Decorating & Design
Canadian Sports Stars At Home
Published on July 31, 2024

Over the years, we have featured many professional athlete homes in the pages of H&H, including the GOAT, Wayne Gretzky — whose cover still remains one of our best-selling issues. But we’ve also sprinkled in some Olympic gold medallists like ice dancer Tessa Virtue (a double gold medallist with her partner, Scott Moir), champion kayaker Adam Van Koeverden and most recently, NHL player Carey Price, featured in House & Home’s 2024 Summer Living issue. Naturally, we did notice a few home features that kept popping up again and again in their homes. Scroll down for a peek inside the best athlete homes from our pages below.

Carey Price
See the Kelowna home of Montreal Canadiens’ goalie Carey Price in our July/August 2024 issue (complete with Carey’s fabulous “Fun House”).

Carey’s Fun House’ outbuilding contains a living space, kitchenette, gym, bathroom with steam shower, infrared sauna and full cold plunge pool on the deck. “When I need time to myself I head to the Fun House. I’m known to really dig in to a hobby and that’s where I do it,” says Carey.

Carey and his son Lincoln relax near the lime plaster fireplace.
See the full tour in our July/August issue.

Wayne Gretzky
The October 2005 issue featuring Wayne Gretzky’s California home remains our best seller as hockey and decorting fans alike clamoured to get an inside peek into the sports legend’s inner sanctuary.

Set on a hilltop in the picturesque Santa Monica Mountains, Wayne and Janet Gretzky’s stately home was a sensation. The estate is a mix of French style and West Coast glam.

Adorned with plaster scrollwork, this elevated bar is topped with a stone counter, and a mirror-lined upper cabinet, for a French bistro look.

With French doors (not visible) that lead to the Gretzkys’ garden, the soothing living room features intricate floral motifs, a bespoke silk-blend cotton area rug, a deep olive mohair-covered sofa and a green onyx fireplace surround.

In the Gretzky kitchen, the beadboard-panelled ceiling and range hoods, butcher-block countertops and a chunky tea-stained oak top on the island imbue a homey look. The precise floral hood trim reflects the extensive moldings used throughout the home. The louvered pocket door leads to a large walk-in pantry.

In Wayne’s private study, rich, dark walnut panelling and built-ins contribute to a library-like aesthetic. Beloved hockey memorabilia, like a Warhol portrait of Wayne, his #99 jersey and a Detroit Red Wings jersey that belonged to Gordie Howe, personalize the room.

The loggia that opens off the main floor’s family room has a vista of the mountains, as well as a plasma TV (not shown). The 12′ coffered ceiling enhances the loggia’s room-like aesthetic.

Jason Arnott
Retired two-time NHL All-Star Jason Arnott and his wife Dina in their sleek 1,800-square-foot Dallas mansion. Drafted as a 19-year-old to the Edmonton Oilers, Jason played for the Dallas Stars for four years and was eager to return to the city’s warm weather and devoted sports fans.

Dina, who attended the Parsons School of Design for urban planning and interior design, describes the home’s look as “rock star … with family — a Mick Jagger-style Brit estate with lush English gardens, floral wallpaper and contemporary art.” Though the home is only a couple of years old, the plantings look established. Beds of pink rosebushes and climbing plants bordered by manicured boxwood hedges add softness to the pared-back stucco exterior.

Two arched windows frame the fireplace and a painting by Terrell James, and set the stage for the perfect symmetry of the living room. Extra-long 10′ sofas are deep enough to host a crowd of athletes.

In the kitchen, a luxurious Himalayan white marble backsplash return wraps around the cooking area and contrasts the black hood.

Amazing outdoor spaces with large screen TVs pop up again and again in athlete homes. Jason often screened scouting videos from the deck of this luxuriously appointed covered patio.

