Quiet tones and rich textures take a builder-spec house from nondescript to natural beauty.

As any designer will say, personality and warmth are rarely the hallmarks of a spec home, so it’s no small miracle that the atmosphere and contemporary flow of this Toronto home emerged in spite of its original blank-slate aesthetic. “The secret to this success? Collaboration!” says designer Laura Fremont of TOM Design Collective. “Working closely with designer Jennifer Gauthier of Muskoka Living, we came up with a home that’s much richer and more layered than anyone could have designed on their own.” Says Jennifer, “We were fully committed to proving that warmth and texture could coexist beautifully with clean, contemporary lines.” Laura agrees: “One of our shared mandates was to reference natural and wood tones throughout the house but keep the textures changing. That gave the home a very at ease feel – not stuffy at all. It’s a place that’s easy to love and easy to live in.”

Dynamic displays

The living area features floor-to-ceiling millwork with open shelves. This ensures a space that never gets old – the items on the shelves can be changed at any time. Taking into account that the room isn’t very wide, designer Jennifer Gauthier brought in nesting coffee tables. “We love their organic, earthy shape,” says designer Laura Fremont.

Comfort zone

SECTIONAL, CHAIRS, COFFEE TABLES, SIDEBOARD, RUG, DRAPERY, Muskoka Living. PILLOWS, Elte Mkt. FLOORING (throughout), Grandeur Flooring.

The living area opens to the kitchen and is intentionally casual. Day or night, it’s the place to relax and watch a show, or hang out while dinner is cooking. Texture deepens delight thanks to the nubby fabric on the curvaceous chairs and the fine Belgian linen on the sectional. The rug is tonal, super cozy and wonderful to walk on. Light-filtering drapes add another layer of softness.

Up & away

Floating white oak stairs connect the wide open main floor of the home to the treetop bedrooms and office above. “We liked the idea of integrating elements of wood with the glass – it was another way to remain true to the home’s modern-yet-warm aesthetic,” says Laura.

“Even though the custom staircase is a feature, the eye wanted some artwork, so we installed this piece, which is modern yet quiet.” – Jennifer Gauthier 

Balanced scale

“The dining room is enormous!” says Jennifer. To keep elements to scale, the table was custom-made to be oversized. “Dainty chairs just wouldn’t have felt right in here. That’s why we chose these amazingly big curved chairs.” The magnitude of their curves is offset by the metal-embellished sideboard and angular chandelier. 

Anders PENDANTS, Hawk COUNTER STOOLS, Muskoka Living. FIXTURES, Taps

“We thoughtfully chose porcelain in the kitchen to make sure we referenced all the tones used elsewhere in the house.” – Laura Fremont 

Surface treatment

CABINETRY PAINT, White Dove OC-17, Benjamin Moore. Porcelain SURFACES, Canaroma Bath + Tile

“It’s really challenging to create a modern, clean space that emanates warmth, as well,” says Laura. To meet that challenge, the kitchen was clad in slabs of porcelain with earthy marble-like veining. “When the homeowners walk in after a day out, it’s so visually calming in here.” The millwork is pared back with no hardware.

Island life 

As in most homes, the kitchen serves as a happy hub for meeting up, so choosing the most comfortable counter stools possible made sense. These are covered in stain-resistant corduroy. “The island has double-sided storage so that seasonal and entertaining pieces can be tucked inside,” said Laura. The pendants are modern and brass for a look that’s layered and lived in. 

Work force

MILLWORK PAINT, White Dove OC-17, Benjamin Moore. DESK CHAIR, Muskoka Living

An impressively long run of millwork connects the kitchen to a home office area. “Warm wood separates this zone of the millwork from the white painted finishes in the kitchen,” says Laura. “The beverage bar and open shelving can be set up with drinks or appetizers for guests.” Jennifer brought in a desk chair that swivels, making it perfect for chatting or taking a moment to look out the window.

“Rather than default to drywall, we created this painted panelled wall above the desk area.” – Laura Fremont 

Powder power

The powder room is right off the entry, so something special was called for. “In most powder rooms, I’m all about wallpaper, but it didn’t seem right for this home. Instead, we went for a pretty visual of tiny, delicate droplet-style lights,” says Laura. A brass wall-mounted faucet crowns the dramatic vanity top.

Modern quietude

“The primary bedroom is an inviting remix of elements that are found elsewhere in the home,” says Jennifer. “For example, you see this repeat of the fluted wall from the living room; the creamy tones in the drapes are reminiscent of the veining in the marble-look finishes in the kitchen. And to that, we layered in lovely pillows, bedding and a gorgeous storage bench.”

“The principal suite feels very ‘hotel.’ It’s a calming space with watercolour neutrals that are luxe but not precious.” – Jennifer Gauthier

Light touch

Beside the ensuite’s vanity is a window that brings in beautiful light and looks out onto treetop views. “Rather than draw attention from these natural elements, we wanted to complement them, so we went simple with warm reeded wood on the door fronts of the vanity and a pair of elegant mirrors with soft curves on the wall,” says Laura. “That black finish on the faucets provides a striking visual accent.” 

Swiftly serene

BED FABRICATION, Decor Studio. LAMPS, NIGHTSTANDS, COVERLET, SHAMS, WALL ART, custom DRAPERY, custom THROW PILLOWS, Muskoka Living

Rather than include a dresser in the daughter’s bedroom, Laura and Jennifer designed a bed with storage drawers beneath. “The room also has a table for homework, and baskets tucked into the nightstands – handy touches that keep the small space teen-ready and tidy, too,” says Jennifer. The bedroom is at the front of the house, so the windows are layered in pretty drapes and practical blackout blinds.

“This is what I’d call a small but mighty bedroom. It may be limited in square footage, but the space has everything a growing person could want.” – Laura Fremont

Sleek & clean

Wood tones and a herringbone tiled floor make the main bathroom super approachable, but there are sleek features, too. Take, for example, the double-deep vanity top that adds heft and presence, and a regal oval mirror flanked by stately brass fixtures.

First-class lounge

SECTIONAL, RUG, COFFEE TABLE, END TABLES, TASK LAMP, Muskoka Living. TOSS PILLOWS, Tonic Living. WALL ART, Canvas Gallery

“We really maxed out the seating down here. After all, this is the drop-down-and-relax zone,” says Jennifer. The dark rust and wood tones are cozy, and that big organic coffee table is super relaxed. Laura’s brilliant tip: “Whenever you can, hang art you love where you will be relaxed enough to really enjoy it.”

“When most of us hear the term ‘rec room,’ we think of dark basements. This one breaks the mould. It has really high ceilings and a wall of bright patio doors.” – Jennifer Gauthier 

On view

“Those chairs in the rec room are such a great shape and super comfortable,” says Laura. “We went with a low profile, so you can see over them to the TV.” A long bank of floating millwork runs along that wall, and most of it is filled with storage items. “But we layered it with lots of books and accessories to create an attractive sightline.”

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