Toronto Home - Spring 2018

THE

AT HOME WITH ERIN KLEINBERG

SPRING ISSUE

Métier Creative’s co-founder welcomes us to her Toronto home

BEFORE AND AFTER

A narrow Beaches backyard is transformed for outdoor living

GAZE INTO INFINITY

Why we love infinity pools

SPRING CLEANING Declutter and organize your home

JUICE USE

$5.95

The health benefits of juicing

REPORT FROM MAISON & OBJET PARIS

HOROSCOPE HELP

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MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

“Great design will forever change your perspective...”

– Michael Pourvakil, President

Weavers Art has curated a collection of ten dynamic rug designs with a twist! The movement, patterns and subtle hints of colour, give way to a new perspective of sophisticated rugs suitable for transitional and contemporary living spaces. These designs are hand-knotted in silk and wool fibers by our expert team of weavers.

I would like to personally invite you to our showroom to view this dynamic collection in our gallery setting. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Top left to bottom right Barletta Zenith 24 Pearls Mosaic Sky 6 Mosaic Sky 5 Coral Keys Cosmos Legacy 69 Ancient Tabriz Zenith Glacier

1400 Castlefield Avenue Toronto, ON 416.929.7929 www.weaversart.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

ECONOMIC INDICATORS TELL US that overall, people are wealthier now than at any other time in history. Wages are higher. Goods are cheaper.

Cheaper goods and the ability to buy them have resulted in increased consumption.

Everyone, it seems, has a lot more stuff now than they had several decades ago. Yes, we are more materially comfortable. But is more really better?

It’s ironic that as we have come to produce and acquire more stuff, an industry has sprung up to help us dispose of said stuff once it turns into clutter. Personal organizers and clutter clearers are in big demand these days.

For this issue, Susan Kelly interviewed personal organizers about how we can tackle clutter in our homes to simplify our lives.

One of the organizers Susan interviewed told me that she has a long waiting list of people who require her services. It’s not surprising.

And the work of professional organizers is not limited to advising people about what to keep and what to cast off. There is always a psychological component in the act of editing one’s belongings. Organizers have told me that choosing to dispose of clutter invariably taps into the emotions that we attach to our possessions, even when they clutter our lives and metaphorically weigh us down. It’s not always a simple process. But it is a rewarding one.

The spring is traditionally a time of rejuvenation. There is something refreshing about throwing open windows after they’ve been tightly shut all winter. That primal urge, triggered by the vernal equinox, extends to taking a fresh look at everything we have. Do we need it? Use it? Does it serve a purpose?

Does it give us joy?

If you are struggling to decide what to do about clutter in your own home, the organizers Susan interviewed may have the perfect solution for you.

Houses aren’t the only things that get cleaned in the spring. The spring cleanse of the human body is another trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing down. There’s an industry around that, too. Juice bars are fast gaining in popularity, and with good reason. Coldpressed juices are delicious, and the health benefits of consuming them are many.

In this issue, writer Julie Gedeon explores why we’re flocking to juice bars to knock back a kale and algae smoothie almost as eagerly as we swig our five-dollar cappuccinos.

It’s all part of the spring urge to clean up, spruce up, cast off and rejuvenate. Our homes are sanctuaries, our bodies temples.

STEPHANIE WHITTAKER Editor-in-Chief stephanie@movatohome.com

There are several ways you can stay in touch with us: @movatohome @movatohome @movatohome

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THE SPRING ISSUE

www.fleurco.com · www.designashower.com

CONTRIBUTORS

KAREN SEIDMAN Veteran news reporter Karen Seidman considers artist Maryse Chartrand, whom she profiles in this issue, among the few people she has had the good fortune to interview who made a lasting impression. “When life dealt her tremendous hardship and heartbreak, Maryse found the inner strength not just to survive, but to find a way to flourish,” Karen says. “She not only had the necessary courage, but also the talent and perseverance required to make it in the demanding field of glass art.”

WENDY HELFENBAUM Wendy Helfenbaum is a print journalist and TV producer who covers real estate, architecture, design, DIY, travel, and gardening. For this issue, Wendy researches and reports on the growing popularity of infinity pools: vanishing-edge swimming pools that allow homeowners to capitalize on superb views.

Wendy’s work has appeared in such publications as Style at Home, Country Gardens, Realtor.com, Garden Collage, Canadian Gardening, Canadian Living and Renovation Contractor.

JULIE GEDEON A pescatarian since the days when people still thought it was a type of religion, writer Julie Gedeon has long supplemented her diet with berry-and-banana shakes, but she has a new appreciation for the possible health benefits of cold-pressed juices and supplemented smoothies as a result of the story she wrote supplemental for this issue about juicing.

SUSAN KELLY Susan Kelly melds the two sides of her persona – writer and astrologer – in separate features that examine the issue of spring cleaning and decluttering. In one, she approaches it as a journalist; the other takes the form of our first-ever horoscope column. “Astrology is such a powerful tool for understanding our inner and outer worlds, which includes our homes,” Susan says. “I’m thrilled to have this chance to share my insights.” Susan also interviewed fashion and culture maven Erin Kleinberg about her Cedarvale-area home, the design of which was heavily influenced by Erin’s love of Palm Springs, California. Susan Kelly provides weekly forecasts via Facebook at Susan Kelly Astrology.

Volume 8, Number 2, Spring Issue 2018 Date of Issue: March, 2018

6100 TransCanada Highway Suite 100, Pointe-Claire Quebec H9R 1B9

PUBLISHER Dr. Sharon Azrieli CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Stanley Kirsh

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stephanie Whittaker ART DIRECTOR Randy Laybourne EDITORIAL MANAGER Tracey MacKenzie ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Carmen Lefebvre CONTRIBUTORS Cheryl Cornacchia Julie Gedeon Wendy Helfenbaum Elisabeth Kalbfuss Susan Kelly Brenda O’Farrell Karen Seidman PHOTOGRAPHY Stephani Buchman Leslie Goodwin Jason Hartog Jeff McNeill Miro Simecek Jeremie Warshafsky Valerie Wilcox STYLING Jason Forbes Linda Mazur Cynthia Soda

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CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Azrieli PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Wendy Loper

CONTROLLER Jenny Marques DIRECTOR OF SALES - NATIONAL Kelly Chicoine DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL SALES - ONTARIO Grant Wells FOUNDER Leah Lipkowitz LEGAL DEPOSIT 1927-324x Toronto Home Magazine Inc. 2018.

All rights reserved. Any copying or reproduction of content without the written permission of Toronto Home Magazine is strictly prohibited. issn

Expression of excellence

WHEN INTRODUCING THE "X" FACTOR INTO A PREDOMINANT "Y" BUSINESS WORLD, THE RESULTS ARE BOUNDLESS. The build is no longer just a build.

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CONTENTS

34 ON THE COVER CALIFORNIA DREAMING IN TORONTO The design of Erin Kleinberg’s home is heavily influenced by her love of Palm Springs.

Photo by Valerie Wilcox.

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

Vanishing-edge swimming pools are the current must-haves for beautiful landscapes

60 THE HEALING ARTS

Artist Maryse Chartrand expresses her life journey through her exquisite glass artworks

94 70 DON’T MOVE

A couple decide to renovate their home rather than moving from their beloved location by a ravine 16

THE SPRING ISSUE

SOUTHERN LIVING DESIGN

I n c.

LOVE YOUR SPRING

southernlivingdesign.ca WE KEEP GOOD COMPANY...

I

844 Southdown Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5J 2Y4

I

905.823.3036

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CONTENTS

A FRESH START

After fire guts a traditional Forest Hill home, it is rebuilt in a contemporary style

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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THIS JUST IN A selection of new items for your home

54

OF COLOURS AND CONCERTOS Publisher Sharon Azrieli reports from Maison & Objet Paris

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GUIDED BY THE STARS Our astrology column will help you organize your home this spring

86

JUICE USE Juicing provides an excellent tune-up and health boost for the body in spring

102

LIGHTING THE WAY Here’s how to choose and use LED lighting

104

A MOTHERHOOD ISSUE Our guide on how to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift

112

FROM START TO FINISH This Toronto store will design and furnish a home anywhere in the world

116

BRANCHING OUT This leading North American producer of shower doors expands its product lines to the whole bathroom

126

INDUSTRIOUSLY REDESIGNING THE BATHROOM Italian manufacturer Scavolini creates bathrooms with an industrial look

128

ONE-STOP SHOP A Burlington company offers all the services needed to renovate kitchens, bathrooms, homes

132

LET’S SORT THINGS OUT Spring cleaning should always include reorganizing and decluttering

140

LOVE THE LAMINATE A century-old company produces new laminates for the new millennium

156

BIG NEWS ABOUT SMALL SPACES The right storage installations can make the most of modest-sized homes

118 BEFORE AND AFTER

A narrow backyard in The Beaches is transformed into an oasis for outdoor living

46 THE JEWEL IN THE TOWN

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Despite its modest size, a small house in the Junction is beautifully redesigned for today’s lifestyle

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DESIGN

1. SLEEK STORAGE The Ofram veneered and

inset shelves. The raised base and

lacquered side cabinet has a

handle are made of stainless steel.

glass top and stainless-steel

46˝W X 16.75˝D X 47.25˝H.

gallery above two gilt lacquered

2

doors, making it a delightful

Barrymore Furniture

enhancement to any room. It

1168 Caledonia Rd., North York

has a veneered and lit interior in

416-532-2891

sycamore with two adjustable glass

www.barrymorefurniture.com

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3. GEOMETRIC JOY Nexus 25 is a rug that is woven to resemble a hypnotic matrix.

Made of ivory, grey and sky-blue wool, it’s available at Weavers Art. Weavers Art 1400 Castlefield Ave., Toronto - 416–929-7929 162 Bedford Rd., Toronto - 416–923-7929 255 Bass Pro Mills Dr., Vaughan - 905-660-7929 www.weaversart.com

2. SIMPLY ELEGANT The Gotland sofa makes a sleek statement with its stainless-steel frame and teak arms. It also features sling seating. Available at Casualife. $3,660.

Casualife Outdoor Living 6 Shields Court, Unit 1, Markham ~ 905-475-8353 507 Lakeshore Rd. E., Mississauga ~ 905-990-5433 www.casualife.ca

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DESIGN

1. RING BLING Get engaged! This rose gold engagement ring boasts a 1.22ct round brilliant cut centre stone and 20 round brilliant cut diamonds equaling 0.65ct.

Mark Lash 480 Eglinton Ave. W. ~ 416-256-5229 9033 Leslie St., #8, Richmond Hill ~ 905-881-5229 www.marklash.com

2. STAR TURN The Lila center table is made of

Import Temptations Inc.

clear acrylic that delivers a look

188 Bentworth Ave., Toronto

of old Hollywood luxe style and

416-256-3150

glamour. It measures 30 inches

www.import-temptations.com

high and has a diameter of 28 inches.

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3. VINTAGE VANITY The Ardeco bath vanity represents a merger of vintage style and today’s innovation. Its sleek profile makes it a winner, whether your home is vintage or contemporary. Ardeco, headquartered in Vigonovo di Fontanafredda, Italy, has been producing bathroom furnishings since 1993.

Available at Canaroma Bath & Tile.

Canaroma Bath & Tile 7979 Weston Rd, Vaughan 905-856-7979 www.canaroma.com

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Canada’s Ultimate Destination

Today’s Finest Contemporary & Most Up-to-Date Collections Bedding

28 stores

Bath

Decor

Kitchen

Gifts

Electrics

Tabletop

Glass & Barware

Mattress

linenchest.com

Canadian owned

Leaside Village (Toronto) 416-425-0533 • Richmond (Toronto) 416-260-2158 • Stockyards (Toronto) 416-760-9704 • Erin Mills Power Centre (Mississauga) 905-828-4449 Heartland Town Centre (Mississauga) 905-502-5399 • Colossus Power Centre (Vaughan) 905-856-6430 • Westwood Power Center (London) 519-680-2615

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DESIGN

1. MAKING WAVES Just as the Impressionist movement changed the art world forever, this rug, called “Sound Waves,” breaks barriers with its radically modern look.

Available in six colours as area rugs or wall-to-wall broadloom.

Allan Rug Co. 103 Miranda Avenue., Toronto 416-787-1707 www.allanrug.com

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2. WELCOME, SPRING! Spring is in the air, and the Anna semi-sheer grommet window panel allows you to welcome in the warm weather. It features a soft watercolour floral design printed on 100 per cent polyester.

Linen Chest www.linenchest.com

3. WATER WATCH The CEA three-hole bathroom

Canaroma Bath & Tile

faucet has a dual lever and hydro-

7979 Weston Rd, Vaughan

progressive mixers. To save water,

905-856-7979

all washbasin and bidet spouts are

www.canaroma.com

equipped with aerators that limit the water’s flow rate. Available at Canaroma Bath & Tile.

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DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

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4. TREAT YOURSELF TO TRIVENTO

5. VERSATILE VACUUMING

Victoria + Albert’s new Trivento tub ushers classic

The Bissel AirRam cordless vacuum cleaner allows you to manoeuvre

beauty into the 21st century. Known as a bateau

easily. Designed to seamlessly clean across multiple surfaces –

bath, this tub has a timeless appeal with its fine rim

broadloom, bare floors and area rugs – its swivel steering gives you

and deep, double-ended bathing well, and is equally

total control around furniture, and its suction squeegee design features

at home in city apartments or family bathrooms.

a rubberized sweeper that changes directions to open and close as you

The Trivento was designed to provide support for

clean. LED lights make it easy to see dirt, and its collapsible handle

luxurious bathing.

makes it convenient to store.