Michael Hutchinson
Next up is the prairie home of NHL goalie Michael Hutchinson and his wife, Jenna of Jenna Rae Cakes, their daughter Lilah and dog Fran. When Maple Leafs goalie Michael Hutchinson married Jenna Hutchinson, he knew she wasn’t going to be a stereotypical “hockey wife.” Her busy career running a successful Winnipeg cake shop, Jenna Rae Cakes, meant that she was often at home while he was on the road with the team.

Michael, in particular, wanted a house that was open and great for entertaining, a place where his kids would want to bring their friends to play. “I’ve been on the road for my whole career,” he says. “This is my 11th year of playing hockey and renting, so to have a home of my own where I can have friends and family over is a dream. I never want to leave.”

A row of pendants illuminates the 14-foot-long kitchen island clad in quartz with a waterfall edge, and dusty blue cabinets add cool color. “I love cooking, and I’m not always the neatest,” says Michael with a laugh. “The oversized island gives me room to spread out and we can entertain people at the same time.”

Perfect for catching the game, the basement has a mix of warm textures and rich fabrics. A plaster fireplace surround adds a traditional element.

Eric Lamaze
Let’s head onto Florida, the winter headquarters of Olympic gold medallist and Canadian showjumping legend, Eric Lamaze. His gold-medal winning partnership with stallion Hickstead at the 2008 Beijing Olympics cemented their status as the world’s top horse and rider combo. When not spending time showjumping in Europe, Wellington, Florida is the epicentre of horse country and hosts the largest circuit of shows.

“We travel a lot, so we have time to look at magazines, and sometimes we create our own ideas. We started with the reclaimed beams in this house for a bit of a European country look, but modern at the same time. We wanted to experiment to see how it was received, and it turned out amazing,” says Eric of the 10,000-square-foot Spanish-style home. “We strived to do something a bit outside the box.”

Working with fellow Canadian Olympian, Tiffany Foster, they bucked the home’s original Spanish-style character in favor of a modern Belgian farmhouse look. “The living room is a cosy open space with a real wood-burning fireplace, and the kitchen opens onto it. We installed Nano doors that open up the entire back of the house and put a seating area there, that’s the room I enjoy the most,” notes Eric.

Eric wanted a freestanding look in the bathroom after going on vacation in South Africa — he loved the idea of the faucet coming out of a block. A warm white throughout the home enhances the spare continuity of the open-concept space.

Eric loves the outdoor shower. A decadent oversized showerhead, lush palms, teak ladder and live-edge bench impart a Balinese flavor.

An oversized lounge chair and giant banana palms create a sense of grandeur in the pool area. “We tore the landscaping down and started over,” says Eric. “We do it very simply. Here in Florida there are lots flowers and colors to choose from but we like it plain green, really simple and clean.”

Tessa Virtue
Ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir provided one of the most thrilling moments of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing when they won a second gold medal with their Moulin Rouge-themed free dance. Tessa graced our September 2018 cover which had a pretty, French vibe.

But when she’s off the ice, Tessa prefers to create a sanctuary of calm. Here’s the home she owned as a single gal (she’s now wed to Toronto Maple Leaf Morgan Riley and they are expecting their first baby).

“It’s a little bit old school, definitely classic, but with a modern edge,” says Tessa of her design aesthetic. After spending years carefully renovating her century home, she found a way to add plenty of contemporary elegance, while still staying true to the home’s character. Her inviting living room is dominated by a photo of a Parisian skyline.

When Tessa has friends and family over, there are only two things she needs: “A fully stocked bar and a good playlist,” she says. “I’m not good with cooking, so those are my necessities.” In her hardworking kitchen, nautical-inspired pendants and coffered ceilings prove that every detail counts.

Extensive shoe collections tend to be a must-have for athletes (especially sneakerhead basketball players with legions of footwear). Tessa has a love for flirty, sky high heels and displays them proudly beside a patriotic Canadian flag. “I get a lot of inspiration from France,” says Tessa. “There’s something about the culture and the lifestyle and the overall aesthetic.” In her enviable shoe closet, damask wallpaper pays homage to France’s old-world elegance.

