Home In Canada - Toronto - Spring 2020

TORONTO

Sharon Azrieli presents

CANADIAN BY DESIGN

SPRING

R I TA

BRIANSKY ARTIST

ISSUE

SPRING CLEAN-UP

Organize your home

MUSKOKA MAGIC

PEACEFUL SLUMBER

A rustic lakeside retreat

Serene children’s bedrooms

HANDMADE HOTELS

PATIO PERFECTION

Unique short-term rentals $6.95

A designer’s own garden terrace

FERMENTED FOODS

BIOPHILIC DESIGN

SMALL-SPACE STORAGE

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IMPORT TEMPTATIONS 188 Bentworth Ave. Toronto, Ontario, Canada 416-256-3150 sales@import-temptations.com

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

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Gentle readers, welcome, For this issue, I had the pleasure and honour of interviewing Rita Briansky, a renowned and award-winning Canadian artist, whose work is in many collections nationwide.

We met in her Montreal apartment, where some of her paintings are displayed and where she continues to produce beautiful, uplifting and inspiring works in her studio.

This gifted artist, who will celebrate her 95th birthday this summer, cannot be pigeonholed. Her themes and the styles of her paintings are many and varied. She explained that she has a broad spectrum of interests, and they’re all reflected in the art that she creates.

The Rita Briansky painting that hangs in my living room is a large tableau depicting the seaside, full of my favourite blues, bathed in sun, with happy bathers and striped sun parasols. Its colours are intense and yet its energy is restful. You feel like you are joining the bathers on the beach; you can feel the heat.

However, the paintings that Rita created after returning from a deeply disturbing and emotional trip in 1995 to Poland – the country of her birth – depict the tragedy and horror of the Holocaust. The people depicted in her series of “Kaddish” paintings, (named after the Jewish Prayer for the Dead), are her relatives who were murdered in concentration camps. Those paintings are deeply poignant and moving; they honour those individuals and all who suffered and died during that barbaric period of history.

All of Rita Briansky’s work is infused with profound emotion – be it joy or sadness – and the viewer is drawn into each painting to feel exactly what she intended to convey.

She has that rare gift of finding humanity in everything and letting us experience it, too. She struggled to become an artist, coming to Canada at the start of the Depression, and she never complains.

She adores teaching and has been an inspiration to generations of Montreal painters. I know that you will be as entranced by Rita Briansky’s story and her art as I am. Enjoy the story on page 26!

DR. SHARON AZRIELI Publisher

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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THAT GLORIOUS WEEK in the spring when the f irst crocuses and snowdrops push through the soil is always one of my favourite times of the year. After spending the winter months indoors, I derive deep joy from watching the garden reappear. And the thrill doesn’t stop with crocuses. As successive waves of new growth push through, I feel as if I am seeing my garden afresh, through new eyes …. again.

However, with great joy comes hard work.

The garden needs to be raked, pruned and prepped for the growing season ahead. The indoors, too, needs to be spruced up. The annual rite of spring cleaning allows us to slough off the metaphorical cobwebs of winter and move into the summer months with a sense of renewal.

If a purge and scrub-up is part of your spring ritual, you’ll want to read Julie Gedeon’s feature about how to declutter and organize your home. Julie interviewed several experts in home organization who perform these tasks for their clients. Their advice will help you get started on that cluttered closet, kitchen cabinet, basement, garage, shed or any other space that needs to be streamlined.

Read about it on page 116.

Also in this issue, we lead you down the garden path. Designer Lisa Aiken, whose projects have appeared in previous issues, welcomes us into her own lovely Toronto garden.

It’s not large, but Lisa has beautified every square inch of her terracotta patio, and she has the swashbuckling acumen to change up the potted plants every year. A new growing season represents a new horticultural theme in Lisa’s garden. Read Cheryl Cornacchia’s profile on page 72.

If you’re a parent who is in home-improvement mode this spring or expecting a baby, you’ll want to read Susan Semenak’s story about children’s bedrooms and nurseries.

Designers are eschewing fluorescent-crayon colours in children’s rooms these days in favour of calming environments that are conducive to good sleep at night and fun play during the day. Susan’s story is on page 48.

And finally, I send a shout-out to designers whose kitchens were profiled in our recent Kitchen and Bath Trends issue. They won awards from the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), which recognizes design excellence.

Congratulations to Thomas Tampold and Viktoriya Dacosta of Yorkville Design Centre, who won two awards. Congratulations to Svetlana Tryaskina of Estee Design for her award.

STEPHANIE WHITTAKER Editor-in-Chief stephanie@homeincanadamagazine.ca There are several ways you can stay in touch with us: @homeincanada @athomeincanada @HomeInCanadaMag

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CONTRIBUTORS

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DENIS PALISAITIS Montreal stylist and scout Denise Palisaitis has been interested in design from an early age. Denise studied at the New England School of Art and Design in Boston before arriving in Montreal in the mid-1990s. Always on the hunt for interesting homes to be featured, she says she was fascinated by the home of artist Susan G. Scott and her husband, set designer François Séguin.

“There is something particularly moving about visiting the home of artists,” she says. “Observing their art in such a personal setting permits an intimate look at their imaginations and inspiration.”

JULIE GEDEON Seasoned writer and editor Julie Gedeon had to chuckle at the irony of being assigned a story on spring cleaning because whipping her own home into proper shape had been weighing heavily on her mind after a hectic winter. “You write what you need,” she jokes. Kidding aside, though, the various tips Julie garnered from organizational experts helped to get her cupboards and closets spacious and spiffy again with a minimum of anxiety, time and effort.

SUSAN SEMENAK This issue marks the launch of a new column titled Kitchen Chronicles by Susan Semenak. Susan is a Montreal-based food writer, artist and author of the award-winning cookbooks Market Chronicles and Montreal l’hiver. Her column will explore a range of topics for cooks and eaters alike, sharing ideas for stocking the pantry, eating with the seasons, reducing food waste. Mostly, though, she wants you to have more fun in the kitchen. “My kitchen is where I am most myself. It is my escape, my workshop, my studio, my gathering spot,” she says. In her inaugural column, Susan demystifies fermentation.

KATIE HERBERT Katie Herbert bought her first house in the U.K. when she was 20 years old. She spruced it up, sold it a year later, and renovated additional homes while juggling a full-time corporate job with the BBC. In 2005, she moved to Canada with her husband. After having her son in 2012, Katie focused on what she loved most: home renovation. She has completed 16 full renovations, several rental units and various design projects. As the host of television series Handmade Hotels, Katie explores the world of short-term rentals. The show – Season 2 of which is currently airing on Makeful – is the perfect opportunity for her to tour interesting and unique spaces.

DREW HADLEY Drew Hadley is a Montreal-based photographer who specialises in interiors and architecture. For this issue, he turned his lens on an elegant home near Montreal that underwent a radical makeover and was entirely reimagined by designer Érik Maillé.

“It was a pleasure to see how a house in need of care can be completely transformed into an elegant family home,” Drew says. “The family had moved to the suburbs from the city, but were given a sophisticated urban design.”

Drew also photographed artist Rita Briansky, and the loft home of Susan G. Scott and François Séguin for this issue.

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Toronto Edition Volume 10, number 2; Spring 2020 Date of Issue: April, 2020 6100 TransCanada Highway Suite 100, Pointe-Claire Quebec H9R 1B9

Call 1-866-846-1640 www.athomeincanada.ca sales@homeincanadamagazine.ca info@homeincanadamagazine.ca

PUBLISHER Dr. Sharon Azrieli, CQ CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Stanley Kirsh EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stephanie Whittaker ART DIRECTOR Nader Meleika CONSULTING ART DIRECTOR Kelly Litzenberger EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Carmen Lefebvre ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT & ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Neve Foltz CONTRIBUTORS Cheryl Cornacchia Julie Gedeon Wendy Helfenbaum Katie Herbert Elisabeth Kalbfuss Susan Kelly Barbara Milner Phillipa Rispin Susan Schwartz Susan Semenak Nadine Thomson PHOTOGRAPHERS Larry Arnal Brandon Barré Azen and Kevin Bongard Drew Hadley Klassen Photography Lauren Miller Denise Palisaitis Colin Perry Eugenia Triandos STYLISTS Lisa Aiken Érik Maillé Ashley Montgomery Negar Reihani Loren Smarda Alykhan Velji

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Azrieli CONTROLLER Jenny Marques DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Artur Kozyra DIRECTOR OF SALES NATIONAL (ON LEAVE) Kelly Chicoine DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS - MARKETING & SALES Liliana DaCosta DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL SALES - ONTARIO Grant Wells For sales inquiries, please email Grant Wells, gwells@movatohome.com To subscribe, go to: www.athomeincanada.ca/ print-subscription LEGAL DEPOSIT 1927-324x Home In Canada Inc. 2019. All rights reserved. Any copying or reproduction of content without the written permission of Home In Canada is strictly prohibited. issn

CONTENTS

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40 ON THE COVER THEIR HAPPY PLACE

A family is inspired by the natural landscape in the design of their rustic lakeside Muskoka cottage

A PAINTER FOR ALL AGES After a long career as a celebrated and successful artist, Rita Briansky says she still learns about art by teaching others

26

NIGHTY NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT

Children’s bedrooms are designed for serenity at night and fun play during the day

48

THE MANY FACES OF LISA’S GARDEN

Designer Lisa Aiken changes her backyard terrace every year, with a fresh theme and new plants

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CONTENTS

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58

6

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

8

EDITOR’S LETTER

16

THIS JUST IN A selection of new items for your home

56

SMALL SPACE - BIG STORAGE With a little ingenuity, closet spaces can be maximized in modest-sized homes

78

FRESH START This Montreal home was a blank slate that allowed designers to work their magic

86

GET SMART Automated window blinds are convenient, easy to operate, and beautiful to behold

88

STAGING A HOME A production director designs the home in which he and his wife live and work

102

INSIDE OUT Today’s fabrics and outdoor flooring make the patio and garden as beautiful as the indoors

104

FOR THE LOVE OF MOTHER NATURE Biophilic design is all about recreating natural features indoors

108

GOOD BONES Despite being solid and spacious, a 30-year-old home benefits from a much-needed update

116

HOW TO GET ORGANIZED Spring is the best time of year to make your home clean, tidy and orderly

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CUE THE BLUE A designer uses colour to create a cohesive and calming look in this Calgary home

132

URBAN SUBURBAN After moving to the ‘burbs, a family have their home designed with a city aesthetic

140

SPRING INTO CHANGE Saturn in the zodiac sign of Aquarius heralds a major refresh for both life and style

142

GO WITH THE FLOW A formerly cramped Toronto kitchen gets a new, fluid layout and award-winning design

148

KEEPING IT SIMPLE A few modest upgrades create an impact in this family room

150

SENTIMENTALLY DESIGNED Designers upgrade a Mississauga home filled with mementoes from the owners’ travels abroad

158

THE LIGHT FANTASTIC How to select the best lighting for kitchen and bathroom

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MIX IT UP

A designer chooses a beautiful combination of new and vintage elements to redesign a Toronto home

HANDMADE HOTELS

TV host Katie Herbert takes us into some interesting short-term rentals

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THE KITCHEN CHRONICLES Why fermented foods are so good for health

© 2020 GLORIA BASS DESIGN INC

LARA FABIAN

DESIGN

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T H IS JUST IN

HEAD-TURNER The Anton swivel chair has a low-arm style and dimensions that measure as follows: 28w x 36d x 36h; arm: 22h; seat: 16h. We show it here in a beige linen fabric, but it’s also available in a range of fabrics, and in upholstered or slipcovered versions.

Cocoon Furnishings 2695 Bristol Cir., Unit #2 Oakville, Ont. 905-829-2780 www.cocoonfurnishings.ca

ROCK YOUR COFFEE WITH THE ROCKET The Rocket Mozzafiato Cronometro Type V model coffee maker is offered in two body styles, both with heat exchanger PID temperature-control technology. Temperature is optimized through a PID controller, drawing on four signal parameters to ensure stability and optimal results. A shot timer brings a digital display to the machine. An adjustable temperature display allows the user to select individual brewing temperatures for various coffee types and roast styles. The Mozzafiato type V machines introduce users to the Rocket Espresso movement for better espresso at home.

Jura Hospitality Centre 115 Matheson Blvd. E., Mississauga

PUT YOUR FEET UP

905-501-7600 www.ca.jura.com

The Telford ottoman boasts vintage-style gilt-finished iron legs and frame. With a Natural Lee cushion, it’s

Toronto Showroom and Head Office

available in a range of fabrics and leathers. A longer

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cocktail version is also available. Eight- to 10-week

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lead time. Dimensions: Overall: 22w x 22d x 17h; seat:

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17h. Shown here in grey fabric.

Cocoon Furnishings 2695 Bristol Cir., Unit #2 Oakville, Ont. 905-829-2780

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Canadian owned

DESIGN

THE JOY OF JADE

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THE MORE, THE MERRIER These stacking rings by Gloria Bass seem to beg to be paired up. They

These lovely drop earrings by Gloria Bass feature carved grey jade and cit-

include a flat pavé diamond eternity ring in 18kt white gold and others of

rines set in 18kt yellow gold and palladium for a breezy, elegant look.

diamonds and platinum.

Gloria Bass Design

Gloria Bass Design

1361-1 Greene Ave., Westmount, Quebec

1361-1 Greene Ave., Westmount, Quebec

514-933-7062

514-933-7062

www.gloriabassdesign.com

www.gloriabassdesign.com

LOUNGING AROUND

MUSKOKA WITH A TWIST

Stylish and luxurious, this daybed is perfect for relaxation on the patio or

The classic Muskoka chair gets a new lease on life in this version, made of

poolside. It has a built-in retractable Sunbrella canopy to add extra protec-

100 per cent recycled plastic. We show it here in turquoise, but it’s also avail-

tion against the summer heat, and synthetic polyethylene material, woven

able in 16 other colours. It swivels 360 degrees, changing your experience of

around rust-free aluminum framing. Available in more than 300 Sunbrella

being outdoors. Accessories include a side table, ottoman and cup holder.

fabrics.

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HIDE HOUSE

explore, discover, get inspired !

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DESIGN

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ARTFULLY DESIGNED This cabinet, designed by José Leite de Castro, is wrapped in Urban Black lacquer and features a mitered, picture-frame facade around its cabinet doors. Made of Macassar Ebony, it has a striking linear woodgrain, cut in an intricate diamond miter, and its top rests on an inset solid-brass piece. French brass teardrop shapes adorn its centre apex, and the base is defined by irregular inlaid French brass lines. It’s designed to serve as a bar or to hold a television. Available exclusively at

BANK ON BEAUTY

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The Banks chair boasts a transitional design, has a tight back and loose seat

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cushion to add comfort to a contemporary or traditional decor. A decora-

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tive buckle is an accent on the back of the chair. Available in a large selec-

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tion of top-grain leathers and colours. An ottoman is also available. Made

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in Ontario by Legacy Leather, Campio Group.

The Hide House 49 Eastern Ave., Acton 519-853-1031 ~ 877-453-2843 www.hidehouse.ca

WELCOME SPRING Refresh your bedroom for spring with the nature-inspired Anabelle Bedding Collection.

Beautifully adorned with a floral bouquet pattern and made of 100 per cent cotton for ultimate comfort, it’s available in a com-

ELEGANT DINING

forter and duvet set in double-, queen- or king-size.

