Decorating & Design
November 5, 2018
Inside The 2018 Princess Margaret Showhome By Brian Gluckstein
Brimming with elegant details and luxe amenities, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Home Lottery Showhomes are never your average abodes, and this year’s house is no exception. Set on a corner lot in a leafy neighborhood in Oakville, Ontario, the 7,050-square-foot showhome boasts floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking manicured gardens, an airy kitchen with a sunny window seat and an intimate dining room ideal for family suppers or cocktail soirées. Even though this is Brian Gluckstein’s sixth time designing the Princess Margaret Showhome, he still pulls out some surprises: a wall-to-wall mural of the Château de Versailles in the living room, a putting green in the backyard and two 10-pin bowling lanes on the lower level, to name a few.
Designed by Toronto architect Richard Wengle, the four-bedroom house was inspired by a 1920s estate Brian spotted during a trip to Long Island, New York. “It’s really a house the whole family will enjoy,” says Brian. Click through for a look inside the space. (Plus, visit PrincessMargaretLotto.com to order your tickets for a chance to win this home, take our quiz to find out which dream showhome is right for you, and watch our video tours!)
“From the outside, it looks like a traditional house but, inside, there’s a contrast between traditional and modern,” says Brian. “It makes it more soulful.”
Here is Brian in the showhome’s two-storey hallway. Its height makes the house feel wider and brighter. Olive-hued velvet drapery matches the living room chairs.
The “wow factor” in the living room comes from the large-scale photographic mural of the Château de Versailles by photographer Tony Koukos.
A library table divides the living room’s two seating areas, while an area rug ties the spaces together. Brian updated the traditional mirror above the fireplace by painting it the same green-gray color as the walls.
Always a proponent of flexibility, Brian designed the dining room to also work as a library by adding floor-to-ceiling bookcases. The modern, gold leaf–covered chandelier brings out the brass accents in the mahogany table.
Brian painted the kitchen cabinetry a gray-blue hue framed in gunmetal black for a modern-industrial look. The man-made quartz countertop continues up the backsplash and behind the uppers, which lightens the space.
The kitchen flows into the open family room, creating a casual gathering and entertaining zone.
“Everyone loves a window seat,” says Brian of the kitchen’s dining area. “Imagine reading the paper or having your breakfast here. It’s a great place to sit and look out at the garden.”
To differentiate the family room from the kitchen, Brian paneled the ceiling and covered the floor with an area rug. “Subtly changing the architecture keeps open spaces visually connected while still feeling like you’re in separate rooms.”
In the principal bedroom, blush-colored walls and a dramatic tufted headboard create an overall feeling of softness, while blue-gray bed linens add freshness.
Floral Missoni wallpaper in the principal ensuite looks like embroidery, but it’s actually vinyl. The sleek soaker tub is a modern counterpoint to the classic glass beehive light fixture.
With its French daybed, shag rug and knitted ottoman, this eclectic bedroom mixes styles and periods effortlessly. “The painted faux panels add some humor. I wanted to show people you can have fun while being traditional,” says Brian.
Missoni’s classic multicolored striped wall covering adds tons of personality in this small bathroom, which is shared by two bedrooms.
Angus Fergusson
House & Home October 2018
Brian Gluckstein