THE SPRING ISSUE COLOUR CACHET A black and white palette creates sophistication FIRST-CLASS CABIN Colin and Justin overhaul a log home POWDER ROOMS Big design in a small space DIGITAL EDITION AVAILABLE Read Toronto Home anywhere, instantly. Subscribe at digital. $5.95 www.
Contents 20 56 84 96 100 102 112 126 128 138 140 148 168 174 182 184 186 188 192 Editor s LETTER COYOTES AND FOXES AND DEER! Neighbourhood wildlife inspires interior design of a Mississauga home BLACK AND WHITE AND ELEGANT ALL OVER Subtle colour palette raises the sophistication level of a Thornhill home ATTENtioN to DETAIL Guests at the historic St. Regis Hotel enjoy the personal touch FABULOUS FLoors How to get the best wood flooring WOW THEM WITH WINE Wine lovers can have their cellars regardless of the size SERENDIPitoUS MEETING Synchronicity plays a big role in the creation of this house JUST LIKE NEW Expert advice on how to refinish antiques OPEN INVITATION A kitchen that is open to the backyard deck is a welcoming party room STICKING WITH stickley After a century, the furnishings of Gustav Stickley are still desirable DESIGN IMPACT Kitchen reno makes a difference without a big price tag ALL THINGS LEATHER Hide House stocks furniture and clothing, all made of leather FAMILY-FRIENDLY Kitchen is redesigned to accommodate a young family FRESHEN UP YOUR WALLS Wallpaper and paint can perk up a room for spring THE simple ART OF PURE BEAUTY Spas offer beauty treatments based on Ayurveda THE ART OF THE WEAVE High-quality wool rugs are for all decors SUMMErtiME IN MONT tremblant Forget about skiing. There are many other things to do at this first-rate ski resort RENOVATED FOR ENTErtAINING A builder creates a home that s large enough to welcome large groups RED CARPET treatment Rug store has been in business 57 years ANIMATING FORCE Lori Goldberg s art is about the life energy that enlivens everything 152 164 COOL CONTEMPORARY A sleek, modern kitchen is installed in a 1920s home CLEANING THE GARAGE Company turns garages into highly organized spaces 176 26 The Spring Issue
Design CONTEMPORARY UPDATE Designer transforms an outdated look to a cool palette of black, white and grey Back in the 1990s, when Mark and Karin Swartz first decorated their new home, they gave it a transitional decor. We were trying to achieve a contemporary look but the house always had a traditional feel to it, says Karin. It called for a specific type of design and what we were doing just didn t fit. By 2013, they knew their home was long overdue for a facelift. When my husband and I finally came to a decision to renovate our home, we wanted to do something that would radically transform the main floor. After 18 years, our house was starting to show some wear and tear, Karin says of the 3,000-squarefoot home in Thornhill. Design by JANE AUSTER PHOTOGRAPHY: LARRY ARNAL STYLING: NATHALIE TREMBLAY 84 The Spring Issue
Design Toronto Spring 2015 The Spring Issue 85
Design We were trying to achieve a contemporary look but the house always had a traditional feel to it. Designer Nathalie Tremblay of Atelier Cachet wanted to make a bold statement in the entranceway of the Thornhill home. She introduced a new staircase with custom glass panels, which takes a 90-degree turn on the ascent. A three-dimensional cubed mirror from Restoration Hardware also creates visual focus in the entranceway and sets the tone for the other cubed accents throughout the main floor. 86 The Spring Issue
Design Toronto Spring 2015 The homeowners turned to Atelier Cachet, a design firm noted for its sleek black, white and grey designs. It was due for an update big-time. I wanted to give Mark and Karin something that would last a long time, recalls Nathalie Tremblay, designer and co-founder of Atelier Cachet with her husband and project manager, Dave Nicholas. My palette is pretty neutral; it doesn t date. My goal was to create an open, airy feel, with high impact and high contrast, a beautiful home where they feel good and comfortable, and it fits with their lifestyle. The homeowners gave Tremblay carte blanche to be as creative as she wanted. After retiring every piece of furniture, removing artwork, tiles, and appliances basically, everything that was not nailed down the designer had a blank slate to work with. She imagined the home as a series of cubes and squares, a theme she wove throughout with cube lighting fixtures, bold mirrors, and boxy furniture. Her first job was to open up the main floor. Despite its generous size and high ceilings, the space seemed choppy and closed-in. For one thing, the entryway leading to the kitchen and dining room was only 30 inches wide, so Tremblay knocked down walls and raised the opening to make the area feel more open. The Spring Issue 87