The sculptural Colter dining table, exclusive to Import Temptations, features a circular Bianco Carrara marble top with brass-

Linen Chest

finish molding details. To ground it, the gilt bas-relief column is

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surrounded by Mughal-inspired lattice stars. With a diameter of just over 62 inches, it can comfortably seat seven for dinner.

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

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

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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

DESIGN

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BY THE SEA Get inspired by the colours and patterns of the ocean with the remarkable Reef Collection by Maxwell & Williams. Mix and match an assortment of marine-design bowls, platters and dinner plates to create a charming seaside-themed tabletop.

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PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS

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ExoScreen is an exterior shading system, designed to improve your outdoor living environment. It reduces ex-

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up to 120 kilometres per hour. Shades can remain lowered during storms to protect your patio or allow you to

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entertain in any weather.

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THE SPRING ISSUE

DESIGN

SHOE SHOW

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Display your shoe collection on shelves behind these elegant matte gold

HANG AROUND

shoe fences. Available in standard shelf widths, they can also be customized

This matte gold coat hook is ideal for hanging bulky items such as winter

and cut down to fit the shelf of your choice. Includes corner and centre

coats, sports bags, or children’s backpacks. The matte gold coat hook is

posts with mounting hardware. The shoe fence is also a great way to add a

perfect for mudrooms and can be used with the other hooks to create a

finishing accent to pantries, entertainment units, and vanity spaces.

space-saving, cleat-mounted hanging storage system.

Simply Closets

Simply Closets

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185 Trowers Rd., units 7-8

Woodbridge, Ontario

Woodbridge, Ontario

416-385-8855

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SPACE OPTIMIZER

THE ORGANIZED CLOSET

Accessorize your closet like a high-end boutique with the addition of the

The matte gold pant organizer is a space-efficient solution, with plastic slid-

matte gold waterfall hook. Each space-optimizing hook holds three coat

ing strips that allow pant hangers to glide effortlessly and silently without

hangers, allowing you to easily piece together an outfit. The waterfall hook

scratching the frame. Hangers lift in and out with ease, allowing you to

also works well in mudrooms or pantries by holding multiple bags.

quickly rehang pants after washing or wearing.

Simply Closets

Simply Closets

185 Trowers Rd., units 7-8

185 Trowers Rd., units 7-8

Woodbridge, Ontario

Woodbridge, Ontario

416-385-8855

416-385-8855

www.simplyclosets.ca

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THE SPRING ISSUE

BEYOND M AT E R I A L

ART

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A PAINTER FOR ALL AGES After a long career as a celebrated and successful artist, Rita Briansky says she still learns about her art by teaching others

BY SHARON AZRIELI PHOTOGRAPHY: DREW HADLEY

AT 94, Montreal artist Rita Briansky is still as loving and fearless in her art as she has been in her life. Her paintings are in more than 60 permanent collections across Canada,

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including the National Gallery, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Musée du Québec, and the Winnipeg and Vancouver Art Museums, to name just a few.

ART • HOME IN CANADA • SPRING 2020

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ART

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This renowned and award-winning Canadian painter was born in the north-eastern Polish shtetl of Grajewo in 1925. Her family immigrated to Canada in 1929 and settled first in Ansonville in northern Ontario, later moving to Val D’or, Quebec, and finally to Montreal when Briansky was 16, in time for her to study with artist Alexander Bercovich at the original YWHA in Montreal.

Briansky remembers the hardships of living through the Great Depression (her family arrived in Canada on October 29, 1929). She recalls learning to create paper flowers with her Ukrainian friends in Ansonville. “I was drawing before I could write; I was always drawing.”

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ART • HOME IN CANADA • SPRING 2020

“I was drawing before I could write; I was always drawing.”

athomeincanada.ca

She says that it was the great Yiddish poet, Ida Maze (aka Ida Massey) who helped her find babysitting jobs in Montreal and free second-hand books so that she could complete her high school education at the former Baron Byng High School on St. Urbain St. She took a job in a lingerie shop to help pay for her tuition.

The family lived on Park Avenue, in a neighbourhood settled by Jewish immigrants from Europe.

About her first real art teacher, Alexander Bercovich, Briansky says: “What made him so important for me, is that he respected me as a serious student. He believed in me. He wasn’t an articulate man; he stuttered. But all I needed was someone to believe in me and

he did. He gave me a key to the studio in the old YWHA building on Esplanade St. where he taught art so that I could paint in a quiet place.”

Four years after her 1942 high school graduation, Briansky left Montreal to spend two years studying at the Art Students League of New York. She returned to Montreal in 1948 where she met her husband, Joe Prezament; they were married within five months.

They had two daughters. Joe died in 1983 at the age of 60, and Briansky never remarried after his death. “He was far more experimental than I was,” she says of her late husband’s art. “He was figurative, leaning toward the abstract, and was just finding his artistic voice when he took ill and died.” –>

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ART

athomeincanada.ca

She has been featured in a documentary called The Wonder and Amazement (“I want to call it The Agony and the Ecstasy,” Briansky quips.), a full-length feature about her, made

by Dov Okouneff and Janet Best.

Rita Briansky is modest to a fault. More interested in the success of the many generations of students she has taught, she seems to have no idea of how brilliant and bold her own career has been. It has embraced various media, including print-making, watercolours, pastels, and oils, and through it all, she has taught continually – first at Westmount’s Visual Arts Centre from the early 1970s until 1983, when she moved to the former Saidye Bronfman Centre School of Fine Arts. Toward the end of her time at the Saidye Bronfman Centre, about a year before it closed in 2007, she began teaching at the Golden Age Club (now the Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors), where she has been teaching a sold-out class ever since.

“By teaching, I’m learning. And I’m proving that ageing doesn’t mean that you stop growing.”

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ART • HOME IN CANADA • SPRING 2020

athomeincanada.ca

“By teaching, I’m learning. And I’m proving that ageing doesn’t mean that you stop growing. I’m not talking about me now; I’m talking about us. As I get older, I realize how important it is to keep working and keep my mind working. In teaching, I do a lot of research. I present my students with a theme for each semester. The theme for this winter has been painting interiors,” she says.

In 1995, Briansky went back to her roots in Poland, where she visited her hometown.

There, she found the former Jewish cemetery, now transformed into an apartment building. Where the Jewish ghetto had once stood, there was a travelling circus. Where her family home had been, there was now a fish store; the same cobblestones and outdoor toilets were in the back. –>

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Kaddish Collection, Eastern Wall

ART

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athomeincanada.ca

ART • HOME IN CANADA • SPRING 2020

athomeincanada.ca

Kaddish Collection, Sentinel

But I felt I had to record what I felt.

And since I had not experienced the violence – I only experienced the sorrow and the loss – this is what I painted.”

She took photographs of everything, and after returning home, she created 18 paintings. The very important “Kaddish Series (Jewish Prayer for the Dead)” is on permanent display at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. “I did not go with the intent of making paintings. But I felt I had to record what I felt. And since I had not experienced the violence – I only experienced the sorrow

and the loss – this is what I painted.”

Upon returning to Montreal from that trip, Briansky was in a state of mourning. During her visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps, she had asked the guide what had been done with the ashes of the dead.

“And he said: ‘At first they threw them into the river, but they blocked the river. So they put them into the ground.” –>

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Kaddish Collection, Survivor

ART

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athomeincanada.ca

ART • HOME IN CANADA • SPRING 2020

Kaddish Collection, Return

athomeincanada.ca

“Artists are often known for a certain theme, but I have many themes because I’m interested in many things.”

It was a time of year when poppies were growing profusely in the fields. And she realized that the beautiful landscape was fertilized by human ashes.

There are a few paintings of amazing fields of poppies and riotous colours; the visual beauty belies the grief; it is a fabulous juxtaposition of emotions.

“Artists are often known for a certain theme,” she says, “but I have many themes because I’m interested in many things.” –>

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Kaddish Collection, Poppy Kaddish Collection, Poppy Field

ART

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athomeincanada.ca

ART • HOME IN CANADA • SPRING 2020

Kaddish Collection, Hope

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It is the beautiful sense of self-sufficiency and optimism that have reigned side by side in Rita Briansky throughout her life and career that we see reflected in her art. These have sustained her throughout her difficult beginnings and they are revealed in her varied and diverse work. Colour, negative space, not limiting programs and subject matter; they’re all there.

Briansky seems to have no sense of how talented and brilliant she is. Her naïve and energetic charisma is wholly delightful and engrossing.

One truly knows – not thinks – that, if in trouble, one could ring her doorbell and be offered a cup of tea, a tarot reading, and maybe even get a portrait done along with some very wise words of wisdom. What more could one ask of a great artist?

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MUSKOKA

MAGIC

Inspired by the natural landscape, a Toronto designer redefines the idea of a rustic lakeside cottage

BY JULIE GEDEON PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING: AZEN & KEVIN BONGARD

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NESTLED ON A RIDGE overlooking a picturesque lake, this grand Muskoka home began with the property owners seeking a retreat unlike any cottage. “They didn’t want the New England look they saw time and again,” explains the home’s designer, Azen Bongard, principal of Studio 8 Design in Toronto.

Bongard took charge of the interior design after architect Richard Aubry designed the 6,000-square-foot single-storey home with abundant windows and Douglas fir beams to maximize the lake views. Muskoka granite tiles provide the elegant but low-maintenance flooring.

Long adoring the Muskoka landscape, Bongard opted for a neutral palette to showcase the outdoor colours already framed in black by the windows. “Nature here is like a painting – always changing from the winter browns and whites, to spring and summer’s bright greens and blues, to autumn’s intense yellows, orange and reds,” she says. “I kept being asked, ‘Are you sure you don’t want to add some colour?’ but said, ‘No, trust me.’ ” The design’s timeless interest derives instead from its homage to Nature – especially the Muskoka trees – in subtle details that range from the log slices embedded in some of the living room tables to the wrought-iron bedposts hammered to resemble branches. Overhead faucets in two of the bathrooms mimic forest rain that falls into sinks carved from actual logs, while a delicate leaf pattern defines the hot tub’s tiling in the spa.

“It’s these details that my clients are discovering over time and will enjoy for years to come,” Bongard says.

(Above) Snuggled between support beams, the custom beverage station pays homage to barn life with its playful crossbucks and library ladder. (Opposite) Muskoka granite defines the indoor/outdoor spa overlooking an infinity pool and the lake.

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Custom-made swivel stools invite guests to saddle up at the counter in another faint homage to country life. The lighting is designed to cast a warm glow over the kitchen.

Pendant fixtures: Rejuvenation Lighting; sink: Ideal Workstation 4S by The Galley; appliances: Sub-Zero and Wolfe; windows: Tiltco.

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The chevron pattern in the Muskoka granite softly says, “This way to the lake.”

A perfect balance of rustic and modern design is achieved through various means that include a playful ode to barndoor crossbucks on some cupboards, doors and storage areas. “The kitchen’s swivel stools remind me of tractor seats,” Bongard adds.

One request of the husband was for a large gas range tucked into the kitchen island where he can admire the lake views as he prepares gourmet meals for family and friends. “It’s really the hub of the home for him,” Bongard says.

Studio 8 Design customized the circular light fixtures in the great room as a modern tribute to yesteryear’s wagon wheels; all the lighting was supplied by Dark Tools. The linear grain of rift-sawn Douglas fir makes the vaulted ceiling feel more modern. Slipcovers provide a laidback

atmosphere while protecting the upholstered pieces for any fancier occasions.

All custom-milled, the furniture could have matched the Douglas fir’s warm orange hues, but a cooler Scandinavian contrast was sought via white oak instead to counterbalance rustic with modern. Every bedroom features a wall of whitewashed Douglas fir to likewise represent a variety of trees without overdoing the wood elements.

Back in the great room, a Muskoka stone wall encases a Douglas fir entrance closet and provides some division from the main space.

“The barn doors can be opened up to provide complete privacy,” Bongard says. –>

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The bedrooms provide family and friends with minimalist but practical furnishings. Everyone – including grandchildren – were considered in the design.

The sauna is built to allow for views of the lake.

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Designed to make family and friends feel at home during longer stays, the abode has two back-to-back master bedrooms with the other three bedrooms also each having its own bathroom. “The built-in furniture provides lots of storage to tuck away luggage, shoes and other things out of sight behind sliding barn doors,” Bongard says.

A shower and tub were combined within a single open area in each master ensuite bathroom to make these spaces feel a bit like a rain forest with ample natural light for various lush plants.

The spa area rivals the most luxurious resorts with its hot tub situated behind glass doors to allow users to enjoy the outdoor elements or indoor comforts, depending on the

day. An infinity pool immediately outside the spa doors makes the lake feel an arm’s length away. “In order to create the requested lake views from the sauna and still ensure that it retained sufficient heat, we lowered the ceiling to the seven feet, six inches recommended for such a room,” Bongard adds.

The overall result is a relaxing, serene and restorative environment that has the homeowners eager to return to their Muskoka abode from the poshest hotels.

“While this project had a generous budget, we should always look for those elements that speak at any price point to our heart and soul rather than be for show,” Bongard says. “And there’s something about connecting with Nature that’s always genuine, always priceless.”

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CHILD’S

PLAY

Designers prove that children’s rooms can be sophisticated with the right colours and furnishings

BY SUSAN SEMENAK

CHILDREN’S ROOMS used to be oh-sosweet and cute, girlish or boyish, a circus of colour. But contemporary designs for infants and children steer away from kitsch and cliché and often hew to gender-neutral palettes.

Now, the best rooms for babies and children are subdued, serene spaces that are also playful and whimsical – and timeless enough to grow along with their inhabitants.

We spoke to five interior designers and stylists who create textured, joyful, calming spaces where children and their parents want to cozy up. They say the best children’s rooms balance ample display space for visual interest with plenty of storage to eliminate clutter. They include hooks to help children learn to hang up their clothes, and baskets, bins, and under-thebed solutions in which to stow toys. And they always include a comfy spot or two – a daybed, an armchair or a “cushion corner” on the floor for snuggling up with a book, a stuffed animal and a blanket.

While some clients want rooms that are distinctly masculine or feminine, others request gender-neutral rooms that will serve more than one baby over the years. –> Designer Melissa Barling hid a potential danger – an unused fireplace – behind plywood painted with black chalkboard paint, which will do double duty when the child is old enough to create his own artwork. She added pillows to create cozy spaces for relaxing. Among them is a knot pillow that resembles soft sculpture.

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Melissa Barling, Winter Daisy Studio, Vancouver Melissa Barling is a stylist and mother of three whose firm specializes in interiors for children. She says texture – in everything from fabrics and lighting to wallcoverings – gives children’s rooms coziness and brings spaces to life.

To that end, rugs are essential. She uses natural fibres such as cotton or wool. One of her favourite rugs is a hand-knotted wool boho shag rug in white and dark grey – the perfect surface for reading, playing or crawling.

Blankets, especially those with nubby or chunky knits, are great for cozy times, too.

Barling drapes them over cribs and chairs and rolls them up in baskets.

In a recent project, she kept the space monochrome black and off-white, but infused it with the warmth of natural wood furniture and accessories, and injected whimsy with inexpensive black star decals that can later be peeled off.

“The space is set up to be a dreamy place to sleep, but also a perfect place to play,” Barling says.

People of all ages love mirrors, Barling says. A round brass-finish pendant mirror, suspended from a natural leather strap is hung over an IKEA white Hemnes dresser that was outfitted with leather drawer pulls found on Etsy. A lightbox on a shelf reads Dream Big and a set of black and white nesting dolls, both from Amazon, are decorative and educational.

