PROJECT BLYTHWOOD

Built in 1885, Arren was the designer on the renovation and expansion of this historically designated century home in North Toronto. The property was carefully designed with a mix of modern and traditional features to house a family of six. The home was published in House & Home magazine’s March 2020 issue, and was nominated for House & Home’s Home of the Year, Kitchen of the Year, Bathroom of the Year for 2020. The interior will also be seen on Cityline.

Architect: BLDG Workshop. Contractor: Moosehead Homes

Photographer - Interiors and Front Porch: Stacey Brandford for House & Home magazine

Main Floor - Living Room / Dining Room: A new chimney breast and fireplace was added to give the living room a sense of place, and a wall was removed to open onto the dining room and add more natural light. Sofa, cocktail table, Hudson’s Bay. Carpet, Renwil. Lounge chairs, coffee table, Homesense. Casa Cubista Blanket, Saudade. Velvet cushions, H&M Home. Woven cushion, CB2.

The oak dining table has a modern utilitarian feel, and expands to fit frequent family gatherings. The minimal Dutch light fixture above is a more dramatic version of the one in the adjoining space. The large mirror is original to the house. Table, Article. Chairs, Home Société. Pholc Light, Finnish Design Shop. Oak floor, Satin Flooring.

A vintage credenza holds formal dinnerware, flatware and table linens. The surface is a handy spot to display finds from the family’s travels and favourite art pieces. Black ceramic push plates were sourced in London to match the ceramic door handles. Art, Alanna Cavanagh.

In the front hall, an old Victrola cabinet original to the house was painted black and is used for extra storage at the front door. Above, a photo of the house from when it was first built was found, printed and framed in a simple gallery frame.

Main Floor - Kitchen: The turned legs on the island were sourced from a Canadian artisan through Etsy. Black hardware on the custom painted maple cabinetry picks up on the colour used as a through-line in the design throughout the house. Vintage pendant lights, The Door Store. Island cabinetry painted Benjamin Moore Hale Navy. Cabinets painted Decorator’s White. Quartz counter, Hanstone. Freezer, range, Thermador.

Two dishwashers flank the kitchen sink. A vintage runner in a punchy trad ruby red is a functional addition that softens the most-used area of the kitchen.

New custom sash windows fit with the home’s historical designation and add to the charm. Brick laid tiles have an aged stucco texture that’s a step up from expected subway tiles. Mod sconces mimic the white glass of the vintage pendants over the island. Sconces, Dutton Brown. Tiles, Stone Tile. Faucet, sink, Kohler.

Main Floor - Family Room / Home Office / Power Room: The family room has a playful, laid back vibe with a mix of prints, patterns and textures that feel crafted and collected, but are designed to survive daily life. The space is anchored with a sculptural concrete drum table which is actually an exterior piece. Leather sofa, ottomans, Statum Designs. Drum table, Crate & Barrel. Vintage chair, Bettencourt Manor. Side table, Amazon. Casa Cubista Blanket, Saudade. Carpet, Wayfair.

A vintage burled maple credenza mirrors the warmth of the leather sofa. Ottomans add extra seating, while tropical plants thrive next to the wall-to-ceiling window. Casa Cubista Vases, Saudade. Vintage credenza, Bettencourt Manor.

A vintage table and chair is brought together with black paint in the kid’s homework area. Above, a chalkboard tracks the daily schedule of sports teams, tournaments and activities while extra cabinetry holds school supplies. Metal chairs, Amazon. Quartz counter, Hanstone.

The powder room was designed around a wall-mount sink the clients fell in love, and was then complimented with panelled walls and hex tiles. Sink, Kohler. Mirror, Umbra. Gooseneck barn light, Wayfair.

Upper Floor - Principal Bedroom & Bathroom: The custom upholstered beds sits under the pitch of the vaulted ceiling. A patterned rug anchors the room and is a playful touch paired with the dressers. Metal ceiling ties were painted black to match up with the light fixture. Upholstered bed, Statum Designs. Dressers, CDI Furniture. Vintage table lamps, Bettencourt Manor. Ceiling fixture, Wills & Prior. Stools, Snob.

A match was found to a vintage teak chair the homeowners had, so the pair found a perfect place in the principal bedroom, looking out over the horse barn. A sculptural side table in tropical wood completes the setting. Cushions, H&M Home. Table, Homesense.

A mid-century find takes the spa-feel of the principal bathroom in a more eclectic direction, layered against the marbled ceramic tile wall. Black fixtures pair perfectly with the black rimmed glass shower surround. Vintage credenza, Decade Five Furniture Co. Bathroom fixtures, Kohler. Quartz counter, Hanstone. Wall tile, Stone Tile. Floor tile, The Tile Store. Stool, Structube.

Upper Floor - Twin Bedroom & Bathroom: The older boy’s beds were given a new life painted white and handed down to the younger brothers, who opted to share a room over having individual bedrooms. Chest, Wayfair. Lamps, Ikea. Rug, Renwil.

The boys made the final hilarious choice on the Pop Art influenced shower curtain in their bathroom. Along with a dotty hex tile floor and bright Eames Hang-It-All rack, it all adds up to fun. Shower curtain, Society6. Toilet, vanity, faucets, Kohler.

Exterior: To update the existing tired aluminum siding Maibec Resistech’s durable engineered siding was the perfect choice, colour matching it to Benjamin Moore’s classic Cloud White (CC-40) for the original house, then using Wrought Iron (2124-10) to make a high-contrast statement with the new addition.

The original front door was restored and painted in Farrow & Ball’s Rectory Red. In keeping with the historical requirements for the home, the sash windows were replaced with new models with black trim, matching the new windows used on the modern addition. New cedar steps at the rear will eventually age to a silver grey, while gooseneck lamps light both the steps and the garden for entertaining.

Railings were removed from the porch to open it up and bring it back in line with the look of the original photographs of the house. Vintage furniture was married together to make a comfortable spot to sit and watch the world go by.

Photography (images 1-5): Valerie Wilcox

Behind The Scenes - Exterior

Behind The Scenes - Upper Floor

Behind The Scenes - Living Room / Dining Room / Front Hall

Behind The Scenes - Kitchen / Family Room

Project Credits: Exterior siding, Maibec Resistech. Insulation, Rockwool. Flooring, Satin Flooring Generations Oak in Luxor. Paint, Benjamin Moore - Trim, Bright White. Walls and Kitchen Cabinetry - Decorator’s White. Kitchen Island - Hale Navy. Kitchen and principal bath wall tiles, Stone Tile. Principal bath floor tiles, The Tile Store. Bathroom fixtures, Kohler. Lighting - kitchen: sconces Dutton Brown and island pendants The Door Store, living/dining pendants: Pholc from The Finnish Design Shop, front hall fixture: The Door Store. Quartz countertops, kitchen in Hanstone Montauk, principal bath in Hanstone Royale Blanc. Custom sign painting, Christopher Rouleau. Rugs, Renwil. Furniture and furnishings - bathroom stools: Structube and One Kings Lane, dining table: Article, chairs: Home Société, sectional sofa and upholstered bed: Statum Designs, family room coffee table: Crate & Barrel, pillows: Homesense, CB2, H&M Home, living room sofa and cocktail table: Hudson’s Bay.