House Tours
A Modern Toronto Home With Bursts Of Bold Colour
PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Lukey / DESIGN Michaela Burns
House Tours
A Modern Toronto Home With Bursts Of Bold Colour
When the time came for a new chapter in life – and a new house – a Toronto couple asked Michaela Burns to take things in a brand-new direction.
“This house couldn’t be more different than the one the homeowners left behind,” says designer Michaela Burns. “The last one was very traditional, filled with beautiful antiques. This one is a new-built, modern grey box.” But the homeowners declared themselves ready for a big change, so, seeking inspiration from their art collection, Michaela paired modern neutrals with bursts of brave colour and swapped out the flatness of plain walls for textured grasscloth, walnut panelling and tilework. She also embraced touch-worthy fabrics in gentle monochromatic tone-on-tone palettes to counter the home’s dark wood and metal. “This home proves that you can design calm, soothing spaces without giving up boldness and personality.”
DESIGN, Michaela Burns, Michaela Burns Interiors. MILLWORK, Ström Cabinetry. SECTIONAL, Nuevo Living. RUG, Surya. RECLINER, Design Within Reach. WALLPAPER, Phillip Jeffries. COFFEE TABLE, ART, Elte Mkt.
“The family room’s focal point is a wall of built-ins,” says designer Michaela Burns. “They combine the practicality of concealed storage with gallery-inspired glass display cases.” The relaxed tenor of the room owes much to the walnut panelled wall and grasscloth wallpaper behind the TV. A tweed sofa plays to the grey millwork and blue-toned rug. “As for the recliner? We tested lots of them to find the comfiest!” says Michaela. The coffee table looks nested but is actually one piece.
COUNTER STOOLS, Nuevo Living. ISLAND PENDANTS, Robinson Lighting & Bath. CUTTING BOARD, Crate and Barrel.
A duo of genius details took the kitchen from just-okay to crazy-cool. It now sports a chorus line of counter stools that beam in radiant rust chenille and graphic super- sized double-coned pendants.
CHAIRS, Nuevo Living. SIDEBOARD, Calligaris. DISPLAY CABINET, CANDLESTICKS, Crate and Barrel. CHANDELIER, Robinson Lighting & Bath. RUG, Elte Mkt.
One of the home’s biggest challenges was the dining room. “It was quite dark and shaped like a box,” says Michaela, so she decided to take the look sassy and sculptural, giving overscaled bouclé seating centre stage beneath a brassy chandelier. A glossy sideboard faced in faux onyx provides display and serving space. A metal cabinet visually links to the one in the great room, while a statement fireplace turns up the heat.
“I’d never worked with red before, so I was definitely hesitant. But I told myself, ‘Be strong!’ I went with a not-quite-ripe cherry colour and I love it!”
CHAIRS, Marcantonio Designs. SOFA, Nuevo Living. COFFEE TABLE, CB2. DRAPERY, Michaela Burns Interiors. RUG, Loloi Rugs.
Michaela chose the bright chairs and textured wallpaper to showcase the homeowners’ art collection. The tight-backed sofa is modern, but its clean lines are made cozy by upholstering it in a gentle oatmeal-hued bouclé. The arched coffee table is lacquered in a parchment-toned linen finish – a shade that’s repeated in the rug’s motifs.
MILLWORK, Ström Cabinetry. WALLPAPER, Phillip Jeffries. DESK, Sunpan. DESK CHAIR, Herman Miller. RUG, Elte.
Across from the dining room is the home office. “You walk through these reeded glass doors into a room draped in textured linen wallpaper,” says Michaela. Positioned atop the rough-textured sisal rug is a clever desk. “It’s double sided, so one side can be used for functional storage and the other for artful display.”
BED FRAME, Ferretti Furniture. BENCH, Elte Mkt. Velvet BLANKET, Crate and Barrel. DRAPERY, Michaela Burns Interiors. CHANDELIER, Robinson Lighting & Bath. RUG, Surya. CHAIR, Nuevo Living. DRESSER, Geovin Furniture.
“The primary bedroom is intentionally soothing,” says Michaela. “We used velvet for the ivory bed, its blanket and the sky grey bench. I love that the cream drapes have a little touch of metallic embroidery.” For timeless simplicity, there’s a linen-shaded chandelier. The vintage-style rug brings some romance with its lavender and blue tones.
“The bedroom is on the back of the house. So, we couldn’t resist putting a cozy chair in the corner right by the windows, where there are such serene views across the yard,” says Michaela. The dresser has simple lines and a classic low profile, but what makes it really special is that it’s been beautifully crafted from Ontario maple.
ENSUITE WALLPAPER, Phillip Jeffries. ENSUITE CEILING LIGHT, VANITY LIGHT, Robinson Lighting & Bath. RUG, Magnum Opus Carpets. POWDER ROOM VANITY, Michaela Burns Interiors. POWDER ROOM MIRROR, Crate and Barrel. POWDER ROOM SCONCE, Luminaire Authentik. POWDER ROOM WALL TILE, Euro Tile & Stone.
The ensuite is airy thanks to lovely pale lavender wallpaper. Bubble-shaped lighting contrasts the strong linear lines of the vanity. To bring some fab to the main-floor powder room (right), Michaela created a custom walnut vanity with a marble top. The wall sconce shares a petal shape with the terracotta backsplash tiles, while the wallpaper has a subtle trellis pattern that adds a sense of movement.
SECTIONAL, West Elm. COFFEE TABLE, Reimagine Designs. WALL SCONCES, Elte. RUG, Surya.
The home’s oversized leather sectional offers sink-into coziness. Snacks are always within easy reach thanks to the massive coffee table. “There’s also hidden storage beneath the table’s tray tops, so clutter can be put away,” says Michaela. The moody wall sconces provide a cinematic flair.
“The house was brand new, so to personalize it, we made a few changes to better suit how the homeowners would use the spaces,” says Michaela. Here in the media room, for example, she eliminated a portion of what had been a big kitchen. Paring it down not only resulted in a compact bar but also freed up space for bigger, more comfy furnishings.
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