Victoria + Albert

Linen Chest

www.vandabaths.com

www.linenchest.com 5

4 6

6. BLACK BEAUTY Make a strong design statement with the Sequoia bench in black from Casualife’s Home Collection. Made of natural rattan. $1,395.

Casualife Outdoor Living 6 Shields Court, Unit 1, Markham ~ 905-475-8353 507 Lakeshore Rd. E., Mississauga ~ 905-990-5433 www.casualife.ca

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DESIGN

1. SLIDE PRIDE Increase space, facilitate access, and get organized with custom-made slide-out closet shelves. The solid bottom prevents dirt from falling outside the shelf, and the system is durable and easy to clean.

Available from Simply Closets.

Simply Closets 71 Marycroft Ave., Unit 27, Woodbridge 416-385-8855 www.simplyclosets.ca

2. CONVERSATION PIECE

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3. DINING DELIGHT The Lara dining collection has clean edges and graceful curves that bestow elegance on a room. Made of polished chrome with a lacquer finish, it’s available at Decorium.

Decorium 363 Supertest Rd., North York 1-800-232-2267 www.decorium.com

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Sit a spell and have a conversation

Casualife Outdoor Living

in a chair that is designed to be

6 Shields Court, Unit 1, Markham ~

a conversation piece. The Home

905-475-8353

Collection at Casualife features

507 Lakeshore Rd. E., Mississauga ~

the Opal Chair, made of natural

905-990-5433Â

rattan. $1,565.

www.casualife.ca

1168 Caledonia Road Toronto North of Lawrence Avenue 416-532-2891 barrymorefurniture.com Handmade in Toronto

有中文服务

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DESIGN

1. VERY VETRALLA Victoria + Albert Baths has launched its stylishly compact bath duo: Vetralla and Vetralla 2. A solution for small bathrooms, these baths feature a simple, sleek design and a crisp rim, making them perfect for modern or contemporary bathrooms. They’re deep and double-ended, comfortably holding one or two people for single or double bathing. Available in two sizes.

Victoria + Albert www.vandabaths.com

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2. ACCESSORIZE YOUR BEDROOM

3. COZY CORAL

The 360 Gradi closet collection by Italian manufacturer Olivieri is

This vibrant raspberry-coloured

Weavers Art

designed specifically for such accessories as ties, belts, purses and scarves.

rug includes delicate touches of

1400 Castlefield Ave.,

It has a transparent front panel and is available in a white or wood

lilac, citrus, and deep purple,

Toronto - 416–929-7929

interior finish and a matte or high-gloss-lacquer external door finish. The

woven into the pattern to create

162 Bedford Rd.,

interior can be customized with shelves, rods and drawers.

an image of coral reefs. Hand-

Toronto - 416–923-7929

knotted in pure wool, it’s available

255 Bass Pro Mills Dr.,

at Weavers Art.

Vaughan - 905-660-7929

O.NIX Design Boutique Kitchens & Living 550 Queen St. E, #G121, Toronto 647-499-1150 www.onixdesigns.ca

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www.weaversart.com

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5. ETERNALLY YOURS These eternity bands, which feature 18k white gold with 1.81ct of radiant cut diamonds and 1.82ct of round diamonds, are designed to let you pledge your love for long run.

Mark Lash 480 Eglinton Ave. W. ~ 416-256-5229 9033 Leslie St., #8, Richmond Hill ~ 905-881-5229 www.marklash.com

4. LETTER-WRITING MADE EASY The design of the Elements writing desk

Decorium

is influenced by the timeless beauty of

363 Supertest Rd., North York

natural materials. The collection puts an

1-800-232-2267

emphasis on subtle geometric designs,

www.decorium.com

and features comfort without sacrificing elegance or sophistication. Available at Decorium.

5

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6. LET THE LIGHT IN, KEEP THE NOISE OUT Block out environmental noise with Lepage Millwork’s windows and doors, made with acoustic insulated glass. Various acoustic glass options are available for superior sound insulation.

Chateau Windows and Door Systems 90 Tycos Dr. Ste 1, Toronto 416-783-3916. x 232 www.chateauwindows.com

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DESIGN

1. GORGEOUS GLASS This glass end table has artfully cut edges on its top and base that create a rainbow of reflective light. A perfect piece for the end of a sofa, in a traditional or contemporary setting, or paired with two chairs. It measures 20 inches high and 24.5 inches in diameter.

Import Temptations Inc. 188 Bentworth Ave., Toronto 416-256-3150 www.import-temptations.com

2. THE DAVINCI CODE DaVinci is the name of this

Weavers Art

rug, made of silk and wool in a

1400 Castlefield Ave.,

versatile colour palette. DaVinci

Toronto - 416–929-7929

will fit into both transitional and

162 Bedford Rd.,

contemporary spaces. Its ivory,

Toronto - 416–923-7929

warm-grey and slate-grey fibres

255 Bass Pro Mills Dr.,

are woven into the pattern to

Vaughan - 905-660-7929

create a dynamic design.

www.weaversart.com

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3. THE QUIET TYPE Komandor Canada Closets & Doors features a new closet-door mechanism for both framed and frameless closet doors: its patented “Comfort Touch” release soft-closing door system.

Modern, sleek doors and cabinets have all the latest comfort features.

Komandor Canada 7250 Keele St. #87, Vaughan 863 Rangeview Rd., Mississauga 1-877-541-3667 www.komandor.ca, Toronto

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Cold Outside... Warm Inside New in Electric, the Toasty Comfort of Runtal Radiators Can Now Be Enjoyed by All!

Wall Panels

Towel Radiators

Baseboards

has long been world-renowned as the premium manufacturer of Euro-style radiators for hot water and steam heating systems.

We are pleased to introduce a Runtal Electric line that includes Wall Panel, Towel Radiator and Baseboard designs.

Suitable for both retro-fit and new construction, Runtal Electric products provide a very efficient and comfortable radiant heat.

They are an excellent source of primary or supplemental heat and a problem-solver for areas needing additional heat.

They are attractive (available in over 100 colors), durable, quiet and easy to install.

To view Runtal’s complete line of heating products, please visit our showroom in Oakville, Ontario Canada; M-F 9-5 or by appointment and online at: www.runtalnorthamerica.com.

Our Showroom is located at: 2861 Sherwood Heights Drive, Unit 21, Oakville, Ontario Canada. Tel: 905-829-4943

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DESIGN

POSITIVELY PALM SPRINGS Fashion and culture maven Erin Kleinberg gives her Toronto home a mid-century California vibe

BY SUSAN KELLY • PHOTOGRAPHY: JEREMIE WARSHAFSKY (HOME) AND VALERIE WILCOX (PORTRAIT)

ERIN KLEINBERG, former fashion designer and current advertising agency executive, had a vision. What her mind’s eye saw was her tiny Cedarvale-area cottage transformed into an oasis of Palm Springs chic. It’s a look embraced by such international designers as American Jonathan Adler and Australian Greg Natale, refined and minimal with a touch of old-Hollywood glamour. •

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DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

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DESIGN

Erin had a walk-though of such a home as co-founder of style-and-culture website Coveteur. Among the more than 500 international style-setters she interviewed in their homes was Canadian stylist Karla Welch. “Her Los Angles house blew me away,” Erin says. “It felt so chic and modern, so open and airy, yet also cottagey and rustic. I wanted to recreate all those things in my own home.”

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Beyond trendiness, the relaxed mid-century style of southern Californian homes also holds good associations and warm memories. As a child, Erin spent every Christmas with grandparents who lived in Coachella Valley, and she and husband Mickey Lungu, a corporate lawyer, were married at The Parker Palm Springs. The couple named their toddler daughter, Parker, after the swank boutique hotel.

After a long search, the couple finally found a promising property with a large lot.

The neighbourhood was a familiar one for Mickey, who had lived nearby as a child. But at 800 square feet, the “cute cottage” was impossibly small. While pondering options, they moved into Erin’s old room at her parents’ home in nearby Richmond Hill, newborn baby in tow, for more than a year.

DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

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The living room exemplifies Erin’s relaxed approach to chic decor. Moroccan ivory rug: Elte; Avalon throw blanket: Hermès; sofa and chairs: West Elm.

They worked with builder Adam Rothschild of Rothcon Fine Homes Inc. and architect Brenda Izen, principal at Izen Architecture, to expand the square footage to 3,200 square feet. Additions to the second storey and rear of the home made it possible to have five bedrooms and plenty of head room. “To create Erin’s light-and-bright Palm Beach vision, we went with as open a floor plan as possible, and 10-foot-tall ceilings on the main floor,” says Izen, head architect on the project.

The look also called for an all-white colour scheme and wide-plank white oak flooring throughout the home. •

Richly textured accessories and gleaming gold accents complement the home’s pale neutral colour palette.

Mirror: Restoration Hardware; table: HomeSense; chandelier: Universal Lighting.

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To update the mid-century aesthetic and maximize the amount of sunlight, the architect employed a creative approach to window placement. On the main f loor, very thin vertical floor-to-ceiling windows accomplish this and help define the living room from the dining area. As well, one of the two tall (close to 10 feet) doors on the ground floor has a corrugated glass panel. A skylight feature over the stairwell floods the second floor with light.

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“I particularly like the kitchen because it typifies our collaboration in designing this house,” Izen says. “It reflects both our styles.”

After much back and forth, the pair agreed on an artful mix of textured surfaces. The smooth expanse of high-gloss white cabinetry contrasts with lower cabinets that are faced with a weathered grey reclaimed barn board.

The range hood and island are covered with painted shiplap. Stage centre, the clean lines of the imposing 11-foot-long island provides a place for this “open-door policy” couple’s many guests to gather around. •

DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

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High clerestory windows flood the kitchen with sunlight throughout the day. Hudson Valley Lighting pendant lights: Elte; counter stools: McKenzie by EQ3; flooring: wide-planked engineered white oak by Fuzion.

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DESIGN

Open shelving provides a clear view of the polished white Statuario marble with its striking veining. Tiles: Ciot.

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Erin’s hands-on approach to the home’s design took a literal turn with the living room fireplace. She used close to 300 stones, collected during trips to the Muskoka region; they were affixed to the surround and painted to harmonize with the rest of the all-white colour scheme. “It’s so unique and reminds me of the stonework on Palm Springs homes while also honouring our cottage’s roots,” Erin says.

DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

The powder room was a very personal project for her. She intentionally set out to create something “fun and punchy,” in high contrast to the calm and neutral space around it. The walls are covered with a lively botanical wallpaper she first saw in the Beverley Hills Hotel. Considered an unusual choice by some, the custom vanity’s green marble tiles were inspired by a trip to one of the Céline fashion house’s trendy stores.

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The powder room’s gold accessories are echoed in almost every room of the house: light fixtures, cabinet handles, wall sconces, mirror frames. This warm precious metal is having a moment, trend-wise. “I’m not a person to just go with something because it’s a trend,” says Erin. “I go with my gut, and then it becomes a trend for me.” •

Erin tracked down the supplier for the wallpaper she first saw in the Beverley Hills Hotel and designed the powder room decor around it. Martinique “A” Beverly Hills wallpaper: Designer Wallcoverings; green marble: Ciot.

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DESIGN

Although she considers its decor a work in progress, Erin says the master bedroom is her favourite spot in the house and the place where she and her family hang out the most. Seagrass baskets: Serena & Lily; ruched faux fur throw: Elte.

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To escape the demands of running the all-female advertising agency she co-founded, Métier Creative, Erin heads to the secondfloor master suite. It was all about creating a private compound of grand hotel proportions. The master bedroom measures 19 feet square, a fact that has made her the butt of a few jokes. “I remember when I was growing up, my parents had a large bedroom with a fireplace, and it was just the best place in the world to hang out in on a rainy Sunday. I wanted my family to have that, too,” she says.

She loves the “killer” beams clad in reclaimed hemlock from an Ontario supplier.

And the 14-foot vaulted ceilings give the sense of being under an open desert sky.

Unused to such wide-open spaces, she found that the sensation disturbed her rest during the first night in the home. Now, Erin and her husband sleep very well there, though at times it all feels a little unreal. “We will wake up in the morning thinking ‘How is this our bedroom? How is this our house?’ ” she says.

“In the end, it really is a dream come true.” •

DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

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The same soothing shade of white paint was used throughout the home. With a growing toddler, Erin made sure it was washable.

Paint: Benjamin Moore, Chantilly Lace (OC-65).

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DESIGN

THE JEWEL IN THE TOWN A small post-war house in the Junction neighbourhood is redesigned for today’s lifestyle

BY ELISABETH KALBFUSS PHOTOGRAPHY: JASON HARTOG STYLING: LINDA MAZUR

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DESIGN

TAKE A SMALL JEWEL, CUT AND POLISH IT WITH CARE, and its sparkle and shine can rival that of a larger stone. The same holds true for small living spaces. So when designer Linda Mazur took on a semi-detached home in the Junction, she set out to turn it into a little gem its new owners could treasure for years.

Every home, despite its size, has its own identity and charm, Mazur tells her clients.

“When working with a smaller footprint and space is at a premium, I like to design it not only to be comfortable and functional, but also aesthetically striking,” she says.

The home was built in the postwar years and had belonged to the same family for decades before a young couple purchased it two years ago with a plan to start their married lives in a neighbourhood near to where they had grown up. They loved the up-and-coming vibe in the Junction, and still being within walking distance of shops on Bloor Street West.

The house needed a renovation. The first move was to gut the inside to update and personalize it and create an open-concept plan on the ground floor. A small three-storey rear extension extending from the basement to the second floor was built, increasing the home’s size to 1,600 square feet. •

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DESIGN

Club chairs, on loan from friends, anchor the living space, giving it a comfortable, traditional feel. They are balanced by mid-century and contemporary pieces and accents from Elte MKT and Casalife.

