A real estate developer’s modern home – boasting a city-chic kitchen – is the essence of sleek serenity.
Everyone has an opinion about all-white interiors – and by white, we mean crisp enough to camouflage those famous Royale kittens.
While all-white decor makes some people want to splash the walls with colour, others find it calming. Jonathan Goldman, a Toronto real estate developer, sees white as the perfect backdrop for his lifestyle: super-contemporary and super-tidy. “You have to be a very clean person to live with all this white,” says Jonathan, a triathlete who shares his newly renovated 3,700- square-foot home with a collection of bicycles.
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House tour: Sleek and sophisticated home
Canary yellow cabinetry
Punches of canary yellow make a sunny scene and break up the monochromatic palette in the kitchen. The upper cabinetry comprises boxes reminiscent of geometric artist Piet Mondrian – some rectangles are jaunty yellow while others are a wood tone that riffs off the grey oak plank flooring.
House tour: Sleek and sophisticated home
Two-level island
The kitchen’s two-level island offers opportunities to sit both bar and table height. The streamlined seating perfectly suits the white Corian countertops and unadorned cabinetry.
House tour: Sleek and sophisticated home
Wine fridge
Jonathan kitted out the kitchen with a full-height wine fridge. “I really love it,” he says. “How could I build this kitchen without it?” Beyond, on the next level, a compact home office nook is functional yet unobtrusive.
House tour: Sleek and sophisticated home
The 411 on this all-white kitchen
Overall style: White + sleek, stylish elements = modern scandinavian. Favourite feature: The open-concept plan, which makes the kitchen easy to navigate. Biggest challenge: Perfectly lining up the countertop and backsplash so that the structural glass railings would fit seamlessly. “When it all came together, it looked wonderful, but if anything was slightly off, it would have been a disaster,” says Jonathan. Most budget-friendly purchase: The large stainless steel sink was less expensive but identical in quality to some of the top brands. Best splurge: The full-height glass-front sub-zero integrated wine fridge, which fits 147 bottles. Key elements: 1 Magis Steelwood counter stool in Natural & White, Quasi Modo Modern Furniture, $499. 2 Super White PM-1 paint, Benjamin Moore.
House tour: Sleek and sophisticated home
Mid-Century Modern furnishings
Mid-Century Modern furnishings, including Wassily armchairs and a Barcelona lounger, look classically elegant in the sunken living room on the lowest level. To keep the space sharply black and white (not soot grey), the entire wall around the fireplace is protected with an innovative thin ceramic architectural surface called Laminam.
House tour: Sleek and sophisticated home
Shadow box artwork
A large picture window floods the ethereal dining area with light. White walls are minimally adorned with a trio of shadow boxes filled with 150-year-old French pieces, including a corkscrew, razor and menu. The dowel-legged Eames chairs bring the warmth of wood to the space.
House tour: Sleek and sophisticated home
Down to the details
The interior design itself is Jonathan’s own doing, right down to the details: from picking the finishes and furnishings to ensuring there was an iPad hanging in the foyer so he can immediately access his sound system when he walks through the front door.
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