Furniture and textile designer Lori Harrison is a neat freak living and working in a small space. Here’s how she keeps her home looking stylish.
Textile and furniture designer Lori Harrison is inspired by imperfection – she once recreated the peeling plaster of a building’s facade she saw in Venice, California, on a toss cushion to glamorous effect. But when it comes to her home, Lori is committed to creating the picture of perfection.
From the harmonious earthy palette that looks sharp against the white walls to the bespoke accessories, every inch of the 900-square-foot, one-bedroom condo she shares with her husband, Michael Clark, is mellow, meaningful and cohesive – key in an open-concept space.
When the couple bought the place last year, in an intimate, three-storey Art Deco building in an upscale midtown Toronto neighbourhood, they loved the layout of the petite but already renovated apartment. So they used sparsely placed and low-slung furniture – some of it designed by Lori herself – and clean contemporary lines to make the small space feel large and evoke a cultured air.
Photo Gallery
Condo tour: Traditional-meets-contemporary condo
California-style living room design
The woodsy details and large fiddle-leaf fig tree give the living room of this Toronto home a comfy California feel. Mismatched side tables look relaxed and artsy – the one on the left is Lori’s design.
Condo tour: Traditional-meets-contemporary condo
California-style living room design
The woodsy details and large fiddle-leaf fig tree give the living room of this Toronto home a comfy California feel. Mismatched side tables look relaxed and artsy – the one on the left is Lori’s design.
Condo tour: Traditional-meets-contemporary condo
Restrained kitchen design
No backsplash? No problem. “I kind of like that there isn’t one, because it looks more contemporary,” says Lori of the gorgeously restrained kitchen, with its space-saving built-in walnut dining table that offers extra counter space when needed.
Condo tour: Traditional-meets-contemporary condo
Ideal storage space
The streamlined bank of cabinetry – deep and wide for optimum storage space – with barely visible hardware is framed by a sleek Corian countertop and doesn’t read too kitcheny in the open-concept room.
Condo tour: Traditional-meets-contemporary condo
Chic office look
Lori’s artistic temperament is evident in her casually chic home office. “The white bust is actually my neck – I made it for a university project – and the bare-chested illustration I did in high school,” says the talented artist.
Condo tour: Traditional-meets-contemporary condo
Office bookshelves
“I wanted to colour coordinate the books in the office, but my husband [Michael Clark] wouldn’t let me,” says Lori. The wire chair is paired with one of her prototype toss cushions.
Condo tour: Traditional-meets-contemporary condo
Traditional-meets-contemporary
The couple’s tastes – he’s into traditional, she likes contemporary – are established in the hallway vignette, with a handsome cabinet Michael bought in Cambodia topped with modern artwork.
Condo tour: Traditional-meets-contemporary condo
Lori Harrison
Homeowner Lori Harrison of Lori Harrison Designs is content in her live/work abode. It’s perfect for creating her artwork, textiles and furniture, which are available online and in shops across North America.
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