Mazur, designer and principal of Linda Mazur Design Group, says she wanted the home to match her clients’ urban-chic flair. “It’s not one particular style,” she says, “It’s a comfortable amalgamation of different elements.”

With all the walls down, the owners were drawn to exposed brick at the entrance. The original brick was in rough shape, so a brick veneer was applied to the newly built wall to preserve the look of the original. A small section of brick was also added to the dining room to echo that feature.

There was a lot of discussion among the owners about whether to redesign the stairs in a traditional or contemporary style, Mazur says, adding that they found a happy compromise: clean lines and a modern edge have been added to the detailing on the millwork, but they opted for traditional wood to add warmth to the entrance.

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(Left) The kitchen cabinetry was customized to include a seating bench, closet and storage on one wall, almost a mini-mudroom that blends seamlessly with the adjacent kitchen storage. (Below) A dog-feeding station for the owners’ Westiepoo was built into the island.

To prevent truncation of the space, a dark, wide-plank hardwood floor runs throughout the house, from the living room through the dining area and straight back to the kitchen door. In the old floor plan, the kitchen was too small to accommodate even a standard-size fridge, and there was no back door, only a side door off a landing leading to the basement.

Now, a back door with a large window leads to a deck and brings light into the new kitchen, where the island has become the heart of the home and a hangout space for the owners.

That new back door has become the everyday entrance and because there is no fronthall closet, Mazur added one on one side of the kitchen island, opposite the stove. •

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Each living area has a wall feature, including a large, colourful canvas in the living room, added brick in the dining area, and, in the kitchen, a textured subway-tile backsplash in a chevron pattern and a custom-painted range hood.

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DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

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In a space where every inch counts, the designer was even able to create a powder room, tucked behind the stairs on the landing, measuring a modest 11 feet square. “The vanity is approximately 12 inches deep, but we were able to fit it in,” Mazur says. That was the first part of the challenge. Finding fixtures for such a small space was the second.

Such constraints do make small spaces more challenging. “But with a good design plan, and well-thought-out use of space,” Mazur says, “you can achieve a wonderful looking home that reflects your personality and lifestyle.” •

The first plan was to add wallpaper to the powder room. However, that changed when these large-scale, textured tiles were found to create a big impact in a small space. Tiles: Mettro Source.

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DESIGN

THE MOZART OF MISSONI, THE COLOUR OF CONGREVE IT WAS MY SECOND VISIT to Paris’s vast Maison & Objet design show at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre.

This time, it was the winter 2018 show.

And it was no less intimidating than my first visit in September 2017. You may recall from my report of that visit that the event is staged in the centre’s eight halls, which cover a mind-boggling 246,000 square metres. Seeing all of the exhibits is impossible.

Following Maison & Objet’s winter show, I bring you the latest design trends that I saw there.

I was, alas, disappointed to observe that the same colours that dominated design in 2017 were on show again. And I infer that they won’t be going away any time soon. I am referring to grey – in both colour and thought – as a general trend.

Yes, there are valiant bursts of colourful endeavours by the tchotchke companies of the world but pitifully few efforts at true individualism and novel design.

Granted, I am new to the design world in this decade. Although I have the right pedigree – a BA in art history from Vassar College and a degree in interior design from Parsons School of Design – I left this business for 20 years to pursue my passion: a career in classical music.

I won’t bore you, dear readers, with too many details because I intend to keep you amused in future columns with narratives about my life as an opera singer. But one thing I can tell you is this: In the theatre, we keep our drama on the stage. It is difficult enough to learn our music, show up on time, and earn our paltry living without having to backstab other artists. That sort of nonsense doesn’t happen; it’s written for daytime television.

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DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

Obviously, a soprano cannot sing the same notes as a baritone. So we really are not in competition with each other once we have the job. We are actually very collegial. I cannot say the same of designers. The ones I have met so far are pretty … well, not very nice to each other.

Why is that?

What is that about?

Isn’t there enough creative juice to go around?

Don’t they believe that the best designers will rise to the top?

And the consumer will judge?

Am I just a foolish utopian living in a dream world?

Write to us!

Scream at me, oh designers!

Tell me how it really is out there.

Seletti Design

Seletti Design

Seletti Design

Seletti Design

Should designers not support each other as singers do in performance? Should that reasoning not reign in the world of design?

For instance, there I was once again in the vast, lonely, impossible-to-properly-navigate Maison & Objet Paris ...

And yes, as your publisher, I will probably attend the show twice a year to give you articles about world design trends. Aren’t you excited?

And lo and behold: Everyone is still producing design that is mainly in GREY. And yet …

And yet …

And yet …

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DESIGN

All images: Missoni

The beauty of the human spirit rises.

I hear it like a Mozart overture. I hear the oboes as the purple chairs that were pushing forth. I see the green settees, and the Portuguese designers with their metal Louis XIV table legs as flutes popping out. And lo! We have a rococo concerto. There is hope like spring in the midst of the winter rain in Paris.

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DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

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All images: Missoni

Some red sofas, like red roses, sounded like the trumpets of a fanfare to announce: “Don’t despair, Sharon! The triumph of the human spirit is that it cannot survive without warmth, communication, community.”

And so, the winner of the Maison & Objet show, for me, was the huge display by Missoni.

The high-end Italian fashion house, founded in 1953, is known for its colourful knitwear designs. The warm zigzag patterns and lush fabrics are iconic and globally recognizable.

Missoni’s presence was a soft haven in a harsh environment. Just beautiful! Can you hear the harmonies yet? If not, lean back. Relax.

To quote the Restoration playwright and poet William Congreve: “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast.” This is what the world needs now.

See you at the next M & O in September.

Stay cozy. And listen to Vivaldi if you get depressed in the cold.

Dr. Sharon Azrieli Publisher

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Toronto Showroom Castlefield Design District 1296 Castlefield Avenue • 416.785.7788 Vaughan Showroom The Village of Vaughan Mills 255 Bass Pro Mills Drive • 905.660.5770

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LANDSCAPE

TO INFINIT Y AND BEYOND Vanishing-edge pools provide a luxurious outdoor experience

BY WENDY HELFENBAUM

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OPTICAL ILLUSIONS trick the eye into seeing something magical. Infinity pools – where water flows over one or more edges, making the pool appear to blend with a larger body of water beyond – became popular in Europe in the 1990s, especially at hotels.

Over the past 10 years, this type of pool has become a must-have outdoor element among North American homeowners with large swaths of land, Instagram-worthy views, and large landscaping budgets.

Infinity pools are believed to have originated in France at the Palace of Versailles in the 17th century, says Reinier van de Poll, owner of Van de Poll Garden Design in Vancouver. “Many would point to the Stag Fountain as one of the first examples of a vanishing pool edge – the use of the horizon and the infinity,” he says.

Today’s vanishing-edge pools are usually installed on properties that look out over a body of water, says Lee Gregory, project coordinator with Groupe Paramount in Montreal.

“When someone has a special lakefront or cliffside property, they’ll often go the extra mile to draw attention to that,” says Gregory.

“For instance, for a house on Lac Saint-Louis we did recently, we matched the colour of the pool as closely as possible to the lake, so that when it was filled with water, it would give the impression that the pool is endless.

And the sounds of the waterfalls add to the experience.” •

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LANDSCAPE TORONTO SPRING 2018

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Photo courtesy of Groupe Paramount

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Flat landscape is the easiest canvas upon which to install an infinity pool, but homeowners with sloped properties can have equally spectacular results, says Kennedy McRae, co-owner and landscape designer at Earth Inc. in Toronto. Opting for a vanishing-edge pool on a slope solves two problems: transforming formerly unusable space while creating an especially dramatic vista.

“To create a negative edge, you have to have a little bit of a grade change, so if the body of water that we’re creating is higher than the actual lake, you can build right into the middle of the slope, and when you’re in the pool, it really becomes an infinity pool,” says McRae, whose team designed a show-stopping outdoor space for a two-acre property north of Barrie, Ontario.

Even with no natural water in sight, infinity pools can add interest, he adds. “Some people want an infinity pool when they have a forest setting. A vanishing edge on one side is a cool design element that’s fun to play with.” •

Kennedy McRae: “Here, we hid the pool equipment under the cabana at the top. A lot of people forget you need a mechanical room to house all the pool equipment in.”

Photos courtesy of Earth Inc.

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LANDSCAPE

This was the case when van de Poll designed a sprawling backyard for homeowner Brian Craig, a father of eight in Pitt Meadows, B.C., who wanted to create a multigenerational retreat. Craig, a developer, had built in 1991 but waited until 2012 to finish the landscaping around his home, which is atop a 70-foot cliff.

“Brian doesn’t have a body of water in the distance; his pool blends in with the horizon,” says van de Poll. “I had to pay a lot of attention to the natural terrain of the site – which was very sloped with a lot of rock outcroppings – to figure out where the pool was going to fit.

I orientated the vanishing pool edge slightly

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over to the east so you were looking towards mountains, trees, and an open view.”

The effect is spectacular, but the pool has value beyond that for Craig and his family.

“I’d grown up with a regular rectangular pool, and I wanted something completely different. As my kids got older and began working with me, they actually helped build the pool,” says Craig, whose son Jonathan runs True Light Building and Development Ltd. “Everybody’s got their memory of how they put the rocks a certain way. It’s beautiful and natural, and feels like you’re in a lake or

a pond. My 14th grandchild is on the way and everyone enjoys the pools. It’s a hub for the family, a real treasure.”

What if you have a less than spectacular view? Infinity pools can help disguise that, says van de Poll.

“If you see your neighbor, a trampoline, and a swing set, a vanishing pool edge could be facing your house and patio,” he suggests.

“The concept and mechanics are the same, but instead of it disappearing off the horizon, you actually have the effect of a waterfall from the pools pouring down, and you could be sitting near it on the patio.” •

LANDSCAPE TORONTO SPRING 2018

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Photos courtesy of Van de Poll Garden Design

To decrease the towering appearance of Craig’s home, van de Poll designed a cedar post-and-beam arbour so people sitting on the lower patio overlook the main pool, hot tub, and shallow children’s pool.

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Photo courtesy of Van de Poll Garden Design

LANDSCAPE TORONTO SPRING 2018

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Photo courtesy of Groupe Paramount

Whatever vista a property overlooks, adding an infinity pool requires plenty of additional work, such as building another basin to capture and recirculate the water flowing over the edge. Expect to tack on $40,000 or more above the cost of a standard rectangular pool, says McRae. “When you do an infinity pool, the other side doesn’t have the ground to push back on the body of water, so you have to make the walls of the pool thicker to create the strength to hold the water inside of the pool,” he says.

Gregory suggests defining various areas in an outdoor space to decide how they will be used. Then, the project should be viewed in a holistic way by factoring in all the elements surrounding an infinity pool. “One big mistake people make is going to a pool company first, one that’s not worried about the landscaping around the pool,” he says.

Once the pool is installed, there may not be enough space for lounging or dining.

“You can’t just plop a negative-edge pool in and walk away,” adds van de Poll. “People

show us a Pinterest page and don’t realize it also includes $150,000 to $250,000 worth of landscaping: patios, walkways, staircases, lighting, planting, and pool equipment.”

Thoughtful planning and attention to detail can ensure a successful infinity pool project, one that’s good for body and soul.

“My goal is always to create a backyard retreat,” says van de Poll. “At the end of a crazy week, I want people to open their back doors and say, ‘Oh my goodness, there’s my holiday spot.’ ” •

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You choose the view, we’ll build the frame.

Designing a beautiful home starts with borrowing beauty from the world around it.

Using the surroundings as a color palette.

Filling rooms with light. Welcoming the

Shop our entire collection at BeautyofBetter.com ©2017 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved.

outdoors in. However you choose to design your home, there’s an Andersen® window to help you see your inspiration.

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DESIGN

RAVINE RETREAT

A 1950s bungalow that’s in the perfect location is redesigned so its owners needn’t move

BY JULIE GEDEON PHOTOGRAPHY: STEPHANI BUCHMAN STYLING: CYNTHIA SODA

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AS SOPHIA KELLY SIPS COFFEE at the small desk off her kitchen, she also drinks in the lovely view of her ravined backyard in Scarborough. She and her husband, Jeffrey Dean Kelly, couldn’t be happier with the way interior designer Cynthia Soda transformed the living space of their 1950s bungalow.

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“The additional windows and transom doors have turned what used to be the darkest corner of the house into the brightest space,” Sophia says.

“We’ve brought the outdoors into their home to enjoy year-round.” Soda says.

Backless bar stools keep the view through the kitchen to the backyard clear, while ceiling beams and an island with furniture footings are warm traditional elements. Windows: Pella.

DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

The designer, who runs Soda Pop Design, had originally been called to create plans for a kitchen renovation that would include updates to the living and dining area. But she and the homeowners soon discovered that there had been damage caused by the bungalow’s flat roof. “It meant a larger project, but we recommended changing the roof line,” Soda says.

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The additional expense and inconvenience prompted the couple to search for another home instead, but none compared with their location along a tranquil ravine. “Once we realized how special our property was, we knew it’d be worth the investment to make this our dream home,” Sophia says.

Soda collaborated with her architectural team to redesign the roofline and turn sloped ceilings into an 11-foot consistent height.

Working within the home’s existing footprint so no special permit would be required, she also proposed moving the galley kitchen to the back of the house from the front to open all the main living areas and create a grand entry.

“At first, Jeffrey wasn’t sure about moving all that plumbing,” Sophia says, “but we decided to trust our designer based on what we’d seen of her work.”•

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“It’s those small touches that elevate a look.”

Marble is a classic element on this dividing wall. A three-sided fireplace, built-in display cabinet and adjoining desk aesthetically break up the main living space in a functional way.

