Decorating & Design
Inside The 2020 Princess Margaret Showhome By Brian Gluckstein
Published on November 2, 2020
“You hardly need to turn on the lights in this house,” says Brian Gluckstein from the sunlit, two-storey foyer of this year’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Home Lottery Showhome in swanky south Oakville, Ontario. Although he’s quite right, it’s hard to resist flicking on any of the impressive fixtures dotted around the house like jewelry. It’s Brian’s eighth time spearheading the design of the grand-prize abode and his passion hasn’t waned one bit.
This year, the Gluckstein Design Planning team created a 7,500-square-foot modern dwelling bejewelled with Art Deco flourishes. “The Deco influence is subtle, but it’s the foundation of our design,” says Brian of the five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath manor. “We want to design showhomes that are going to age well,” says Brian, who’s lived in his own home for more than 20 years and still loves it just as much today as he did two decades ago.
Houses of this calibre needn’t boast, but with fine finishes such as the fluted plaster walls reminiscent of special-occasion stemware and painstakingly inlaid tile floors seemingly plucked from a centuries-old castle, it’s hard not to ogle a little. “The craftsmanship here is unbelievable,” says Brian of the home, part of the lottery’s annual grand prize, which includes the Oakville house, a Porsche and a hefty cash payout. Tickets are currently sold out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy this luxurious tour — and keep an eye out for the Spring 2021 Princess Margaret Showhome by Sarah Baeumler. Scroll down!
The professionally landscaped backyard has multiple entertaining areas and a mix of greenery.
Impressive plasterwork makes a grand impression from floor to ceiling in the front foyer. The all-navy dining room beyond has a calm, moody feel.
The family room’s expansive windows look onto the backyard. “I like sweeping sight lines both horizontally and vertically, so we made the family room two storeys high with juliet balconies above,” says Brian. “This is the hub of the home and everything else radiates off of it.”
A second seating area gives the great room an intimate feel. “The pale blue upholstered screen draws you to the corner,” says Brian.
“I wanted the kitchen island to be a monolithic sculpture,” says Brian. “We covered all sides of it in travertine — including the hidden dishwasher — and did a reverse bevel for the profile to make the counter appear like it’s floating. Inserting the same material into the floor underneath the stools is another special detail.” Behind the travertine island is the impressive range wall, where a refrigerator and pantry are artfully hidden behind fluted glass.
Forever a fan of banquettes, Brian paired bench seating with a smoked glass trumpet table in the breakfast nook. The table ties in nicely with the kitchen’s black metal detailing.
“I love to read, so I can’t resist a library,” says Brian of the study, which features a coffered ceiling and handsome burled-wood desk.
For the powder room, Brian chose a metallic pleated wall covering and graphic panelling.
In the principal bedroom, Brian opted for a glamorous canopy bed — they’re his favorite — and added custom cream upholstery that blends in to the wall.
The principal bathroom’s cerused oak double vanity has polished nickel campaign-style handles and a durable honed porcelain counter.
“Instead of using frosted glass for privacy, we installed a semitransparent screen to conceal the shower and water closet,” says Brian. “I’m a real bath person, so the tub is always the center point for me.”
In the lower-level lounge area, a long table with seating and a built-in ice bucket are perfect for at-home wine tastings.
The laundry room features two washer and dryer sets (one set shown), a built-in rod for line-drying and a center island for folding that doubles as a wrapping station or craft area.
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
House & Home October 2020
Brian Gluckstein; Architecture by Richard Wengle Architect