City Homes

This Jewelry Entrepreneur Turns Her Victorian Home Into A Real Gem

Author: Wendy Jacob

Updated on January 8, 2024

When Canadian jewelry brand Mejuri launched in 2015, its billboards bore the saucy slogan, “for my damn self.” Jeweler Noura Sakkijha had recognized that most jewelry was marketed toward men buying gifts for women. She found the concept dated and sought to cut out the middleman — literally — in favor of a female-focused brand that was refined and approachable.

That understated elegance was the exact feel she wanted for the Victorian home she and husband Majed Masad bought in Toronto’s Little Portugal neighborhood. “When we found out I was pregnant, we were living in a loft, having the time of our lives every weekend,” says Noura. “We weren’t looking to change our lifestyle a lot, so living near restaurants and cafés was important. We found this house charming because it was old yet recently renovated. It had all the elements we wanted, and we fell in love.”

Though Noura appreciated traditional elements like the stained glass windows, she was ready to shake things up. To accommodate their twin girls, Joud and Julia, now 3, the home needed an energetic family vibe. “Our ideal was a design that felt beautiful and elevated but, at the same time, very inviting,” says Noura. She saw no reason to wait to make it right, and was referred to Toronto designer Sarah Birnie by a co-worker. She noticed many of the elements she had on her Pinterest board popped up on the mood board Sarah presented for the project. “It’s such an easy partnership,” says Noura. “I would give her the keys to the house at this point.”

Scroll down to see inside the jewelry entrepreneur’s home!

All products featured on House & Home are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are shown in Canadian dollars and are accurate on the date of publication.

Photographer:

Lauren Miller (interiors)/courtesy of Mejuri (products)

Source:

House & Home October 2022

Designer:

Sarah Birnie