Fireplace surround: ErthCOVERINGS.

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DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

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Designer Cynthia Soda wanted the backsplash to be a piece of art; its mosaic tiling makes a strong design statement. Range hood: custom-designed

by Soda Pop Design Inc. and built by Colclo Custom Woodworking.

Among the design elements in the kitchen that marry well are a rustic farm sink, attractive pendant lights, herringbone flooring, a marbled dividing wall, gold-coloured hardware, and detailing on the island’s base. Flooring: White Oak Zeus with a UV oil finish; pendants: Washington chandelier from Elte; ceiling beams: by Anazaõ Inc; countertop: Brittanicca from Cambria.

To prevent a cavernous ambience in the open concept, Soda had the main foyer slightly partitioned with a marble-tiled wall featuring a three-sided fireplace, built-in display cabinet and Sophia’s now favourite “mini-office.”

A herringbone-pattern hardwood floor was a splurge but it provided a subtle, fluid dynamic that Sophia adores. “It reminds me of being in Paris,” she says.

The couple’s existing dining hutch was painted white for a shabby-chic look against the slightly grey walls. “We had the chandelier’s brassiness painted black to update its look to fit with the white, gold, grey and black scheme we have in the home,” Soda says.

Glass-and-gold pendant lighting over the kitchen island draws the eye upward to the wood beams that give the ceiling its warmth.

Finding the ideal backsplash for the stove area was key for the designer. “I wanted something that would be like a piece of art, and this geometric random pattern playfully ties in with our other design elements,” she says. “It contrasts with the classic design of the stove hood and speaks to the design of the island, which has the added elements of legs to make it more furniture-like.” •

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Solid bright colours, along with floral and leopard prints, add interest against the neutral canvas.

“You can add louder elements to a quiet space to convey personality or to create a conversation starter as in the case of the leopard print we selected to reupholster our homeowners’ existing chair and ottoman,” Soda says. “As a designer, I’m called upon to right the wrongs with respect to function and form, and then we can add those unique elements that curate a home – going a step beyond what most people would consider while still reflecting their character and lifestyle.”

The master bedroom echoes the living area’s elements. The handles on the night table, for instance, were replaced with crystal knobs so they would coordinate with the glass doorknobs throughout the home. “It’s those small touches that elevate a look.” Soda says. •

Glass knobs on the doors and night tables add sparkle.

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Balance is achieved in the ensuite bathroom with various grey tones displayed in fluid and geometric patterns.

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Aiming for balance in the main bathroom, the designer grounded the space by using grey cabinetry and mosaic floor tiles while keeping the walls neutral with a light marble-look porcelain tile. “We wanted the architectural elements to ‘float’, so the bench, for example, provides seating while taking minimal floor space,” she says.

The homeowners are glad they didn’t opt for half measures. “It’s so important to hire a professional to nudge us out of our comfort zone,” Sophia says. “Cynthia gave us something we never imagined but absolutely love.” •

Gold-coloured fixtures add a luxe touch to the powder room. Throughout the house, a muted colour scheme creates a sense of serenity. Vanity: Anazaõ Inc.

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LIFESTYLE

STAR

STRUCK Let the planets be your guide as you declutter, reorganize, and spruce up your home for spring

BY SUSAN KELLY

AH SPRING! As the sun barges into the supercharged sign of Aries, it delivers an annual energetic kick-start. It’s the vernal equinox and the astrological new year, celebrated for millennia by many cultures around the world.

Early spring 2018 brings turbulent patterns and extreme impulses. We will have plenty of drive to (finally!) tackle the clutter.

But before you book the dumpster, consider that with the planet Mercury in retrograde motion, our mental responses are less than clear. Best astrological advice: Rather than making new plans now, it’s best to review, refine, and build on what was started before. Include extra contingency time in any cleanup plan to allow for minor delays and mix-ups.

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By late April, sensible Taurus takes over. This Venus-motivated sign evokes our need to be surrounded by beauty along with a dose of common sense. Patience and perseverance are easier to come by then, too. So, mark May onwards as the best time for a big decluttering project, especially if it must be executed in stages over time.

The seasonal cleanup/clear-out urge is universal. But each zodiac sign will respond differently when it comes to goals and methods. Here is a guide to making a plan that works for you.

LIFESTYLE TORONTO SPRING 2018

ARIES MARCH 21 – APRIL 19 ENDPOINT: A streamlined space that supports your active, goal-oriented life.

THE STRATEGY: Clutter be gone! You insist on being first out of the starting gate. But since you’re better in the sprint than the marathon, you too often falter in the stretch. To stay in the race, make the clearout a competition against the clock or someone else. And tackle only projects that can be completed in a day or less.

TAURUS APRIL 20 – MAY 20 ENDPOINT: A beautiful home that delights all the senses.

THE STRATEGY: House proud, you run a tight, spotless ship. But you abhor change and waste, and so tend to cling to stuff forever.

This is your year for a major life upgrade. Eye your possessions and pinpoint those with true intrinsic value: emotional or monetary. Toss overboard any that fall short.

GEMINI MAY 21 – JUNE 20 ENDPOINT: Surroundings that tell your story.

THE STRATEGY: You’re all about communication and feeding your insatiable curiosity. And so, books and papers, even in a digital age, tend to pile up alarmingly. Remind yourself that taming all clutter will free your mind. Edit ruthlessly, a little each day. Keep only that which increases efficiency or speaks volumes about you.

CANCER JUNE 21 – JULY 22 ENDPOINT: A cozy retreat that makes your heart sing.

THE STRATEGY: It’s family first for sentimental you. Small wonder letting go of heirlooms and keepsakes is so difficult. Memory boxes provide a creative way to preserve the most precious items. For the hard decisions, enlist someone objective to assist. And think of giving stuff a good home, chez a friend or the thrift shop.

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LEO JULY 23 – AUGUST 22 ENDPOINT: A jewel-like setting in which to shine.

THE STRATEGY: Yes, clutter really is beneath your royal notice, which may be why it tends to pile up! Once it’s caught your attention, you excel at project management and putting together an ace team. Prioritize creating more space to entertain. You’ll love showing off the new and improved space and basking in the applause.

VIRGO AUGUST 23 – SEPTEMBER 22 ENDPOINT: A home in which to heal mind and spirit.

THE STRATEGY: You have an organization system others envy. But it’s a struggle, as a mania for detail prompts you to hang onto life’s minutiae.

Result: more clutter and stress on your multitasking mind. To create serene surroundings, stash all your “busyness” behind closed cupboard doors or in bins.

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 23 – OCTOBER 22 ENDPOINT: A camera-ready home at all times.

THE STRATEGY: Decisions, decisions — if only you could make them! Hint: All that procrastination is really a form of perfectionism. Try damning the torpedoes and let go of stuff. For motivation, deploy your keen eye for aesthetics and make room for a new work of art, a designer sofa, or other decor refresh.

SCORPIO OCTOBER 23 – NOVEMBER 21 ENDPOINT: To create a space of magic and meaning.

THE STRATEGY: You have a flair for drama and a gift for transforming the space around you. To avoid: a binge-purge approach to clutter, letting it pile up before going on an all-day cleanup rampage. Aim for a more sustainable system. And much as you hate to let go, do eliminate anything that has negative memories.

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 22 – DECEMBER 21 ENDPOINT: Surroundings that set your spirit free.

THE STRATEGY: Your easygoing approach applies to possessions, too, which can mean they accumulate and take over. What to keep: things found on your travels or that have great personal or cultural significance. Next, curate them into collections for display. Then throw a party and let the revellers fill the void once filled with your clutter.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22 – JANUARY 19 E NDPOIN T: To be master/mistress of a ll you survey.

THE STRATEGY: Tradition is important to you, as is a clutter-free, organized environment.

Surround yourself only with things that scream quality (hide the labels, though), or that remind you of your many achievements.

You ace the scheduling and arranging. As for execution … well, that’s what minions are for, isn’t it?

AQUARIUS JANUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 18 ENDPOINT: To be totally social and connected.

THE STRATEGY: A genius for invention is your biggest ally in conquering clutter. Deploy it to find unconventional storage, recycling, and repurposing options. For motivation, focus on clearing space for the droves of people you can’t seem to function without. You will, however, work at your own erratic pace.

PISCES FEBRUARY 19 – MARCH 20 ENDPOIN T: A serene retreat in which to re-energize.

THE STRATEGY: You have a higher chaos threshold than most. Fortunately, your “It’s Just Stuff” motto also applies when it comes time to let go. Since too-big goals overwhelm you, focus on small ones. Then work at them as the spirit moves you, giving your creative side free rein as you go. •

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LIFESTYLE

TO YOUR HEALTH! Smoothie and juice bars are changing the way we enjoy plant-based nutrition

BY JULIE GEDEON

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LIFESTYLE TORONTO SPRING 2018

CLEAN UP, TUNE UP, SPRUCE UP. Spring is the season for sweeping away winter’s cobwebs and grime from the house, the yard, the garage, the car.

That big clean-up extends to our bodies, too, as we move toward the vernal equinox.

For years, juices and smoothies have been the drinks of choice at this time of year for those who want to give themselves a post-winter health boost. And while it can be worth the trouble and money to invest in a juicing machine for the home, Canada seems to have almost as many juice bars these days as coffee shops, suggesting that some of us like to grab our wholesome liquids on the run.

The folks who run juice bars know a thing or two about mixing plant-based liquid foods for their salubrious qualities.

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A case in point is Eddie Chan, who opened Bolt Fresh Bar on Queen Street West four years ago to give Torontonians healthful smoothies. He says, “We encourage people to begin with sweeter blends, like Blueberry Thrill with its coconut milk, blueberries, bananas, lemon, chia seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and maple syrup, before transitioning to greener choices.

“Yet many like our greenest smoothie, The Power Plant, straight away.” The lemon, ginger, coconut water, and green apple counterbalance the drink’s kale, spinach, cucumber, spirulina, avocado, chia seeds, and hemp hearts.

Bolt Fresh keeps smoothies accessible by allowing customers to add ingredients. “Algae tastes like swamp,” Chan admits, “but it’s negligible in the mix.” •

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Also, in Toronto, Greenhouse Juice offers cold-pressed juices for energy boosts or healthy reboots. Gold Rush, containing pineapple, cucumber, lemon, and ginger, is a vitamin-C-loaded hydrating antioxidation powerhouse to get things moving. The Good has cucumber, spinach, romaine lettuce, celery, lemon, and Himalayan salt, providing vitamins A and K, along with iron and electrolytes.

“Our customers report better sleep, shinier hair, and younger-looking skin,” says Hana James. She co-founded Greenhouse Juice four years ago with childhood friends Anthony Green and Emma Knight. “We all felt there is great juicing in Los Angeles, New York, and other cities, and thought, ‘Why doesn’t Toronto have this?’ ”

The company now has 16 locations and has a subscription delivery service. The juices are made using hydraulic pressure to minimize heat and oxidation that can degrade nutrients and enzymes. “You’re left with a more vibrant, nutrient juice than you would have by using a home blender or juicer,” James says.

Greenhouse recently introduced a range of juices with extended shelf life. Using light filtration technology, the company has been able to improve the products’ accessibility while allowing for glass bottling and without diminishing flavour, nutrients, or enzyme activity.

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Photography by Elena Mari and Nathan Legiehn.

Provided courtesy of Greenhouse.

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Why not just eat vegetables? We’d have to chew for days to obtain this level of nutrients, explains Zack Berman, co-founder with Ryan Slater of The Juice Truck in Vancouver. “The lack of fibre additionally permits our bodies to assimilate the vitamins and nutrients quickly, providing an energy boost without the later crash that comes from regular digestion,” he says.

Friends since age 12, Berman and Slater backpacked for a year after university and noticed that people in the Himalayas consumed a vibrant-orange drink containing sea buckthorn. “The super-berry is high in iron, omegas, calcium, and vitamin C and, once we tried it, we sought out how other people obtained nutrients,” Berman says.

The duo explored India’s 5,000-year-old Ayurveda diet but also the country’s juice carts. “Locals gather around these carts the way North Americans frequent coffee shops,” Berman says.

He and Slater launched Vancouver’s first cold-pressed juice company seven years ago, initially operating from their now-famous Gastown food truck. They’ve since added a truck and three brick-and-mortar locations.

They also sell their juices through more than 30 retailers, as well as offering online ordering and delivery.

Berman and Slater consulted with nutritionists and herbalists to develop blends. The Base is a popular start with cucumber, celery, pear, kale, lemon, and ginger, while The Kickstarter is anti-inflammatory and digestively helpful; it contains apple, cucumber, lemon, ginger, and cayenne.

Smoothies are more filling with their retained fibre. “We start with familiar ingredients such as bananas, strawberries, spinach, kale, and avocados, and offer supplements that are leading the food movement,” Berman says.

Ashwagandha, a.k.a. India’s ginseng, is masked within a smoothie. “The word means ‘smell of a horse,’ ” Berman says, “but it helps to fill immunity gaps, counteract stress, regulate hormones and sleep, and provide energy.”

Other boosters include maca (a root vegetable high in antioxidants that also includes vitamin C and iron), moringa (a leaf that’s like a multivitamin), and pine pollen that’s a natural testosterone supplement, which is ideal before workouts. •

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Patrick Andraous, who opened Just Pressed in downtown Montreal less than a year ago, also learned about cold-pressed juices during his travels. “And I thought, ‘Why don’t we have this in Montreal?’ ” he says. Juice companies abounded, but most use high-pressure processing (HPP) or pasteurization for longer shelf life, which isn’t the same as fresh juice bottled in glass for consumption within days.

Montrealers can order online to have juice delivered twice weekly.

