If you don’t think a stately study by day can morph into a sexy lounge with a bar and bank of wine fridges by night, then you’re not thinking like designer Brian Gluckstein. His 11th Princess Margaret Home Lottery Showhome sets the stage for both impromptu get-togethers and formal bashes. “We’re back to living,” says Brian. “In 2021 and 2022, it was about working and studying from home; there were areas with desks that you could close off. This year’s showhome is the opposite of that: it’s about entertaining and everyone coming back together.”

Located in Oakville, Ont., the 7,765-square-foot, five-bedroom showhome has a Tudor Revival spirit, courtesy of the steeply pitched, multi-gable roof. “Because of the pie-shaped lot, we thought a Tudor Revival style would be ideal because they aren’t typically symmetrical,” says Brian. “We haven’t designed a Tudor showhome before, and it’s always fun to change things up.” Step inside another Brian Gluckstein home below!

The post See Brian Gluckstein’s Signature Design Moves In His Latest Showhome appeared first on House & Home.

For over a decade, Canadian designer Brooke Butler has been creating beautiful homes with the same guiding mantra in mind. “My goal is to design spaces that marry form with function and have a deep connection with nature,” says Brooke. In a recent cross-country move from Ontario to Alberta, Brooke brought it home in the transformation of a circa-1986 bungalow. The ranch-style house sits on a private golf course and is only one hour from Canmore. “It’s a rare blend of natural beauty and tranquillity within a city like Calgary,” says Brooke. As for the design style, it was evident from the first time she saw it. “I was drawn to this house for its mid-century modern vibe,” says Brooke.

See how Brooke weaves mid-century modern elements throughout her home, including the preservation of wood-clad ceilings, a sunken living room, a wood-burning fireplace and a handful of mid-century light fixtures. “My design approach is rooted in mid-century principles while my aesthetic is defined by clean, contemporary lines coupled with textures, materials and hues inspired by nature.”

We chatted with Brooke on her coast-to-coast move and what went into re-imagining this mid-century modern house. Scroll down to see the full transformation!

The post Inside A Designer’s Mid-century Modern House — With A Banquette That Does It All appeared first on House & Home.

The post Ali Budd Shakes Up Cottagecore With A City-Slick Look In This Lakehouse appeared first on House & Home.

Designer Jaime Polan Zimmerman of JPZ Interiors fell in love with this semi-detached Victorian house the moment she saw it. “It looked nothing like it does now, but its core foundation was absolutely remarkable,” she says. “There were high ceilings, stained glass windows and so much potential.” See how Jaime modernized each room of the house, including a beautiful marble kitchen, spacious walk-in closet and a fabulous home office for her design studio. Watch the full tour here!

The post This Designer Puts A Fresh Spin On Her Victorian Home Makeover appeared first on House & Home.

A creative and artistic force, Colette van den Thillart first made her mark on the Canadian design scene — and my consciousness — back in 2010, when we published the beautiful restoration of her family cottage on Mountain Lake in Minden, Ont. It’s still one of my favorite covers of all time. Over the next 13 years, we featured Colette’s exuberant, sophisticated, eclectic homes as often as we could. You’ll remember her from the memorable images in this fabulous home from our May 2022 cover, where she shared the spotlight in the front room she designed for her friend Victoria Webster in Toronto.

It’s been exciting to follow Colette’s career, watching her style evolve and soar on three continents for clients with homes of all kinds, as well as her own. Most of all, it’s been wonderful for me to get to know Colette and to be able to honor her in our December issue as our 2023 Designer of the Year, where we featured her clients Jane Halverson and Bruno Vendittelli’s Rosedale house. “They’d been living in the house for quite a while when they called us in to do an extension. We ended up doing a makeover on the living and dining rooms, principal bedroom and bathroom, as well,” says Colette. Take a peek inside this bold and colorful house below and watch the full tour here. Plus, don’t miss my interview with Colette where she shares design tips and more on her lush and layered look.

The post Inside A Bold And Exuberant Home Designed By Colette van den Thillart appeared first on House & Home.

