Decorating & Design
March 30, 2020
Natural Light & Cheerful Hues Illuminate This Lively Home
There are plenty of tried-and-true techniques designers use to make a small space seem larger than it is: maximize vertical space, install drapery at ceiling height, buy leggy furniture. But unless you’re doing a major structural reno, you can’t buy natural light. That’s why designer Robyn Rider and her husband, Gord, who works in insurance, loved this diminutive but light-filled, 1,400-square-foot house in uptown Toronto.
After a six-month reno, breezy and sophisticated are two more adjectives that jump to mind after entering the home, thanks to a new open-concept layout, lively fabrics and plenty of friendly gathering zones. “It’s not a big house, but all that natural light made a huge difference,” says Robyn.
Scroll down to tour the designer’s cheerful abode!
Robyn designed the green lacquered foyer to keep the living room separate, and to bring a burst of color to the neutral main floor.
Robyn, Gord and their labradoodle, Hank, gather in the sunny entryway of their bright Toronto home.
Robyn made sure the light and airy kitchen was optimized with floor-to-ceiling pantries.
A banquette upholstered in easy-to-clean Sunbrella fabric offers comfortable seating alongside the dining table. “At restaurants, everyone always goes for the bench seat,” says Robyn.
The home’s floral patterns, green accents and earthy textiles bring to mind manicured gardens. The grasscloth covering the coffee table introduces natural texture, and the sofa is upholstered in hardworking Crypton fabric that looks like linen. “Since we have a dog, it needed to be durable,” says Robyn.
For her home office, Robyn reupholstered a vintage chair in a chevron stripe.
Framed by the drapery and headboard, the window in the principal bedroom is transformed into a scenic focal point. “It creates a painting of the treetops outside,” says Robyn.
Playful pattern and bright hues energize the guest bedroom.
Alex Lukey
House & Home August 2019
Robyn Rider, Robyn Madeline Interiors