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!

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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!

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Homeowner Erica Reddy-Choquette invites us inside her hard loft apartment in Toronto’s Corktown neighborhood. The spacious 2400-square-foot space was converted into a residential building in the ’90s. “It has all of the original features of a hard loft: 14-foot ceilings, concrete columns and concrete floors,” says Erica. See how she transformed the two-storey condo into a functional and stylish oasis that’s perfect for her family and entertaining. Watch the full tour here!

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Farah Altoumah designed every inch of her clients’s 960-square-foot apartment with purpose. A sleek, moody kitchen with integrated appliances and a hidden butler’s pantry blends seamlessly into the open-concept space. “The whole unit was designed with the city in mind,” says Farah. The designer selected the living room furniture to mimic the unique buildings along the Toronto skyline, from the Bubble Sofa to the Origami Chair. Get inspired by this cool and collected condo. Watch now!

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“We really wanted that boutique hotel look with the richness of the metals, the velvet, and natural stone.” Designer Eva Healy turned her client’s newly built condo into an elevated escape filled with sculptural lighting, glamorous finishes and dreamy storage. See how Eva reconfigured the original layout to make room for one spacious primary suite. Plus, a second bedroom with a Murphy bed serves as a guest room, office and fitness room. Watch now!

Presented by Scotties®’

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Vancouver’s West End is a location that’s coveted for a reason. Wedged between English Bay, downtown and Stanley Park, it’s where the city meets the ocean. “This is a truly walkable area, steps to the seawall and Sunset Beach Park. It’s why you choose to live in Vancouver,” says one lucky resident of Marcon’s newly built Mirabel condominium complex. Mirabel’s two glass towers are a rare addition to the mostly high-rise-free neighborhood, with their panes of yellow and aqua glass nodding to the water and the sunset. Perched at the top of one tower and spanning half of the building’s width is a spectacular penthouse suite. Marcon tapped designer Alda Pereira to upgrade and furnish the space. She’d been working with the developer since 2016, first designing Mirabel’s suite interiors, lobbies and common areas, followed by the sales centre model suite. The penthouse would be her pièce de résistance.

The developer requested interiors that might suit a professional couple who travel and have a taste for sophisticated finishes. Alda immediately got to work on the design. Today, the 2,747-square-foot, three-bedroom, four-bath condo has a minimalist vibe, with elegant furniture in a neutral palette. High-style details throughout make it even more special. “We added custom millwork to the dining area and a principal closet for more functionality,” says Alda. In the ensuite, 12- by 24-inch honed marble tile completely wraps the room. Creating this breezy lifestyle, however, came with its challenges. The six-month-long project coincided with Covid shutdowns, which caused major delays. “Designers are experts in creating schedules, but so much was out of our control,” says Alda. “We had to deal with a bit of chaos that ensued.” This included longer lead times and problems with deliveries. “Even small things were challenging.”

Life at Mirabel, as described by a current owner, looks a bit like this: Morning coffee on the balcony, a stroll to Stanley Park for an early pitch and putt, a snack on Denman as you head to work on foot, then a wander through the leafy streets on your way home to catch the sunset. Where do we sign up?

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Designer Luca Campacci of Level Studio wanted to design a condo that reflected his client’s personality. “The homeowner is a father of two young kids who doesn’t take himself too seriously.” Starting in the foyer, black and white marble floors, dark purple wallpaper and an artful wine display makes a bold statement. Don’t miss the original Wayne Gretzky print by Andy Warhol that’s been signed by both. Plus, you’ll love the unobstructed views of downtown Toronto. Get the full tour here!

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Midtown Toronto holds a special place for Fenwick Bonnell, co-founder of Powell & Bonnell, a boutique design firm and designer of luxury furniture, lighting and textiles. It’s where he lives, works and enjoys the nearby ravine and paths, where you can easily forget you’re in the middle of the city. “I’m a runner, so I like to get out and use the trails,” he says. Fenwick purchased the condo preconstruction in 2017 and then spent the next five years working with the developers, construction company Dxpert Reno & Handyman Services and his own team of trades to create a completely customized space for himself and Phoebe, his miniature wirehaired dachshund. “I don’t have the desire to live in a huge house,” he says of the condo’s modest 834-square-foot stamp. “I like how manageable this space is and that I can do things like clean and garden myself.”

From the start, the road to his dream home felt like a Pandora’s box of problems. There were pandemic-related site shutdowns and delays with the city’s building department that prevented his team from getting access. “Nothing in the condo now is as it was in the original plans,” says Fenwick. Formerly a two-bedroom, two-bath unit, Fenwick completely reconfigured the floor plan as a one-bedroom with ensuite bath, plus a powder room. The change required removing walls and getting creative with existing plumbing. The luxurious new ensuite is packed with custom finishes, layered lighting and a spa-like steam shower. “I think one of the only things remaining from the original condo is the tile in the shower, which I eventually plan to cover up with composite wood decking,” says Fenwick.

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If Toronto was a treasure map, the X Condominium would mark the spot where art, culture and nightlife come together. It’s a big part of what attracted Robin, a software developer and Amelia, a marketing professional, to purchase the 1,650-square-foot unit in 2021. “I don’t drive, so it was really important that we found a place that was walkable and transit-accessible,” says Amelia of the tower designed by architect Peter Clewes in the International style with nods to Mies van der Rohe. “The layout of the unit was perfect,” says Amelia. “It had two rooms where we could each set up offices, and a large living, dining and kitchen area, perfect for entertaining.” The catch: “We hated the kitchen,” says Robin. “There was also a dark, cavernous bathroom that had to be redone.” They knew they needed help.

Amelia began researching designers online but was discouraged by portfolios full of stark, white spaces. They wanted color and pattern, something that would nod to their fun side — Amelia moonlights as a burlesque dancer. Facebook recommendations led them to Cori Halpern whose own home tour video won them over. “Cori seemed like a colorful person and had a colorful space we could relate to,” says Robin. Before they even got possession, Cori got to work.

Scroll down for a look at the vivacious results.

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Saskatchewan natives and designers Curtis Elmy and Trevor Ciona couldn’t believe their luck when they nabbed a penthouse at coveted No. 1 River Landing in downtown Saskatoon — the condo development completely sold out the first weekend of sales. “We always dreamed of living in a high-rise,” says Curtis, “but Saskatoon is such a small city.” Situated along the bank of the South Saskatchewan River with views of the intricate bridge system that lends Saskatoon the moniker “Paris of the Prairies,” the residential tower is part of the River Landing development that has helped inject new life and energy into the riverfront.

In 2016, after purchasing during preconstruction, the two principal designers of Atmosphere Interior Design spent the next three years working with the developers’ construction team to customize their dream home. “We didn’t want to go through the process of picking from the builder’s finishes only to turn around and renovate, so we negotiated to use our own trades and finishes,” says Trevor. “It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” says Curtis. Challenges did come up: “We had to redesign the cabinets a bunch of times and create different diagrams to make sure we could fit slabs, counters and even the furniture in the elevator,” he adds.

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