Innehållsförteckning för Winter 2017: Modern Renos från DESIGNLINES

“A massive Texas smokehouse” Who are you? Simon Lewsen What have you done for us lately? I wrote about a home for a family of three in a renovated Beaconsfield coach house (p. 72). Architect Timothy Mitanidis made ingenious use of limited space. If Toronto is to confront its density crisis, it needs more projects like this. What’s your favourite way to breathe a little life into your home? A small neon light: It’s both a source of illumination and a sculptural object. It must be tasteful, though. Too much neon can make your home feel like a Vegas den. “A grand banquet table” Who are you? Naomi Finlay What have you done for us lately? I photographed three amazing homes, as well as the playful Gift Guide (p. 36).…

1 THIS JUST IN Pinnacle International has some serious ambitions for One Yonge Street – currently the Toronto Star’s HQ. Alongside an addition that rises 10 floors above the lot’s existing 24-storey brutalist building, the multi-phase plan calls for three Hariri Pontarini-designed skyscrapers and a one-hectare park. The first to break ground will be a 65-storey tower that stacks condo units above a community centre. A swooping metal canopy wraps around the base podium and lifts, skirt-like, in places to frame views, while upperfloor balconies are distinguished by an undulating pattern of fritted glass that recalls the firm’s work on the One Bloor condo tower. HARIRIPONTARINI.COM 2 ON TAP Sterling Road’s newest arrival balances the identities of a neighbourhood transitioning from industrial to dining destination. Junction brewers Indie Ale House…

ARRIVING AT HEPBOURNE HALL LOFTS is not unlike pulling up to a classic college dorm. A conservative brick entrance leads to a series of narrow hallways, complete with endless single doors lining each side. Stepping into Martina Sorbara’s wide-open, firstfloor unit, however, brings a definite moment of awe. It’s an all-too appropriate response, given that the 1910 Bloorcourt building once served as a church rectory before it was converted into condos in 1990. When Martina, lead singer of indie band Dragonette, first saw the 210-metre space in 2015, she loved the arched windows and lofty ceilings (some as high as four metres). But non-starters were aplenty: bathrooms weighed down by dated granite, oppressive cherry millwork in the living room and a cooped-up kitchen set on a platform three steps up.…

Caesarstone It seems that low-maintenance quartz surfacing is everywhere. But have you touched large Caesarstone slabs while consulting a pro about its many uses? This brand-new 300-squaremetre showroom allows you to do just that. A long wall showcases all 62 varieties, with helpful graphics explaining how to trim the edges to your desired effect. Inspiring Caesarstone furnishings by top designers – including Tom Dixon stools, and tables from the Stone Age Folk collaboration with Jaime Hayon – dot the intimate seating and kitchen areas. 350 CALDARI RD 416 479 8400 CAESARSTONE.CA Cambria Gallery Cambria’s Corktown outpost only showcases the brand’s natural stone surfaces, but staff members are happy to direct visitors to local dealers that carry its quartz slabs sourced from Canadian mines. All of the brand’s lines, including nine…

Amati Canada The kitchen and bathroom fixtures at AC range from traditional to contemporary. Among the 50-plus brands in store are faucets by Blanco and Hansgrohe, rain showers by Aquabrass and Dornbracht, commercial-grade sinks by Elkay, elegant freestanding soaker tubs by Porcher and therapeutic bath systems by BainUltra. Also here: minimalist fixtures from Riobel, fully furnished vignettes highlighting wares from DXV by American Standard and wall-mounted Duravit toilets designed by Philippe Starck. 105 DONCASTER AVE 905 709 0881 AMATICANADA.COM Appliance Canada Find the latest innovations in ultra-premium appliances here, including LG washers that clean more clothes in less time thanks to a separate Sidekick Pedestal drawer for intimates, and Gaggenau fridges with motorized shelves and LED light pillars. Two of the five burners on Miele’s induction cooktop can be combined…

Allan Rug Company There are flooring options galore across this showroom, which houses a versatile selection of contemporary and traditional styles in an extensive array of carpet tiles, hand- and machine-made area rugs, hardwood flooring and wooden planks. Standouts include maple planks by Lauzon, luxury vinyl by Karndean, mix-and-match carpet by Milliken and cork from Fuzion Flooring and Torlys. Custom designs are also on offer, as well as Hunter Douglas window coverings to complete the look. 103 MIRANDA AVE 416 639 2545 ALLANRUG.COM Amala Carpets A whitewashed industrial showroom provides a striking backdrop for the house-designed artisanal rugs in Nepalese wool and Thai silk. Staff at this six-generation family business work directly with the craftspeople who harvest, dye and weave their creations using socially and ecologically sustainable methods. Amala now…

