House Tours
Step Inside This Cali-Meets-Canada Home
Photography by Patrick Biller | Styling by Me & Mo Creative
House Tours
Step Inside This Cali-Meets-Canada Home
A Toronto designer returns to her hometown of Barrie, Ont., to build a Cali-style house with dreamy lake views.
Designer Kaitlyn Cruickshank and husband David had no immediate plans to sell their Toronto home – until the pandemic. “I grew up in Barrie and we talked about eventually moving back, but after the second winter of lockdowns it happened faster than we expected,” says Kaitlyn, who designed every aspect of their new, 3,000-square-foot space. “Outside, it’s all-white California cool; inside, it’s welcoming with warm woods and moody pops of colour.” And, wonderfully, it’s also on the street where Kaitlyn grew up. She says, “It’s very comforting and I had no idea how much I missed being on the lake.”
Light House
DESIGN, MIRROR, BENCH, Kaitlyn Cruickshank, Kaj Designs. ARCHITECT, Matt Reid, Sketch Design Build. DOORS, WINDOWS, DeCola Windows + Doors. HARDWOOD FLOORING, Beckham Brothers. PAINT, Marrakesh Bone, Pure & Original. PENDANT LIGHT, Arteriors. RUG, Amber Interior Design. STAIRS, RAILING, Stairhaus.
“I brought all of the windows to the floor and chose front doors with large windows,” says designer Kaitlyn Cruickshank, who was keen to factor in ample natural light in her new home. Glass panels on the staircase play up the airiness, while the furnishings feel welcoming. “The star pendant light is also known as a sun wheel, which represents happiness, and the textured rug has a warm, country-chic vibe.”
Growing Up
HOUSE SIDING, Maibec. PATIO FURNITURE, Kaj Designs.
“When I saw the original architectural drawings, the house was two storeys with a peaked roof,” says Kaitlyn. “My vision was a Newport Beach house with a flat roof and lots of patios, so I added a third floor with terrace (shown above) that’s an entire entertaining area where we host friends and family. It’s our Cali-style beach house on the shores of Lake Simcoe.”
The Cat's Meow
Kaitlyn, pictured above with cat Decker, designed her kitchen with real life in mind. “I wanted a mostly white space, but in high-use areas I used stained oak that wouldn’t chip easily like painted cupboards can,” she says. “It’s important for us to live in our home and not worry about finishes.” That ethos extends to cats Black and Decker, who enjoy a marble nook that is nestled into the side of the island and houses their food and water bowls. A pantry, which can be concealed, is tucked behind the bank of cabinetry.
Honed Arabescato Vagli COUNTERTOPS, BACK- SPLASH, Stone Tile. CABINETRY, Perkinsfield Kitchen & Bath. CABINETRY PAINT, Swiss Coffee OC-45, Benjamin Moore. CABINETRY HARDWARE, Rejuvenation. POT FILLER, Insideast. APPLIANCES, JennAir.
Material Matters
Rebell PENDANT LIGHTS, Mullan Lighting. Custom STOOLS, Kaj Designs. PAINT, Marrakesh Bone, Pure & Original.
The kitchen cultivates a breezy California vibe thanks to the mix of high-impact materials. “I selected a dramatically veined honed marble from Italy for the countertops and range back- splash,” says Kaitlyn. “I love the warmth, texture and the bit of drama the stone adds to the calm and muted cabinets. And, honestly, I have always wanted marble countertops – they just feel so nice!” She opted for unlacquered brass faucets and brass hardware in keeping with the warm scheme. “They patina beautifully and just keep getting better over time.”
The oversize, marble-topped island is paired with simple stools. “They have a delicate arched shape with hand- wrapped cane detailing that complements the decor,” says Kaitlyn. “They’re also extremely comfortable and upholstered with easy-to-clean performance fabric.” The fluted glass pendant lights have a less-is-more subtlety that’s in line with the range hood’s finish of lime-based plaster paint, which adds intriguing texture. “I used this paint on all the main-floor walls.”
The More, The Merrier
Glaze Linear PENDANT LIGHT, Light House Co. TABLE, CHAIRS, Kaj Designs.
Kaitlyn designed the dining table with a leaf, so it extends easily for dinner parties; she and David normally eat at the kitchen island if it’s just the two of them. The custom chairs mix shapes but share the same white bouclé for continuity. “I designed the end chairs to be more square and with a wood border to contrast the curves and subtle hairpin brass legs on the others,” says Kaitlyn. The pendant light has two ceramic shades with a crackle glaze and frosted glass that casts a flattering glow.
At Your Service
MILLWORK, Perkinsfield Kitchen & Bath. Arabescato Vagli BACKSPLASH, COUN- TERTOP, Stone Tile. Cullan HARDWARE, Rejuvenation. Chulainn SCONCES, Mullan Lighting. Georgian Era Collection FAUCET, Perrin & Rowe.
A bar area off the kitchen and adjacent to the dining area makes entertaining much easier. “One thing we struggled with when entertaining at our Toronto house was that everyone would always end up in the kitchen and in the way,” says Kaitlyn. “I designed this house with a bar that’s separate from the kitchen for that very reason.”
A wine fridge, double- drawer fridge, sink and pullouts for liquor storage are dressed up with the same marble and brass used in the kitchen. Antique-brass sconces lend an industrial look.