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Kathryn Henry, Croma Design, Toronto Henry says a good-looking children’s room is a space that gives children the freedom to play, flex their imaginations or read a book.

But it’s also where parents enjoy spending time. “The furniture might be for baby, but the decor is meant to be enjoyable for parents,” she says.

How to design a children’s room that won’t become dated as the child grows? “The best way is to choose a simple palette: white, or soft colours to create an inviting and calm space. This allows for a little toy clutter to be left out without causing a lot of visual mess,” Henry says. “A neutral decor allows toys, books and children’s artwork to accentuate the space. Later, those pieces can easily be swapped out for other accents that are in keeping with the age of the children.” –>

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In this basement playroom, the decor is neutral, but decorative wall appliqués inject a playful character.

Outerwear is hung on a steel bar suspended from the ceiling by leather straps, and stowed in a built-in unit.

Inside the playroom, there’s more storage: a bank of Ikea Pax units enclosed in drywall to resemble built-ins. The feel of the room is playful, fun and cozy, says designer Kathryn Henry. Its neutral palette, with two nude-toned ottomans, was created to appeal to both children and adults.

Kathryn Henry says the difference between children’s spaces that are just “okay” and those that feel inviting comes with layering. She creates layers of texture with thick rugs, nubby blankets, books and woven baskets.

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Alana Firestone and Jordy Fagan, Collective Studio, Toronto “We are trying to do away with the stereotypical cheesiness of the themed nursery,” says Jordy Fagan.

She and Firestone mix vintage and modern design to bring depth and warmth to children’s rooms. Steering away from children’s furniture stores, they prefer to shop at such places as EQ3, CB2 and Restoration Hardware.

That way, they say, the pieces are less likely to become dated as the children grow.

They applied their design talents in their own children’s rooms.

Fagan, the mother of 16-month-old twins – a boy and a girl – hung a forest mural on the wall behind the cribs. It gives the nursery a neutral, woodsy theme that reminds her and her husband of their trips to the Pacific Northwest.

“The foggy forest mural provided a feeling of calm in the early days of having twins when the nights were long,” says Fagan.

The cribs are black, she adds, but the “vintage look of their spindles gives the masculine feeling of black cribs a feminine and dainty look that works well in a nursery shared by a boy and a girl.”

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Designer Jordy Fagan found a fringed leather chandelier at CB2 and hung it in her twins’ nursery. It’s a bold element that is toned down by its neutral colour.

The forest-scene wallpaper mural from Murals Wallpaper adds natural green to an otherwise black and white decor. It’s also calming, Fagan says.

Floor-to-ceiling drapery covers the oversized windows. They feature a trim that gives detail to a large expanse of fabric.

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Designer Alana Firestone chose a mural from Murals Wallpapers featuring an oversized floral motif that is feminine but not “pretty.”

Dresser: Restoration Hardware Teens.

In her house, Firestone gave her children’s rooms more feminine and masculine personalities. In her four-year-old daughter’s room, the focal point is a mural of an oversized flower, painted like an abstract watercolour.

“I wanted it to be feminine and timeless as my daughter grows,” Firestone explains.

When her daughter outgrew her crib, the designer replaced it with a sophisticated cane day bed which has become a popular spot for hanging out with friends and reading and playing. She added a bargain-priced wall-towall rug, so it won’t hurt too much if it gets ruined, and then she hung a plant to add height and fun to the decor. –>

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In Firestone’s two-year-old son’s room, the two-toned walls are painted three-quarters high in mustard yellow. A quirky painting of an oversized green pickle by artist Erin Rothstein is hung behind the dresser.

On another wall, a five-foot-square wooden pegboard will one day hold her son’s trophies and artworks.

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On the floor, there’s an overdyed rug that camouflages wear and tear and stains. (Firestone and Fagan spend a lot of time looking for fabrics and other materials that are durable and stain-resistant enough to survive life in a child’s room.)

In one corner, two rattan ottomans from IKEA are stacked like building blocks, for reading or resting.

“Pickle art” is an acrylic painting by hyper-realist painter Erin Rothstein. The pegboard was custom-made

by Collective Studio. The mobile is vintage. The plant is an almost-impossible-to-kill snake plant, that requires practically no watering. Rocking dog: Restoration Hardware Baby.

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Designer Meghan Carter opted for dressers instead of nightstands by the bed, to maximize storage space for clothes and toys. The bed features a trundle below the mattress.

The designer spent a lot of time looking for the right chair before finding this one, in easy-to-clean blue leather.

It’s low enough for the little boy to get into himself but comfortable enough for his parents when they read to him.

Dressers: Crate and Barrel Kids; leather chair: West Elm.

Meghan Carter, Meghan Carter Design, Toronto Don’t let children pick their own paint colours, Meghan Carter warns. Though she loves to create rooms that jive with a child’s interests, she counsels clients to keep the dominant hues subdued – in wall colours, bedding and furniture. “Children love saturated, bright colours and if you let them have their say, you end up with bubble gum pink or Easter egg purple – colours that are not very pleasant to live with,” she says. “We take those favourite colours and tone them way down

into much more subdued hues that are more sophisticated. Then we bring in fun sheets and toss pillows and accessories.”

In one recent project, Carter installed deep-blue wallpaper with constellations for a little boy fascinated with astronomy. But it’s a sophisticated Ralph Lauren wallpaper that isn’t childlike. To continue the far-away travel theme, blue bedside dressers with brass hardware evoke vintage steamer trunks.

“Children’s rooms should be fun,” Carter says. “But they don’t have to be themey.”

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LARGE STORAGE IN SMALL ROOMS With a little ingenuity, closet spaces can be maximized in modest-sized homes

BY ELISABETH KALBFUSS

CLOSET ENVY: That feeling you get when you stare at photos of sumptuous, perfectly organized walk-in closets larger than your bedroom, then look back at the crammed cubbyhole you stuff your clothes into.

For every newly built or remodelled home that seems to have acres of storage, there’s at least one older home or a one-bedroom condo that seems to have next to nothing. While you can’t magically create new space, you can maximize what you do have, says Daniel Wilkinson, the president of Simply Closets, a Toronto company that creates custom closets and storage.

“A lot of older homes have really tiny closets,” he says. The standard width is just 24 inches, and they usually have one hanging rod, with a shelf above that. Most of that space above and below is wasted, he says, and sometimes it’s tucked in behind the wall and not easily reachable.

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The key is to make each cubic inch of space count, using all the floor-to-ceiling height that’s available. The easiest way to do that, he says, is to replace a single rod with two double-hung rods, an upper and a lower, automatically doubling the closet’s capacity, so clothes can hang more comfortably. As well, shelves or drawers can be added along one side. “A lot of times, I’ll recommend opening it up, either by creating a bigger door, or turning it into a wardrobe. That way you have the space to build and everything is accessible.”

Often, clients come to Wilkinson with ideas that look great but wouldn’t necessarily work for them, or fit within the space that they have. “It’s about functionality,”

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Wilkinson says. “I look to see the space and make every inch of it visible and accessible.

You don’t want something that looks good but has no function.”

Building a whole new wardrobe into a bedroom, if that’s an option, can produce customized storage, creating the perfect mix of hanging space versus drawers and shelves.

Choosing the right accessories can also maximize storage. Things such as tie racks, belt holders and shoe racks are big space savers, he says. “We’ve done a pullout shoe rack where you stand the shoes upright,” he says. “In a small section you can get 18 pairs of shoes.”

Laundry bags, too, have become a hugely popular addition.

Or, If you’re one of the many who joined the Marie Kondo organization craze popularized in her Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, drawer or shelf dividers can help maintain all that precision folding.

Custom pieces can be configured to store anything, anywhere, not just in the bedroom, he says. Most important, Wilkinson adds, upgrading even the smallest closet can add value to a home, and it can be reconfigured or adjusted as needed.

Simply Closets 185 Trowers Rd., units 7-8 Woodbridge, Ontario 416-385-8855

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MIXING I T U P A designer chooses a beautiful combination of new and vintage elements to redesign a Toronto home

BY CHERYL CORNACCHIA PHOTOGRAPHY: LAUREN MILLER STYLING: ASHLEY MONTGOMERY

CHOOSING THE RIGHT DESIGNER to redesign and decorate their three-storey home in Toronto’s Rosedale neighbourhood was easy for Tom Cheung and Blair Myers. The couple had been following Ashley Montgomery on Instagram and they loved the eclectic interiors that the Toronto designer had posted featuring a mix of vintage objects and contemporary furnishings.

The couple’s four-bedroom, four-bathroom property had been totally renovated just before they bought it in 2018. Now that it was theirs, they wanted Montgomery and her team at Toronto-based Ashley Montgomery Design to personalize their space by injecting some of the same magic they had seen online.

“She went to our gym … she was super nice,” says Tom. Their comfortable working relationship made it all easier when it came to creating a unique style that incorporated personal objects, such as Tom’s father’s “old doctor bag,” or the collection of vintage books that the couple had used as table centrepieces at their reception when they married in 2016.

Montgomery says she loved the job. The 3,000-square-foot house was “a builder-grade renovation,” meaning “it was all very beige.”

The idea was to personalize the home with an eclectic mix of furniture, carpets, lamps, mirrors, curios and artwork sourced from Toronto-area vintage shops, modern design studios and the couple’s own world travels. –>

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The open-concept kitchen and dining area are anchored by a heavy, dark wood table that can seat 12. A nubby wool rug beneath the table links to the kitchen’s whiteand slate-coloured quartz counters and backsplash.

Dining table: Restoration Hardware; dining chairs: Wayfair.

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The main floor consists of an open-concept space with a kitchen, adjoining dining area, living room and spacious hallway. The couple decided to keep the existing neutral colour palette, and then start from there. The creamy-white colour helped to harmonize the home’s overall design and acted as the perfect backdrop.

Montgomery likes to blend not just contemporary and vintage pieces, but also highprice-point and lower-price-point objects.

In the dining room, for example, the black wood dining table that seats 12 people is from Restoration Hardware, and the less-expensive

Scandinavian-style light wood chairs are from Wayfair. The mix of the two looks elegant and unique atop a vintage Moroccan wool rug and under modern multi-orb pendulum lighting.

In the kitchen, floating wood shelves were installed on the quartz backsplash behind the stove to provide a place to display interesting jugs and crockery. “That was nerve-wracking,” Montgomery says, recalling her fear the quartz would crack. “It’s all about styling,” she adds, citing the placement of an extra tall vase on the peninsula to balance out the tall kitchen faucet. –>

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(Above) Mid-century Modern walnut club chairs are paired with a contemporary-style geometric table in front of the built-in shelving. (Right) A contemporary leather sofa in a rich cognac colour spices up the neutral palette.

Sofa, club chairs, black occasional table: LD Shoppe.

The main living room is an inviting and exotic-looking space defined by Mid-century Modern furnishings, plants, Australian block prints, a nubby area rug, a new gas fireplace and a collection of antique ceramic-glazed ink wells on the mantle. The built-in white cabinetry on the wall opposite the fireplace and behind two walnut club chairs needed to be styled. Interestingly, some of the open shelves have been left empty to balance the space and create interest.

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The office/study is transformed with Benjamin Moore’s Polo Blue (2062-10). (Left) A set of Slim Aarons retro prints stand out on the rich blue matte finish.

Up one floor is the office/den and bedrooms. Here, drama was added to the space through the addition of colour: Benjamin Moore’s Polo Blue (2062-10), a rich blue matte finish. The colour was applied to walls around the office’s bay window, and on the existing millwork that was formerly white. The blue cabinetry accentuates the white marble and black cast-iron hearth of the home’s old fireplace, as well as the gilded mirror above the mantle.

Brass hardware embossed with a classic lion’s head adds interest to the room’s built-in cabinetry. A grey cowhide has been placed atop an area rug to create textured warmth. The room’s vintage elements include a 1950s-style ‘flytrap’ desk lamp, Tom’s father’s old medical bag, and a 1940s typewriter. –>

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Multi-textured fabrics and natural wood warm up the master bedroom and ensuite’s neutral palette.

Chandelier: Selamat Designs.

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So as not to break the mood of the floor, the nearby guest room picks up the same colour scheme. Here, rich-blue bed linens and throw pillows are paired with a sisal rug, mid-century bedside tables and a wall display of baskets from Bali and Indonesia.

Up one more f loor to the third-f loor master bedroom and ensuite, we see another version of the same aesthetic. Here the kingsized bed is covered with a white cotton/linen bedspread and highlighted with a vintage cream and black Moroccan throw. A nubby cream wool carpet with knots picks up the colour scheme, adds warmth and grounds the space.

Finally, special attention had to be paid to the ensuite’s glass shower and standalone tub, both of which are open to the bedroom.

A woven-rope slipper chair was placed next to the tub to make the space more inviting. And a tall floor vase with twigs and dried flowers softens the space. The highlight, though, is a three-tiered chandelier made of strings that hangs above the tub. It generates warm, ambient lighting and it catches the eye.

Montgomery says the entire home redesign took one year to complete, with a big part of the time spent finding just the perfect piece for this spot or that one. The perfect piece can make all the difference. The show-stopping ensuite bathroom light fixture is a case in point.

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SHORT-TERM RENTALS: LONG ON GREAT DESIGN Handmade Hotels host Katie Herbert opens doors to innovatively designed accommodations

BY KATIE HERBERT PHOTOGRAPHY: HANDMADE HOTELS

Katie Herbert is a property developer and the host of Handmade Hotels, a series that explores the creative ways homeowners transform their properties into short-term rental opportunities. The program offers insight into this growing market along with design tips for anyone considering creating a short-term rental space.

Handmade Hotels airs on Makeful Television. –>

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BEASLEY ART GALLERY

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CRESSY HOUSE: This rustic living room was inspired by its country surroundings and its owners’ passion for creating a chic hangout space.

Gone are the days of staying in generic-style hotels that have little personality. Short-term rentals offer travellers a departure from the norm, with bold and personalized spaces, rather than just a place to sleep.

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PASSION The inspiration and design that sets shortterm rentals apart comes from passion that may stem from a love of art, eco living, colour or vintage furnishings.

What struck me as I visited these properties was the degree to which short-term rentals can turn traditional design on its head.

We often cite kitchens and bathrooms as the most important spaces in a home, but in the short-term rental market, the key spaces are the bedrooms and the communal areas where guests meet to eat, relax and sleep.

PERSONALIZATION The second key factor is personalization.

Travellers are looking for spaces with personality and interesting features, rather than the “neutral first” look that characterizes longer-term rentals or hotels. Vintage, reclaimed and retro styles are prevalent, and the more unique the space, the more popular and memorable it is.

The personal touch is what makes shortterm rentals such enticing opportunities for any aspiring or established designer.

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THE WILK: This historic farmhouse in Picton was restored and given a ’70s chalet vibe.

(Left) THE SANCTUARY: This serene church conversion in Wellington was designed as a romantic escape for couples.

CONSISTENCY The most successful rentals have a consistent theme or style throughout the space. In The Wilk, we saw homeowners determined to create an authentic 1970s ski-chalet vibe, complete with ’70s wallpaper and furnishings.

One of the most romantic spaces we saw in Season 1 was The Sanctuary. It’s an impressive church conversion that oozes charm, sophistication and romance with its open-plan layout. The bed takes centre stage on a raised altar. –> LOUNGING THE SPRING ISSUE

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Vacation rentals are all about spending time together, regardless of the size of the group. Creating rooms with flexible, comfortable seating while still following a design theme is where homeowners have had the most success.

