Decorating & Design
The Spring 2025 Princess Margaret Showhome By Brian Gluckstein Is Warm And Contemporary
Updated on February 20, 2025
With soaring, 20-foot-tall windows accented by louvered screens, the new Spring 2025 Princess Margaret Showhome shines like a gem. This year’s house is contemporary, a decision designer Brian Gluckstein and architect Richard Wengle came to after assessing the location.
“We’d always done traditional houses for the lottery primarily because they were in a mature neighborhood,” says Brian. “But at this site, we saw that it would be an opportunity to build a contemporary house,” adds Richard, who’s worked with Brian on eight showhomes, as well as numerous condos and residential houses. “We wanted to capture extensive garden views, take advantage of the natural light and experiment with more modern forms.”
Designing a pared-back, contemporary home was a chance for Brian to show off his versatility to a broader audience. “Some people think we only do traditional,” he says. “While we often do contemporary houses for private clients, we haven’t had that opportunity with the Princess Margaret Home Lottery. Changing things up helps keep it exciting.”
Get your tickets today and scroll down to take a look inside the 2025 Princess Margaret showhome!
Designer Brian Gluckstein in the cinnamon-hued dining room.
The 7,172-square-foot, five-bedroom house in Oakville, Ont., features expansive glazing that floods the interiors with natural light. On the exterior, slim, beige-toned brick is contrasted by louvered screens in dark bronze that provide privacy from the street without obscuring views.
Brian’s love of strong sight lines is seen throughout the space. For drama, the front rooms on the main floor are framed by 10-foot-tall doorways with wide, lacquered black doorjambs. “The doorways define rooms; I don’t want to walk in and see everything at once,” he says. “A house has to evolve as you walk through it — I want surprises and wow moments!”
Brian relies on color to keep the spaces lively and welcoming. The dining room is cozy in cinnamon, from the walls to the dining chairs to the banquette and even the candlesticks.
In the streamlined kitchen, he punches up neutral faux oak veneer and creamy painted cabinets with a backsplash and perimeter countertop in Caesarstone‘s 550 Silvax Porcelain. The fluted, olive green island topped with Caesarstone’s 5132 Celestrial Sky Quartz is sleek and hardworking. Flatfront cabinets emphasize the minimalist, contemporary theme. “It’s not a huge kitchen, but there’s a generous amount of workspace, with extra for a coffee station or to use as a baking area,” says Brian.
A herringbone wood floor brings texture to the kitchen and breakfast area. The GlucksteinHome table and chairs have a mid-century modern vibe.
To warm up the modern architecture and add texture, Brian incorporated panelling, herringbone-patterned floors and graphic wall coverings. Wallpaper has always been a staple of his designs: here, it mimics wood grain, silk and grasscloth, bringing dimension. One bedroom has a floor-to-ceiling abstract wall mural while the ensuite’s vinyl wall covering resembles marble.
A double-sided fireplace in Caesarstone’s 543 Marenstone Porcelain services the family room and the outdoor space. “There’s a lightness to it,” says Brian. “It’s not just a black box.” Throughout the house, the rugs are as textured as knit sweaters, and the furniture is upholstered in bouclé and linen. “Modern houses are typically minimally furnished and often have blinds, which can lack softness,” says Brian. “Upholstery and drapes are the key to adding warmth.”
Lush drapes make an appearance in almost every room and are matched to the wall color for a cocooning effect. Both the 20-foot-tall drapes in the living room and the velvet drapes in the dining room are on a ripple-fold track to complement the modern architecture.
Angled display shelves turn a transitional space into a design moment.
The servery continues the palette from the dining room. A wall of glass fronted cabinets keeps dishes dust free.
The sage ceiling (Benjamin Moore’s October Mist), drapes and accent pillows in this bedroom complement the textured rug.
A lively wall mural and channelled daybed inject style into this spare room.
In this ensuite, the faux marble wall covering is contrasted by matte black touches on the GlucksteinElements sconces and vanity, topped with Caesarstone counters.
Walnut fitness equipment by Northern Fitness is a handsome addition to the lower level.
The laundry room features a raised Whirlpool washer and dryer, wood work table and dog shower.
Stacey Brandford
House & Home
Brian Gluckstein; Architecture by Richard Wengle Architect