Andraous champions the benefits. “I had such bad acne that I couldn’t sit back on a chair without pain,” he says. “Dermatologists tried everything, but it was only after drinking these juices along with eating regular meals for eight months that the acne disappeared.”

Consumers appreciate the price when they learn that nearly two kilograms of produce go into every 500-millilitre bottle. “We’re certified by Ecocert Canada,” Andraous adds.

“Every drop is 100 per cent organic.”

The Liquid Gold with apple, ginger, and lemon is recommended for new juicers, but many immediately like The Mean Greens with its kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, parsley, apple, lemon, and lime.

“Our green juices are 80 per cent greens, so it’s like drinking a salad, but our flavours are so well balanced that even my five-yearold nephew, the world’s pickiest eater, loves them,” says Andraous.

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Getting children to enjoy vegetables was among the reasons George Kyres started InBalance in Montreal last summer. His company offers Smoothie Cubes, produce that has been imported flash-frozen to retain nutrients and is packaged conveniently in small cubes. Add 10 cubes to a favourite liquid and voilà: a nutritious juice or smoothie.

“It tastes amazing and is really healthy with the sugar and calories slashed in half by using fruit as natural sweeteners, and by adding superfoods like rosehip,” Kyres says.

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The combinations are delicious, with the orange base, for example, including carrot, apple, peach, pineapple, butternut squash, and rosehip. The cubes are available at stores in Ontario and Quebec and allow for less nagging by parents, which prompts the question: Will “eat your vegetables” eventually be replaced by “drink your veggies”? •

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DESIGN VANCOUVER KITCHENS 2017

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ART

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ART TORONTO SPRING 2018

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FINDING NEW LIFE AND SOLACE IN ART

Artist Maryse Chartrand’s life journey is expressed in glass

BY KAREN SEIDMAN

IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE a barn nestled into the woods in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, glass artist Maryse Chartrand hunkers down to begin the painstaking task of polishing and repolishing her latest piece, a gorgeous glass sculpture featuring the rich colours and serpentine lines that characterize her Newly Freed collection.

Looking at the bare trees and the snow sparkling outside the window of her Sutton

workshop, Chartrand feels the serenity she is trying to convey through her latest work. At first glance, it seems like an easy sentiment for an artist working in the country, in a rustic studio alongside her long-time boyfriend.

Easy, however, is not the name of the road that brought Chartrand to her life as a successful artist. At age 55, she is actually on her third career, her second partner and love, and her first time living outside an urban area. •

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“At first, I thought that being a glass artist was about aesthetics,” Chartrand says. “But then I realized that my work really expresses my innermost quest, that it’s about being serene and at peace.”

For more than 20 years, Chartrand worked in advertising and communications, slogging it out as a French copywriter while she and her husband, Samuel Beaudry, raised their three children.

Feeling burned out, they decided in 2003 to take a year-long trip around the world with their children, aged nine, 11, and 13.

Chartrand describes the trip – which included stops in Guatemala, New Zealand, Vietnam, India, France, and Italy – as nothing less than spectacular. However, efforts to sell a documentary about it failed, and the couple returned to their demanding jobs. •

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“Glass helps me express the mysterious beauty of life.”

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Everything seemed back to normal until there was a knock at the door in the middle of the night in 2005. A police officer told Chartrand that her husband had killed himself.

No, she insisted; he loved life and his children too much to ever harm them this way. But it was true. The news was both devastating and shocking.

“It was incomprehensible,” says Chartrand. “I had to understand what happened to him.”

So began her second career as a documentary filmmaker. She began to explore depression, which led to the successful documentary

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With and Without You, a second journey for the family that combined footage from their trip with Beaudry with the aftermath of his suicide. This greatly helped Chartrand’s emotional healing.

The next surprise in her life was far more pleasant: she fell in love. Her new love, François Charbonneau, was a structural engineer and craftsman. Talking with him of dreams unfulfilled, Chartrand mentioned a weekend workshop of glassblowing she had done a few years back. •

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ART

“Molten glass really captivated me,” she says.

“I thought that if I was crazy, I’d do the threeyear full-time program to learn this craft.”

With Charbonneau’s encouragement, she signed up for the program at Espace Verre in Montreal, the only school in Quebec dedicated to the fired arts. She had no objective of selling her work or being an artist; she just wanted to learn the craft.

The more she immersed herself in glass, the more she became fascinated with it. “Glass is full of complexity and contradictions,” she says. “It is both transparent and opaque, solid but fragile, dense but fluid.”

She considers glass her creative partner.

“My artistic statement is really linked to the material I use,” Chartrand explains. “Glass helps me express the mysterious beauty of life.”

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“Life will bring you things you never expected.”

Her pieces embrace this wondrous feeling with their fluidity and stunning colours, in the way she achieves the appearance of flowers flowing through her thick glass vases or the way colours are suspended in a heavy clear glass cocoon. Her work doesn’t have straight lines, a reflection of the twists and turns of real life.

She was “discovered” when gallery owner Elena Lee – the first to represent the Studio Glass Movement in Canada – chose her work for an exhibit of emerging glass artists. Chartrand’s work is now sold across the country, some pieces for as much as $1,500. One of her early works, Quiet Strength, resides in the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.

For Chartrand, the road she has journeyed, the new life she has created for herself, have been both painful and joyous. She believes her late husband would be thrilled about the direction of her life, as he had a real reverence for art and artists.

“I didn’t expect this,” she says. “Life will bring you things you never expected. Falling in love again, being an artist, moving to the country – this is the beauty of life I’m trying to express through my art.” •

Maryse Chartrand www.marysec.com

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SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE LED

How to select LED fixtures and bulbs for your home

Lighting is lighting, right? It consists of lamps, chandeliers, sconces or recessed fixtures with the straightforward function of illuminating a space.

But is it that simple? With the mind-boggling array of lighting options available to consumers now, it is not surprising that many people are confused.

Mark Naimer, president of Union Lighting and Furnishings, says the questions he fields most from his customers are about LEDs, which is an acronym for “light-emitting diode.” LEDs have taken the lighting market by storm. How can we use them to best effect in our homes? Mark Naimer explains: QUESTION: Mark, what are the pros and cons of having LED-module fixtures rather than a regularsocket fixture with LED bulbs?

ANSWER: The pros include a sleek design, a higher lumen output and no heat spots in the fixture. The cons include the fact that some parts cannot be replaced, not all fixtures are dimmable, not all designs are available with built-in LEDs and replacements may not match existing fixtures.

Q: What colour temperature are LEDs available in? Aren’t they all blue?

A: The majority of LEDs used in residential settings are of approximately 3000K (kelvins), which gives the look and feel of halogen bulbs. Warm-colour temperatures in LED lights are desirable when warm tones are used in a space. As contemporary-style homes gain

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in popularity, there’s been a rise in the use of 3500K – 4000K LEDs because the colours in these spaces tend to fall into the cooler tones: greys, blues and whites.

Q: What should I look for when buying an LED bulb?

A: If you’re replacing an existing incandescent, you should look at the lumen package instead of the wattage. The wattage represents the energy being consumed while the lumen tells you how bright the light is. We often use 800 lumens to equal 60 watts of incandescent as a benchmark to figure out how much light is required.

Do ascertain what you already have to ensure that you have enough light output with the LED bulb. The quality of LED bulbs varies according to the quality of the LED chip: One factor that makes the light quality better is a higher CRI (colour-rendering index), which determines the way colours appear to the eye.

If your fixture features an exposed bulb, you should choose a clear-glass LED rather than a traditional frosted one.

Q: What bases and shapes are LED bulbs available in?

A: They’re available in a variety of shapes and sizes for residential applications.

Q: How do you dim an LED? A: Most fixtures are not easily dimmable because they have electronic components and do not have regular sockets. Each manufacturer uses a different LED driver, so you need to know which dimmer is compatible with each one. And the dimmer would need to be compatible with both the fixture and the bulb. If any of the components do not work together, the light will not be dimmable. So it’s best to consult a designated lighting specialist to be referred to the correct dimmer and bulb. •

Union Lighting & Furnishings 1491 Castlefield Ave. Toronto

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416-652-2200 www.unionlightingandfurnishings.com

7,000K - 7,5 000K: Cool White LED

6,000K: Cloudy Sky 5,500K - 6,000K: Daylight Metal Halide 4,800K: Direct Sunlight 4,000K - 4,500: Natural White LED 4,000K: Std. Clear Metal Halide 3,000K: 100W Halogen 2,700K - 3,200: Warm White LED 2,700K: 100W Standard Incandescent 2,200K: High Pressure Sodium 1,9 00K: Candle

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Thank You, Mom It’s easy to find the right gift for Mother’s Day

BY TRACEY MACKENZIE

We don’t need a special occasion to tell our mothers how much we love them; we can do that every day. However, Mother’s Day gives us an opportunity to shower them with carefully chosen gifts. Here is a guide to help you find the perfect present for your mom.

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide The Blue Yonder

Transport yourself to the ocean using the Aquatic Wood home fragrance, combined with this pastel-blue Berlingot diffuser, designed by Maxidmum. Sold as a boxed set, it includes the Aquatic Wood fragrance, wick-burner, straight mounting, snuffer, and funnel. Available at Linen Chest. www.linenchest.com

The Beat Goes On

These Beats by Dr. Dre Solo3 On-Ear sound-isolating Bluetooth headphones in gold have an adjustable fit with cushioned ear cups. They have up to 40 hours of battery life, allowing you to take calls, control your music, and activate Siri with on-ear controls. Available at Best Buy. www.bestbuy.ca

Eternally Yours

Show your love to the mother of your children with the Cartier Love Bracelet in pink gold. Perfect for day or evening wear, this bracelet will make her shine. Available at Cartier. $7,950. www.ca.cartier.com

Top Mop

The iRobot Braava 380T floor-mopping robot has smart sensors and a rechargeable battery that cleans for up to three hours of dry sweeping or two hours of wet mopping on a single charge. Ideal for picking up pet hair, the Braava is both quiet and efficient. Available at Amazon.ca. $349.93. www.amazon.ca

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide

Dog Days

Toss a treat to your dog while using the full HD Wifi Furbo Dog Camera with two-way audio. Livestream video to monitor your pet with a 160-degree wide-angle view. Perfect for pet lovers, the Furbo works with Amazon Alexa. $179USD. Ships to Canada. www.amazon.com

Made In The Shade

A versatile, retro silhouette combines with a street-chic gradient to make these Johanna sunglasses from Kate Spade the perfect accessory for outdoor fun. Available at Nordstrom. $210. www.nordstrom.com

Cold Brew

The KitchenAid Cold Brew coffee maker enables you to make up to 14 cups of cold brew. Simply fill with coffee and cold water, steep and enjoy. A built-in stainless steel tap dispenses your cold brew directly from your refrigerator, and a reusable stainless steel steeper allows you to brew the beverage of your choice. Available at Amazon.ca. $120. www.amazon.ca

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide Saved For Tomorrow

Keep your leftover wine safe and fresh in the Savino wine-saving carafe. Made in the U.S. of high-quality glass, food-grade and BPA-free plastic and silicone, it will keep wine fresh for up to a week. Dishwasher safe. Available at Amazon.ca. $70. www.amazon.ca

Fragrant Florals

The bestselling Amazing Grace eau de toilette from Philosophy is a feminine fragrance, with notes of bergamot, lily of the valley, and musk, which is sure to leave a lasting impression. Available at Sephora. $60. www.sephora.com

Tasty Teas

The Dolce Vita collection from Tea Forte consists of five naturally sweet organic teas that entice with their scent and will satisfy your cravings for dessert. Perfect for anyone who loves to entertain. Available at Tea Forte. www.teaforte.com

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide Fashionably Fit

Fashion designer Tory Burch has teamed up with Fitbit to create a special edition wristband for the Fitbit ALTA. Available in various styles.

We show one that is 22kt-gold-plated and has a flexible black band. Available at Tory Burch. $149.95USD. www.toryburch.com

Natural Wonder

This creation by Gloria Bass Design will make any mother swoon.

A watermelon tourmaline pendant encased in 18kt yellow gold and studded with green diamonds gently hangs from an Akoya pearl necklace. Available at Gloria Bass Design. www.gloriabassdesign.com

Romance Of The Rose

This beautifully packaged OSKIA massage candle is scented with pure Rose de Mai oil. Made with coconut oil, its low melting point turns it into a warm massage oil that is packed with vitamins and minerals to leave skin feeling soft and smooth. Available at Goop. $51USD. Ships to Canada www.goop.com

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide Slip Into Comfort

The Scuffette II Slipper by UGG is trimmed with shearling and lined with UGGpure, a textile made of wool but shaped to feel like shearling. It offers a comfortable way to shuffle around the house.

Available at Nordstrom. $110. www.nordstrom.com

Clean Calls

Say goodbye to nasty germs with the PhoneSoap smartphone sanitizer by Uncommon Goods. UV lights sanitize your phone as often as you want. Perfect for parents with small children.

Available at Uncommon Goods. $76. www.uncommongoods.com

Whole Lotta Love

All In Good Time

Encased in brushed rosegold-coloured stainless steel, the Rodeo watch from MVMT has high-end styling at an affordable price. The dial features rose gold hands and markers and a rose gold second hand. The strap is 100 per cent leather and interchangeable. Available at MVMT Watches. $115USD. Free worldwide shipping.