Short-term rentals also provide an opportunity to furnish with reclaimed, repurposed and vintage pieces, which emphasize charm and uniqueness. Family heirlooms, salvaged pieces and antiques can all find a new lease on life in short-term rental spaces.

Glen Oro Farm’s rustic cabin mimics an early settlers’ experience. Almost everything in the space is hand-made, with a mix of historic family furnishings, farm-inspired decor and new pieces crafted from farm materials. They create warmth and connection to farm life and an instant detachment from the modern world.

DINING (Above) GLEN ORO FARM: This beautiful off-grid cabin in Oro-Medonte takes visitors back to basics without sacrificing comfort or style. The cabin is furnished with repurposed farm equipment and antiques.

(Below) COLOURFUL PLAYHOUSE: A refurbished urban home is injected with vibrant colour and whimsy.

Dining areas are central to the short-term rental experience and are more than a place for just eating. Guests use them for working, playing games and gathering to chat.

Cressy House features communal spaces.

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The owner, passionate about food and the experience of dining, created multiple opportunities for people to come together. The tea room overlooks a private vineyard and lakefront.

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CABIN ON THE 9: A secluded, romantic cabin in Caledon

THE MUSE: This artsy, bohemian-inspired city apartment is creatively decorated with a pallet bed and handmade macramé crafts.

SLEEPING Guests want a good night’s sleep, making comfort and ambience crucial. Circular beds, interesting accent pieces and quirky art are all fair game, but there are some rules to heed. A comfortable mattress and good quality linens and towels are essential.

Consider the natural features of the room.

If there’s a great view, can you make it a focal point? Provide guests with extra blankets, throws and pillows to add coziness. Explore how the space ties into the rest of the rental and what makes it memorable for guests.

Travellers seek experiences and want to connect with a space. They want shareable

moments. Successful short-term rentals offer this in one inclusive package.

My favourite short-term rentals have all been conceived from passion and creativity.

Handmade Hotels offers a glimpse of what’s out there. I look forward to seeing how this trend will continue to grow and evolve.

TIPS FOR DESIGNING SHORT-TERM RENTAL SPACE 1. Be bold and distinctive Memorable and unique short-term rentals enjoy higher occupancy and yield of return for owners.

2. Stay true to your design aesthetic No matter the theme or approach, be consistent with it throughout the space.

3. Think about guest experience Be aware of how your guests will use the space, their needs, and how you can create a special space to fulfill those needs.

4. Focus on the key rooms The bedrooms and communal rooms are the most important spaces for your visitors.

HIGH-TECH LOFT: An urban getaway that celebrates light and technology.

Season 2 of Handmade Hotels airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Makeful.

Find Katie on instagram @Katie_herbert_

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THE EVER-CHANGING TERRACE Designer Lisa Aiken’s own container garden is redesigned afresh every year

BY CHERYL CORNACCHIA PHOTOGRAPHY: BRANDON BARRÉ STYLING: LISA AIKEN

SINCE FOUNDING Terra Firma Design in 2001, Toronto interior/exterior designer Lisa Aiken has made a name for herself creating terraces that bring the comforts of indoors outdoors. They extend the short Canadian gardening season and turn even small spaces into lush green gardens. The use of full-grown plants in containers – from spring bulbs to evergreens – is key to her winning formula, including in her own private garden.

E v e r y y e a r, s h e t r a n s f o r m s t h e 1,260-square-foot terracotta patio behind her two-storey, west-end Toronto home into a new and different garden space. She does it by selecting from among hundreds of differently shaped and sized containers and filling them with full-grown f lowering annuals, ferns, tropical plants, herbs, trailing vines and shrubs.

In Lisa’s garden, there’s no waiting for the good weather to come and for plants to grow.

Her garden kickstarts with vigor in the spring and then heads full-bloom right into summer.

“Don’t wait,” she says. “It’s May. Let’s make it look fabulous right off.” –>

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Lisa Aiken buys full-size plants.

Summer is too short to wait for them to grow, she says. Seen here is a banana tree surrounded by a mix of flowering tropicals, begonia, anthurium and hibiscus.

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“This is my own space; it’s not a display place, I fill it with what I like.”

When she bought the house 32 years ago, she recalls, “it had one Christmas tree in the backyard and an old rickety fence.” Reinventing the garden – over and over again – has been an ongoing source of pleasure for her. One year, it was a blue-hydrangea-themed garden, another year, a French country garden all in white (complete with a vintage dining table from France), and still another year a semi-tropical oasis.

Last year, she brought in close to 25 foxtail ferns (Asparagus densiflorus). “People went, ‘oh wow, what’s this?’ ” She says the semi-evergreen fern-like perennial with long, upright, plume stems that hold soft, needle-like leaves and develop red ornamental berries in the autumn, is one of her favourite plants.

Of course, Lisa admits, she has help – her Terra Firma staff – and two large office spaces (hers and her husband’s) for storing some of the tropical plants throughout the winter. But even if you can’t create a container garden like hers, she says, adding a few containers can inject colour, height and depth to a garden. For example, hostas are very hardy; a collection planted in pots can look glorious in a shady spot in the garden. –>

The sideboard is both functional and decorative. A fiddle leaf fig anchors the greenery.

Boot-potted mums, daisy-like perennials and a peace lily fill out the space.

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After designing terrace gardens for clients, Lisa returns home to relax in her own private garden. (Opposite) She says the pergola is one of her favourite spots. She has served dinner to as many as 12 in the intimate garden space.

Lisa says that over the years, her tastes have changed. Since she is an interior/exterior designer, she is tuned in to which colours are in fashion and which are out. Before buying any plants, she says, the first decision she makes is to choose the season’s palette and what fabrics she will use to brighten both her house (throw pillows, etc.) and garden (table cloths, cushion coverings). She changes these accent colours every year.

Then and only then does she decide how to fill out the three distinct spaces in her garden. There’s a covered section right outside the French doors of the house; a transitional

section with a winding path; and a lounge/ dining area at the back of the garden where a pergola is located. Lisa says she’s lucky that her garden is drenched in sunshine.

There are borders around the long and narrow yard’s perimeter that are planted with perennials, flowering shrubs (wisteria and a Siberian pea-shrub) and climbing roses to provide a green and flowering backdrop for the potted plants.

“This is my own space; it’s not a display place,” she says. “I fill it with what I like.” Over the years, she says, what she likes has included rosemary, cascading petunias, bougainvillea,

Annabelle hydrangeas, PeeGee hydrangeas, Boston ferns, banana trees, fiddle leaf fig trees, Eugenia standard, sunflowers, mums, peace lily (Spathiphyllum), and the list goes on.

As for her garden this year, her theme is “Veuve Clicquot.” She says she loves the pinky orange shade of Veuve Clicquot champagne and that she will be on the hunt for plants and flowers that will highlight and complement that colour choice. Cheers, she says, to summer.

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FRESH START

This Montreal home was a blank slate that allowed designers to work their magic

BY SUSAN SCHWARTZ PHOTOGRAPHY: DREW HADLEY STYLING: EUGENIA TRIANDOS

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THE MAIN FLOOR of a home in the Montreal borough of Ville St. Laurent was a blank canvas for interior designer Eugenia Triandos and her company, Hibou Design & Co. The homeowners had just bought the house, built in 1995, and they wanted “to start from scratch” in furnishing the main floor space – a formal living room at the front and an open family room and dining area in the back, beyond the kitchen.

They “remained present” throughout the project but they’re also busy – and were fine with handing over responsibility to Triandos and Hibou co-owner Korina Khamis.

Although there were no structural changes, a combination of subtle alterations

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created a space as clean and contemporary as it is warm and inviting for the owners: a husband and wife and their young family.

The hardwood f loors, which had gone yellowish, were stained with a touch of grey to counter the yellow, and were given a matte finish. The walls were painted a pale, warm grey.

The high-quality hardwood kitchen cabinets were in excellent condition and, rather than replace them, Triandos gave the space a facelift: matte black metal pulls for the cabinets and new light fixtures with black accents over the island. Grey-green slate replaced the beige ceramic floor tiles; the darker shade brings out the grey in the existing grey-green

granite countertops and island, and it tones down the green.

For the furnishings, Triandos says, “We wanted to keep the big pieces neutral and bring in colour through accessories such as rugs and dining chairs. The client said she liked blues and other cooler colours more than warmer.” –>

(Above) The kitchen opens onto the family room and dining area. The natural hardwood cabinets were left in place but updated with black matte pulls. The black is picked up in the new light fixtures over the island.

Stools: Maison Corbeil; matte black metal cabinet pulls: Montreal Lighting & Hardware.

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The formal living room at the front of the house features a sofa upholstered in grey linen, a marble-topped coffee table and end table, and images by photographer Georgianna Lane.

The blue of the velvet-upholstered ottomans is carried through in the area rug and the down-filled cushions from Hibou Home. Â

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The family room features a deep sectional sofa with down-filled cushions. The legs of a tripod floor lamp match the base of a camel-coloured leather chair. Sheer white floor-to-ceiling ripple-fold curtains add warmth to the space. An image of an iceberg on a wall is actually a television set that features an art mode. It is mounted on a slab of Compac quartz by the Stone Company (colour: Unique Calacatta). Leather chair: Article; sofa: Maison Corbeil; coffee table: Crate & Barrel; round table with concrete base, tripod lamp, area rug, cushions, rugs, baskets and other accessories: Hibou Home.

Together, they chose a sofa for the living room that’s upholstered in grey linen, a pair of ottomans upholstered in blue velvet, a camel-coloured leather easy chair, and a white marble-topped coffee table and end table. A tripod floor lamp adds architectural interest.

There’s another tripod lamp in the family room, where a deep, down-filled, pale-grey sectional sofa is comfortable and cozy. An oak-topped coffee table with a live-edge finish and a camel-coloured leather chair add an organic vibe.

A television, mounted on the fireplace wall – which is clad in grey-veined white quartz – is thin as a picture frame and designed to look like a piece of art. “You can pick the art,” Triandos says. “We selected an iceberg black and white picture.”

The quartz is repeated atop a bar and storage unit in the dining area – designed

by Hibou and painted a rich teal – a colour echoed in the velvet of the dining chairs.

Above the teal unit, there is open oak shelving, mounted on a wall covered with geometric-patterned metallic wallpaper. The table is clean and modern, smoky oak over a carbon-coloured metal base. –>

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(Left) The teal colour on the velvet-upholstered dining

Throughout the main floor, white ripple-fold

chairs is carried through in the custom-built bar and

ceiling-to-floor curtains warm up the space,

storage unit. Open oak shelves pick up the light stain of

and woven baskets add texture. Area rugs

the floor. The table base is carbon-coloured metal and

in muted tones of blue and red in the living

the top is a smoky oak. Dining table: Maison Corbeil;

room and family room are from the design-

wallpaper: Metro Wallcoverings; bar and storage unit:

ers’ online shop, Hibou Home, which stocks

designed by Hibou Design & Co, built by Danemma;

such items as cushions, rugs, artwork, lamps

Hudson Valley sconces through Montreal Lighting &

and small accessories. Moody photogaphs by

Hardware; artwork by photographer Georgianna Lane:

Georgianna Lane add atmosphere.

Hibou Home accessories shop.

As they did with this project, the designers

They make sure the clients are absent, any large pieces already chosen are delivered, and “we come in with throws, artwork and accessories and place it all the way we like it,” Triandos explains.

Clients return home to a “big reveal” – and have the option of purchasing anything the designers have brought in. These clients, as it turned out, chose to keep basically everything.

like to plan what they call a “styling day”:

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HOW TO BE SMART Automated window blinds are convenient, easy to operate, and beautiful to behold

BY CHERYL CORNACCHIA

WITH THE PRESS OF A BUTTON on a remote control, the swipe of a finger on a smart phone or a spoken word to Alexa or Google Home, the show begins. Eight roller shades, each one measuring about four feet wide and 10 feet high, lift silently in unison.

They tuck tidily into cassettes, allowing for unobstructed views through the windows of this downtown Toronto condo.

It’s an automated daily morning-light show. And while on this particular day it was initiated by a remote-control, it could have just as easily been prompted by a smartphone, by verbal instructions to a voice-activated device, or pre-programmed by an app.

Steve Poxon, owner of Shades of Home, a custom window-covering business that has served GTA homeowners for more than 30 years, says that as technology continues to automate appliances that were once manually operated, an increasing number of homeowners are visiting his Toronto or Oakville stores asking for “smart shades”.

Smart shades fit perfectly in open-concept spaces and go well with today’s contemporary aesthetic, he says. It doesn’t hurt, he adds, that there’s no need to reserve floor space for someone to get physically close to the shades to manually raise or lower them. With space at a premium in today’s smaller condos, it is starting to make sense to automate window coverings.

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“Thirty years ago, I installed a lot of vertical blinds and one-inch horizontal aluminum blinds,” says Poxon. “Twenty years ago, people were purchasing wall-to-wall drapery. Now it’s all about automation and roller shades.

They are cleaner. They don’t chatter in the breeze like a vertical blind. And when you want to roll them up, you just press a button.”

Shades of Home carries automated window shades made by most of the major manufacturers, such as Hunter Douglas, Shade-O-Matic, Elite Window Fashions, Sun Glow, Maxxmar and Graber, among others.

All of these smart shades can be connected to Google Home, Nest, Amazon Alexa and other smart-home operating systems.

“We are never stumped, never unable to offer a customer what they need,” says Poxon, adding that he listens to his customers and

offers them solutions “to give them the level and sophistication of control or automation (behind the scenes) that makes their lives easier and less complicated.”

Customized smart shades can cover windows as large as 13 feet wide by 24 feet tall and as small as 15 inches square. They can be outfitted with various degrees of black-out capacity or sun protection. They come in a vast array of colours, textures, fabrics and styles. The automated component of the blinds can be hard-wired to the home’s electrical system, and the shades can be operated with rechargeable motors, so there is no need for wiring. There is even an add-on feature that can connect the blinds to a sun sensor that tells the shade to open and close as the sun changes its position in the sky.

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Of course, they do cost more tha n non-motorized window blinds: The average price of a 24-by-36-inch motorized roller shade ranges from $400 to $600, about $200 more than a non-motorized roller shade of the same size.

But for a growing number of homeowners, automated shades just make sense in many settings, including Poxon’s own daughter’s Toronto home. “She spent $800,000 for a 530-square-foot condo,” he says. “If she’d had to arrange the furniture so she could access the blinds, that would have been crazy. Her shades are not a luxury. They are smart.”

Shades of Home 1200 Speers Rd., Oakville ~ 905-827-8555 900 Caledonia Rd., Toronto ~ 416-787-8555 www.shadesofhome.ca

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DESIGNED AND STAGED A production designer who specializes in film, TV and theatre creates his own home

BY ELISABETH KALBFUSS PHOTOGRAPHY: DREW HADLEY STYLING: DENISE PALISAITIS

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FRANÇOIS SÉGUIN has an enviable commute to work: 16 steps upstairs from the loft he shares with his wife, painter Susan G. Scott, to their joint studio. Or, if he’s feeling lazy, he can hop on the freight elevator. Home and work are housed on two floors in what was once a broom factory built in the 1930s, close to Montreal’s downtown core. The couple bought their third-floor studio space in 2004; a decade or so later, when their children were grown and gone, the second floor went on the market, and so they bought that, too.