Andrew MacDonald
Former New York Islander and Philadelphia Flyer Andrew MacDonald’s home remains a huge fan favorite with our readers. Designed by his wife, Hali MacDonald, it has a European sensibility. The result is a 5,227-square-foot house in Oakville, Ontario with interiors that are layered with elegant antiques, statement light fixtures, lush textures, and even an aboveground wine cellar.

The home’s extra-wide lot made it a natural fit for Hali’s vision of a traditional East Coast shingle–style home with gambrel roofs. “I’ve always loved gambrel roofs, and that became the starting point for the design,” says Hali.

“I always treat the ceiling as a fifth wall,” says Hali, who used tongue-and-groove panelling and wooden beams to add warmth to the family room. “We chose a lot of natural materials such as wood, stone and metal that have been used in home-building for centuries; they add so much character and warmth to a space,” she adds.

The kitchen design balances old and new, combining wooden beams and antiqued brass hardware with vintage Calacatta marble counters and light cabinets. The custom vent hood “became the object we designed the whole kitchen around,” says Hali. “I love that it brought an industrial vibe to a more traditional kitchen.”

It’s no surprise how often wellness spaces pop up in athletes’ homes. Andrew requested a fully equipped home gym and this infrared sauna for easing any post-workout knots.

The temperature-controlled wine cellar is adjacent to the dining room, to store special vintages.

Adam Van Koeverden
Olympic gold medal kayaker Adam Van Koeverden loves “Candinavian” style, the smell of cedar and socializing in his Toronto bathroom. “The bathroom was more than 100 square feet, but there was a horrible chlorinated whirlpool that took up a lot of space. My house is 133 years old, so a bathroom reno was necessary — it’s an important space for morning routines and rituals. I spend quite a lot of time here and it’s time dedicated to me,” says Adam.

“I insisted on a water closet sink that was separate from the main toothbrushing sink — the area offers a bit of natural privacy. The floor is porcelain but it looks like slate and it’s heated, which is a bonus. The two-foot-square tiles are big but they work on the large expanse of floor.”

Trevor Linden
Retired hockey star and former Vancouver Canucks captain Trevor Linden always knew he wanted to retire on the West Coast, so when a townhouse in Whistler’s Snowy Creek went on the market, Trevor wasted no time in buying it.

After renting it out for just over a decade, he gutted and renovated the five-storey unit with help from his brother, contractor Jamie Linden, and designer David Nicolay.

A built-in sofa seats ten, making this room a perfect gathering place for friends and family. The Brent Comber coffee tables lend an elegant rusticity to the space, while a painting by celebrated B.C. artist Gordon Smith visually links the interior with the outdoors.

David transformed the kitchen from builder-basic to contemporary hideaway by concealing the double fridges and freezer drawer within white lacquer cabinets and using natural hues with clean lines. Green chairs and accessories add a fun hit of green in an otherwise neutral area.

David Jones
What could be more a fairytale than a hockey player’s festive, winter holiday decorating? In the case of David Jones, the family pulls out all the stops and the result is a classic, magical West Coast home. Onetime high school sweethearts in North Vancouver, the couple set out on a years-long journey that took them to Denver, where David first played in the NHL for Colorado, Calgary and, finally, Minnesota. Along the way, they married, had three kids and owned seven houses. When David recently retired, they were overjoyed to return to their roots in North Vancouver to build and design their forever home with the help of Kelly Deck, and settle down for the long term.

The home also needed to set the stage for the holidays, where they’d create new traditions and welcome extended family.“I dreamed of building a few things in this house for the holiday experience,” says Kimberly. For starters, there’s the massive hearth in the great room. “We lived in Denver for six years, and we’d often head to the mountains and sit around ski lodges with huge fireplaces,” she says.

The holiday theme is carried into the kitchen with greenery and candelabras that flank the range. Kelly chose two colors for the traditional frame cabinets: Benjamin Moore’s Halo and Sherwin-Williams’ Mindful Gray.