These beautiful blue and white Love plates from the Ellen Degeneres collection

by Royal Doulton showcase Ellen’s LOVE of life. Each plate has its own distinctive design and is perfect as an accent plate or used on its own. Available at Linen Chest. www.linenchest.com

www.mvmtwatches.com

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide

Framed

The NIX Advance Hi-Res Digital photo frame with motion sensor will turn on when you walk into the room and off when you leave. It has an easy plug-and-play setup to instantly display all of your digital photos. Comes with an intuitive remote control. Screen available in sizes of eight to 15 inches. Prices start at $79.99USD. Ships to Canada. www.amazon.com

Meals On Wheels

Mealtime needn’t be a chore. Goodfood makes it easy with prepackaged meals made of fresh ingredients. Choose from a variety of meals, including vegetarian options, that are delivered to your door. Available at Good Food. www.makegoodfood.ca

Cool Copper

This hand-hammered copper water bottle from Halfmoon is the perfect gift for the yoga enthusiast in your life. According to Ayurvedic practice, drinking from a copper vessel helps support the immune system and kills bacteria in water. Not suitable for hot drinks. Available at Halfmoon. $48. www.shophalfmoon.com

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide Decorative Diffuser

The Vic Tsing wood grain essential oil diffuser and cool mist humidifier makes an aromatic impact on a room.

This quiet humidifier can hold up to 300 millilitres of water and can run for as long as 10 hours. An adjustable LED light and time-setting function are additional perks. Available at Amazon.ca. $39.99. www.amazon.ca

In A Snap

The Polaroid Snap combines a minimalist design with a retro vibe. Reminiscent of the original Polaroid instant camera, it is so compact, it can be easily slipped into a pocket, and the integrated printer produces full-colour two-by-three-inch prints in less than a minute. Perfect for the photophile. Available at Amazon.ca. $160. www.amazon.ca

La Vie En Rose

The Miranda Kerr collection

by Royal Albert is perfect for a summer tea party. Delicate and colourful, it features a design of peonies and butterflies to evoke a sense of romance and whimsy that will add joy to your table setting. Available at Linen Chest. www.linenchest.com

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FROM START  TO FINISH This Toronto store will design and furnish a home anywhere in the world

A HOME IS A REFLECTION of the people who live there. It makes a statement. It tells a story.

And like all good stories, every element within it has some significance. In this case, the home plays the role of setting the scene. But a well-scripted tale also needs context. That is what helps those who hear it to better understand what makes all the characters tick. It helps set the tone, provides texture, creates an ambience. It gives the story resonance.

Context and resonance are concepts upon which the owner and designers at Import Temptations have built their business. They ensure the contents of a house have both to guarantee that their customers hit the mark with the statement they intend to make with their homes.

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“The furniture has to meet the setting that they are putting it in,” explains Shiva Khalilnia, owner of Import Temptations, a familyowned luxury furniture showroom and design studio in Toronto.

The company’s team has designed the interiors of some of the city’s stateliest homes, as well as around the globe, with customers in locations as far away as Jordan, China and Dubai. “We do a lot of high-end projects in Canada and overseas in many countries,” Khalilnia says. “We do everything. The client does not need to go anywhere else.”

Starting with a f loor plan, the studio’s designers meticulously plan every detail, sourcing unique pieces from suppliers throughout Europe and North America. “We offer many exclusive one-of-a-kind high-end furniture pieces,” Khalilnia says. Each one is hand-selected from around the world.

“Many of our lines are exclusive. You will not find them just anywhere,” she adds. “We spend a lot of time searching and sourcing that perfect piece.”

Khalilnia says the company tackles a home’s design from “A to Z.” “We plan entire rooms with furniture, lighting, curtains, rugs, wall art,” she says.

“Our design services are complimentary when you choose to work with us and purchase all your furniture through us. It’s a rare and nice feature.

“We actually put 100 per cent of our effort into planning the design because word of mouth is very important to us.”

In fact, that reputation has been at the centre of Import Temptations’ story since Khalilnia launched her career. Her portfolio includes projects throughout Canada, the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Each one is a grand, epic tale with luxurious context and unrivalled resonance. •

Import Temptations 188 Bentworth Ave., Toronto www.import-temptations.com 416-256-3150

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BRANCHING OUT This leading North American producer of shower doors expands its product lines to the whole bathroom

BY CHERYL CORNACCHIA

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GLASS SHOWER ENCLOSURES have been a bathroom must-have for years, and their popularity shows no sign of abating. Glass doors and walls can be matched with an endless array of plumbing fixtures and accent tiles that can help a bathroom stand out. That potential for creative design is key to why Fleurco, a Montreal-based manufacturer, has grown into a leading North American brand.

Present in showrooms across Canada and the United States, Fleurco products include glass shower doors in a wide range of finishes, styles and sizes, including a new 86-inch-high door. The company uses Microtek, a glass protector that allows water to bead off the

doors and prevents water spots and calcium build-up. Kinetik gravity-free door rollers are another selling point of the brand.

This year, the hardware for the company’s door-rolling system is available in matte black in its Horizon, Skyline, Gemini and Apollo collections; it is a timely choice as black has been named one of the top trend colours in interior design for 2018.

Now, after more than 50 years in business, Fleurco is branching out. The company recently unveiled several new innovative lines, including vanities, lighted mirrors and accessories. It has also expanded its line of bathtubs, which were first introduced in 2011.

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“We’ve excelled at shower doors,” says Fleurco marketing manager Erin Brick. “Now we’re able to move on. The goal is to go from being a shower-door company to being a bathroom-product company.”

Fleurco’s all-white collection of bathtubs now counts 35 models. Made of Lucite, a durable acrylic, the tubs are popular because they maintain their bright, white colour, and can be molded into a variety of shapes. “Lucite edges can be made very sharp and clean,” says Brick. The Aria Crescent tub is shaped

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like a half-moon. The Bravura is fluted from its base and ends with angular edges. New this year is the Alto, a spa-like tub with gentle curved edges.

Shower doors remain the company’s main business, but Brick says early indications are good for market expansion. Two of its newest lines, Luna lighted mirrors and Luna vanities, have been especially well received.

Some Luna vanity models are available in both the standard 26-inch width as well as an 18-inch width.

“When we entered the vanity market, we thought we would try to offer small, designed, functional pieces,” says Brick, “what you might call New York or European style. They have been a huge success as have the mirrors.

They are really quite sharp.” •

Fleurco 1-800-993-0033 www.fleurco.com

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TRANSFORMED INTO A LIFESTYLE OASIS A long, narrow backyard in The Beaches gets a makeover to

become an alluring outdoor space

BY SUSAN KELLY PHOTOGRAPHY: JEFF MCNEILL (AFTER) AND MIRO SIMECEK (BEFORE)

THE RECHERCHÉ BEACHES AREA OF TORONTO is replete with quaint examples of early 20th century architecture. With its distinctive modern edge, the front facade of this recently built home stands out from those around it.

But this home has one thing in common with its neighbours: A backyard corseted by a very narrow lot, measuring a restrictive 25 feet wide by 110 long. Much of that area was taken up by a beautiful mature maple tree and patchy stretch of lawn, the latter of which proved problematic. “There is so little space between the houses, the owners had trouble getting a lawnmower through,” says Miro Simecek, owner of Royal Decks, a deck construction and landscaping company with several offices in the Toronto and southern Ontario areas.

And the couple who live there, professionals who love to entertain, had no outdoor elbow room for guests. The existing tiny and basic cedar-plank deck could accommodate a modest-sized barbecue and only one chair.

Simecek, who has been masterminding outdoor spaces for more then 13 years, drew up a plan that would extend the deck to the full width of the home. Making the most of the large sliding patio doors, he knew, would optimize the indoor-outdoor flow that is so important to homeowners these days. •

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DESIGN

His new plan made room for not only a dining table, but a small bar area as well. And it gives pride of place to the owners’ must-have: a hot tub. “Hot tubs are making a big comeback,” says Simecek. “We get 10 times more calls for them than we did four years ago.” It was placed near the door to make for a quick dash from indoors to take a warm plunge in cold weather. Slightly sunken, the tub was given a surround to enhance the spa-like look.

Since low-to-no maintenance was a priority for the homeowners, the deck is constructed of a PVC product by Azek. Not only on-trend, its warm grey colour harmonizes seamlessly with the home’s back facade. The light shade chosen will not become as heated when exposed to direct sun, Simecek says, nor will it show footprints or mud as much as a darker shade would. “But we did add a darker shade of the same material as an edging,” he says. “It added depth and visual interest to the design.”

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The couple wanted to make the most of available sunlight but still have some shade.

The designer devised a pergola-like structure made of wide, slightly rustic wood posts.

Spare and linear, it harmonizes with the home’s architecture. Along the top, discreet metal tracks accommodate a blue retractable awning that can be extended to shelter the deck from rain or full sunlight. Low-voltage and programmable lighting, including light fixtures affixed to the posts, help set the mood in the evening. •

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The homeowners have no use for a lawnmower now, as paving stones run from the deck to the back fence. To create a seamless visual flow from the deck, Simecek chose soft grey concrete pavers from Permacon’s Melville collection. “We kept a very linear look,” he says, “with flat, plain slabs arranged in an uncomplicated layout, in keeping with the contemporary look.”

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A gas firepit was also installed, perfectly situated to create a conversation area.

Flanking it, two long and narrow flower beds accommodate some easy-care greenery. A Japanese maple tree was also planted along the rear wall.

Although it was still in good condition, the homeowners considered the original high wood fencing a glaring eyesore. Simecek’s simple solution: paint it to harmonize with the rest of the earth-toned palette.

“Because of the way we designed it and the materials used, the owners need not do anything to the rest of this backyard for many, many years,” he says. •

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DESIGN VANCOUVER KITCHENS 2017

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INDUSTRIOUSLY REDESIGNING THE BATHROOM

Italian manufacturer Scavolini creates bathrooms with an industrial look

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN HAS BEEN MAKING inroads since people began converting former manufacturing spaces into residential lofts. So it was a matter of time before non-loft dwellers would want that creative look in their own homes.

A new industrial look has made its way to the bathroom and you needn’t live in a loft to add its beauty to your own space.

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Sc avol i n i, the It a l ia n k itchen a nd bathroom products designer and manufacturer, makes stylish use of metals and open-concept shelving units. The company that made a name for itself with kitchens is now focused on bringing a modern vibe to the bathroom.

DESIGN TORONTO SPRING 2018

Designed by Diesel Living, the bathroom that Scavolini has introduced is called the Diesel Open Workshop line, a new collection that introduces a warm yet distinctive industrial look to an intimate space within the home.

The collection incorporates such metallic structures as tubular towel racks, floor-standing screens and mirrored panels, to set the tone. The industrial design is further developed with the use of modular shelving systems, which provide for the insertion of shelves and open-fronted compartments of varying sizes.

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The line also includes new built-in washbasins with marble finishes, smoky glass fronts and custom-designed faucets with iron supports.

A nd not to be overlooked a re the open-fronted bath structures that come with metal legs, a cover and a coordinating lacquered shelf.

But what would a bathroom be without mirrors? This is where the new Diesel line reflects the softer side of the industrial look. The distinguished copper-effect Stopsol mirror panels are perhaps the best example. These panels create a backdrop to the bathroom cabinet or industrial-styled open-shelf vanities.

The Diesel Open Workshop line is available in three distinct configurations, each with its unique combination of stone, metal and colours.

Modern and distinct, sleek yet soft. These bathrooms are part of Scavolini’s industrial evolution. •

Scavolini www.scavolini.design www.scavolinitoronto.com

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ONE-STOP SHOP

A Burlington company offers all the services needed to renovate kitchens, bathrooms, homes

BY JULIE GEDEON

COLOUR IS MAKING a strong statement in kitchens as homeowners opt for muted but warm shades in cabinetry, with navy, woodsy grey and even black for contrasts in islands.

“Statement backsplashes are big now, too,” says Darlene Shaw, a senior designer and showroom manager at Concept Kitchen and Bath in Burlington. “Moroccan influences are especially popular.”

Shaw is constantly on the lookout for upcoming trends to keep Concept’s showroom a step ahead, as well as ways to personalize those new looks. “Being a good designer is like being an artist,” she says. “It’s in your blood – you’re passionate about creating something truly unique every time.”

The company offers design consultations, installation, and an expansive showroom.

“We can take clients from start to finish,” Shaw says. “I’m currently updating an entire bungalow. There’s no project that’s too big or small; they’re all special.”

An interior designer with 19 years of experience, Shaw joined Concept Kitchen and Bath two years ago because the company was already installing her projects. “Concept hires only licensed tradespeople and obtains all of the necessary permits to make renovations flow seamlessly,” she says. “The installations come with a five-year warranty that you won’t easily find elsewhere.”

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The company is owned by Timothy Hanco and his son, Dustin. “Tim has extensive construction knowledge from his restoration work, while Dustin has an architectural background and brings young, progressive ideas,” Shaw says.

The showroom reflects the innovative designs that Dustin and the Concept designers observe at trade shows in Milan, New York and elsewhere.

Being in the business, the Hancos recognized the advantages of having products on

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hand. “We can help clients to pick out faucets, cabinets, tiles and lighting on the spot,” Shaw says. “We have four designers working directly in the showroom and they provide their expertise as part of our retail service as well.”

For Shaw and the other designers who oversee projects, it’s essential to make clients happy regardless of the renovation’s budget.

“That’s why Concept assigns a project manager, designer and an experienced group of tradespeople to every renovation it undertakes,” Shaw says.

Concept also teams up with companies that specialize in specific product lines to provide homeowners with all the necessary services. “For example, other cabinet suppliers refer their clients to us to complete their projects. We supply the tiles, plumbing products, and labour, if necessary, to take the project to completion,” she says.

