June 20, 2014
Photo Gallery: Bonnie Brooks’s Latest Renovation
Her Belgian country-inspired house in Toronto.
A Belgian country-inspired house in the heart of Toronto.
Bonnie Brooks chose her own lumber for this table.
Hudson’s Bay vice-chairman Bonnie Brooks selected the wood to make the bench-style table in her kitchen. The composite bluestone tile was cast from moulds of 18th-century European churches and châteaux floors, for an authentically worn texture. “Softly mirrored finishes on accessories and lighting contrast the wonderful earthy and rugged feel in Bonnie’s kitchen,” says designer Jill Kantelberg. “There’s nothing too shiny or harsh, and the shapes don’t grab your attention.”
See more rooms from Bonnie’s latest renovation, and Bonnie’s rooms in our gallery of High-Profile Art Collections.
A smart solution that lends a Euro feel.
“I designed clean, frameless cabinets in white oak with a walnut finish. I used exterior Cremone bolt hardware, which is very rugged and slightly overscale,” says designer Jill Kantelberg. “It gives tremendous oomph to simple cabinetry.” Rift-cut white oak and bluestone flooring appear throughout the home of Hudson’s Bay vice-chairman Bonnie Brooks. “Bonnie was drawn to the honest earthiness of Belgian country design. I love this flagstone flooring because it works with both modern and traditional styles, it can be heated and it’s comfortable.”
See more rooms from Bonnie’s latest renovation, and Bonnie’s rooms in our gallery of High-Profile Art Collections.
Comfortable seating is ideal for lingering.
Hudson’s Bay VP Bonnie Brooks spends most of her time in the library at the centre of her Toronto home, and insisted on a blue sofa “long enough for two people to stretch out toe-to-toe.” The recessed lighting is perfectly positioned for reading.
See more rooms from Bonnie’s latest renovation, and Bonnie’s rooms in our gallery of High-Profile Art Collections.
A canvas makes a political statement.
This painting by Chen Yu has special significance for Hudson’s Bay VP Bonnie Brooks, who brought the artwork back with her after living in Asia. “That piece is a very important contemporary Chinese work and the reason is because it’s a social commentary. It’s a view of society marching forward without thinking or being unique, without speaking out,” she explains. The clever placement of the art near the dining table seems to invite the figure in the painting to engage dinner guests in a discussion.
See more high-profile art collections in this gallery.
White and Lucite creates a envelope for sculpture.
On the main floor of the house, bluestone tile floors and white walls provide a gallery-like envelope for Hudson Bay vice-chairman Bonnie’s stellar art collection, which includes this sculpture by Yu Houden. Chartreuse Hermès throw pillows are a nod to the retailer’s fashion roots while a custom-made Lucite, glass and wood coffee table sits atop an ethically sourced zebra hide.
See more rooms from Bonnie’s latest renovation, and Bonnie’s rooms in our gallery of High-Profile Art Collections.
A soothing neutral palette invites a restful stay.
Custom burlap-coloured linen beds were the starting point for the palette in the guest room of Hudson’s Bay vice-chairman Bonnie Brooks. Of course, neutral Hudson’s Bay Millennium stripe point blankets figure prominently. Bonnie switches up the look in winter with Hudson Bay’s coyote pillows and fur throws, both lined with the historical multistripe blankets.
See more rooms from Bonnie’s latest renovation, and Bonnie’s rooms in our gallery of High-Profile Art Collections.
The exec’s refuge from a demanding schedule.
Parchment furniture and white linens give the principal bedroom an airy feel. Hudson Bay vice-chairmain Bonnie Brooks notes: “As you take on more responsiblity in your life, your world gets bigger. Because we’re all becoming more global, we need to pare down our home spaces to achieve tranquillity. There are no electronics in that bedroom.” A photograph by Reinhard Reitzenstein spans the headboard and bridges symmetrical side tables.
See more rooms from Bonnie’s latest renovation, and Bonnie’s rooms in our gallery of High-Profile Art Collections.
A lighter-than-air effect in a spa bathroom.
To keep the look sleek in the ensuite bath of Hudson Bay vice-chairman Bonnie Brooks, the drawers of the floating lacquered vanity were designed without hardware. Medicine cabinets are concealed by framed mirrors that open with touch latches, and a polished-concrete floor in the shower adds a touch of rawness.
See more rooms from Bonnie’s latest renovation, and Bonnie’s rooms in our gallery of High-Profile Art Collections.
The round form softens the bathroom’s spare lines.
A striking Victoria + Albert tub is bathed in light from a full bank of windows in the ensuite bathroom. An old bamboo stool of Bonnie’s adds warmth to the all-white scheme.
Watch on H&H TV Online!
Watch Lynda share the highlights of Bonnie’s kitchen design here. See Lynda’s insights on which appliances and fixtures to choose for this type of contemporary, Belgian country kitchen.
See more from Bonnie’s latest renovation, and Bonnie’s rooms in our gallery of High-Profile Art Collections.
Artwork, Barbara Astman, Corkin Gallery.
House & Home August 2013 issue