Are & Be This Annex shop stocks wallpaper and floor coverings otherwise impossible to find in the city, including Object Carpet’s Rugxstyle collection of incredibly thin, industrial-grade area rugs with colour-tinted, geometric shapes and Eley Kishimoto’s vibrant, hand-screened optical-illusion prints. New offerings include Erica Wakerly’s geometric papers, now in hardwearing vinyl, and Wall & Deco’s bathroom-safe Wet System murals. 1213 BATHURST ST 416 533 3203 BY APPT AREANDBE.COM Farrow & Ball Though classy to the core, the British brand offers options with modern appeal, such as the bold new hues in its heritage paint collection and wallpapers that embrace playful motifs – such as the art deco-inspired Arcade, whose curving shapes seem to dance gently across the paper. Favourite paints include the deep teal Vardo, named for traditional horse-drawn Gypsy…

For the Dough Nut For the Social Worker For the Always En Route For the Emcee Hammer For the Hangs Solo…

LIVING SMALL means rethinking conventional notions of luxury. Forget conspicuous consumption. What matters is quality of place. This Beaconsfield Village laneway house was built in the 1880s for horses, hay and carriage parts. Today, it’s a sophisticated home for a family of three. In 2014, Timothy Mitanidis, co-founder of Creative Union Network, was hired to retrofit the property, which his friends – two actors with a young son – had newly acquired. Toronto laneway units aren’t normally zoned for residential use, so Mitanidis pleaded his case with the city’s planning department and the Committee of Adjustments. The 10-by-8-metre building had been illegally renovated in the ’80s, and the bricks were disintegrating and the roof joists showed signs of rot. Mitanidis argued that, to make the property worth restoring, his clients…

18 Watt Interior designers flock to 18 Watt to access exclusive continental furniture and lighting. The no-nonsense showroom packs in scores of examples of avant-garde Spanish seating from Beltá and CasaDesús. The Spanish influence continues with poufs, benches and poolside furniture designed by Ross Lovegrove, Javier Mariscal and Karim Rashid for Valencian manufacturer Vondom. Sweden’s Johanson morphs its sound-deadening pressed felt into acoustic wall panels and stackable chairs. 834 CALEDONIA RD 416 787 1818 18-WATT.COM Akroyd Furniture Visitors peruse a range of bespoke mod furnishings in walnut, cherry, white oak and maple, all sourced from regional woodlots and crafted on-site. Check out the media cabinets with slatted doors, platform beds that boast cantilevered side tables and slide-out storage drawers. Dining chairs in black walnut or solid cherry are the perfect…

Bang & Olufsen Toronto High fidelity meets high design at the Danish electronics brand’s multi-zone space that emphasizes technological excellence. Offerings include home-theatre set-ups and ready-to-rock audio equipment imbued with smart wireless technology. The sculptural BeoLab 90 and conical BeoLab 5 speakers fill rooms with sound. Joining Horizon and Avant in the new generation of TVs is the 4K BeoVision 14, which adjusts to ambient light levels for optimal viewing and looks smart with pleated oak detailing over its three-way speaker system. 100 DAVENPORT RD 416 935 1919 BEOTORONTO.COM Bay Bloor Radio Founded as a small radio repair shop 71 years ago is a family business that’s now a threelevel destination for discerning audio- and videophiles. It offers everything from flat-panel televisions and home-theatre systems to turntables and headphones. Highlights…

AM Studio Intricate and imaginative lighting here is sourced from American, Israeli and local artists – some is even crafted on-site. This intimate gallery displays Swarovski crystal, as well as luminaires in metal and handmade glass that is fused, blown and drawn into dramatic sculptural forms. Popular offerings include compositions of sleek metallic tubes lined with LEDs; crystal pendants in organic shapes; and 1970s-esque hand-blown glass orbs. 1270 CASTLEFIELD AVE 416 783 4100 AMSTUDIO.CA Artemide Find everything from innovative pendants to outdoor fixtures at the distinctive Italian lighting manufacturer’s wedge-shaped showroom. The nature-inspired Chlorophilia chandelier features wavy tiers of clear acrylic leaves, which filter and refract rays to create a forest of spectacular shadows overhead. The stripey, egg-shaped LED Incalmo – another suspension light that creates graphic shadows – merges…

