Manor IMPECCABLE. home & designer

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1 IMPECCABLE Continued Manor Turning your home into a bed and breakfast may seem like a romantic idea to some. But how do you create a luxury B & B without losing what you love about the private home you built from scratch? on page 50 ABOVE: Rye Park Manor Bed and Breakfast in Niagara-onthe-Lake. LEFT: The great room features plenty of custom bookshelves to hold the homeowners extensive collection of books, including autographed editions, acquired over decades of diligent collecting. STORY JESSIE REID PHOTOGRAPHY KELLY HORKOFF 48 ourhomes SPRING 2018 ourhomes SPRING

2 The fireplace cladding is elegant black velvet wallpaper that stretches two storeys high. Sandra Morris and her husband Gary Torgis built Rye Park Manor 13 years ago in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Originally, this 5,000 sq. ft. house was designed to be shared with Torgis s elderly parents, Marion and Lawrence, and enjoyed on weekends while Morris and Torgis still had hectic careers in Toronto. The house had a main floor master suite for Marion and Lawrence, who lived here for five years until Lawrence passed away and Marion moved to a retirement residence nearby. Upstairs it had a master for Torgis and Morris, and two guest rooms with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. We wanted this to be our forever home, Morris says. We envision staying here until we can t. So, everything we designed was not with a view to sell. We designed it with all the elements that we liked and made us comfortable. However, three years ago when Morris left her career as a law librarian, she wasn t ready to quietly settle into retirement. She opted instead to turn Rye Park Manor into a bed and breakfast. I came to the realization that I really like being around people a lot. I think being in the corporate world for so many years, I was used to a very busy environment and being away from that was a bit of a shock, Morris recalls. The renovations started two years ago with the transformation of the Jack-and-Jill into two en suite bathrooms, creating three separate Continued on page 52 ABOVE: A two-sided fireplace provides the only break between the great room and the kitchen. TOP RIGHT: The dining room table is an homage to the homeowner s hometown of Hamilton. It s made from floorboards from the former Studebaker factory. RIGHT: Elizabeth Loomis Taliano and Brenda Petrunick of Simply White Interiors. FAR RIGHT: This print of the couple s favourite tree hangs in the open-concept living area. 50 ourhomes SPRING 2018 ourhomes SPRING

3 guest areas upstairs. Next came the addition of a conservatory at the back of the house. The downstairs master suite was also transformed and the laundry room was given a significant makeover, growing to four times its original size to accommodate the B & B. Homes of Elegance by Gatta Homes designed their conservatory extension, while contractor Joseph Mulholland of Mulholland Designs Ltd. brought the design to life. The conservatory adds 500 square feet to the living and dining area of the house, and a sun deck above. This open-concept space looks out to the back courtyard, where the couple have added a large lap pool, two hot tubs and a stone outdoor kitchen. Beyond the backyard is the tree-lined Rye Heritage Park. Two of the upstairs bedrooms now lead onto the new deck, and guests can access the pool, installed and maintained by Boldt Pools & Spas, from the deck via a custom wrought-iron spiral staircase by Architectural Ironworks. The laundry room was expanded significantly to accommodate the bed and breakfast. BELOW: Chartreuse leather swivel chairs, ottomans around the counter and an occasional table provide lots of options for taking a load off and enjoying morning coffee in the kitchen. LEFT: The dining room is a mix of modern colour and traditional touches. BELOW: Looking into one of the Rye Park Manor guest suites. Homeowners Sandra Morris and Gary Torgis in their airplane cockpit. Morris s love of traditional styling has been complemented with modern additions through her collaboration with designer Elizabeth Loomis Taliano from Simply White Interiors. It is my job to introduce every client to new possibilities and fresh ideas, Loomis Taliano says. Sandra was open to leaving her comfort zone and made some very bold moves. I attribute the success of this project to Sandra s bravery. She has no fear of change or new ideas. The grand, open-concept living area has double-height walls painted in Benjamin Moore Decorator s White with french doors and windows revealing the courtyard, landscaped by Sykes Landscaping. Don Ledwez Masonry did the mason work in the outdoor space, which is maintained by Todd Hunter Landscaping. Enticing outdoor furniture was sourced at Lakeshore Living Ltd. Cladding around the fireplace from Stamford Fireplaces is eye-catching black velvet brocade wallpaper that stretches two storeys high. Across the room hangs a 15-foothigh print of the couple s favourite tree. They spent hours with photographer David Haskell looking for the perfect tree and found it at Fort George. The result is a feeling of sitting under a tree, bringing the outdoors inside. As you d expect from a former librarian, there s an extensive collection of books, many of them leather-bound first editions collected over 30 years, stacked throughout the space in black wooden built-in bookshelves. Radunsky Construction gets credit for the functional yet beautiful wall unit. It s a space that Morris says captures the attention and admiration of everyone who sees it. Continued on page ourhomes SPRING 2018 ourhomes SPRING