Working order
MILLWORK, Perkinsfield Kitchen & Bath. PAINT (walls, millwork), French Beret 1610, Benjamin Moore. ART, Celadon Art. SCONCE, Cabinet Maker’s PICTURE LIGHT, Visual Comfort. DRAPERY, Linda & Co Custom Decor. DESK, CHAIR, PATIO FUR- NITURE, Kaj Designs. Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines x Loloi RUG, Loloi Rugs.
Kaitlyn designed David’s home office to have easy access to outdoor space. The room has a more masculine vibe with its shiplap walls and ceiling, and moodier colour palette that’s both dramatic and calming. A rounded desk is a curvy counterpoint to the custom millwork, which offers sleek open and closed storage.
Moody Beauty
PAINT, Fresco Limewash, Pure & Original. Rigale SCONCES, Mullan Lighting. MIRROR, Kaj Designs. FAUCET, Kingston Kitchen & Bath. VANITY MILLWORK, Perkinsfield Kitchen & Bath. Limestone VANITY COUNTERTOP, Trumeau Stones. Maku Series FLOOR TILES, Olympia Tile.
In the powder room, lime paint on the walls imparts a dramatic matte dimension that’s picked up in the floor tiles. Kaitlyn designed the limestone and rustic pine vanity with front curves. She says, “The shape really grounds the space.” Antique-brass pulley lights balance the scale of the vanity and mirror. The living room’s furniture and custom curved alcoves (below right and opposite) are in keeping with the SoCal vibe.
Laid-back & L.A.
SECTIONAL, COFFEE TABLE, Kaj Designs. FIREPLACE, Napoleon. Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Francis Collection RUG, Loloi Rugs.
“I wanted to really complement the walls in the living room and play up their texture, rather than add a lot of millwork,” says Kaitlyn. “I opted for two curved alcoves and grounded them with cabinets that use the same white oak stain as in the kitchen.” The architecture and curvy furniture capture the desired L.A. look.
Serene Scene
(Left) Quinn CHANDELIER, Hendrick SCONCES, Palecek. BED, NIGHT- STANDS, Kaj Designs. ART, Celadon Art. (Right) CUSTOM DRAPERY, Linda & Co Custom Decor. CHAIR, CUSHION, RUG, Amber Interior Design.
Kaitlyn wanted the primary bedroom to feel like a serene retreat, so she layered it with earthy and watery tones that echo the lake outside. An armchair defines a calm corner, making it a quiet place for morning phone calls.
“I like to layer bedding and blankets with a mix of linens, cotton and velvet,” says Kaitlyn. “As the seasons change, I use different layers and always leave a blanket at the end of the bed for Black and Decker.” A wooden chandelier adorned with coco beads boosts the organic look, while cane-fronted drawers on the bedside tables and brass sconces with hand-wrapped rattan details play up texture.
Suite Life
TILES, Olympia Tiles. Tilda CHANDELIER, Arteriors. TUB, Maax Canada. TUB FAUCET, Riobel. STOOL, MIRROR, BENCH, Kaj Designs. MEDICINE CABI- NETS, RH. VANITY, Perkins- field Kitchen & Bath. BEDROOM DOORS, Brenlo Custom Windows & Doors.
Floor-to-ceiling windows by the soaker tub offer lake views; over- head is a showstopper chandelier. The arch motif continues here.
First-Class Lounge
SECTIONAL, COFFEE TABLE, ISLAND STOOLS, Kaj Designs. CEILING FAN, Visual Comfort. Amber Lewis x Loloi LUMBAR CUSHIONS, RUG, Loloi Rugs. MILLWORK, Perkinsfield Kitchen & Bath. Blue Moon Quartzite COUNTERTOPS, Stone Tile. Trinsic FAUCET, Delta Faucet. Garrison PENDANT LIGHTS, Arteriors.
The entire third floor is reserved for entertaining and features a lounge area and bar. “We have drawer fridges on either end of the bar, a wine fridge, ice machine, dishwasher and bar sink,” says Kaitlyn. Reeded-glass uppers flanking the bar offer storage. “In the winter, we usually end up here after dinner for a nightcap.”
The bathroom near the entertaining area on the third floor has an integrated sink that’s custom-made from soapstone. The art is a framed Mumford & Sons album cover.
Hotel California
(Left) Rosalind BED, Rug & Weave. NIGHT- STAND, Kaj Designs. Threshold Collection LAMP, Studio McGee. Amber Lewis x Loloi LUMBAR CUSHION, Loloi Rugs. QUILT, Pottery Barn. BEDDING, Crate and Barrel. (Right) Capistrano SCONCES, Palecek. Organic White COUNTERTOP, Caesarstone. VANITY PAINT, Nimbus Gray 2131-50, Benjamin Moore. VANITY HARDWARE, Rejuvenation. Trinsic FAUCET, Delta Faucet.
The second-floor guest bed- room is also where Black likes to sneak a catnap! Kaitlyn opted for neutral walls for a warm, calm feeling. The headboard’s light-washed oak frame is accented by soft leather with subtle rounded edges. Framed art layers in graphic interest – it’s a photograph the couple purchased in Mexico that reads “More Love, Please” in Spanish. “I chose a white organic-cotton textured duvet cover and pillows, then paired them with a blue velvet quilt and accent pillows,” says Kaitlyn.
“The guest bathroom’s vanity didn’t have a lot of space, so I kept the millwork simple and added round sinks to allow for more counter room,” Kaitlyn says. Pill-shaped mirrors complement the circular sinks, and the sconces layer in organic texture with grey raffia shades.
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