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Decorating & Design 5 Min Read

TOM Design Collective Turns A Toronto Kitchen Into An Inviting Family Hub

When Beth Watt bought her midtown Toronto home in 2013, she knew she would eventually renovate.

The back room’s southern exposure bathed it in beautiful natural light, and she wanted to amplify that warmth by creating an inviting space, including the kitchen, a new banquette seating area, plus an elegant living room, that would be perfect for cooking, entertaining or for when her two adult kids were home from school abroad. She hired Lindsay Mens, Tommy Smythe and Ashley Ylanko of TOM Design Collective for the project, which features exposed beams, cream cabinets and millwork, plush seating and hits of green and limestone. Learn more about the creative process behind this warm and inviting kitchen transformation and shop the look below.

A modern farmhouse style kitchen with exposed wood beams, cream cabinets, a large quartz island with a wood base. on the left wall, an arched doorway leads to a pantry, and a wooden ladder leads to the high cabinets. four chairs sit at the island. two minimal yet-stylish light fixtures hang from the ceiling in brass and glass.

Cabinets painted in Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee are punctuated by wood elements, which add warmth.

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House & Home: What was the jumping-off point for the kitchen?

Beth Watt: I love the organic feel of neutral kitchens with warm wood accents. I wanted something cosy but also bright.

Lindsay Mens: Beth has a beautiful garden, which you have a great view of from this room, so we used the garden’s colours and textures to inspire the design. Pops of green appear in the chair upholstery and banquette fabric, with lots of nods to the backyard colour palette throughout the rooms.

A vertical shot of the corner of a warm cream coloured kitchen. A wooden ladder leans against the cream cabinets, leading to the topmost cabinets. A large gas stove sits against a white and grey tiled backsplash, and under a large rounded vent hod. A small narrow window sits on the furthest wall, half open by a vertical-striped window covering.

The limestone vent hood has curbed elements to make it feel less heavy.

Three people stand in a cream coloured kitchen, two white women with blonde hair, and one man with dark hair. They stand near a kitchen island with quartz countertops, warm light wood. The kitchen cabinets have gold hardware, the backsplash is a white and grey square design, and it is surrounded by a large cream vent hood.

Designers Tommy Smythe, Lindsay Mens (centre) and Ashley Ylanko of TOM Design Collective.

H&H: How did you know TOM would be right for the job?

BW: Tommy is a childhood friend — we’ve known each other for years. His whole team is so talented. Every time we met about the project, I loved what they brought to the table.

Tommy Smythe: I’ve been to Beth’s house many times over the years for social occasions and knew she was planning a redo, but Lindsay took on the lion’s share of the design because she has a lot of experience with entertaining at home with kids, friends and family.

A vertical shot of the interior of an open, airy farmhouse kitchen. Cream cabinets with gold hardware line the wall, while a kitchen island with quartz counters and a large basin sink sit in the middle. A wooden ladder sits against the cabinets. Exposed wooden beams tie in with the wood in the west of the kitchen.

The ladder is elegant and functional; an apron sink adds a dose of farmhouse style.

H&H: What was on the wish list?

BW: I wanted the island to be the star. I went to culinary school and love to cook, and that meant I needed a large work surface. I also love to entertain, so having comfortable seating was important.

LM: Beth liked the idea of exposed beams, and it was important to have swivel chairs to make socializing with people in the kitchen easy.

TS: I suggested the ladder because Beth and I are both really short! It’s beautiful and practical for reaching high shelves. We also created a butler’s pantry for overflow and her collection of seasonal dishes — she goes all out for holidays.

BW: The butler’s pantry is where we make coffee, and it helps cut down clutter on the kitchen counters.

A small pantry with cream cabinets on top and bottom and a small countertop all the way around. The far wall houses display shelves with various white and green serving dishes. a small bar fridge with a glass door sits under the display shelving. white subway tile serves as the backsplash.

The charming butler’s pantry is packed with open and closed storage.