“We leaned into this British country manor home vibe,” says designer Emily Griffin of Griffin Houghton. In this Victorian house makeover, the design duo mastered the mix of new and old by restoring antiques, designing bespoke furniture and adding a two-storey addition. Favorite moments include the oak-panelled bar area, a great room with exposed beams and the airy principal bedroom with a peaked roof and marble fireplace. “We’ve always done traditional homes — it feels second nature to us!” says Emily. Get the full tour here!

The post Step Inside A Renovated Victorian House With An English Country Manor Vibe appeared first on House & Home.

Designer Suzanne Dimma takes us inside her client’s elegant home where classic decorating reigns supreme. EyeSwoon founder Athena Calderone’s Brooklyn brownstone was a big inspiration for this renovated circa-1930s house, as seen in the cult-favorite eyeswoon kitchen and foyer. See how Suzanne replicated the classic kitchen with off-black cabinets, herringbone floors, a marble floating shelf and of course — plenty of brass. Step inside the elegant foyer featuring checkerboard floors, a black-stained staircase and applied molding. “We had to make sure the house maintained the Old World feeling but modernized it with the updated kitchen,” says Suzanne. Watch the full tour here!

The post The Cult Favorite Eyeswoon Kitchen & Foyer Inspired This Renovated Circa-1930s House appeared first on House & Home.

This homeowner’s design brief was simple: create a functional, open-concept kitchen, a cozy living room and lounge style dining room for casual entertaining. See how designer Joel Bray achieved the look with a classic-meets-contemporary design approach. You’ll love the black Shaker cabinets in the handsome kitchen, a green channelled banquette in the dining area and a pretty little powder room with William Morris-inspired wallpaper. Watch for the full tour!

The post Classic Meets Contemporary In A Sophisticated Semi-detached House appeared first on House & Home.

Toronto may not be The City of Light, but where two of its shiniest neighborhoods cross, designer Jennifer Kominek created a Parisian style apartment that’s the stuff of dreams. The Milan, an understated glass tower located at the junction of Yorkville and Rosedale, is the perfect building for Jennifer’s clients, a professional couple who were downsizing from their former home in the east end. After purchasing the condo in 2022, they spotted a project by the designer with a cool, European vibe. Jennifer was soon brought on to turn their 1,300-square-foot, builder-basic box into a home with old world style. “The owners love to visit Paris, and they wanted their condo to feel like an escape,” says Jennifer. “The goal was to turn something typical into something spectacular.”

Jennifer immediately got to work, gutting most of the existing features of the two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit and reconfiguring the space to give it that je ne sais quoi. Next came the smaller details: petite antique rugs with a collected-over-time look, old world brass switches by Forbes & Lomax, and a painterly wall mural in the breakfast nook. Achieving that effortless look took effort, of course. Jennifer faced many challenges throughout the nine-month-long project. “We designed a lot of full-height millwork and a custom banquette for the breakfast nook. As we were planning with the millworker, there was always this hold your-breath moment of, will it fit in the elevator?” she says with a laugh. “Things were often just within a hair of making it.

”Now the breakfast nook is both the couple’s — and Jennifer’s — favorite room. It’s the perfect place to cuddle up with a café and croissant, and take in the city. Jennifer knew it needed something special, but convincing the homeowners took persistence. “They had hung some art, but I told them it needed mo re.” When the project was nearing its end, she called them on a Friday night to make her case, and sent an email with her vision. “On a photo of the breakfast nook, I superimposed this stunning Coordonné wallpaper with birds and branches,” she says. “It looked so beautiful, and they were finally convinced.” Now, it’s the focal point of the entire condo. C’est la vie!

Take a tour of this Parisian-style apartment below!

The post Jennifer Kominek Designs A Dreamy Pied-À-Terre In Toronto appeared first on House & Home.

When designer Emilia Wisnieski of Studio 1NINE1 first saw her client’s ground floor apartment in downtown Toronto, it lacked function and flow. See how Emilia used custom storage to define zones and create a luxe look with a neutral palette and soft, tactile furniture. Plus, don’t miss the bold laundry room! “Laundry is so boring, so why not make that space a little more fun and exciting?” says Emilia. Watch the full tour here!

The post Before & After: A Tired Condo Gets An Ultra Luxe Update appeared first on House & Home.