Artful and colourful, the stained glass pocket doors which separate the master ensuite and bedroom are also a unifying design element between the two spaces. On both sides of the transition, the subtly swirled art glass which frames each panel embraces the palette of yellow onyx, soft cream and gold. The coloured quatrefoil motif  along with the clear diamond bevel, are reinstated in the bedroom’s robust mirror above the night chest and dance throughout the tone-on-tone, sculpted and embossed textiles ranging from matelassé, velvet and lace. The connection is understated and effective in an elegant way. From either vantage point, the feature is integrated. The leaded glass floats within the brightly painted envelope on the ensuite side and is encased within a mahogany finish for a more luxe interpretation on the bedroom side.  

When designing the master suite we eked space from an adjoining room to create a very functional and light-filled his and her dressing room. An intake meeting with the clients ensured that we would meet all the particular and necessary storage requirements which were to include a space for a steam iron, built-in laundry hampers, and just the right amount of hanging and folding space. Function is neatly concealed behind floor to ceiling cabinetry which, in turn, is integrated into the architectural envelope. We also provided some open shelving for towel storage and display. The aesthetic of the master suite flows smoothly into this adjoining space and, in no way, does this practical room take the back seat. The prominent feature is certainly the mahogany make-up vanity which is graceful in line and elegantly detailed with turned legs and gold hardware. A countertop of Nacarado quartzite completes the piece. Integrated into the panelling, a large mirror spans the space above this vanity.  An additional oval mirror layer offers a touch of customization and topaz crystal sconces are set within the ensemble to offer sparkle and ample lighting.

A sculptural tub, complete with heated backrest and hydro-thermo massage, is the central focal point of our master ensuite. Flanking the bay window, integrated millwork offers both storage and architectural detail as it wraps into the room’s panelling and crown. The millwork is defined with colourful stained glass doors and understated gold hardware.  A window treatment consists of various layers of lace, embroidered velvet and metal chain bullion.  Essentially, our intent was to give the effect of one large band of exceptional trim to crown this room. It’s a custom textile which can’t be duplicated.

We continue last week’s master suite overview with one of our custom millwork designs; a double vanity crafted and detailed on a quality furniture level. The mahogany piece with a slight distressing is elegantly profiled and defined with beautifully turned legs. The centre drawer segment is slightly proud, creating profile for the counter top to follow. A quartzite named Nacarado is absolutely perfect with its distinct copper and gold veining and our selected gold fittings and hardware are perfect companions. The crowning touch is, without a doubt, our over-scaled wall sconce by Fine Art Lamp. Semi-precious stones define this piece and we just couldn’t resist the splurge. The scale is quite unexpected and to great effect. 

Our latest photo shoot images are in and we`re ready to show you the results of a recent master suite renovation. The complete project will soon be posted on our site. In terms of both function and aesthetics, the ensuite is simply luxurious. A large steam shower was on the client`s wish list and is a great improvement from the original tight shower space. Complete with rain head and body sprays, a good-sized bench and a niche which spans one wall, this shower has all the amenities. We designed the glass enclosure to wrap around the corner which visually opens the space. The aesthetic of the master suite therefore extends seamlessly into the shower with a focus on beautiful materials and attention to detail. The focal point is, undeniably, a wall clad with semi-precious mosaics. The compilation of various bronze and gold tiger’s eye stones is simply stunning as it refracts light and reflects into the vanity mirrors beyond. This product was a special order but was certainly worth the extra lead time. Gold fittings are another elegant addition to this suite. As testimony to our focus on detail both in terms of design and execution, a unique mosaic tile border runs around the outside of the shower and frames the entire room. The combination of gold onyx and marble was painstakingly assembled and with great result. Perfect and absolutely beautiful!

This is the way we do it! We’re nearing the grand finale for one of our custom build projects. We’ve been working on this home for a year and a half now and it’s really so exciting to be at the decor stages. From the beginning, our intention was to create a refined and classic envelope with a hint of contemporary flair in this dining room and, in general, this sensibility is carried throughout the home. The architectural design and detail in the home is quite spectacular. We designed the dining room’s tracery ceiling, panel mouldings, and integrated curios with the intent to introduce elegant line and sculptural appeal. So as not to distract, the walls, ceiling, trim and millwork are all being treated with the same paint colour; a soft, creamy white. The sinuous pattern of the area carpet offers repitition in line and its monochromatic scheme of varying shades of cream with gold highlights sets our palette. We selected a mid-toned grey as our accent for the cream and gold scheme. We found it to be the best candidate to provide the punch we were looking for without being too overwhelming; just a bit on the submissive side. The large bow window will be treated in full haute couture fashion. We were inspired by runway evening wear for this design. The cinched belt for each of our satin silk panels will be accented with an exceptional jeweled trim. The panels which will hang from a thin gold decorative rod will otherwise be unadorned and elegant. Crystal and gold finials will crown the treatment. Furnishings in the room will predominately feature clean, gentle curves. A bit of modern-day vibe will be introduced in various accessories and artwork. Currently this beautiful scheme is still on presentation boards…can’t wait to see it to reality.

Weavers Art displayed some beautiful bas-relief patterned area carpets at the Interior Design Show this year. Among the more contemporary examples we loved their new collection which features a tone-on-tone palette of slightly raised silk on a wool field. The patterns are large, flowing and classic and the line embraces an understated elegance; very chic.

