With a limited budget, a lot of creativity and loads of white paint, Toronto designer Jo Alcorn puts a stylish stamp on her sunny townhouse.
If her signature platinum blond hair and the moniker of her design firm – Whitewash & Co. – aren’t proof of her affinity for a certain shade, then a tour of Jo Alcorn’s west-end Toronto townhouse certainly is. White permeates the light-filled interior, from the furniture and accessories right down to the paint, which isn’t just any colour, but Jo Jo Whitewash, the namesake blend she custom designed for Para Paints. It was also the catalyst for her choice to infuse the 1,900-square-foot three-storey home with a fresh and crisp brio.
While the listing for the townhouse piqued her interest two years ago, tempting her with more space in her preferred neighbourhood, the viewing didn’t. “I actually wasn’t going to take it,” she says. “All the walls were painted yellow, and there were heavy old drapes, maple cabinetry and a sad-looking patio.” Before she shut the door on the property forever, her aesthetic instincts kicked in and she knew she could run with it. “I realized underneath it all, the house had good bones: 12-foot-high ceilings, detailed crown mouldings, clean lines and tons of natural light. I signed on the dotted line.”
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House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Small dining space
“My dining room is just 10 feet wide, so it was tricky to figure out the scale of the furniture,” says homeowner and designer Jo Alcorn. To remedy this, she enlisted her father to craft a narrow dining table with benches that tuck underneath. “He used pine planks, and it cost a fraction of the price of a similar-looking table I had my eye on.” A modern white end chair plays off the rustic style of the table.
House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Small dining space
“My dining room is just 10 feet wide, so it was tricky to figure out the scale of the furniture,” says homeowner and designer Jo Alcorn. To remedy this, she enlisted her father to craft a narrow dining table with benches that tuck underneath. “He used pine planks, and it cost a fraction of the price of a similar-looking table I had my eye on.” A modern white end chair plays off the rustic style of the table.
House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Galley kitchen
The galley kitchen’s maple cabinetry was punched up with paint and vintage brass hardware. “The upper cabinets are the same colour as the walls,” says Jo. “and I used a charcoal shade on the lowers to blend in with the black appliances and anchor the room.” A runner helps disguise the original floor tiles until Jo replaces them.
House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Stylish living room
Myriad combinations of Jo’s signature look – an abundance of white, graphic black accents and soft touches like comfy furniture, throws and toss cushions – define the living room as both stylish and approachable.
House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Cozy sitting nook
Inspired by the conviviality of country kitchens with designated seating areas, Jo nixed an eat-in area in favour of a cozy sitting nook that’s perfect for morning coffee and evening cocktails.
House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Black and white decor accessories
Wallet-friendly black accents, whether in the form of paint, toss cushions, rugs or artwork, were used generously throughout to animate the pale backdrop and prevent the house from feeling stark.
House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Master bedroom
Since every wall in the master bedroom features a window or a door, Jo had no choice but to position the bed in front of a small window. She found a headboard tall enough to hide its awkward placement, but the colour was wrong. Jo reupholstered it using a patterned fabric shower curtain and a staple gun. the result is a showpiece crafted on a shoestring budget.
House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Bedroom decor accessories
The nightstand introduces a warm element (as well as handy storage) to the bedroom. The mirror reflects natural light and provides a feeling of spaciousness, while the dramatic horn lamp offers a sculptural balance to the large-scale headboard.
House tour: Modern rustic townhouse
Get the look: Whitewashed modern rustic style
1 1006-02 loveseat, Cocoon Furnishings, from $2,280. 2 Dakota dining table, 77", Crate and Barrel, $1,699. 3 Triangular bevel rectangular framed mirror, Lowe’s, $80. 4 Scroll Tile rug in mocha, Pottery Barn, from $281. 5 Maison 4-drawer dresser in antiqued white, Restoration Hardware, $1,595 US. 6 Source kudu table lamp, West Elm, $219.
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