properties. The scope covered the complete interior — furniture, soft furnishings, artwork, and accessories — across two 700 square foot penthouse units running simultaneously on a six-month programme.

Key Fit-Out Decisions

Full furniture fit-out across both units completed within a single coordinated programme

• IKEA selected as the primary source — products curated specifically for visual impact and listing photography performance rather than picked from standard room sets
• Bold colour pieces — yellow sofa, coloured bed frames — sourced and positioned as focal points in each unit
• White artwork and white pillow selections specified deliberately to balance the colour palette across both spaces
• Accessories and styling completed in-house, with Asad overseeing final placement on site
• Both units staged and photographed ready for Airbnb listing immediately upon completion

Design Challenges

Both units — 700 square feet each — had to be delivered simultaneously inside six months. Every product decision had to deliver visual impact without exceeding budget. The brief also demanded that the interiors look designed, not assembled, even with IKEA as the primary source. The difference between a staged rental unit and a considered interior at this scale comes down entirely to curation.

Solution

Mignon treated curation as the primary design tool. IKEA’s catalogue was used selectively — not comprehensively — with each piece chosen for how it performed within the colour strategy rather than for product category alone. The bold-on-white contrast approach meant the units photographed above their price point, attracting the younger demographic the client had identified and supporting both the Airbnb performance and the eventual sale price. The units were rented below market rate prior to renovation. Post-renovation, both sold at values that reflected a market rethink of what the address could command. Total combined sales: AED 2,971,900 against a purchase price of AED 736,400.