Subtly raised pattern and texture seem to be surfacing throughout the design world. We’ve noticed it on tiles, carpets, wall coverings and fabrics.

We were so thrilled to see Gresham House display their beautiful craftsmanship at the Interior Design Show this year. As testimony to their fine work and exceptional service they are, bar none, one of our favorite sources for custom upholstery. We’ve had the opportunity to create some beautiful ‘one-of-a-kind’ pieces with this company; “Canadian-made” from start to finish! I love their new large ottoman with a clean-lined metal base and large removable tray. The textural pastel fabric combined with a bronze/gold patinaed metal frame and blond wood tray is such a soft and elegant take on a modern concept. I also quite liked the banded and studded detail on the settee. Classic lines with creative detail equals great design.

One of these beautiful hand-painted and sculpted decorative tile masterpieces will be the winner. It will cover the focal point wall from counter to ceiling in the kitchen of one of our new builds. We found this compilation of old world charm to be in perfect harmony with the Chateau inspired home. Among these we are also considering the black and white laser cut marble tile for the entry hall floor. The interlocking design will strike a dramatic and high-contrast chord amid the rustic envelope.   

Imagine one of these creative works underfoot. We were stopped in our tracks with this recent find at Elte in Toronto.The ’Floor to Heaven’ collection of hand-tufted and hand-carved carpets by German carpet designer, Michaela Schleypen, is highly tactile and artistic. The pics here will be part of our inspiration file for a new build we’re currenlty working on and most likely one or both of these carpets will play a leading role in a beautiful room. 

I’ve been cataloguing my latest and greatest digs and I have to say that this New Year will have a full wing spread in glorious technicolour and creative license.

From my favorite ‘go-to’ design shops in Toronto to the high fashion windows in Vienna the message is really consistent. Making headlines, from my perspective, are high contrast, luxurious textiles and saturated colour (some of the big hits this year are purple, reds and oranges leaning to fuchsia, intense yellows, peacock and bottle green). We are continuing to see the re-interpretation of classic and iconic designs through both the use of unexpected material (see the neo-classic chair we discovered which consists of a classically detailed, polished nickel frame and acrylic back and seat) and exaggeration in form and detail (note the baroque-inspired mirror articulated with whimsical contour and finely studded metal work). I love the luxurious gold patinas and refined and polished warm metals which have now taken a stronger stance than the cooler metals of recent years. When it comes to pattern, I’ve noticed beautifully intricate patterns with a tactile quality(see the raised-patterned wool area carpet we wooed over) and over-scaled, high-impact floral designs will be powerful additions to our monochromatic rooms.

Here’s another detail from our ‘Modern Frontiers’ featured home as published in the latest issue of Interiors. Prior to our renovation, this curved wall was composed of an intricately etched glass wolf scene. It was a predictable statement within the Southwestern architectural framework and a bit distracting amongst other dominating details. Our approach in the re-design was to allow the sculptural form of the curved wall to take precedence. Nature-inspired materials within the simple modelling offered up a more contemporary and approachable feature to work within a network of several spaces. It is viewed from the dining room, great room and great hall and highlights a kitchen wall. Three separate curved acrylic panels are suspended within a copper framework. The natural composition of sandwiched reeds within the panels is sublimely tactile and artful.

Regina

Since this project has just been published in “Hamilton Magazine’s Interiors (look for it at local Chapters and Indigos or in our Press section) I wanted to start speaking about some of the unique details which transformed this home into a very personalized and special place. The home’s architecture is deeply rooted in Southwestern tradition and our approach was to offer an unexpected and artful interpretation. Based on the client’s directives, the home was to be rooted on a spiritual platform; a place to feed the soul; offer reflection and inspiration; enliven the senses. An Eastern influence, as guided by the client’s travels, underpins the design of the tiered water feature in the foyer. The focal point, crowned with a Bhudda on its top tier, serves as a strong visual from various views within the open-concept home. The subtle trickle of water over rivited copper, curved plates (the rivets were added as a design revision to slow the water flow and to create more visual interest) needed to be fine-tuned several times in order to achieve just the right level of ambience. At closer glance, a few river stones within each pool are inscribed with a light-hearted positive message.

Originally, there was absolutely no closet space on the main floor of this home which was really not an ideal scenario. Our solution was to design a built-in armoire in the back entrance hall. Voila! Complete with versatile storage and display, the new millwork is completely integrated within the architecture and presents clean line and detail from floor to ceiling. The armoire’s stepped design is purposed to allow some visual breathing space and, on a functional level, accommodates the entrance door swing. Neatly concealed behind the doors of the two recessed side units, we provided coat hooks for the kids. The shallow units are also fitted with shallow drawers and upper, open display cubbies which are completed with recessed lighting. Glass vases which refract the light are on display here. The center unit offers traditional closet depth for coat storage. We completed the unit with deep lower drawers and upper cubbies to house a pair of textural baskets. Now to fill it all!

With space at a premium, this dining area packs quite a punch. It serves as a focal point from various vantages within this compact yet striking open-concept home. The dynamic area offers a certain hinging of the home’s overall design ethos. Seamless within the architectural framework, additional pantry storage is incorporated on either side of the sleekly detailed recessed banquette. The banquette niche provides the perfect home for spectacular original artwork (my personal favorite). We also love the contemporary artisan lighting provided to us by AM Studio. Each glass unit is an art piece in onto itself. A truly inspirational space.