The showroom is currently being renovated to provide a larger design centre in which clients can consult with the award-winning design team. The space features vignettes with bathroom and kitchen displays to inspire visitors. “We want to show our clients what will happen next while reflecting on current design styles,” Shaw says. •

Concept Kitchen and Bath 1515 N. Service Rd., Burlington 905-335-0808 www.conceptkandb.com

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LIFESTYLE

SPRING INTO A TIDY HOME Decluttering and organizing rooms is a joyful rite of the spring season

BY SUSAN KELLY

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Photo courtesy of The Tidy Moose

LIFESTYLE TORONTO SPRING 2018

SPRINGTIME: the return of an instinctual, almost visceral, need to clear out and clean up. Beyond a quick refresh, a seasonal decluttering can have far-reaching benefits, say professional organizers.

Business booms in the spring months for Anne Deliyannides and Debbie Bailey, coowners of Free From Clutter in Vancouver, hinting that the urge to get organized may be a universal one. “By April, sunny weather has returned, and people begin to think about new life. There’s a sense of rebirth and renewal,” says Deliyannides. This prompts us to want out with the old, as in detritus from living indoors during the winter months, and in with the new. •

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Photos courtesy of The Tidy Moose

LIFESTYLE

Clients report feeling lighter and freer after a good clearout, she says. This is especially true if they have been living with chaos. And there can be financial benefits to reorganizing a garage or closet. One client found a Coach purse that had been lost for a year. Almost all clients turn up unused gift cards or duplicate items that later might be sold.

The easy part is putting away winter clothing, tires, and sports gear. When it comes to resistant clutter, the problem is usually all in the family, the pair finds. “An aging population means more people who are downsizing,” Deliyannides says. “They’re giving away their stuff to their kids – who don’t want it.”

It’s not that they want to disrespect the older generation; it’s just that they live a different lifestyle. Hardest to place are such heirlooms as an ornately carved silver epergne

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or a collection of Hummel figurines. With Vancouverites today tending to embrace a more contemporary aesthetic, such antiques look jarringly out of place.

For many people, it’s a case of having no room in the condo or small home to accommodate such items. Bailey, whose background includes a degree in psychology, often finds herself helping people overcome guilt. She suggests they keep memory boxes, small containers with a few select mementos of the family member, rather than, say, the full set of antique china they’ll never use.

“Grandma really wants you to be happy,” she says. “So sell it and use the money to take the kids to Disney World or top up their education funds.”

Learning to value our stuff can pay off in more meaningful ways, according to Ivanka

Siolkowsky, owner of The Tidy Moose in Toronto. “Clutter holds us back from being our best selves,” she says. “Getting organized requires a shift of focus: placing less value on things and more on a higher quality of life.”

This is the philosophy behind the growing trend toward minimalistic, less consumption-driven living. Siolkowsky learned at the feet of a master, Marie Kondo, author of the bestselling The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. The book teaches that the key to a sustainable clutter-free existence is to focus less on what to get rid of and more on surrounding yourself only with things that bring joy. Easy in theory, but more difficult in practice, which is where the select few consultants who, like Siolkowsky, are certified in the method, come in.

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Photos courtesy of The Tidy Moose

LIFESTYLE TORONTO SPRING 2018

Siolkowsky – organizer and former emotional shopper – sympathizes with clients who have things that hang in the closet for years.

Well aware that difficult feelings can emerge during decluttering, she helps them focus positively on that which they really use and love.

Traditional organizing methods tackle clutter by problem area, such as a closet.

The Kondo method teaches to approach by categories instead. “Clothes are the big one,”

Siolkowsky says, “and we begin by gathering every item from every room.” The second biggest problem category she identifies is books and papers.

But can clearing some clutter really be life-changing? Siolkowsky has seen some dramatic transformations. One client had a house that was “full of stuff and a very tense place to be.” After some instruction in the method, the client reported that things were

better in her marriage and her children were taking accountability for their belongings.

Gone was the need to shout or nag, and the constant tripping over or misplacing of things. “We have a system now and it’s made a drastic difference in the mood of the home,” the client reported. •

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Not everyone is ready or willing to pare their belongings down to the minimum. No matter how little or much stuff you choose to have, you need some place to put it, says Daniel Wilkinson, co-owner of Simply Closets of Toronto, which provides custom storage solutions. “There’s an emotional benefit to having a closet that is as beautiful as the rest of your home,” he says. “And well-designed storage also allows you to use space more efficiently.”

Greater attention is being paid to what goes on behind closed doors, he finds. There is a big move toward custom closet interiors that have a style on par with that in the rest of the home. If the star of the master bath is a contemporary high-gloss charcoal vanity, say, then the same look is carried over into the adjacent walk-in closet.

It also helps to think outside the closet to maximize space, Wilkinson says. Reserve the space inside it for things that need vertical

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room, such as dresses and coats. For anything that fits in a drawer, consider built-in cabinets on each side of the bed that can double as stylish night tables. Space under windows or odd nooks can also be used.

Within the closet, use gadgets judiciously to help reduce clutter that is both visual and actual. That tangle of belts and ties in one corner? Incorporate special racks for each category that slide out and then tuck discreetly away. If laundry winds up underfoot, built-in bins that tip out and then fold away solve the problem. And then there is the personal valet, an apparatus that swings out to accommodate scarves, keys, umbrella, dry cleaning, or anything else you aren’t quite ready to put away.

“It’s not so much out of sight, out of mind as out of sight bringing peace of mind,” Wilkinson says. •

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DECLUTTERING TIP SHEET Throw away the rule book if you want to get organized, says professional organizer Gayle Fransham, owner of Orderesque in Montreal. Over two decades of plying her trade, she has learned that what works for one person won’t for the other. “Take the one about ‘if you haven’t used it for a year, get rid of it,’ ” she says. “Just because I didn’t use my camping gear last year, doesn’t mean I won’t ever again.”

It’s important to understand your lifestyle and needs.

But one thing is for certain: You must have a plan. Here are Fransham’s best tips, adapted from her client handout, for a successful clutter-clearing operation.

Photos courtesy of Simply Closets

Prepare to act: Write down the scope of the project along with the tasks and steps required to get it done. Some people like to tackle the tough jobs first, others the small ones. Stock the refrigerator or have take-out menus on hand. Once you’re on a roll you won’t want to stop to prepare a meal.

Set up a sorting area: This is where you’ll put clearly marked boxes for the things you’ve separated. Divide the items into categories: donate, give to family and friends, sell online or at a garage sale, return, throw out, or recycle.

Target storage solutions: Clean the area and assess available shelf, hanging, and bin space. Determine whether you need such new solutions as built-in cabinetry. Hold off buying storage containers and gadgets until you’re sure how much stuff is going back and how you want it stored.

Take time with this final step and enjoy it because, once rid of items that are cluttering your life, you’ll probably find the actual organizing to be easy and fun.

“You can learn so much about yourself during the purging process,” says Fransham. “When you finally let go, there is a lightness, a sense of emotional freedom.”

Choose your charities: To make the process more meaningful, go with one that is close to your heart, and set a time for it to pick up your donation. That way, you’ll be strongly motivated to meet your personal deadline. If none of your choices provides pickup service, commit to dropping the items off on the planned date and ask someone for help if need be (there are options, such as hiring a student, to help with tasks such as this).

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THE NEW LOOK OF LAMINATE A product that was pioneered a century ago gets new designs, compositions and uses

BY BRENDA O’FARRELL

IN THE WORLD OF INTERIOR DESIGN, there are few things – let alone styles – from the 1970s that we revisit these days. Shag carpets, harvest gold appliances, avocado-coloured powder room sinks, burnt-orange anything. The list goes on; just Google it. Retro from that decade can be overrated.

But there is perhaps one thing from this best-to-forget era that has come a long way: the product known as Formica. Yes, that beigy-brown countertop laminate made popular in the 1970s is not so much back, but rather it has re-emerged, with many new looks, and in new places.

Think fireplace surrounds, walls, panelling, desk surfaces, entrances, kitchen cabinetry. If you have a vertical or horizontal surface, you may want to consider Formica.

Just ask Christelle Locat-Rainville. She is the national marketing manager for Formica Group, the company producing the laminate that was created more than a century ago.

Company headquarters in St-Jean-surRichelieu, Quebec manufactures a vast array of laminate products, including the new spring line: 11 new designs in the Living Impressions collection.

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Among the new line are four 180-FX products. These new products don’t belong in your grandmother’s kitchen.

They include Quartzite Bianco, an elegant stone-like surface that features a white background with dark veined detailing that can cover a wall in a bathroom to give the space a rich, stately finish.

“We’re talking about new, impressive designs,” Locat-Rainville explains.

Also in the new 180-FX line this spring is Formica Group’s first man-made quartz composite, which is engineered from a mix of concrete and recycled glass. With its true-toscale pattern, it makes any surface look like stone for a fraction of the cost.

Stormy Night Granite is also in the 2018 product lineup. This dark grey stone-finished look can be used to create a feature wall in a living room or den that is simply stunning.

Using Formica in innovative applications and settings – such as in entrances, on feature walls, and in kitchen cabinetry – is gaining traction with homeowners. “Every time we do research, all the people say they are impressed with laminate,” Locat-Rainville says. After seeing what the new designs look like and

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how they are being used, “everyone leaves the room with a new opinion of laminate,” she adds.

Locat-Rainville says the true magic is found when homeowners take the time to discover the new ways Formica is being used in all rooms of the house, including, for example, both on the exterior and interior of kitchen cabinets. She says installing one of their Writable Surfaces inside a cabinet offers family members the ability to keep and update grocery lists, leave notes to one

another, and post general reminders in a fun, functional, and easily-wiped-clean fashion.

Putting this type of surface within a frame at an entrance is another idea that busy families have come to appreciate. Whatever the location, function and style combine in one convenient product. •

Formica www.formica.com/en/ca 1-800-FORMICA (367-6422)

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MODERN ITALIAN KITCHENS CUSTOMIZED FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE

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SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT After a fire guts a traditional Forest Hill home, it is rebuilt in a warm contemporary style

BY KAREN SEIDMAN PHOTOGRAPHY: LESLIE GOODWIN STYLING: JASON FORBES

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THIS EXQUISITE MODERN HOME was born out of tragedy after a fire destroyed much of the interior of the traditional Tudor-style structure.

While the facade of the house was salvaged, much of the interior was burned and the family of four who lived there found themselves working with a clean slate.

For the wife, this signaled a time to make big changes. She wanted to transform their traditional Forest Hill home into a contemporary-style sanctuary. The husband, however, wanted to maintain the time-honored look of the classic home.

For designer Jason Forbes of Jason Forbes Design in Toronto, this disparity was a

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challenge. “Getting the husband on board with the modern look the wife wanted was really the biggest challenge of the project,” he says. “It was completely outside his comfort zone, yet she was 100 per cent for it, ready to go the whole distance to create an open-concept modern space.”

Rather than tr ying to reconcile the differing tastes or ease the husband into it with small contemporary accents, Forbes went ahead full throttle with what the wife clearly wanted. “But he did get an office that was more traditional,” the designer says of the husband.

A Lupe Rodriguez painting brings all the colour necessary to the main living room, says designer Jason Forbes, and it complements the neutral tones of the space. (Opposite) The Knoll Womb Chair provides a comfortable, cozy spot in the master bedroom.

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As he explored design options with the couple, Forbes started to realize that the husband was most concerned about having texture and warmth in his home. The designer knew that could easily be achieved while satisfying the wife’s desire for a fresh, up-to-date look.

Reproducing the same leaded windows that had existed prior to the fire helped balance the modern lines; they provide an attractive contrast to the slick, neutral look of the main living spaces.

In the master bedroom, Forbes used a grasscloth wallpaper to create texture and warmth, offsetting the modern bed and nightstands. It’s a far cry from the four-poster iron bed the homeowners had previously had.

Highlighting the modern look throughout are the natural oak wood floors. They underscore the airy feeling of the house and are “soft on the feet” as an added bonus. •

The homeowners went from a traditional four-poster bed to this modern look in the master bedroom. Designer Jason Forbes brought warmth and texture into the room with the grasscloth wallpaper, dark wood and plum accents.

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The couple’s two boys were asked their favourite colours, and that became the jumping-off point for the design of their bedrooms. “They wanted a modern look but we needed to keep it family-friendly at the same time,” says Forbes.

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For Forbes, one of the showpiece rooms of the project is the dining room, with the magnificent Roche Bobois table and the Ligne Roset chairs sitting under a magnificent chandelier “that sparkles like stars when it lights up.”

There were other challenges involved in creating the open, modern concept. The family has two young boys, so the designer had to make the home family-friendly, a struggle when working with the hard edges and open spaces of a modern home. “They still needed storage and cozy spaces to meet their needs as a family,” says Forbes.

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In the den, the minimal look meant no coffee table, but he incorporated storage space into a wall unit, and a shaggy ottoman is a favourite of the boys, aged five and eight, while they play video games. In the master bedroom, a Womb Chair – designed by Eero Saarinen to provide a place for furniture designer Florence Knoll to curl up in – offers a modern oasis of calm and is where the parents read to their children every night.

And while the original kitchen plan didn’t include a table, Forbes knew a family with young children would need an eat-in kitchen, so he created a table that cascades down from the island. •

Although the kitchen is open-concept and every room on the main level can be seen from it, there is still plenty of storage space and the straight lines of the room are toned down by the intricate Calligaris chairs.

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The camera painting by artist William Fisk “makes the family room more fluid,” says designer Jason Forbes. One of the challenges was to provide ample storage while maintaining the clean lines of the contemporary-style redesign. Navy accents and a fuzzy ottoman provide the coziness.

One defining element of the job was incorporating some of the family’s artwork into the home. Although much of the collection had been destroyed in the fire, a bright scene brought all the colour necessary to the living room and a cool painting of a camera became a defining piece in the family room. “I had beautiful pieces to work with,” Forbes says.