François, an award-winning production designer who has worked in film, television, theatre and opera, says creating his own living space wasn’t all that different from creating a home for a film set. “I decided to make a

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home that’s a production designer’s house,” he says. “I say that as a joke, but designing a home for a film is based on the character. I go by who is supposed to be living there. I take clues from the character and from the script.

I did the same for my home.”

To create a home destined to be shared by a production designer and a painter, François needed to make shelf space for their books, wall space for their art, a large dining area to entertain and have dinner parties, and a comfortable kitchen that would be not just a place to cook, but also a cozy space to hang out. For his wife, specifically, he needed to make sure she could reach the kitchen shelves, and that they would find a bath tub just the right length for soaking and reading. –>

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François built the sideboard in beech, and the dining table – large enough to seat 10 – out of maple. The dining chairs are copies of a Danish design. Most of the paintings are by Susan G. Scott. However, some are from the couple’s collection. All of the artworks in this room are by Susan G. Scott, except for the large dark tableau on the right, near the credenza, which is by Michele Delisle. Small head-andshoulders portrait, bottom: by Fabien Jean.

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With light coming in only from the front and back of the house, he kept the main living space very open, and took down the wall to the kitchen, but kept it separate from the main area by adding sliding glass doors.

François added several inches of sound insulation to the ceiling, hiding part of the existing wood beams, but still leaving them visible. He added other matching vertical beams along the walls, both to define space, including bookshelves, and to hide such things as electrical wiring and cables. He used tile, wood, even fake brick to clad the walls. “I’m not a big fan of gyproc,” he says. “I tried to get rid of all of the gyproc I could.”

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He also rediscovered woodworking, making key pieces of the furniture himself in his upstairs studio: in the main living space, he built the entry wardrobe, the sideboard and dining table in a range of wood types.

“Sometimes I go to the lumberyard and they have wood on sale,” he says. I’m not a real cabinetmaker, so there’s a lot of waste. The last time I worked in a workshop was as a student in theatre school, so I’m relearning.”

On some lower-budget productions, he’s been known to pay for a piece he wants to use out of his own pocket, use it on his sets, and then take it home: the coffee table was from a play, one of the chairs from a film set. –>

(Above) The master bedroom seems small to some people, François says, but they use the space only to sleep. The guest bedroom is used mostly when their children come to visit. The headboard in the guest bedroom (right) was another of his woodworking projects.

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The kitchen is a big hang-out space for the couple, so it was important that it be airy and comfortable. It also turned into a great space for catering. The couple’s foodie son and his chef friends all have plenty of room to work together prepping large dinner parties using the island, generous counter space and two sinks.

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François played with several different layouts for the bathroom but wasn’t happy with any of them until he scrapped the idea of having a glass enclosure around the shower. Now, the couple love the openness of the space. Floor tiles, tub and faucets: Ciot; subway wall tiles: Home Depot.

In the kitchen, François set out to create a functional space that would be easy to work in, one that would not have some of the little annoyances of their previous kitchen: insufficient counter space and storage. He created only a few cupboards, opting instead for drawers. Except for glassware, most things fit more practically into drawers, he says. “At the beginning there were six empty ones; now they’re all full.”

For the bathroom, he had many different layouts on his drafting table, all of them with glass enclosures around the shower. But none of them felt right until he removed that and left the shower open. It’s a look modelled after one of the hotels he stayed in while travelling

for work. “Susan was worried about water being everywhere,” he says. “But it’s convenient; we like it.” Since the floor is heated, he says, any leftover water evaporates quickly.

Susan loves the space François has created for them. “It’s just such a fabulous environment; it’s so big and yet so cozy,” she says.

As a painter, she adds, she focuses her vision within a relatively small rectangular space. In contrast, she says, her husband sees everything, from the space itself, to the doors, the cabinets, the furniture and every accent and accessory within that space. “My attention is so limited visually, compared to what he thinks about. He goes for the big swing, and the big feelings. That’s him.”

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FABULOUS FERMENTED FLAVOURS The ancient practice of fermenting foods is being embraced by foodies and those seeking better health TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUSAN SEMENAK

WHEN HE SCOOPS a spoonful of homemade sauerkraut from a jar and tosses it into his salad, Blake Mackay isn’t paying much attention to all the current hype around fermented foods.

Mostly, he’s in love with the briny, tangy flavours and the simple, ancient process of lassoing the wild bacteria and yeasts in his environment to transform and preserve food.

The Montreal chef and food stylist has been fermenting foods for more than a decade, spurred by childhood memories of his hippie parents’ own experiments with kombucha, the sour, sparkling fermented tea.

Most weeks, there’s a scramble of paperand cloth-covered bottles, crocks and jars on a sideboard in Mackay’s sunny, art-filled Pointe St. Charles kitchen. This week the selection includes a Mason jar of zingy, orange-flecked napa cabbage and daikon kimchi; pickled Italian giardiniera with cauliflower, green beans and golden beets; jewel-coloured old-fashioned fruit “shrub” drinks made from fruit, sugar and unfiltered apple cider vinegar. –>

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Fermented foods are the latest food trend, the probiotics within them heralded as a magic elixir for a myriad of ills. Foods such as kombucha; kimchi, the traditional Korean dish of fermented cabbage and radish; and kefir, the tart, creamy drink made from fermented milk, are all having their moment. But even if we didn’t realize it, most of us have long been stocking our fridges and pantries with such fermented foods as sourdough bread, cheese, wine, beer, soya sauce, olives, tea.

The fermentation process relies on live bacteria and yeast to convert sugars and starches in foods into acids. The resulting acidity prevents the growth of “bad” bacteria that would otherwise spoil the food. And when we eat fermented food, all these diverse bacteria and other microorganisms come to co-exist in our digestive tracts along with the trillions of other microbes that make up our gut microbiome.

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The benefits of microbes in food are only beginning to be understood. Though there is not a whole lot of conclusive clinical proof to support the many disease-fighting claims about fermented foods, there is solid evidence to show that eating them aids digestion and bolsters our immune systems.

But the health benefits are only one reason to love fermented foods. Mackay says he loves them for the same reasons that our forebears did: they are a simple way of preserving

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seasonal produce and reducing food waste.

“As soon as veggies start to go soft in the bin they go into a jar with salt brine to become pickles,” he says.

To preprare herbes salées, a traditional Quebec seasoning for soups and stews, he processes vegetable scraps and herbs in his food processor, weighs the mixture, and tosses it with salt in a five per cent salt-to-vegetable ratio; the mixture is then fermented for two to three weeks. –>

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Food scientist Sebastien Bureau, co-author of the best-selling book Fermentation Revolution – Révolution fermentation in French – (Les Editions de l’homme 2017) says the popularity of fermentation is part of a wider movement that is also invigorating backyard and balcony gardening and preserving – a reaction to our growing reliance on processed, packaged and prepared foods over the past generation.

“When you eat a pickle you made yourself, there’s nothing but the essentials in there. It’s a minimally processed food that can be made in small quantities,” Bureau says. “It’s a way of reconnecting with your food.”

Bureau has made it his mission to demystify home fermentation and he is seeing

surging interest in the topic. So is Mackay, whose ongoing fermenting and preserving workshops, which he hosts with Toronto pastry chef and jam-maker Camilla Wynne, always fill up.

So how to begin introducing more fermented food into your diet? Start by adding a readymade kimchi from the Asian grocery store into an omelette, or a spoonful of mixed pickled vegetables onto a salad plate. Look for the words “naturally fermented” on jars of store-bought fermented foods to be sure that the cultures are live.

Then don’t be afraid to experiment yourself. Start one jar at a time. Here’s a simple recipe from Bureau’s Fermentation Revolution blog: Thinly slice a cabbage (about one

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kilo) into a bowl, reserving one outer leaf.

With your hands, massage four teaspoons of sea salt into it for a few minutes, until the cabbage begins to release its liquid. Then press it into clean glass jars. The liquid produced should submerge the cabbage. Place the whole cabbage leaf on top and add a weight, if needed, to keep the cabbage submerged.

Cover the jar loosely enough to allow the air to exit. Let stand away from direct sunlight for three weeks. Remove the weight, discard the cabbage leaf. The sauerkraut is ready when it is tangy.

“It’s not so complicated,” Bureau says.

“People have been doing this for a very, very long time.”

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INSIDE OUT BRINGING THE COMFORT of the indoors outside is by no means a new decor trend.

However, advances in motorization technology and in new fabrics for outdoor carpets, draperies, furniture and accessories are making outdoor-living spaces more comfortable – and more functional too.

For more than 30 years, John DiLuca, his sisters Agata (Olivieri) and Brenda, and their parents, Tony and Ada, have owned and operated Maple Drapery and Carpet, a custom window-and-floor-covering business serving the Greater Toronto Area from its stores in Concord and King City.

Window and f loor coverings make up the bulk of their business. However, outdoor floor coverings, draperies, shades and screens are also becoming a growing segment. More homeowners are finding that investing in new

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Today’s fabrics and outdoor floor coverings make the patio and garden as beautiful as indoor spaces

high-quality outdoor products can make outdoor living more enjoyable, and extend the number of hours in a day that they can spend comfortably outside during the summer.

“Backyard patio” no longer captures the vibe of today’s outdoor spaces, says DiLuca.

There is a lot that is new – loggias, for example. Loggias are galleries or rooms with one or more open sides that form part of a house but also have one side open to the garden. There are also new area rugs, wall-to-wall carpeting, luxurious outdoor drapery and special fabric-covered furniture and accessories that warm up outdoor spaces. “It’s about comfort and style,” he says.

The biggest innovation has been in outdoor area rugs and carpeting, says DiLuca.

Earlier generations of outdoor floor coverings had a nylon look and feel. They also faded in

BY CHERYL CORNACCHIA

the sun and were prone to mould and mildew.

Today’s offerings from such manufacturers as Stanton and Antrim are made from polypropylene and UV-stabilized poly-silk in a vast selection of colours, patterns and textures. Given their appearance of natural fibres, they look so much like indoor products that many customers use them in kitchens, family rooms and even under the dining room table.

Draperies are also being used in outdoor structures. DiLuca says Maple Drapery uses durable and sun-resistant acrylic fabrics from Sunbrella and Bella Dura to add drama to outdoor covered porches and gazebos. The fabric selection runs the gamut from solids and patterns to stripes and sheers.

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Retractable screens and roller shades from Hunter Douglas, Talius and Exo Système are also popular. They can be used in gazebos, on porches and in free-standing pergolas.

They offer sun and insect protection as well as privacy. Some models can be motorized and come with a remote control. When they are lowered, they stay taut in a zipper-like track that runs up and down each side of the shade.

There is no blowing or noise – a problem that had existed with earlier generations of retractable screens and roller shades.

Fabrics available for outdoor lounge furniture have also improved. The new fabrics are more durable, sun-resistant and stylish.

Hemp and eco-fabrics are also coming onto the market but are not yet mainstream. Geometrics, florals, stripes and solids remain the most popular patterns for outdoor furniture,

pillows and accessories. However, this year, dramatic animal prints – think blue and black leopard print – are especially trendy, says Agata Olivieri. You might not want to do your outdoor sofa in wild-animal print, but on throw pillows it can be perfect, she says.

Long gone are the days when an outdoor space was a couple of folding chairs on a patio.

Today’s outdoor rooms are as highly designed as their indoor counterparts. And when it comes to shades, rugs, cushions and screens, the possibilities for beautifying those outdoor spaces are endless.

Maple Drapery & Carpet 8481 Keele St., Concord ~ 905-660-7290 12967 Keele St., King City ~ 905-833-5464 www.mapledrapery.com

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS –INDOORS Urbanization is urging us to embrace nature in our built environments

BY BARBARA MILNER Photo courtesy of Mooi

RAPID GLOBAL URBANIZATION is impacting people and communities worldwide and shifting the way we live, work and interact with our environment.

According to the 2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects – produced by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs – 55 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 68 per cent by 2050.

The North American population is approximately 80 per cent urbanized and spends almost 90 per cent of the time indoors. Now, more than ever, our interiors are playing a critical role in the way we think and feel.

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With fewer green spaces, less fresh country air and a vast majority of our lives spent in built environments, the very concept of an “interior” space is undergoing a paradigm shift. Traditionally a place to seek shelter from nature, today’s innovative interiors are using great design to connect with the great outdoors.

Biophilic design does just that: it aims to simulate natural features in the modern built environment. From fantastical flora to exotic animal prints, and intricate insect patterns, “biophilia” is the new buzzword for designers.

From minimalism to maximalism, imaginative to realistic, pretty to edgy and raw, the face of nature is now a force of nature in design.

WALLCOVERINGS GONE WILD Wallcoverings have a history of celebrating nature. Chintz-style woodblock-printed wallpaper dates back to as early as the 1700s. The floral pattern was later embraced by the likes of Jackie Kennedy and Dorothy Draper. The flowery excess of chintz was hard to miss in the 1980s. It was arguably overdone and led to a major petal pushback in the ’90s. Today, biophilic design has reinvented the idea of chintz.

Papers have a larger-than-life appeal, and patterns are being created with new technology that has taken floral imagery from innocent and pretty to edgy and innovative.

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Photo courtesy of Sunflower

Photo courtesy of Mooi

Photo courtesy of Sunflower

Superflower, a New York City-based wallpaper company founded last year, creates lifelike papers that are inspired by the Japanese art of floral arrangement called Ikebana, and 19th-century European patterns.

Founders Andrew Zuckerman and Nicole Bergen, wanted to present imagery that would be precise and photographic in nature, with a resolution and clarity that is almost futuristic.

“Our interest has always been in reconciling the divide between nature and the built environment, so for us it is quite natural to bring imagery of nature into space,” says Bergen.

Also raising reality to the surface is the “Menagerie of Extinct Animals” wallcovering, a collaboration between Dutch brand Moooi and Belgian wallcovering manufacturer Arte.

Lush, beautiful, and controversial, the paper features 10 extinct animals mysteriously hidden in jungle foliage. Certain to fill a room with style and dialogue, the paper is a stunning social commentary on our relationship with nature. “Menagerie of Extinct Animals” was launched by Metro Wallcoverings, the exclusive distributor of Arte wallcoverings in Canada. –>

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Photos courtesy of CTD Architectural Tiles

Photo courtesy of Edward Fields

FLOORING COMES ALIVE Biophilic design is transforming flooring into opportunities to showcase organic patterns, palettes and textures. Bringing floors to life by mimicking nature makes you want to kick off your shoes and immerse yourself in the room.

UK-based CTD Architectural Tiles has accomplished that feeling with their Amazonia porcelain tile. It combines botanical patterns with a natural palette to conjure up a rainforest landscape. In urban settings with little to no access to nature, consider this a low maintenance fix for flora. No watering required.

Rugs with biophilic themes are also growing in popularity. Tidal waves, wood textures, floral patterns and animal prints can liven up a room with dramatic colour and texture. But a new rug collection called Taxonomy by luxury carpet manufacturer Edward Fields is adding some unusual suspects to that mix. Lighting designer Bec Brittain collaborated with Edward Fields studio to create rugs that expose the raw beauty of insect antennae, wings, fruit flies and beetle shells. The rugs are hand-tufted in wool and silk and are beautiful abstract interpretations of geology and insect anatomy.

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Photo courtesy of Object Interface

GUIDING LIGHT Light, the most nurturing element of nature, is given significant consideration in biophilic design. It is now a widely accepted fact that exposure to natural light improves wellness and reduces fatigue. Floor-to-ceiling windows are becoming an increasingly popular feature for new homes and offices.