4 The master bedroom and bathroom are one large open space, providing for utmost separation and privacy from the guest areas of the home. BELOW: Original artwork appears throughout the home, including many paintings by the homeowner s grandfather, even in the master bathroom. A grand piano, two black velvet sofas and wingback chairs all fit perfectly with the drama and warmth of this space. Nearby, the couple s 12-seat custom dining table is made from floorboards from the former Studebaker factory in Hamilton, Morris s hometown. It sits on vintage hickory flooring from Aristocrat Floors of the World. Above, an internal balcony has been closed in with multi-lite windows to let light into the guest spaces upstairs and shut out noise. It also adds a unique touch to the living space below. The traditional-style kitchen is an original feature of the house. The décor has been elevated by Loomis Taliano s elegant solutions, such as the chartreuse leather swivel chairs with occasional table, and matching ottomans used as seats along the kitchen island. Upstairs in the guest area, touches like the Carrara-look tiles from Aristocrat in the bathrooms give a sophisticated spa vibe while traditional styling in the bedrooms keeps it feeling cosy and comfortable. Continued on page 56 bloom where you are planted. SIMPLY WHITE INTERIORS InterIor design furniture upholstery bedding lighting art rugs accessories window coverings simply white Interiors 347 airport road unit 4 niagara-on-the-lake ourhomes SPRING 2018

5 The guest suites have all been given family names. SOURCE GUIDE A full service home building, design and renovation company specializing in large scale renovations Architectural Ironworks Aristocrat Floors of the World Artcraft Kitchens Benjamin Moore Complete Plumbing Creek Road Paints Don Ledwez Masonry Gibbys For all your Home Décor Needs! Electronic Supermarket Homes of Elegance by Gatta Homes Kennedy Picture Framing Lakeshore Living Ltd. Mulholland Designs Ltd. PCS of Niagara Radunsky Construction Regional Doors and Hardware Reliance Yanch Home Comfort Simply White Interiors Stamford Fireplaces Sykes Landscaping Todd Family owned & operated since S Pelham Rd. Welland vermeers.ca Serving Niagara-on-the-Lake & the Niagara Region Hunter Landscaping A private guest bathroom in one of the Rye Park Manor suites includes many thoughtful touches. ABOVE: The elegant and decadently appointed guest suite on the other side of the two-sided fireplace. The guest rooms have been given family names: The Emerson, The Brando and The Lawrence. Guests booking The Emerson can add the adjoining space, decorated with reminders of Torgis s family cottage, to their reservation. Elegant oil paintings by Torgis s grandfather hang in all the guest bedrooms. They ve also been outfitted with state-of-the-art electronics and televisions from Gibbys Electronic Supermarket. Art, Loomis Taliano says, was a major inspiration for every room in the home, helping exude comfort and exemplifying the warmth and graciousness of Morris and Torgis. An almost hidden door at the far end of the conservatory reveals the couple s large openconcept master bedroom and en suite with its own claw-foot tub and double-headed shower. This space is so neatly tucked away that guests might not notice it. The couple even have access to their own private area of the courtyard and a hot tub from their suite. Continued on page 58 Specializing in Residential Interior Design tracy@liv4design.com FREE IN-HOME ASSESSMENTS FOR SENIORS PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER SERVING HAMILTON & SURROUNDING AREAS HELPING OVERWHELMED CLIENTS THROUGH LIFE TRANSITIONS SINCE 2010 CONFIDENTIAL FRIENDLY FLEXIBLE DOWNSIZING, PACKING & UNPACKING SERVICES AVAILABLE JUDY RICKEY ClutterReliefServices.com silvercreekcabinets.ca Serving Niagara Region & Southern Ontario since ourhomes SPRING 2018

6 home & designer LEFT: A large lap pool and several options for lounging make the backyard an oasis on a summer s day. BELOW: One of the three seating areas in the backyard. Private spaces and guest areas exist harmoniously, with as much love and attention to detail dedicated to both. That attests to everyone s success at tackling the greatest challenge: To seamlessly transform this elegant home into a luxurious bed and breakfast without disrupting the integrity of the original home or the flow of Morris and Torgis s private residence. As a designer I am mindful of the fact that my chief responsibility is to affect quality of life that is the highest form of my art, Loomis Taliano says. We have successfully transformed a grand home into an oasis for both the proprietors and patrons of Rye Park Manor simultaneously. The proof is in the feedback Morris and Torgis receive from their guests. Some of the most cherished feedback has noted Rye Park Manor epitomizes the romantic ideal one holds of running a bed and breakfast, Morris says. What a wonderful thing for us to hear, as new business owners, whose entire purpose is to create a sophisticated, tranquil, relaxing environment for the enjoyment of those staying at Rye Park Manor. OH 58 ourhomes SPRING 2018 KITCHEN & BATHROOM RENOVATIONS CUSTOM CABINETRY & FURNITURE GENERAL CONTRACTING DISTINCTIVE OUTDOOR LIVING Our company is based on the belief that our customers needs are of the utmost importance. We are committed to not only meeting, but exceeding those needs. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from repeat customers and referrals. CONTACT US FOR A FREE ESTIMATE: South Service Road, Unit 113 Stoney Creek, ON L8E 0C lakeshorelivinglife.com Family Owned & Operated - Celebrating 10 Years! Mon Fri 10am 6pm Sat 10am 5pm Sunday Closed (open April 15)