In general, he adds, he believes in strong colour as an accent in an otherwise neutral

room. “You can inject colour with just a few accents and the room will read as that colour,” he says.

In the end, the husband loved the results and the house reflects a growing trend toward modern style and away from traditional.

“Traditional is taking a hit because modern looks really good the way it is being done today,” says Forbes. “It’s not that cheesy chrome modern. It’s warm and elegant.” •

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DESIGN

THE BIG NEWS ABOUT SMALL SPACES

The right storage installations can make the most of modestly proportioned homes

BY CHERYL CORNACCHIA

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MAKING SMALL SPACES WORK big has become increasingly important as real-estate prices per square foot have risen in recent years.

In Toronto’s downtown condo market, customized closets and shelving, partition walls, privacy screens and space dividers are often the answer.

Having guests for dinner? Just slide the frosted-glass bedroom wall partition aside; now you have a spacious loft with an open plan. Nowhere to put all those shoes in that tiny closet? Go vertical with a shoe tower for two-dozen pairs.

As the use of space has evolved, Toronto-based Komandor Closets has seen its business grow threefold over the past eight years. The company manufactures and sells customized shelving and storage systems for

walk-in closets, kitchens, home offices and other household spaces. And since Komandor is the result of a Canadian-European partnership, it has brought to Canada some European know-how in the efficient use of small spaces.

“In the past 10 or so years, the Canadian market has done a shift,” says Lucian Ezman, a partner at Komandor Canada. “People are living differently. Condo spaces keep getting smaller and smaller and people are trying to utilize 3D space.”

Ten to 15 years ago, says Ezman, the aesthetic that defined high-end was quality cabinetry in fine woods with crown and fluted moldings. Today, he says, a high-end home is just as often defined by functional design and the use of new materials - a trend evident in Europe for some time since forestry products

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are less available there. Among the new materials now available: coloured plastics; acrylic laminates; frosted and painted glass; such synthetics as Thermofoil, a shrink-like wrap that gives MDF a hard finish; and anodized aluminum, which is treated electro-chemically to become more decorative and stain-resistant.

Orto, Komandor’s brand of customized shelving systems, and Proform, the company’s brand of customized panelling systems, incorporate all of these new materials, and both brands have been well received by discerning Canadian clients. No one accepted these materials until they saw they were being used in $100,000 kitchens in Milan, says Ezman.

“You’ve heard of the Porsche kitchen,” he adds, citing the high-end modern design. It’s all good, he adds. “Many of our customers

start with a closet organizer and a couple of doors, a $1,000-to-$2,000 expenditure.”

But before long, he says, they find that their space is more user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing, and they want more. •

Komandor Closets 863 Rangeview Rd., Mississauga 416-251-1880 ~ 905-766-0880 www.komandor.ca

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BUYERS’ GUIDE

SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE LED Union Lighting & Furnishings www.unionlightingandfurnishings.com 416-652-2200

THE JEWEL IN THE TOWN Linda Mazur Design Group www.lindamazurdesign.com 905-853-5544

POSITIVELY PALM SPRINGS Izen Architecture www.izenarch.ca 647-680-8896

A PASSION FOR SUPERIOR DESIGN Canaroma Bath & Tile www.canaroma.com 905-856-7979

Rothcon Fine Homes www.rothconfinehomes.com 416-485-2099

FROM START TO FINISH Import Temptations www.import-temptations.com 416-256-3150

TRANSFORMED INTO A LIFESTYLE OASIS Royal Decks www.royaldecks.ca 905-901-3560 ONE-STOP SHOP Concept Kitchen and Bath www.conceptkandb.com 905-335-0808 THE BIG NEWS ABOUT SMALL SPACES Komandor Closets www.komandor.ca 416-251-1880 ~ 905-766-0880 THE MOZART OF MISSONI, THE COLOUR OF CONGREVE Maison & Objet Paris www.maison-objet.com/en/paris SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT Jason Forbes Design www.jasonforbesdesign.com 647-638-1032 RAVINE RETREAT Soda Pop Design www.sodapopdesign.ca 416-648-4870

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BRANCHING OUT Fleurco www.fleurco.com 1-800-993-0033 THE NEW LOOK OF LAMINATE Formica www.formica.com/en/ca 1-800-FORMICA (367-6422) INDUSTRIOUSLY REDESIGNING THE BATHROOM Scavolini www.scavolinitoronto.com 416-961-2929 FINDING NEW LIFE AND SOLACE IN ART Maryse Chartrand, Artist www.marysec.com 514-775-2727 SPRING INTO A TIDY HOME Orderesque g.fransham@sympatico.ca 514-592-5939 The Tidy Moose www.tidymoose.com 647-982-8439

Simply Closets www.simplyclosets.ca 416-385-8855 Free From Clutter www.freefromclutter.ca 604-725-9353 TO INFINITY AND BEYOND Paramount Group www.groupeparamount.ca 514-683-6644 Earth Inc. www.earthinc.com 416-216-0378 Van de Poll Garden Design www.vandepollgardens.com 604-476-1907 TO YOUR HEALTH! Bolt Fresh Bar www.boltfreshbar.com 416- 588-8103 Greenhouse Juice Co. www.greenhousejuice.com The Juice Truck www.thejuicetruck.ca 604-619-4176 Just Pressed www.jpressed.com 514-815-2244 InBalance www.infoodsinc.com/in-balance

We’ve all asked that question before at some point when walking by a street kid. Why can’t they just get off the street? Why can’t they grow up and take some responsibility by going to school and getting a job? Well, imagine being that street kid for a second. Getting a life is not a simple snap of the fingers. It isn’t easy to just get a job or an education. And they can’t always just go home. For street kids, every day is survival. Their life is based on simply getting through it. Finding food and shelter is their job, and even overcoming that doesn’t put them in any kind of position to find stability in their lives. Getting off the street is just the beginning. So let’s start from the beginning. We’ll call this kid Steve. Steve’s day starts at sunrise in a public park. The sun hits him dead in the eye and he wakes up shivering. Steve springs up from the bench that he slept on to make sure his stuff is still under it. It’s almost nothing, a backpack with a couple of sweaters and a thermos in it, but two nights ago he almost got beat up for it. He was walking through a different park across town when three guys sitting on a bench asked him if he had a cigarette. Steve ignored them and kept walking, but he knew they weren’t through with him yet. After verbally harassing him, they stood up and moved to surround Steve. He began to shake with fear. Steve told them again that he didn’t have anything, but they didn’t care anymore. They weren’t going to leave without something. They began to step closer to Steve. And closer. One pulled out a knife from his back pocket. Just as another guy tried to grab Steve’s backpack, Steve darted through an opening just out of their reach. They chased him for a few steps, but Steve was already far away, his backpack still in his possession. This morning, Steve’s exhausted and he needs to get out of the wind. He picks up his backpack and spends the next two hours looking for an alleyway. Hopefully he can find one that’s quiet, and, if possible, has boxes or newspapers that he can use to protect himself from the biting chill. Steve scours the alleyways in his area and finally settles on one. It seems perfect and he can’t remember why he doesn’t sleep there more often. He finds a spot, puts his head down and begins to doze off. The sounds of the city fade. He falls asleep. He dreams. In this fleeting moment, everything is OK. He’s in his old home, in a warm bed, everyone’s calm and there’s breakfast waiting for him when he decides to – “Get up, kid,” says the police officer standing over Steve. Steve opens his eyes as the officer informs him that he needs to clear out immediately. Steve rubs his eyes. Now he remembers the problem with this alleyway. He stands, picks up his things and starts his day again. Steve can’t stop thinking about his dream. But that’s all it was. Nothing like his actual life at home. He can still feel the pain from his father’s fists. Hear his mother’s screams. Things had been getting worse and worse at home since his father lost his job. It all started when his father came home drunk from the bar one night.

Steve remembers the red mark on his mother’s face the next morning and refusing to believe what was unfolding around him. But that refusal only made things worse, because Steve could never convince his father that he needed help. So it continued, one incident after another until one night, it wasn’t just Steve’s mother that was on the receiving end of it. It was him. His mother screamed louder when Steve was being beaten than when she was, and those are the sounds that haunt Steve every single day. The bruises are gone now, but the mental scarring never will be. Steve manages to snap back into reality, but reality isn’t any better. Steve has not only had very little sleep in the past couple days, but also very little food. He really doesn’t feel like rummaging through a garbage can this morning. That means it’s time to go onto the street and beg for change. He’ll never get used to doing this, but he’s had to learn fast. Having to decide which street corner to sit on and beg strangers for change isn’t something he ever envisioned doing. He decides on a busy corner downtown and begins the hike in that direction. He hopes that the long walk is worth the extra money he’ll receive for being in a busier area. At least it isn’t winter yet. The very thought of spending all winter on the street sends chills down Steve’s spine. He’s felt a Canadian winter before. He can’t still be out here by then…can he? When Steve finally arrives, he sits down on the street corner and takes off his toque. He eyes the people walking by and begins to beg. “Change please?” is what he usually says, but today he’s a little more desperate.

He’s painfully hungry and it shows in the anguish in his voice. Steve always tries his best to not worry about what other people are thinking, but it’s hard. He can see the way they look at him. People are either scared of him, disgusted by him or they ignore him altogether. He’s not sure which one is worse, but sometimes it feels like everyone hates him for one reason or another. Today, one person in particular is very aggressive when Steve asks him for change. He tells him that he’s a loser and that he should get a job. After a few hours and thousands of passersby later, Steve has $7.24, just enough for a burger combo. After waiting for a few moments, Steve slowly picks up the change in his toque. He stares at it, scared of what he might do with it. It takes him all the strength he has to not use the money for something else. Two weeks ago, someone else on the street started giving him free “samples.” When you’re in a dark enough place, sometimes you’ll do whatever people tell you will make you feel better. It doesn’t matter who that person is. It doesn’t matter if deep down you know that what they’re offering isn’t a way out at all, but another anchor to keep you drowning. On these dark days, hope is replaced by distraction. Steve is constantly tempted to just let go and get away, but today he somehow fights that temptation off. He gets up and makes his way towards the restaurant. When he gets to the front of the line, Steve dumps the change on the counter before ordering. The annoyed cashier counts it as the people in line behind start to get restless. Steve tries to recall the last time he didn’t have to pay for something in change, but can’t. It’s always embarrassing, especially when the line is as long as this. He asks the cashier if she can unlock the bathroom for him and she hesitates. Steve is rarely allowed to use a public bathroom, even as a paying customer. But today, the cashier doesn’t want to keep the other customers waiting so she unlocks the door. Steve splashes water onto his dirty face inside the bathroom. He studies his reflection in the mirror. How long can he keep doing this for? When will this nightmare end? No kid should have to live like this. As he rinses, he begins to daydream. He thinks about the feeling of having a nice, long shower in a real bathroom. He steps out onto the cool floor and dries himself off with a soft, fresh towel. Steve is snapped out of his daydream by the sound of a knock. He opens the door to find the manager. He has to leave now. Steve puts his head down, grabs his food and heads outside. Later, with his hunger temporarily gone, Steve is back in his only home – the street. Back where he has no hope. There have been days when the shame has been too much, when Steve tried to find a way out. Steve recalls a time a few months earlier when he first started living on the street. He had woken up with a sense of hope that day he never felt before. He had slept in an abandoned warehouse another guy told him about and managed to split some breakfast with someone else staying there. That day, Steve was allowed to have something on his mind besides finding food, finding somewhere to sleep and trying not to get mugged. So, he wanted to do what so many strangers have told him to do before – get a job. Steve was walking down the street when he noticed a convenience store with a “Help Wanted” sign in front of it. Steve took a deep breath and walked into the store. He went straight to the cashier at the front and asked about the sign. But all he got back were insults. The owner told Steve that he sees him on the streets every day. He told him his clothes were a mess. That he must have been insane to think anyone would hire a stupid, lazy homeless kid. Steve slunk out and glanced back behind him at the “Help Wanted” sign. This had happened before. He didn’t understand why no one would give him a chance. He doubted himself to the point where he began to wonder if he would even be able to trust the person who did. That was the day that Steve realized that the hill he had to climb was actually a mountain. Steve hears a car’s honk that snaps him back to an all too familiar reality. He’s out of money again. He has no place to go. He feels physically and mentally beaten. And soon it will be nightfall. Soon he’ll be back at the bottom of the mountain once again. This is just a glimpse into Steve’s struggle and the struggle that so many homeless youth face. There is no living, only surviving. And when you’re trying to survive on the street, every little thing is an obstacle.

Every time you beg for change, every time you go to the bathroom, every time you want to sleep, eat or drink – nothing comes easy. For many kids like Steve who want a way out, the struggle to meet basic needs is only the beginning. The coming days, weeks and months provide hurdles even harder to overcome.

The physical pain may lessen in leaving the street behind but the mental anguish is constant when trying to forge a new life. Getting an education, applying for a job, admitting that you need counselling – these are hard for anyone. When you have to do all these things from scratch, the frustration can mount as fast as the confidence can fade. From learning how to stay warm in that first winter on the street, to the first day back at school, from deciding whether to steal food or pass out from hunger, to deciding where to get a shirt to wear for that first job interview, there are endless obstacles for homeless youth.

It’s also why we exist.

Please visit CovenantHouseToronto.ca to donate.

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IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

Haul the garden chairs out of the garage and fire up the barbecue. It’s time to move life outdoors for the summer. In our upcoming Summer issue, we lead you down the garden path, so to speak, to show you the latest in furnishings for your outdoor oasis. What’s more, we’ll show you some of the best-designed landscapes in the city. On sale in May.

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THE SPRING ISSUE

CLASSIC IN A NEW COMPOSITION Timeless Elegance in Kitchen Interior Design

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