City Homes
Inside A Bold And Exuberant Home Designed By Colette van den Thillart
Updated on February 7, 2024
A creative and artistic force, Colette van den Thillart first made her mark on the Canadian design scene — and my consciousness — back in 2010, when we published the beautiful restoration of her family cottage on Mountain Lake in Minden, Ont. It’s still one of my favorite covers of all time. Over the next 13 years, we featured Colette’s exuberant, sophisticated, eclectic homes as often as we could. You’ll remember her from the memorable images in this fabulous home from our May 2022 cover, where she shared the spotlight in the front room she designed for her friend Victoria Webster in Toronto.
It’s been exciting to follow Colette’s career, watching her style evolve and soar on three continents for clients with homes of all kinds, as well as her own. Most of all, it’s been wonderful for me to get to know Colette and to be able to honor her in our December issue as our 2023 Designer of the Year, where we featured her clients Jane Halverson and Bruno Vendittelli’s Rosedale house. “They’d been living in the house for quite a while when they called us in to do an extension. We ended up doing a makeover on the living and dining rooms, principal bedroom and bathroom, as well,” says Colette. Take a peek inside this bold and colorful house below and watch the full tour here. Plus, don’t miss my interview with Colette where she shares design tips and more on her lush and layered look.
Colette in her client’s Rosedale sitting room.
The sitting room features a custom rug by Toronto designer Kate Thornley-Hall.
Two swivel chairs reference Pierre Paulin’s Ribbon design and flank a custom fireplace and chimney wall in the sitting room.
The antique, velvet-wrapped library ladder by Maison Jansen is from Colette’s personal collection.
A view through to the sitting room from the kitchen.
The conversion of a two-car garage resulted in this fabulous garden room with a custom limestone mantel and encaustic cement floor tile.
In the dining room, the deep blue lacquered ceiling reflects light while the hand-painted Waves wallpaper from Gracie creates a theatrical backdrop.
A quiet moment in the dining room where an upholstered cushion complements the wood block–printed wallpaper.
In the upstairs bathroom, hand-painted poppies on silver leaf are reflected in the mirror for added drama.
A dark and moody reading corner perfectly sets off the classic red Womb chair.
Books are everywhere, appreciated by the clients and designer alike.
The principal bedroom is a curation of rich textures, a custom-designed silk velvet headboard, a Kuba textile from the Democratic Republic of Congo and a Murano glass chandelier.
Virginia Macdonald
House & Home