If you don’t have the luxury of planning a new build or undertaking a costly renovation, there are creative ways to inject light and the beauty of the outdoors into your space thanks to such innovative designers as Ryan Taylor, founder of Toronto-based Object Interface.

Taylor has combined LED pendants with planters to create a series of planter pendants.

Inspired by retro macramé hanging planters, these pendants are perfect for urban minimalists who love plants but not the clutter of flowerpots. Canadian rapper Drake recently had them installed in his OVO sound office, proving that nobody is too cool for plants and that biophilic design is not only happening, it’s hip.

Columnist Barbara Milner is an interior designer and principal at South Hill Interiors, a design firm that serves the Greater Toronto Area and Kawartha Lakes region. The firm’s real estate arm offers realt y services with Forest Hill Real Estate Inc.

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GOOD BONES Despite being solid and spacious, this 30-year-old home benefitted from a much-needed update

BY WENDY HELFENBAUM PHOTOGRAPHY: COLIN PERRY STYLING: NEGAR REIHANI

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BEFORE PUTTING IN AN OFFER on a West Vancouver property in 2018, a young couple asked designer Negar Reihani to weigh in on how to transform the circa-1989 house. They wanted a space that would be suitable for a growing family that loves to entertain.

While the house offered loads of space, the configuration of its layout and the flow, especially in the kitchen, needed rethinking.

“The bones of the property were excellent, but it was dated and the floor plan didn’t work for today’s lifestyle,” says Reihani, founder and creative director at Space Harmony Interiors in

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Vancouver. “The main floor – which included the master bedroom and ensuite – needed a full gut and reno.”

The homeowners, who both work from home, wanted two offices plus plenty of room for them and their son. “The house had what we were looking for – high ceilings and architectural curves in the structure – and we knew that by taking down some walls and redesigning the kitchen, we could bring value to the property and create a space we could enjoy living in,” says the homeowner.

“I love the combination of gold and black; the classic mix adds an element of luxury,” says Negar Reihani. “The hardware, lighting and bar stools work beautifully with the flooring’s golden-honey colour.”

“As soon as you enter the house, you see all the way through. We just love the flow; it’s like a song.”

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(Opposite and below, left) The designer relocated the fridge to one side of the kitchen alongside a wall of pantry storage, and carved out storage nooks throughout, including an appliance garage with pull-out shelves.

Cabinetry: designed by Space Harmony and custom-built by Kanox Construction; cabinet colour: Black Magic

by Sherwin Williams; quartz countertop: Vicostone; pendant lighting: Restoration Hardware; plumbing: Kohler.

Opening up the kitchen topped Reihani’s to-do list, so out went the wall separating this hub from the rest of the house. To lend a rustic touch to the space, Reihani framed the entrance to the kitchen to match the new white oak flooring.

Moving the original dining area allowed her to extend the kitchen and create a generous cooking space tucked into a corner between a bank of windows, hidden from guests in the main living space.

To complement the home’s airy new layout, with its soaring, angled ceilings, the designer brought in a palette of black, gold and rich sapphire blue. “The space is open from one end of the house to the other, and

I really wanted to anchor it with black cabinets, which create a punch that divides and grounds the kitchen and everything around it,” says Reihani, who added brushed gold hardware and bar stools to soften the look and pick up the tones in the floor. “Black and gold have a traditional, formal vibe, but the white subway tile backsplash, white quartz countertops and reeded glass pantry doors inject casual style,” she says.

The 12-foot-long marble-topped island offers a generous surface for baking and food preparation, and the stone’s soft cream, grey and gold veining adds an understated elegance to the French-bistro atmosphere. –>

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Reihani added black accents throughout the home – in the staircase railing, the powder room faucets, and to frame the new windows, which made the biggest impact in the living room. Here, the larger windows capture the property’s lush garden views, says the homeowner. “I love that we can now take advantage of the natural light in the house,” he says.

To further open up the main floor, Reihani took down the wall between the foyer and the sunken living room, installing vertical black wood slats that add privacy and style while still allowing light to filter through. “I wish every home had a sunken living room; one or two steps really creates a beautiful zone and a lot of character,” she says.

For the family room at the back of the house, Reihani removed the massive original fireplace and replaced a small window with full-height sliding doors leading out to a new deck. She centered a sleek gas fireplace flanked by custom white oak cabinetry and shelves to create a bold focal point. “I love the cold-rolled black steel cladding over the fireplace; it has a nice patina with variations of brown and rusty gold, plus a beautiful texture,” she says. –>

(Left) “Because it’s a small space, we went with a grasscloth wallpaper in a traditional pattern with a beautiful texture that gives the room an Old-World charm,” says designer Negar Reihani of the powder room. The black lines in the pattern and asymmetrical light fixture add an unexpected, contemporary flair that connects this space to the rest of the house.

(Opposite, top) A denim-blue sectional offers the perfect spot for the family to gather and watch movies while enjoying the new gas fireplace.

(Opposite, below) New windows that extend to the floor allow an abundance of natural light to stream through.

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Black Vicostone quartz counters were designed to look as if they’re six inches thick. Reihani mounted the hardware on the mirror, and covered the floor with tiny hexagonal mosaic glass tiles – crafted in Spain from recycled materials – to add sparkle to the space.

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The designer evoked a dreamy spa environment in the ensuite bathroom. Borrowing space from the massive master bedroom, she added a private water closet and reconfigured the shower. “The shower ceiling was angled and quite high, which wasn’t functional, so we dropped it to standard height and installed a double rain shower, a bench and a beautiful niche, all with hidden lights that look beautiful at night.”

The white-oak vanity, topped with black quartz, provides much-needed storage.

Reihani also added a stylish linen closet and towel warmer for a touch of luxury, and framed the recessed tub area with vertical windows overlooking the trees. “The whole main floor is fantastic,” says the homeowner.

“As soon as you enter the house, you see all the way through. We just love the flow; it’s like a song.”

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HOW TO GET ORGANIZED THE MERE IDEA of spring cleaning had me cowering under my comforter until I spoke to several organizing experts. They quelled my qualms with practical insights for ultimate success.

“We lead such multifaceted lives nowadays with lots more stuff and greater demands on our time,” says Lindsay Whisen, CEO of Ease Up in Toronto. “Moms and dads have responsibilities outside the home and/or driving kids to activities instead of just sending them into the yard while they clean the garage.”

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Spring is the best time of year to make your home clean, tidy and orderly

BY JULIE GEDEON

Reorganizing as part of spring cleaning is also a fairly recent trend thanks to Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, published less than a decade ago. “Social media have fueled the desire for minimalist lifestyles that prioritize time and space over possessions,” says Allison Weigensberg, owner of Everything in Place in Montreal. “With larger homes, we fill more space – dumping things into spare bedrooms or basements.”

As a result, spring cleaning now starts with the question: does my home simply need a good scrub or a true decluttering and reorganization.

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Photo courtesy of Everything in Place

“Benjamin Franklin’s adage ‘For every minute spent in organizing, we save an hour,’ still holds true,” Whisen says. “Clutter drains our energy. And since by nature we take the path of least resistance, we more likely avoid cleaning – even using – messy areas, going out to eat, for instance, if the fridge and pantry are in disarray.”

Whatever you decide to do, you’re unlikely to have time or energy to get everything done at once. “Instead, create a realistic timeline to deal with different areas,” recommends, Elizabeth Alescio, owner of Mlle Range-Tout in Montreal.

If that still makes you quiver with dread, break down tasks further. “Make a checklist of everything to do in one bathroom,” Alescio suggests. “The satisfaction of completing that list will motivate you to undertake other areas.”

Gathering similar items is the best way to determine if you have too many of one thing. “When you see all your mugs together or jeans in a pile, it’s easier to decide what to keep,” Whisen explains. –>

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Photo courtesy of Everything in Place

Regard your space as precious real estate. “Is your use or love of an item greater than the area it occupies?” Whisen asks.

Avoid discarding what belongs to others.

“Talk to your spouse or children if their clutter is infringing on mutual space,” she says.

Having designated spaces for everything unclutters surfaces and makes cleaning easier.

It also curbs excessive buying. “When our

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breadbox is full, I don’t buy another bagel,” Whisen notes. “After all, supermarkets store food until we need it!”

Utility spaces tend to be quicker to declutter. “There’s less emotional attachment to items in these rooms,” Weigensberg says. “It’s just a question of whether something is still good and then maybe needs a bin or basket to keep like items together.”

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BEFORE

AFTER

Photos courtesy of Mille Range Tout

Everything should be scrutinized. “Get rid of ‘in case’ items that you’re keeping on the chance they might come in handy one day,” advises Alescio.

Think about curating any collections to keep only the most valued items and selling or donating the rest. “The less you own, the less you clean,” she says. “Parting with gifts or mementos is often most difficult. But if

your grandmother’s knickknacks are sitting in boxes, you might derive greater joy by displaying one or two and finding someone to appreciate the rest.”

Alescio says it’s a good habit to ask family or friends if they’d like something of possible sentimental value. “Just say, ‘I have this in mind for you. Is it something you’d like, or would you rather I give it away?’ ” –>

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Letting go of clothes tends to be more challenging than most people anticipate. “It’s often hard to get rid of something that cost us a lot, or we bought for a special occasion, or back when we were another size,” Weigensberg says. “But even if we return to that style or size, there’s likely to be key changes in the fashion, our tastes, and even shape.”

Photo courtesy of Everything in Place

Weigensberg advises taking stock of wardrobes after every season while it’s still fresh in mind to determine what no longer looks good or functions well. Identifying organizations that accept donations makes it easier to part with clothes that still have some wear but no longer suit us.

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AFTER

Photos courtesy of Mille Range Tout

Once all the reorganization and cleaning are done, labelling helps others to know how each area should be kept. “Labels can be discreet or temporary until others become familiar with new setups,” Alescio says. “Or be creative with colour-coding or photos.”

Foyers and mudrooms can quickly be made seasonally functional with bins containing mittens and hats swapped out for visors, sunscreens and insect repellants. “The walls in these areas tend to be dirtiest, so it’s best to

clean them in bright light,” Weigensberg says.

“Also, look at everything from different angles – especially if you have children or pets.”

Just chatting with these experts has led to a row of clean, reorganized cupboards chez moi. If the idea of spring cleaning still has you hiding under covers, it might be time to call a professional. No one thinks twice anymore about housecleaning services but some of us still believe that we should be able to keep everything organized.

“Women in particular still too often think they must do it all, and we can’t and shouldn’t,” Whisen says. “Some women suffer in quiet desperation until they call us and then it’s amazing how much lighter they feel.”

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TRUE BLUE

Blue highlights in a 1950s Calgary home punch up a neutral palette

BY PHILLIPA RISPIN PHOTOGRAPHY: KLASSEN PHOTOGRAPHY STYLING: ALYKHAN VELJI

IT ALL STARTED WITH THE BLUE TILES. “The starting point of this makeover was the backsplash tiles; they were chosen before anything else,” says Aly Velji. Upon seeing a sample at his design firm, “the whole studio fell in love with these tiles. We thought ‘We have to use these somewhere,’ and this was the perfect project to use them in.” –>

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Near the front door, a rustic antique bench is a warm element contrasted with the cooler tones of the oak floor.

The warm toffee colour of the island bar stools is picked out in the living room rug. Floor: Smith Bros. Floors Ltd.; armchairs: CF Interiors; rug: Crate & Barrel; millwork: Made to Design Woodcraft; island pendants: CB2; bar stools: West Elm; backsplash: Daltile.

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His eponymous company, Alykhan Velji Designs, had the mandate to do a complete makeover of the ground floor of a family’s 1950s-era home, and Velji and his associate, interior designer Alison Connor, were enthusiastic about showing their clients the vibrant tiles. They were delighted to discover that “the wife was not afraid of colour” and “neither are we!” exclaims Velji. Those blue tiles are now one of the first things visible to anyone entering the renovated ground floor’s expansive living space.

It’s a big change from the home’s original plan, with its individual gathering places — living room, dining room, kitchen — and

also a powder room, a spare bedroom and the master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.

The designers rejigged the 1,200 square feet of the ground-floor plan, dividing the spare room to slightly enlarge the tiny powder room and to give the master suite a larger bathroom and a walk-in closet.

“One tricky thing was the space planning,” Connor says of the project. “They really wanted to have that larger master bathroom and a walk-in closet. Figuring out how we could achieve that with their existing footprint [resulted in our] incorporating the spare room.”

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The glassed-in office near the front door wasn’t originally part of the design vision.

“Once we got beyond the initial planning phase, we started figuring out the use of that one space to the right of the front door,” Velji says. “We thought that it would be beautiful clad in glass and metal to let all the natural light flow throughout the main floor. It’s a breath of fresh air.”

The homeowners wanted an uncluttered house, so Velji and Connor eschewed a lot of open shelving but provided plenty of concealed storage. The owners also wanted a crisp white kitchen, which the designers executed with Shaker-style cabinetry. They extended the cabinetry into the dining area, which is now open to the rest of the space. Deciding on a two-tone look, they used dark grey on the side of the dining room to create a bar area.

“This not only helped to delineate that space but also to create a bit of contrast with the white,” Velji says. “Otherwise, there would have been an expanse of white cabinetry that I think would have been a little bit too much.” –>

(Above) In the office, the chair and the black muntins on the glass walls relate to decor elements in the open living area. Rug: CB2; glass partitions: House of Mirrors. (Right) An antiqued mirror and vintage glassware in the dining area add sparkle. Table: Wayfair; chairs: CF Interiors; light fixture: Troy Lighting; glassware: Tipsy Palm.

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The custom vent hood in the kitchen was also done in the same colour. “We decided on that to have a seamless look,” Connor says.

“Keeping the colour to match the dining room millwork tied those two areas together.”

She adds, “It created almost a shiplap look to give the hood its own personality.”

Warmth is added with a subtly veined waterfall-edge island and light oak flooring that also brightens the space. “We also introduced beautiful textures and accessories that help with that; the leather stools, the four chairs in navy velvet add that warmth factor,” Velji says. The sitting-area rug ties in the various shades of blue while nodding to the tan of the stools at the kitchen island.

Velji and Connor had fun with the powder room. “No powder room is complete without some wallpaper,” Velji says. “We decided to do this gorgeous Moorish-style wallpaper that accents all of the colours that are in the space.

“In an open-concept space you really want to think about patterns and textures and about creating different layers of items.

Through the finish you choose for a door all the way down to furniture and fabric: it all goes into play when you’re thinking about adding warmth to a space.”

The designers splashed out in the powder room with a Moorish-style pattern on the walls. A custom-made wood shelf adds warmth to the space, and the black faucet is of a piece with the various other plumbing fixtures and cabinetry hardware throughout the main floor. Wallpaper: Schumacher; penny-round wall tiles: Tierra Sol.

(Opposite) “Accessories play a huge role in finishing off a space,” says designer Aly Velji. “We used the clients’ possessions and also sourced some items locally.” Framed and displayed on several walls are antique embroidered and beaded moccasins and gloves that were passed down from the wife’s grandmother.

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In the ensuite master bathroom, a tub was eschewed in favour of the walk-in shower desired by the homeowners.

Pale aqua tiles, the warmth of custom-made wood cabinetry and the black hardware punctuating the space make for a welcoming space. Floor: Stone Tile; shower wall tile: Tierra Sol; shower fixtures: Delta; sinks: Kohler; sconces: Matteo Lighting.