JF & Co. This “design concierge” has fabric, wallpaper and rugs – plus all the necessary installers – at the ready for interior designers. Over 10,000 fabrics are on hand by such top brands as Blendworth, Maxwell, Pindler and Telefina. Many are hung with extra swatches to make matching patterns to neutral body cloths easier. Duralee’s woven jacquards employ Crypton, a fabric that resists pilling, staining and weather damage while staying soft to the touch. Drapery hardware, furniture by World’s Away and quarterly education seminars are also available. 326 DAVENPORT RD 416 238 5254 BY APPT ONLY JFANDCO.CA Kate Thornley-Hall This local designer’s line of cheery wallpapers and textiles includes vibrant throw pillows, as well as contemporary wool and silk carpets hand-woven in Nepal and emblazoned with sophisticated motifs and…

1925 Workbench It’s business in the front here and beautiful sliding barn doors in the back. All custom doors and furniture are made on-site in woods that range from pine to teak, complete with crafted-righthere hardware. Recent projects include a walnut slab model with transom-like cutouts, a sliding ash bookcase to conceal under-stair storage and a five-metre-tall steampunk library with rolling ladder. 198 THIRTIETH ST 416 878 1869 BY APPT ONLY 1925WORKBENCH.COM ADH Fine Hardware Looking for better-than-big-box options for house numbers, latches, doorknobs and pulls? ADH has been offering tried-and-true hardware solutions – in traditional and contemporary styles – from Baldwin, Emtek, Richelieu and Rocky Mountain for 50 years. Standouts include modern house numbers by Atlas Homewares, invisible hinges by Simonswerk and super-slim pulls by Top Knobs. We love…

Making Models To Nov 25 “Meet Me There” was the design cue given to nine TO architecture studios, and they came right back with models of their most innovative creations for public spaces. UUfie was awarded the top spot with Wa-Wa (“wa” is Japanese for “harmony”), an outdoor installation of over 100 convex mirrors that creates a dreamy, surrealist landscape of reflections. Experience the full-scale model at the outdoor Sir Daniel Wilson Quad, just a hop-skip from the gallery. FREE. ART MUSEUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, 7 HART HOUSE CIR ARTMUSEUM. UTORONTO.CA Eiko Ishioka To Dec 20 Known for the electrifying costumes she created for the likes of Grace Jones, Björk, Cirque du Soleil and many 2002 and 2008 Olympic Games athletes, the late Eiko Ishioka was also a…

What is the #1 building rule? “Be aware: you can’t apply for a new permit if a previous permit for your home has not been signed off by an inspector and officially closed. The onus then is on the new owner to complete the work of the original permit before being issued a new permit for any new work.” ROBERT KASTELIC, PRINCIPAL, ATELIER KASTELIC BUFFEY “It is a rare occurrence these days to avoid the need for a variance unless the renovation is entirely interior-based. Committee of Adjustment is very often needed. It can lead to neighbour/community opinions being introduced to a proposal, which on occasion can delay or complicate a project quite easily. Approaching any application with a reasonable and well-thought-out proposal is critical.” JOE KNIGHT, PRINCIPAL, BLACKLAB ARCHITECTS…

ADAPTING THE STALWART, brick-clad forms of the past into fresh living spaces is the hallmark of renovating a home in Toronto. While this frequently results in variations of the “put a cube on it” solution, there’s far more fun to be had in creating a modern space from a traditional one. At this Little Italy home for a growing family with two young children, geometric shapes and whimsical contemporary design blend to create a warm, welcoming abode that’s anything but square. “The starting point for the project was the ad hoc feel of the neighbourhood,” designer Stanislav Jurkovic says of the pitched Victorian roofs and 1960s modern rectangles that characterize the tree-lined street. Principal at OO Design Co., Jurkovic cleverly blended the three-storey home into its backdrop by incorporating the…

Average The brainchild of graphic designer Chris Hanz is his ode to functionalist sensibilities, specializing in high-quality desk supplies and housewares with a stripped-down aesthetic and clear purpose – you won’t find any decorative items here. You will, however, find spring scissors and bamboo toothbrushes from Nomess Copenhagen, brass DUX pencil sharpeners and stainless-steel catch-alls from Good Thing. 1081 QUEEN ST W 416 822 8374 AVERAGE.IS Bergo Designs Boasting home accessories from top European manufacturers, Bergo offers an eclectic array of international design. Among the selection of Eva Solo accessories from Denmark are carafes covered in zippered insulator cozies that absorb condensation. Italian manufacturer Seletti’s series of plates printed with planet imagery are out of this world, while macho coffee makers also abound. 28 TANK HOUSE LN 416 861 1821…

