December 18, 2012
Photo Gallery: Best Homes Of 2012
See 13 of our favourite homes.
Designer Nam Dang-Mitchell transformed her traditional Calgary home into a glamorous space using hits of gold and Art Deco accents.
A tufted, grey flannel ottoman, cerused-oak daybed from the 1930s and stool clad in Mongolian lambskin add texture and feet-up comfort.
See more soft and feminine spaces, plus see more of Nam Dang-Mitchell’s work in our photo gallery.
Tommy Smythe, an HGTV star and Toronto designer, revived a historic Toronto home with what he calls the “new Victorian” look.
HGTV star and Toronto designer Tommy Smythe opted out of a formal dining area in favour of a sitting room off the kitchen: “I think it’s just about the truth,” he says. “The kitchen is where everyone wants to be in any house, and in this one, the family can cook, eat, watch TV and talk to each other.” The red tufted sofa ties in with a red pendant light in the kitchen and a red bentwood chair at the dining table.
See Tommy Smythe’s Victorian Makeover for more photos of this home, plus watch Suzanne Dimma tour through the kitchen. Find more inspiration in our photo galleries of Top 10 Eat-In Kitchens and Suzanne Dimma’s Favourite Dreamy Retreats.
Toronto architect Richard Wengle and interior designer Connie Braemer combined homeowner Betsy Aziz and her husband Andrew’s appreciation for exotic travel and contemporary architecture.
A striking salvaged windmill complements the Douglas fir table and bistro-style chairs in this eat-in kitchen. “I saw the windmill, and two years later no one had bought it, so I decided to find a place for it,” says owner Betsy Aziz. Designer Connie Braemer had the builder move the kitchen shelves over 6 inches to allow space for it.
See more of this home in our photo gallery and Online TV segment.
In designer Julie Charbonneau‘s loft, low furnishings keep the focus on the space’s unique architectural features such as the arched windows, painted brick walls and raw c
In designer Julie Charbonneau’s loft, low furnishings keep the focus on the space’s unique architectural features such as the arched windows and raw cement ceiling. Hits of grey, black and dark wood break up the monochromatic scheme.
Take a video tour of this loft, plus browse more Julie Charbonneau interiors and White Rooms.
Homeowner Danielle Nicholas and her actor husband, Greg Bryk, transformed a former Toronto rooming house into an ultracool family home for the W Network show Building Bryks.
This living room’s casual sectional seats a crowd. Instead of a standard coffee table, two occasional tables can be moved around to accommodate extra guests and impromptu dance parties.
Tour the rest of the house in our Online TV segment, or browse our photo gallery.
H&H design editor Joel Bray transformed an outdated 690-square-foot, builder-basic condo to maximize space and style.
In designer Joel Bray’s condo bedroom, panel mouldings add depth to what was once a plain room. The cornice was carried across the window to give a clean finish.
Get more decorating inspiration with our photo gallery of 100+ Gorgeous Bedrooms. Plus, tour Bray’s condo in our Online TV segment.
Using pastel walls and lively accents, designer Sarah Richardson and her associates, Kate Stuart and Thomas Smythe, turned a dreary U.K. rowhouse into a pretty pied-à-terre.
At the homeowners’ request, designer and TV host Sarah Richardson completely gutted this kitchen and reimagined it as a classically inspired space with beautiful millwork and dentil mouldings. A refurbished skylight floods the room with natural light. Instead of eating in the formal dining room (now used as a family room), the family takes their meals at the kitchen’s antique French wine-tasting table.
See more photos from this home.
Architects David Zacharko and David Yustin filled this Vancouver home with clever storage elements for a modern and functional space.
Designers David Zacharko and David Yustin’s clever space includes a rolling library ladder for easy access of the highest cupboards. A window seat gives the owners’ three kids a cosy spot to hang out.
For more design and decorating ideas, browse our Kitchen Trends photo gallery.
Designer Sophie Burke worked with her parents to build a home from scratch that had a lived-in character inspired by stately old homes and England’s rambling gardens.
Coffered ceilings provide architectural interest in this living room by designer Sophie Burke. The banded sisal rug anchors the seating area in the spacious room. Burke chose whitewashed oak floors for an airy look.
Get more living room decorating and design ideas in our guide and photo gallery.
Artist Virginia Kelly and designer Karen Cole turned a historic mid-20th-centruy apartment into a cool urban oasis. A painterly palette of dusky blues, tropical tangerine, deep plum and bright yellow is gutsy yet soothing.