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A small dining room table with two wooden chairs with floral cushions sits in the corner of a large room with almost floor-to-ceiling windows. A jade green booth sits on the other side of the table. a minimal, modern chandelier hangs from the ceiling. Dark hardwood lines the floors, while the walls are painted cream.

The banquette was on Beth’s wish list. She enjoys using it for casual meals and hangouts.

H&H: How did you create a cosy vibe in such a big space?

LM: Scale and balance were two things that we constantly had top of mind. It’s one big room, so to balance out the huge limestone hood over the range, we installed heavy bookshelves on the opposite wall to flank the limestone fireplace. Oversized sofas with deep seating are scaled to fit the large room. Everything was very tailored to Beth’s needs. There’s an upholstered chair in the corner right next to the banquette where someone can sit and hang out with her while she cooks.

TS: To create flow, we built different zones for different purposes, whether it be a large family gathering, cooking lessons with the kids or afternoon tea. Grasscloth wraps the entire space to add subtle texture and bring a sense of cohesiveness.

A horizontal shot of a clean cream and grey living room. There is a central fireplace with a grey painting over it, and two arched built-in shelves on either side. Couches line the walls on each end while a simple coffee table with short luxe stools sits in the middle of the room. closest to the camera POV two brown chairs sit facing the rest of the room.

Custom arched built-ins on either side of the living room fireplace balance the heft of the vent hood in the kitchen; the arches echo the arched entry to the butler’s pantry.

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A vertical shot of an open concept living room, dining room, and kitchen. Tall thin windows allow natural light into the room, a warm wooden dining room table sits near them. An island sits to the left of the room, with white bar chairs facing it. two brown grid-textured chairs sit in the foreground, behind a coffee table, which makes up the living room. Exposed beams and minimal but stylish brass lighting fixtures tie the space together.

The living room’s swivel armchairs are practical for conversations in the kitchen. New windows were installed to make room for the banquette and increase natural light.

H&H: What do you love most about the kitchen?

LM: The view toward the vent hood with the stools and lanterns is my favourite. I love the mix of textures, from the limestone to the wovens to the white crystal quartz counters and that beautiful wood. Everywhere your eye lands, there’s something delightful but also useful.

BW: It’s hard to pick just one thing because I love it all. The stone counters are so magical in person, the beams add so much warmth, and then there’s the custom banquette. We spend every day in this welcoming space; it’s the gathering spot of the house. Every time I walk into the kitchen, I’m instantly happy!

A collage of three products: 1 is a light fixture which is shaped like a glass bucket with gold hardware. 2 is kitchen tile with white octagons and grey diamonds. 3 is a paint blob with 'cabinet colour: swiss coffee (OC-45) Benjamin Moore' written on it, and 4. is a gold pull bar.

1. Large Lorford Smoke Bell lantern in Gilded Iron with Clear Glass by Chapman & Myers for Visual Comfort. Available in other finishes. $6,365. Elte. 2. Moroccan Sea Salt Octagon and Weathered White Bouchon tile bundle by Zio and Sons. $60.91/sq.ft. Clé. 3. Cabinet colour, Swiss Coffee (OC-45), Benjamin Moore. 4. Lily pull in Honey Bronze by Top Knobs. From $20. ADH Fine Hardware.

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a second product collage. 5 is a large gas stove with six burners. 6. is a gold faucet for the sink. 7 is a wooden chair with a beige cushion. 8. is a nature printed fabric swatch.

5. 48″ Dual Fuel Freestanding range by Thermador. Pricing upon request. Tasco Appliances. 6. Georgian Era Bridge Kitchen faucet with Sidespray and Metal Lever Handle in Unlacquered Brass by Perrin & Rowe. $3,221. Robinson Lighting & Bath. 7. Ferris dining chair in Winchester Beige by Four Hands. $849. Arcadia Modern Home. 8. Rutland upholstery fabric in Verdure. Pricing upon request. Cowtan & Tout.

Source

House and Home

  • Photographer Patrick Biller
  • Designer TOM Design Collective
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