Advice from a Caterpillar This enchanting Rosedale store is wellstocked with decor treats for tots and parents sourced from around the world. For instance, &K Amsterdam’s copper cooler keeps the champagne chilled when it comes time to welcome your new arrival; meanwhile, smarten up the little one’s bedroom with rattan chairs from Danish brand Bloomingville, as well as Egmont’s whimsical animal-shaped lamps. Huzi’s understated building-block spaceship is one toy you’ll want to keep on display. 8 PRICE ST 416 960 2223 ADVICEFROMACATERPILLAR.CA Baby on the Hip This eco-minded Leslieville shop has a great selection of toys, furniture, supplies and clothing for the mini-me in your life. Bébé Fête’s Nursery Rhymes boombox sweatshirts and tees make adorable wardrobe statements, while handmade Silly Dolls toys are a great gift option. For parents,…

ARD Outdoor Build your backyard oasis with Tuuci parasols and colourful egg-shaped LED garden lights standing up to a half-metre tall. ARD’s Madrid extension dining tables, featuring powdercoated aluminum with tempered glass tops, pair with stackable Cosmo dining chairs that boast wooden armrests, as well as sling seats and backs. There are also Dekko concrete fire pits to extend the night into the wee hours. 3019 DUFFERIN ST 416 551 6055 ARDOUTDOOR.COM Casualife Staff designers help you choose between an entertaining space, an exterior family room or a private oasis, then navigate you through outdoor furniture from Parker James, Protégé and Summer Classics. Favourites include stainless-steel sofas and woven loungers with sunshades by SoKul. Casualife’s poufs, with weather-resistant resin weave on aluminum frames, do triple-duty as side tables, footstools and…

Artemano Zen simplicity infuses Artemano’s hand-crafted furniture sourced from India, Africa, Indonesia and Thailand. The in-store experience is relaxing, enriched by running water and organic visuals – such as heavy tree roots reimagined as a bar or coffee table. Dining-table options include the rosewood Anand model, which sits on a single wood-block plinth, and Raja, which is made from recycled railway ties. Also find bed frames, dressers, sofas, wingbacks and other seating. 698 CALEDONIA RD 416 548 7818 (ALSO: 1090 DON MILLS RD, UNIT N012A 416 477 1717; 255 BASS PRO MILLS DR, UNIT #405B-406 289 807 0700) ARTEMANO.CA Atomic Design Owner Lawrence Blairs recently expanded his collection of refurbished 1950s and ‘60s originals – from the likes of the Eameses, Verner Panton and Pierre Paulin – to include post-modernist…

Haworth The dashing task chairs, desk sets and storage found in this showroom channel the verve of Suits, courtesy of such design stars as Marcel Wanders, Jasper Morrison and Patricia Urquiola. Lust-worthy leather pieces from Poltrona Frau add luxe, while Cappellini’s commercial/home hybrid furniture makes being at the office much more inviting. 55 UNIVERSITY AVE 416 363 3486 HAWORTH.COM Humanscale Inside this LEED Gold-winning national HQ is a wealth of ergonomic and responsibly made desk chairs and LED task lamps. And wellness is evident in its product line, too: QuickStand is an easy-to-use accessory that attaches to any surface to create an adjustable sit/stand workspace; and OfficeIQ, an activity tracker integrated into chairs and desks, reminds users when to move. 488 WELLINGTON ST W, 6TH FL 416 979 0470 HUMANSCALE.COM…

IT WAS ERNO RUBIK, inventor of the Rubik’s Cube, who pointed out that the problems of puzzles are very near to the problems of life. Full of voids, misplaced pieces and false starts, existence has no simple arrangement. Maybe that’s why puzzles remain such beloved objects, harnessing life’s rare sensation that something has fallen directly into place, and compressing it into winnable play. Such a puzzle lives in Porch Modern, Colen Colthurst’s rare furniture showroom off Geary Avenue. It’s a 1972 edition of 16 Animali by Enzo Mari, made from expandable resin masquerading as wood – and it will cost you $1500. Limited production (Danese makes 200 a year) contributes to the price tag, but by no means does that translate to hands off. It may be a revered object…