In this living room, the panel behind the artwork slides aside to reveal a flatscreen TV. A plush, Asian-inspired silk and wool floral rug adds a feminine flourish and ties together the bold blue and coral colour scheme.
Get more living room decorating and design ideas in our guide and photo gallery.
Tucked into the trees overlooking a Muskoka lake, this classic cottage designed by Michael Angus takes its decorating cues from Northern-Ontario nostalgia.
This small bathroom feels cosy and intimate thanks to its dark walls and wood flooring. It also features an antique pine sink and industrial brass sconces that impart a timeless beauty.
For more ideas, check out our gallery of 20 Small Bathrooms.
Vancouver artist Patricia Larsen uses neutral tones and organic textures to great effect.
South of the Tropic of Cancer, Larsen found a home in Baja, Mexico. This simple, 1,300-square-foot one-bedroom home is made of concrete block and plaster. The rustic home blends seamlessly with its stunning surroundings — the Sierra la Laguna mountains, the Pacific Ocean in the distance and miles of desert. Throughout, a neutral palette ensures it’s easy to move furnishings from room to room.
Find more inspiration in our photo galleries of Best Homes Of 2012, International Homes and Suzanne Dimma’s Favourite Dreamy Retreats.
Decorator Sabrina Linn used rich colours in her Georgian home for a grounded and preppy vibe. Here, a dark blue accent wall gives the kitchen a luxe feel.
In the kitchen, Sabrina chose a mod ceiling light for its vintage feel. She mounted kitchen cabinet lowers along the back wall and topped them with HanStone quartz. At 12″ deep, they provide storage without taking up much space. Symmetrically hung twin brass sconces and mirrors amplify the effect. Sabrina added the chains on the mirrors to increase the allure.
See more of 2012’s best homes. Plus, discover Sabrina’s former colourful condo.
In Prince Edward County, Ont., shop-owner Vi Jull found a charming little red-brick Loyalist house, circa 1875, and made it her own with pared-back French country style.
Rustic French bistro chairs and an airy metal chandelier — which draws attention to the high ceiling — establish a casual vibe in the dining room. A distressed mirror frame set in the high window adds architectural interest, and tall china cabinets flanking the new french doors echo the motif. A modern rug by Madeline Weinrib updates the look. The space does double-duty as a guest room, thanks to a pullout sofa and drapes that can close it off from the kitchen.
See more of 2012’s best homes. Plus, see rooms with French country style.
In Vancouver, the fashion stylist made a Gastown condo feel like a glamorous beachfront retreat using translucent materials and natural textures.
To craft a luxe and edgy space, Kate found inspiration in crystals and painted everything in her home white, turning it into a vacation-like home. In the living area, a Moorish keyhole archway paired with a contemporary L-shaped sectional creates visual tension. Kate, also known for her popular fashion blog Bullet with Butterfly Wings, covered the sofa in natural linen and layered it with downy pillows and knit throws. Roll-down blinds on the windows provide privacy when needed.
See more of 2012’s best homes. Plus, tour Kate’s condo in this Online TV segment and see 11 of her favourite rooms.
With its blend of modern and traditional, the 2012 Princess Margaret Welcome Home Sweepstakes showhome updates the enduring image of a dream home.
The two-storey ceiling in the 2012 Princess Margaret Showhome‘s great room gives the space an airy feeling. The Ralph Lauren sofa is upholstered in white linen with a tufted bench seat and is offset with a handcrafted coffee table that preserves the wood’s organic edge.
See inside the showhome in our photo gallery and video tours. Plus, order your tickets now for a chance to win this stunning home!
Stylist and designer Nicola Marc brought a sense of warmth, thoughtfulness and elegance to her corner unit by mixing casual items with luxurious ones.
To complement the swaths of sky outside the windows, she painted walls in celestial shades of soft blue, cloud-grey and white. The bed in the principal bedroom is well-layered with Nicola’s trademark elegant-casual mixture of fabrics: neutral-coloured linens, velvet pillows and charcoal lace pillowcases. A sisal rug brings a relaxed, natural feel.
Get Nicola’s holiday decorating ideas in our photo gallery. Plus, see more gorgeous bedroom photos.
Designer Colette van den Thillart returned from London to Toronto with bold and whimsical decorating ideas.
As creative director of NH Designs, she finds unique twists to add to each home she works on, including her own. Detailed millwork, sentimental artwork and objets, and cherished furnishings from past homes fill Colette’s latest residence. In the living room, a purple painting by Canadian artist James Lahey draws attention, along with theatrical Georgian panelling and Colette’s staple lush tablescapes.
See more of 2012’s best homes. Plus, see photos of Colette’s former London home.