The master bedroom features mostly neutral finishes that emphasize texture over colour, but the blue theme still makes its presence known. Wallpaper: Crown; bed: Crate & Barrel; nightstands: West Elm; lamps: CB2; bench: Mobilia; rug: Wayfair; drapes: Tonic Living.

“All the way down to . . . fabric” even includes bed linens; this was a full-scope design and decor project. The master bedroom has the calm yet cocooning style of a boutique hotel, with the added luxury of linen sheets and grasscloth wallpaper offering nubby texture.

The boutique-hotel vibe extends into the master bathroom. The owners wanted a spa-like feeling, and the designers responded with a large shower with seating and shelf space, and lined with handmade-looking tiles in a watery blue.

The designers are happy with the result of their work and also with the process of executing it. “I really loved working with these clients because they were so open to our design suggestions,” Velji says. “They allowed us to put our design foot forward.”

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SUBURBAN

CHIC

After moving to the suburbs from the city, homeowners have their designer create urban style in their 1960s home

BY SUSAN SEMENAK PHOTOGRAPHY: DREW HADLEY STYLING: ÉRIK MAILLÉ

LOOK CLOSELY. You’ll see that in almost every tableau, Érik Maillé has injected a jot of black. “Une petite touche de noir,” is how he describes his signature design flourish.

A horizontal line of black tile that runs across a white bathroom. A wall of blackframed family photos – black and white, of course. Doorknobs in inky black oiled bronze, light fixtures that are powder-coated matte black. These are the punctuation marks that appear and reappear throughout one of the Montreal interior designer’s recent projects: a warm and charming family home on Montreal’s South Shore community of St. Lambert, reimagined for a professional couple in their mid-30s and their two young children.

The couple had made a bold move, relocating to the suburbs from the city, lured by the dream of a backyard and a bigger house, and the opportunity for their children to grow up closer to their extended family.

At 35 years old, Maillé is an interior design veteran who began in the business at the age of 20 and now runs his own five-person eponymous firm. (He is also co-host of the popular Canal Vie television series Les héros de la réno in which he and his team perform “rescues” of projects after the owners have fallen upon hard times. (In one recent episode, they renovated a house in Ste. Marthe sur le lac that had been badly damaged by flooding.) –>

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(Opposite) A mudroom was important to the owners, too, for practical reasons. It is a small room, located just off the garage and features cubbies with wicker baskets, and hooks for hanging clothes.

(Above) When his clients ask for white spaces, Érik Maillé says he is always ready to oblige. But then he looks for features that add warmth, among them natural elements such as leather, wood and sisal. In this house, he points to the braided leather bench in the entryway and the leather sofa in the living room, plus the grain of the rift-cut oak in the kitchen’s island. Braided leather bench, sisal rug and mirror: Maillé Style.

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Maillé did what he always does before beginning the St. Lambert project: he invited his prospective clients over to his own house to talk. He wanted them to get a glimpse of his own eclectic style and to see if they all felt comfortable with each other.

He says the clients had done plenty of research before they visited him. And he understood immediately what they were after: A home with a traditional feel but streamlined, modern but warm – with a hint of rustic, “but not too much.” They preferred a muted colour scheme, white walls and pale wood. They wanted a minimalist aesthetic, but not a cold one.

Nothing too shocking, but neither too plain.

Also on their checklist: a mudroom for hiding boots and overcoats after family outings, a main-floor laundry room to avoid hauling

clothes bins up and down the basement stairs; a big, luminous white, easy-to-clean kitchen, and a comfy, casual living room where everyone could gather around the fire.

The instructions might have come off as complicated, even contradictory. But not to Maillé, who is a master of melding styles. He accommodates, no embraces, ambiguity by hewing to a traditional aesthetic that incorporates modern materials. Or he’ll do the opposite: create a contemporary style, then soften it with traditional materials or finishes.

As it was, the 1960s cottage in St. Lambert was a warren of small rooms.

“We took down a supporting wall, re-divided the space and put in new floors and walls, Maillé says. “All to say, we rethought everything.” –>

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The black-and-white motif is evident right from the high-gloss black front door. The entrance floor is clad in textured Montauk slate tiles of varying sizes, and the space is dominated by an oversized rectangular mirror with smoky, distressed panels. In the adjacent hallway, the rectangles are repeated in a wall of black and white family photos that are at once aesthetic and sentimental. “If I could, everything would be a contrast between black and white, which is so, so timeless. You never get tired of it,” Maillé says. “But black and white isn’t just timeless. It’s also punchy. It has a bold, modern feeling, too.”

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Much as he loves the pared-down look of black and white, Maillé says he never wants his spaces to appear “monotonous.” So he brings in warmth and texture by introducing accents in leather, wood, sisal or ruched fabric.

The spindles on the stairway leading to the second floor might seem old-school in another context. But Maillé bleached them to a pale tone and lent the staircase a fresh, Scandinavian look. –>

The walls throughout the house are painted a grey-toned white, Benjamin Moore’s OC-67, “not too pink, not too green, not too blue.”

(Opposite, top) The owners wanted a white kitchen and that’s what they got. White cabinets, white subway tiles, white quartz countertops and backsplash. But the designer added textured rift-cut oak to the island counter to lend warmth. He found leather-upholstered stools, which are easy to clean – an important consideration for the parents of two active children.

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(Left) The space under an original bay window is fitted with banquette seating and paired with a vintage pedestal table. Cabinetry: Ébénisterie Germain; faucets: Ceragrès; lighting above island: Luminaire et compagnie; wall sconces, stools, banquette cushions and sisal rug: Maillé Style.

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The designer kept the original beams and panelling, but painted them white to lighten them. Cabinets flanking the patio door were added, to create a place to stow children’s toys when not in use. Sofa: West Elm; velvet-upholstered chairs, floor lamp and marble-topped tables: MaillÊ Style.

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(Right) In the children’s bathroom, the designer gave an otherwise traditional decor a fun twist with a geometric black lighting fixture and black and white vintage-style floor tiles. Bench: Maillé Style; towel hooks and accessories: Anthropologie; plumbing fixtures and tiles (both bathrooms): Ramacieri Soligo.

In the all-white kitchen, the island cabinets are built of rift-cut oak and the stools are upholstered in grey leather, which imbues the room with a modern-country sophistication.

The designer does the same thing in the living room, by keeping the original fireplace, with modifications that reduce its stone surface to manageable proportions. The room’s original wall panelling and ceiling stay too – as a nod to the home’s 1960s origins, but they are painted white to lighten them up.

Upstairs, in the children’s bathroom, black-and-white tiling is juxtaposed with a vintage-look walnut vanity. “Throughout the house, you’ll see a mix of what’s practical and what’s beautiful, of timeless and contemporary, of rough and smooth,” says Maillé. “To me, this blending of styles and elements is everything. It’s what gives a space history and soul.”

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LIFESTYLE

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AN AQUARIAN SPRING Saturn in this zodiac sign heralds a major refresh for both life and style

BY SUSAN KELLY

OPEN A NEW WINDOW. That soul-liberating impulse becomes more compelling than ever in springtime. And this season it takes on heightened significance as a metaphor for big changes ahead when it comes to both life and style.

The astrological refresh started on March 21. That’s when Saturn entered futuristic and humanitarian Aquarius, a neighbourhood it will squat in until July 1. While there, it flings wide a portal into major changes that are in store, globally and personally. Consider it a sneak preview of what’s to come; starting in December 2020, it leads the kick-off of a very new and far-reaching cycle.

Saturn has a lot to do with day-to-day

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reality and how we create the structures that support it. The sign of the Water Bearer brings keen awareness that we’re all in this together. As the zodiac’s most open-minded denizen, it shows us the way to absolute inclusivity. Which holds no matter how alien the people or things encountered. Borders tend to open and interest in extraterrestrial life forms has an uptick when major planets encounter Aquarius.

The perennial rebel and eccentric, it has a reputation for going against the grain.

Favourite neighbourhood: Utopia. Those born under the sign lean towards boho or avantgarde aesthetics and eco-chic flourishes, and tend to pull it all off with effortless

sophistication, as does Aquarian Ellen DeGeneres in her homewares line, ED Ellen DeGeneres.

When she recently opened the home she shares with Portia De Rossi to Architectural Digest, it illustrated this sign’s penchant for eclectic style. It is set at the front entrance, which is dominated by a modernist steeland-glass ping pong table, a limited edition

by Argentine artist Rirkrit Tiravanija. Underneath lies a 19th-century Agra carpet, overhead an ultra-contemporary Serge Mouille chandelier.

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Aquarius is also about paradox and is quite the contrarian when it comes to trends. Under its influence, we’ll likely see an upsurge of people rejecting fads or styles seen all over Pinterest or the ’Gram. So much so, being anti-trend may become a trend in itself! What we will want in furnishings and architecture: something that not only reflects our personality, but does so in a totally unique way.

Want to be ahead of the curve? Here are six trends for spring 2020 that will see you well into the coming Age of Aquarius: Higher-tech homes: Geeking out on gadgets will be chic, and our homes will be smarter and more automated than ever. Saturn was in Aquarius when the animated TV series The Jetsons showed futuristic family life, complete with robot maid. Already smart home technology is accelerating, and 5G technology and IoT (Internet of Things) is likely just the beginning. No longer will it be enough to control our thermostat, alarm and window blinds from the smartphone. Soon everything, from clocks, lights, doorbells, cameras, to hot water heaters and appliances will communicate not only with you but with each other.

Special effects: Home decor trends migrate from fashion runways at lightning speed now. And spring 2020 couture collections reflected Aquarius’s love of light effects. Every

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imaginable variation of shimmer, sparkle and glitter, from subtle to too-obvious, appeared in metallic fabrics or eyeshadows on models’ eyes. On the home front, expect to see glitzy touches added in unexpected places, such as cabinet hardware or bathroom faucets. New, higher-tech lighting systems will also emerge.

Abstract and surrealist design: Aquarius has the greatest affinity with Uranus, the planet that takes us beyond reality. Both art movements marked a big break from reality-based representational art in the past century. And both are having a moment in home decor. Contemporary works of art and fabric patterns take inspiration from abstract expressionism. Look for bold geometrics, hand-drawn sketches and ludic blocks of colour. Other designers, such as Jonathan Adler, now embrace perception-bending surrealism as a way to inject a unique, playful touch.

Communal living and work spaces: Aquarius is all about the collective, and so interest in such coworking spaces as WeWork and IWG should continue to boom. So will alternative living arrangements, given this sign’s passion for living more sustainably and being part of a community. Canadian entrepreneur Anil Khera’s Node is one of a dozen or so companies around the world offering co-living options to urban renters. It’s a type of housing in

which residents enjoy both private and communal living spaces, not unlike a high-end college dorm or rooming house. The trend is not just for millennials, either, with seniors and young families also getting onboard.

The blue electric: The sign of the Water Bearer loves blue, preferably an intense shade.

And shades of blue – from pale robin’s egg to vibrant cobalt – are trending strongly. Classic Blue, Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2020, is perfect for this future-minded sign: “It’s a colour that anticipates what’s going to happen next,” Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, said at the time of the announcement. Paint companies Sherwin Williams, Sico and Dulux also went with a shade of blue as their Colour of the Year.

Self-sufficiency rules: Expect a major shift in the type of real estate we invest in. Saturn is structure and Aquarius is electricity, so this cycle will bring innovative renewable solutions beyond wind and solar energy. Which will lead to more people living off the grid.

Some will go this route for economic reasons.

But, since this sign is also anti-establishment, others will do it to make a political or social statement. Greater mobility will also be an important issue, which should drive continued interest in tiny homes, especially those on wheels.

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GOING WITH THE FLOW

A formerly cramped Toronto kitchen gets a new, fluid layout and award-winning design

BY SUSAN KELLY PHOTOGRAPHY: LARRY ARNAL STYLING: LOREN SMARDA

ONE OF THE JOYS of a custom-built home is that its owner can configure it to fit the everyday rhythm of life. And the owners of this three-storey detached home in The Beaches, designed by Toronto architect and academic Jeffery Stinson, have found this to be true — with one exception.

Back in 1999, a kitchen layout that was more cozy than open-concept seemed the way to go. “We still love the home, with its contemporary and asymmetrical design,” says the homeowner, who lives there with her husband. “But there was always a logjam by the back door when we had people over.

There was no flow because there was nowhere for more than a few people to stand in the kitchen at once. As people wanted to enter the kitchen, there was a traffic jam getting in.

Also, the space to the sink, stove and oven had no exit, so it was crowded when more than one person worked on meal preparation. We had to do a coordinated dance around each other to work.” –>

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The pantry houses a cabinet for spice and sundries above the laundry chute, an original feature prized by the homeowners. On the opposite end, a large rollout shelf puts stored goods close at hand while a niche holds a step stool and brooms. Kitchen cabinetry: Downsview Kitchens.

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A revamp was in order, for which they turned to Viktoriya Dacosta, senior kitchen and bath designer at Yorkville Design Centre, which is an exclusive dealer of Downsview Kitchens.

To open up the 233-square-foot space, she first removed an awkward peninsula and partition wall. A pantry was moved to the far wall and expanded, extending floor-to-ceiling with special provision for a laundry chute.

Dacosta also was charged with creating a fresh, contemporary look that would respect the original architecture and the couple’s

different priorities. “He’s an engineer who thinks of function and prefers clean, modern lines, and she is a watercolour artist who likes colour and homey touches,” says the designer.

Dacosta strove for balance in the technical and creative aspects of the new kitchen’s design. And the result of her efforts not only pleased the homeowners, but was awarded a first-place prize in the 2020 National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Ontario chapter’s design competition.

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The art of concealment: Cleverly integrated drawers under the island’s open shelf provide more storage.

Likewise, the pullout for condiments that fills what would have been wasted space and the corner swingout shelves fold discreetly away when not in use. Kitchen sink: Kendra; faucet: Franke.

The designer found room for a centre island that houses a sink, dishwasher and cabinets. The walls are white as are the banks of simple Shaker-style cabinetry with discreet hardware. For a subtle contrast, the quartz countertops and backsplash are light beige with grey veining. Against that, she played a dramatic and modern touch of wood-look laminate millwork with strong vertical graining. “The homeowners very much wanted to preserve the original wood window frames,” explains Dacosta. “Any other real wood species would have competed too strongly. And this gives such interesting texture and mix of light and dark tones.” –>

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DESIGN • HOME IN CANADA • SPRING 2020

Personal touches make this kitchen homey and inviting. The vibrant colours of the painting by Hamilton artist Barry Coombs, a friend of the homeowners, are echoed in the cushions on the banquette. Pendant light over island: Dark Tools; porcelain floor tiles: Cercan; appliances: Miele.

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Another original feature the homeowners couldn’t part with was the bench under the corner windows. It was ever a favourite cozy nook to curl up in, at any time of day. Dacosta added a dining table, at which the couple now take most of their meals. Atop it, she piled lots of colourful pillows. Underneath lies an oriental carpet to reflect the husband’s passion for collecting handwoven masterpieces from Afghanistan and Iran.

Beside it stands a coffee station. The stateof-the-art espresso machine is for him, a true coffee connoisseur. There is ample drawer space for paraphernalia and supplies. The

glass-front cabinet above is all about her: it displays a teapot and dishware gleaned during trips in France and Italy to inspire her watercolour paintings.

The couple enjoy the personal touches as well as the new flow. Meal preparation is a breeze. And the kitchen that once fit only two people comfortably now works when they entertain a crowd. “We’ve held events for as many as 50 guests,” the homeowner says. “And the kitchen layout now makes the backyard almost an extension of our home, which is very new. It really is all about the flow, isn’t it?”

