Decorating & Design
April 27, 2020
Discover The 2020 Princess Margaret Showhome By Sarah Baeumler
This spring’s 2020 Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Home Lottery Showhome in King City, north of Toronto, is definitely in the major leagues: it’s a sprawling 9,390 square feet and boasts five bedrooms. Her first time designing a Princess Margaret Showhome, Sarah Baeumler certainly hit it out of the park, but she had an inside advantage. “This house will be filled by a family one day, so I thought about the things that would make life a little bit easier,” says Sarah. As a mother of four, she knew exactly how to make a luxury residence work for family living.
Sarah is best known for chronicling the renovation of the Bahamian boutique hotel Caerula Mar Club with her husband, Bryan Baeumler, on HGTV Canada’s Island of Bryan, and she clearly owes a lot of this home’s design DNA to beachy influences. A neutral palette and natural materials such as linen, grasscloth and woven accents are timeless elements that will easily serve as a backdrop for the future winner’s own style.
Click through for a look inside the space. (Plus, visit PrincessMargaretLotto.com to order your tickets for a chance to win this home and watch our video tours!)
In the great room, the coffered ceiling is accented by a dark rattan pendant. “Some people lose sight of how important ceiling details can be,” says Sarah. “If you pulled all the furniture out, you’d still have a beautiful envelope.” French doors framed by Belgian linen drapery open up to a glassed-in lanai, and a large indoor-outdoor sculpture adds a sense of presence.
The kitchen island seats eight and is open underneath to accommodate counter stools. Sarah placed the panelled refrigerator (left) and freezer on either side of the window for symmetry.
Sarah positioned the gas fireplace so it can be enjoyed by guests seated at the formal dining table. A stone veneer treatment on that wall mimics concrete while the custom oval table reflects a modern spirit.
Sarah in front of the dining room’s custom installation by Toronto artist Anthony Valin. She notes that many of her smaller design considerations will have a big impact when it comes to function. “I was lucky to be brought in at an early stage so I could weigh in on the architectural plans,” she says.
Pretty powder blue millwork and blush wallpaper dress up the mudroom, which is outfitted with multiple hooks, loads of cubbies and generous seating.
The guest room’s muted palette was inspired by the fabric Sarah turned into roman blinds. White oak flooring is carried throughout the home.
“People are looking for luxury in their ensuites,” says Sarah of the two-person shower in the wet room, which is also equipped with a stand-alone tub. A large frosted window between the water closet and wet room allows natural light to flood the space.
“I’ll always invest in lighting — it elevates a bathroom,” says Sarah. In the bathroom shared by two bedrooms, a blue vanity with fluted detailing and crystal hardware has broad appeal.
On the showhome’s lower level, Sarah created an area for entertaining with jungle-motif wallpaper and teal millwork to play up the off-hours mood. A full-size refrigerator, pantry, dishwasher, wine fridge and ice machine eliminate the need to ferry supplies from the kitchen.
Sarah dubs this lounge area a “speakeasy” for its intimate, grown-up feel.
With its designated craft area and orange ceiling (a riff on Fuzzy Peach Slices), the “Candy Shop” is a kid-centric space that encourages unplugging from technology. The cloud-like light fixtures add whimsical appeal, and the practical vinyl flooring is easy to clean.
Angus Fergusson
House & Home May 2020
Sarah Baeumler