Design She also wanted the main entrance to make a statement. When I first came into the house, I saw the staircase and 20-foot ceiling and thought, this needs a lot of attention. It should be a surprise, and when you saw it, there was nothing to it. So she replaced the stairway with something far more dramatic: a custom-designed staircase, complete with glass panels that fit inside channels running down the sides. She also turned it 90 degrees. The staircase was challenging because there is a wall in front of it, says Tremblay. Nowadays, they try to make the staircase longer with a deeper tread. Here we had to stay in the same location, but I managed to extend the tread. When you come in, it is the first thing you see. Next to the staircase, in the dining area, Tremblay added an enormous wood canopy that she had designed. Installed by Atelier Cachet, the bold architectural feature envelops the upper wall and ceiling leading to the kitchen. The couple wanted their new kitchen to be a focal point, so the designer created a framework of two wine-bottle-filled cubby towers to delineate the division between dining room and kitchen. The space features walls clad with floor-to-ceiling marble, hidden storage areas, floating shelves, and a sliding glass panel door to hide those items the homeowners don t want to display. The designer created an entranceway in front of the kitchen, a focal point. Using two custom wine-cubby towers, she framed the dining and kitchen area. She knocked out walls, added a pocket door, and opened up the formerly choppy space. Tremblay added lighting, including recessed lights and pendant fixtures, all in cube shapes by Amethyst DVI Lighting from Union Lighting. 88 The Spring Issue
My goal was to create an open, airy feel, with high impact and high contrast. The Spring Issue 89
Design When you do modern, a lot of people are scared that it is too cold. 90 The Spring Issue
Design Toronto Spring 2015 The range hood above the stove picks up on Tremblay s geometric theme. The range hood is my brand, she says. I never do it exactly the same. This time I took a risk and used rift-cut oak and chrome. The range hood adds dimension and reflection, and makes a huge impact. Both Mark and Karin wanted rooms in which they could relax. The living room became Mark s space, a place to sit and watch tv. It has a man cave ambience, with large custom-designed leather chairs and sofas, seven-inch-wide dark hardwood planks and a slate-clad fireplace. The formal great room was the perfect place for Karin s retreat. The formerly underused space is now her room, complete with workstation, two comfy chaises longues, and large whimsical eye-chart paintings. By the time the designer had completed her makeover in June 2014, Mark and Karin were ready for the modern, black, white and grey palette. When you do modern, a lot of people are scared that it is too cold, but you can make it warm and inviting with the textures, materials and surroundings, says Tremblay. The living room has become Mark s room almost a man cave with plush leather sofas and chairs from Chair Source and a giant flat screen TV. The mottled grey carpet, from Elte, acts as a soft contrast to the masculinity and darker tones of the furnishings. The two-sided fireplace features long and narrow slate stone from Ciot to add texture and a warm tone. The Spring Issue 91
ATELIER CACHET ATELIER CACHET an award-winning, multi-disciplinary design firm that builds Modern, Luxe Estates and Designs Couture Interiors. SINCE 2004 Husband and Wife team Nathalie Tremblay and Dave Nicholas, the company s edgy, sleek aesthetic and it s use of simple forms and a balanced mix of materials during the design process have earned it s reputation as a leader in the custom contemporary design/build category. ateliercachet.com