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BEFORE AND AFTER

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BEFORE

A FEW SIMPLE UPGRADES New window treatments, an area rug and soothing colours give this family room a new look for a new decade

BY NADINE THOMSON INTERIOR DESIGNER

Twenty years after embarking on their first custom-build, the owners of this house are still creating their ideal home, one project at a time.

The house boasts 10-foot ceilings, white marble flooring, an open-concept layout, and a kitchen that was ahead of its time. Despite having good bones, some of the Y2K-era decor did grow tired and was definitely in need of a reboot. Decor aside, another significant design challenge was how to cozy up a home that was starting to feel too large for the couple, who were moving toward the empty nest stage. Add to that their desire to travel, and you have a budget-prone project that should not put an undue burden on other lifestyle commitments.

The answer was to reassess every element, to preserve as many of the quality furnishings as possible, and to update only where necessary and when the budget permitted. Here is what we did in the family room to create an up-to-date look without depleting the coffers:

1.

It was a cinch to satisfy the clients’ first wish. They wanted to keep their leather sofa, which was still in good condition and had a contemporary look. Moreover, it fit perfectly within the space. Saving on furniture allowed us to address other more urgent design matters.

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BEFORE

BEFORE AND AFTER • HOME IN CANADA • SPRING 2020

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2

3

4

1

5

2. The first item on the chopping block was 3. We also installed a full-width, motorized 5. The carpet under the sofa unifies the colthe outdated curtains, which we replaced with modern ripple-fold drapery. This new addition made the space instantly feel more current and sophisticated. Ripple-fold drapery adds elegance to a space, and the soft folds in the fabric create a calming effect. We matched the colour of the drapery with the wall and sofa (a soft cream) to produce harmony and continuity. We accentuated structural elements, such as the high ceilings, by hanging the curtain rod in the upper one-third space between the top of the window and the ceiling. This emphasized the height. The cost of the drapery was not inconsequential, but we felt it was an element that would stand the test of time. It was an investment, but it established a tone in the room.

blind to reduce the glaring light that filters through the window during the day. It is important to prevent gaps by treating largespan windows with full-width blinds. This instantly creates a high-end, custom look that allows the window to be viewed as one elegant component.

4. By painting the walls in the same palette

as the sofa and the new curtains, we struck a harmonious chord that brought everything together, rendering this otherwise expansive space more intimate. (Paint colour: Benjamin Moore, Soft Chamois-OC-13).

our scheme. In addition to infusing colour, its watermark pattern sprinkles the right amount of f lair into the monochromatic space. The homeowner loves all shades of blue, and was excited when she found the perfectly sized blue area rug on Wayfair. These bang-for-your-buck finds allowed us to splurge in other areas. What’s more, the items on the lower end of the cost scale can be changed out in a few years.

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SENTIMENTALLY DESIGNED Designers upgrade a Mississauga home filled with mementoes from the owners’ travels abroad

BY SUSAN SEMENAK PHOTOGRAPHY: LARRY ARNAL

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(Left) The homeowners knew from the start that they would find a place in their home for a stainedglass window that had once hung in the husband’s grandmother’s house in Iraq. It has been installed between the office and upstairs hallway.

A STAINED-GLASS WINDOW with geometric shapes, saved from an ancestral home. A patterned rug brought back from travels in Turkey.

Paintings collected over a lifetime. These are a few of the sentimental pieces that give a newly renovated and redesigned contemporary home in Mississauga its soulfulness.

The young couple who hired designers Rana Saleh and Daniya Shah, partners in Toronto-based Phase2Design, to oversee the overhaul of the 20-year-old, 3,500-square-foot house they had purchased in the Clarkson neighbourhood, knew what they wanted.

And so did Saleh and Shah, who had already worked with them on a couple of other projects.

“They are young, outgoing and fun-loving.

And their style is a mix of traditional and modern,” says Shah.

She’s a doctor, he’s a dentist, and they have three school-aged children. They wanted their home to be modern, but comfortable.”

So Saleh and Shah set about designing modern open spaces that allowed in maximum natural light. They chose materials in a neutral palette to lend a cohesive aesthetic – from the basement music room to the upper floor bedrooms.

Along the way, they made room for the

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couple’s history and shared stories. The stained-glass window, for example, had been in the husband’s grandmother’s house in Iraq.

Now it reflects brilliant rays of light from the office into the upstairs hallway. In the family room, a patterned area rug brought back from a trip lends a vibrant note to an otherwise stark space. Above the dining room table, three brass pendants found in Turkey cast exquisite patterns on the walls when lit.

Throughout the house, the designers gave the couple’s collection of Iraqi art center-stage status.

“This is a collection of modern art with

traditional elements that they have been building over the years,” Shah says. “These are pieces with beautiful vibrant colours that describe so well who the couple is and what they love.”

“And, like all the personal touches that have been introduced all over the house, they make these otherwise modern spaces warm and inviting,” says Saleh. –>

The designers married the husband’s and wife’s tastes by incorporating their art collection as well as furniture from their previous home into a contemporary aesthetic. In the dining room, chairs upholstered in velvet damask are paired with a live-edge wood table. A trio of brass pendants brought home from a trip to Turkey casts dramatic evening shadows. A grey and white scheme is punctuated by flashes of colour, such as the turquoise and aqua tones echoed in the glass vase and the Iraqi painting on the dining room wall.

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A concrete-look wall in the family room is in fact clad in four-by-eight-foot MDF panels that look like the real thing but cost a fraction of the price, and are softer to the touch. A wall-mounted linear fireplace, open on three sides, is the room’s centerpiece. It’s a Dimplex Opti-Myst Technology electric fireplace – a safer alternative to real flame in a home with small children.

A patchwork-patterned area rug (opening pages), brought home from a trip to Turkey, adds a “warm and inviting touch” to the family room, with its concrete-look wall and geometric lines, says designer Rana Saleh.

(Left) Kakoz Kitchens and Custom Cabinetry created the surround for the child-friendly Dimplex Opti-Myst electric fireplace, which is open on three sides and visible from the dining and family rooms.

(Above) The stairwell, which runs from the basement to the upper floor, is a study in contemporary design, with its glass railings and concretelook panels on the wall. The designers chose pale maple for the stairs to add warmth. The space is illuminated by skylights above the stairwell.

“What was once a rather dull space is now always lit, with a view to the sky,” says designer Daniya Shah.

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Saleh and Shah are always looking for ways to warm up their contemporary designs.

For instance, one of the boldest features in the house is a stairway that runs from the basement to the top floor. Its walls are covered in those same concrete-look panels, with glass panels instead of railings and spindles. To bring warmth, they chose hardwood for the stairs and installed two skylights in the roof.

The kitchen is outfitted with high-gloss white cabinets and an island topped with a quartz waterfall countertop, all by Kakoz Kitchens and Custom Cabinetry. The designers introduced dark-hued mahogany-look laminate around one wall of cabinets. This does double duty: it warms the look of the white kitchen and re-introduces symmetry to a room with an existing window that isn’t centred. –>

The kitchen features high-gloss white cabinets, built by Kakoz Kitchens and Custom Cabinetry, and a waterfall island counter topped with grey-veined quartz. It features a built-in water dispenser tucked away from view, but at just the right height for the children to reach readily.

The biggest challenge in the kitchen was a window that isn’t centred. To re-introduce symmetry, the designers framed the cabinetry on one wall with contrasting mahogany-look laminate. The breakfast nook has a view onto the backyard.

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Saleh and Shah are especially excited about the drama and romance they brought to the master bathroom. What had been the most generic of rooms is now a spa-like space. Large slate-look porcelain tiles line the floors. In the spacious shower, smaller versions of the same tile continue onto the walls, while small hexagonal shapes lend character to a niche.

“It was a challenge working with sloping ceilings in the bathroom and elsewhere,” Shah says. “But in the end, those slopes add another layer of interest.”

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The master bedroom boasts Old-World luxury, thanks to its bespoke tufted headboard and built-in bookshelves.

On the facing wall, the designers added a fireplace and a large custom-built closet. (Opposite) The master bathroom was one of the home’s most spectacular transformations. It’s a dramatic spa-like space clad in grey porcelain tile of various sizes, and features a generously proportioned counter with twin sinks outfitted with waterfall faucets.

The doors throughout the home show the kind of whimsy Saleh and Shah bring to their projects. On the main floor, just off the front entrance, they camouf laged a door to the backyard with the same concrete-look panels that cover the rest of the wall. It becomes a “hidden” door. In the mudroom, there is a sliding door painted with black chalkboard paint that the children can draw on.

“Everything that was dull about this house has been brightened up and made modern,” Saleh says. “It’s a place this family will love for a long time.”

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THE RIGHT LIGHTS How to select the best lighting for kitchen and bathroom

The right lighting in kitchens and bathrooms can boost comfort and beauty considerably.

But with such a vast array of lighting options on the market, it can be difficult to choose the right pieces. We asked Glyn Austin, co-owner of Cocoon Furnishings in Oakville Ontario, to offer her advice on how to find pieces that will perfectly light up your kitchen, your bathroom …. and your heart.

QUESTION: Glyn, what are the various kinds of lighting available for kitchens and bathrooms?

ANSWER: We divide lighting into four categories: ceiling, wall, table and floor. Kitchens generally require ceiling lighting in the form of chandeliers, pendants and recessed lighting. Bathrooms tend to have wall and ceiling lighting.

Q: Some of us have had the experience of bumping our heads on chandeliers suspended over dining tables. What is the advisable height for dining chandeliers and what rules should homeowners abide by when installing them?

A: There should be between 30 and 36 inches between the bottom of the light fixture and the surface of the table. That provides optimum viewing for those seated and no head-bumping. The fixture should also be six inches narrower than the width of a rectangular table to look proportional. In the case of a round table, choose a fixture with a width measuring between one-half and three-quarters of the table’s diameter.

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Q: What advice do you have for anyone looking for powder room lighting?

A: Because powder rooms are small spaces, the lighting becomes a focus. Sconces flanking a mirror are an obvious choice. If space is tight, put a sconce or linear light above the mirror. A small chandelier can also be a delightful addition on a nine-foot ceiling. If the ceiling is eight feet, a decorative flush-mount fixture is a great solution.

Q: LED bulbs have been promoted for their environmental soundness. But their blueish colour is harsh. Is there a way to have ecologically sensitive lighting that casts a softer glow?

A: LED lights were originally a blueish colour because of the high Kelvin degree (K) rating, or base units used to determine the colour temperature. The original lights were 5,000K, which casts a blue white. Now we use 2,700 to 3,000K, which is a warmer colour without a

blue cast. We still use 4,000K bulbs if we want a bright cool white, such as in commercial spaces. The new bulbs draw less energy (onetenth of the energy of older ones) and have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years.

Q: What is the best kind of lighting for a bathroom?

A: In a main bathroom, the best lighting allows for personal grooming tasks.

Sconces flanking a mirror are ideal, particularly if they cast a good amount of natural light. I recommend warm white with a temperature of 2,700 to 3,000K. As task lighting, choose fixtures with white shades that are frosted or clear glass. Dimmers are great for controlling vanity lights. Small chandeliers or flush mounts over a tub create ambience as accent lighting. Lately I’ve been seeing picture lights over art on bathroom walls.

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Q: What is the best kind of lighting for a kitchen?

A: A kitchen requires a balance of lighting for tasks: from meal prep and cooking to visiting with guests at the island to supervising homework and family dinners. Ambient or general lighting is the main source and is usually recessed. I like pot lights on dimmers to control the mood. Under-cabinet lighting is important as more focused light for food preparation and reading recipes. Over-cabinet lights, placed between cabinets and ceiling, were used in the past as picture lights but are now highlighting cabinet doors and architectural features.

Island lighting can be both task and accent in nature. Pendants are the general choice.

Down-lighting is preferred for such tasks as reading recipes or prepping food. A linear fixture over the island should be no longer than two-thirds the length of the island. Pendants can be lantern style, round, cylindrical, drum and linear, along with brass, silver, black, white, wicker, glass or any combination thereof. A chandelier is ideal over a kitchen table.

Q: The sconce is a delightfully old-fashioned style of lighting that has made a comeback. How and where should sconces be used to best effect?

A: Sconces can be used throughout the home: flanking a console table in an entrance, in hallways for a wash wall effect, to light stairways, and in dining rooms, where they can stand alone or flank a buffet. Some lighting collections include sconces and chandeliers for an effortless pairing. Sconces can also be installed beside a bed if space is too tight for a table lamp on a nightstand.

Q: Many of today’s lighting fixtures are designed with materials that have organic textures. What trends are you observing in this regard?

A: We are seeing organic trends everywhere.

In lighting, this includes the use of wicker, rattan, hammered metals, textured plaster and concrete.

Cocoon Furnishings 2695 Bristol Cir., Unit #2 Oakville, Ont. 905-829-2780 www.cocoonfurnishings.ca

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BUYERS’ GUIDE

THE RIGHT LIGHTS Cocoon Furnishings www.cocoonfurnishings.ca 905-829-2780 INSIDE OUT Maple Drapery & Carpet www.mapledrapery.com Concord: 905-660-7290 ~ King City: 905-833-5464 HOW TO BE SMART Shades of Home www.shadesofhome.ca Oakville: 905-827-8555 ~ Toronto: 416-787-8555 LARGE STORAGE IN SMALL ROOMS Simply Closets www.simplyclosets.ca 416-385-8855 AN AQUARIAN SPRING Susan Kelly Astrology www.susankellyastrology.com GOING WITH THE FLOW Yorkville Design Centre www.yorkvilledesigncentre.ca 416-922-6620 A FEW SIMPLE UPGRADES Nadine Thomson Interior Design www.nadinethomson.com 514-775-2259 TRUE BLUE Aly Velji Designs www.alyveljidesigns.com 403-617-2406

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FRESH START Hibou Design & Co. www.hiboudesignco.com 514-574-0015

CHILD’S PLAY Winter Daisy Studio www.winterdaisy.com Croma Design www.cromadesign.com 416-366 9003 Collective Studio www.collective-studio.ca Meghan Carter Design www.meghancarterdesign.com 416-654-3124 THE EVER-CHANGING TERRACE Terra Firma Design www.terrafirmadesign.ca 416-881-7739 SENTIMENTALLY DESIGNED Phase 2 Design www.phase2design.ca 647-869-3466 HOW TO GET ORGANIZED Ease Up www.easeup.ca 1-833-EASEUP1 Everything in Place www.everything-in-place.com 514-804-0187

Mlle Range Tout www.mllerangetout.com 514-214-5898 MIXING IT UP Ashley Montgomery Design www.ashleymontgomerydesign.com GOOD BONES Space Harmony www.spaceharmony.ca 604-782 1450 MUSKOKA MAGIC Studio 8 Design www.studio-8-design.com 416-565-8721 SUBURBAN CHIC Érik Maillé Design www.erikmailledesign.com

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NEXT ISSUE

Dust off the patio furniture. It’s time to head outside to enjoy all that the Canadian summer offers. In our next issue, we’ll lead you down the garden path …. literally. With profiles of enviable gardens and excellent advice on how to create the perfect outdoor room, the Summer issue is what you’ve been waiting for all winter. Don’t miss it.

On sale in May.

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41 Years

160 East Beaver Creek Rd., #26, Richmond Hill, On. L4B 3L4

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