Entertaining well requires many things: space to interact, multiple seating areas and a waterfall of wine. Designer Jill Woolley’s condo ticks all those boxes.
Jill Woolley is not the sort of woman to be stuck in a closed-off kitchen assembling pigs in a blanket for a dinner party. “I want to be where the action is!” says the designer behind Ali Interiors, breezily padding toward her kitchen wearing orange espadrilles that match her bronzy lipstick.
Three years ago, when Jill and her partner, lawyer Jim Coleman, spotted the two-storey 2,840-square-foot condo with a 500-square-foot terrace in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood, they instantly fell in love with its location and design potential. The building recalls the gilded age of Edith Wharton’s New York City, and the fact that the unit was on the first floor made it feel similar to the house they were downsizing from. The only snag was a large wall that divided the kitchen from the rest of the main floor, stealing square footage from this sociable pair who likes to entertain. But they made an offer anyway – with the condition that they could remove the wall.
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Condo tour: Luxuriously modern renovation
Multi-purpose living room
The gas fireplace and flat-screen TV are recessed into an enormous slab of Statuario marble. “There was debate about whether we should put the TV in here. I wanted the room strictly for entertaining, but my family overruled me,” says homeowner and designer Jill Woolley. “In the end, I’m glad. It’s a multi-purpose space that works well.”
Condo tour: Luxuriously modern renovation
Living room decor
A calm, clean corner in the living room is brought to life by Romanian-Canadian artist Bogdan Molea’s undulating “crumpled paper” painting, as well as a pair of sculptural glass vases.
Condo tour: Luxuriously modern renovation
Wine feature
“My partner loves his wine, so I wanted to do a wine feature for him,” says Jill. She devised this eye-catching wall in the dining room with the help of Louie Forestieri of Toronto’s Multiflex. Encased in glass, the refrigerated wine cellar holds 240 bottles that rest on simple stainless steel holders. It’s conveniently located next to a custom zebrawood dining table – “so you can just reach up and grab a bottle of Cabernet while entertaining.”
Condo tour: Luxuriously modern renovation
Dark kitchen cabinetry
A mix of ceiling-height flat-panelled glossy white and dark maple kitchen cabinetry gives the kitchen a supersleek, expansive feel. The waterfall-style Statuario marble island is stunning in its simplicity.
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