This family home in midtown Toronto says no to bashful and yes to brilliant.

Okay, maybe a home can’t be described as an extrovert. But, in the world of houses, this one – with its pink-hued razzle-dazzle entry rug, jubilant lighting and ultra-fab finishes – is definitely the life of the party. Huge windows keep the natural light dancing, and sleek black walls and cabinetry play bold backup to the home’s fun chorus of pinks, lavenders, blues and reds. “This client is cool and funky. She loves colour and has hot pink highlights in her hair,” says designer Jodie Rosen. “She also has three kids, ages 12 to 16.” So, a fun factor was a must. Jodie’s take? Why not elevate the fun-and-colour mood by embedding it in a super-tailored and classic, almost glamorous, aesthetic? Working with her team, Jodie used bold expanses of black, white and neutrals to create some large-scale wow moments, then layered in fresh hues at the end. “The client really trusted us to use our creativity, and I love how this house turned out. It’s as fresh and fun as it is dramatic.”  

 

Photography Alex Lukey

 

Photo: Alex Lukey

 

A vibrant rug in bubble gum pinks leads guests into the foyer. Leather-topped Lucite stools mark the edge of the living room. In the evening, visitors arrive to light that’s filtered through a beaded chandelier. “The beading references the beaded stools tucked beneath the console in the nook,” says designer Jodie Rosen (shown at right). “It was a closet on the architect’s original plans, but we removed the doors and carved out closet space on either side to create a more formal entry.” 

DESIGN, custom CONSOLE TABLE, custom BEADED STOOLS, custom round MIRROR, Jodie Rosen Design. Collaboration in DESIGN, Darren Sukonick, Matthew Sapera Fine Homes. BUILDER, Haddington Development. Pink RUG, Elte. CHANDELIER, Robinson Lighting & Bath. Upholstered stool fabric, Threadcount; trim, Bilbrough.

“Fixed elements in the home, like the black window trim and wood ceiling details, resonate with the furnishings, such as wood benches on either side of the black marble.”

Photography Alex Lukey

Visitors are quick to say “Wow!” when they see the living room’s black marble fireplace, followed by “Ahhhh…” as they sink into pale blush pink velvet armchairs to sip cocktails, or tread across the silk-and-wool rug, woven in hazy shades of pink and lavender. The fuzzy sofa is durable, so curling up to catch up with friends is a go. “And if you spill wine, it wipes right off,” says Jodie. The volume of the monolithic fireplace is echoed in the shape of the coffee table.

Custom SOFA, Jodie Rosen Design. ARMCHAIRS, Gresham House. Armchair FABRIC, Threadcount. LUCITE STOOLS, CB2; reupholstered in  Leather, CTL Leather. END TABLES, COFFEE TABLE, RH. RUG, Elte. LAMPS, Renwil. 

Photography Alex Lukey

Photography Alex Lukey

For special occasions, there’s a dining room radiant with crystal, brass and sheen finishes. “When we found that hot pink and grey rug, I showed it to the client and she was so down for it,” recalls Jodie. The chairs are performance velvet. The walnut sideboard is faced in faux leather.

Custom TABLE, SIDEBOARD, Jodie Rosen Design. Table STONE, Stone Tile. CHANDELIERS, Robinson Lighting & Bath. CHAIRS, RH. RUG, Elte.

“Keep in mind that black will play differently depending on how much light comes into the home. Here, the kitchen has windows facing south, so we had a lot of leeway.”

Photography Alex Lukey

Photography Alex Lukey

“We pushed the limits with all-black cabinets,” says Jodie. “The wood in the herringbone ceiling is repeated in the archways throughout the house.” Facing south, the kitchen is a light box during the day. In the evenings, as the homeowner cooks with friends, soft light from black and gold globes warms the marble-look porcelain island. “The stools are cantilevered, so even though they’re black, they look light,” says Jodie. The channelled leather seats are edgy enough to look cool, and wipe-clean-enough to be practical for the teens who sometimes snack there.

CABINETRY, Ant Man Woodcrafting & Design. PORCELAIN ISLAND, Ciot. STOOLS, Sunpan. PENDANT LIGHTING, Robinson Lighting & Bath. CABINETRY HARDWARE, ADH. FLOORING, EFlooring. 

Photography Alex Lukey

When it’s mealtime, this table is where it all happens. “I wanted it to tie in with the black kitchen, but I also wanted it to look like a stand-alone piece,” says Jodie. The top is black marble-look porcelain with warm-toned veining to match the diamond-tuft leather chairs. “The starburst fixture is a nice contrast to the smooth globes over the island,” says Jodie.

Custom table, Jodie Rosen Design; stone, Stone Tile. Starburst chandelier, Robinson Lighting & Bath. chairs, Sunpan.

“We didn’t plan on the black walls. Then as construction progressed, we noticed how much more restful the bedroom would feel with dark walls.”

 

Photography Alex Lukey

When the homeowner gets up in the morning, huge windows brighten the primary bedroom. But when night falls, the room can be further darkened by the motorized black drapes. The cloud-like chandelier dangles from a 20-foot coffered ceiling. The oyster-coloured bed is velvet and sits on a pink-and-cream rug. At the end of the day, the homeowner can drop a robe or sweater on the bench. Lounge time in the blush velvet swivel chairs makes for a serene reading spot after a long bath. The little fluted table is ideal for morning coffee. 

WALL PAINT, Onyx 2133-10, Benjamin Moore. BUBBLE CHANDELIER, Elte. CUSTOM FURNISHINGS (HEADBOARD, TABLE, BENCH, SWIVEl CHAIRS), Jodie Rosen Design. fabric (headboard, bench, swivel chairs), Threadcount. BLACK cushions, Bilbrough. END TABLES, RUG, Elte. BEDSIDE LAMPS, Flow Decor. DRAPES, Master Fabrics.

 

 

Photography Alex Lukey

 

Photography Alex Lukey

The homeowner asked Jodie and her team to include a spot in the primary suite where she could make a coffee in the morning without having to go downstairs, and grab a nightcap or snacks when winding down from the day. “We love how convenient it is to have a prep sink, wine fridge and storage,” says Jodie. “It’s the perfect little ‘function nook.’”  

Wall paint, Chantilly Lace OC-65, Benjamin Moore. Sconces, Elte Mkt. Millwork, Ant Man Woodcrafting & Design. Backsplash, Porcelonosa.Porcelain Countertop, Ciot. 

 

Photography Alex Lukey

“See the windows behind the mirrors?” asks Jodie. “The mirrors are on pivot rods so they can be turned in any direction.” This smart solution lets the sunshine in or creates privacy when the mirrors are parallel to the windows. The arched vanity is a warm Australian walnut veneer. The fixtures and tubular sconces are brass.

Custom PIVOT MIRRORS, Jodie Rosen Design. VANITY, Ant Man Woodcrafting & Design. SCONCES, Robinson Lighting & Bath. COUNTERTOP, Ciot. FIXTURES, Taps.

 

Photography Alex Lukey

An inlay of pink onyx on the countertop of the island adds a whisper of colour to the walk-in closet. Rose gold hardware does the rest. A bench near the window offers a spot for changing shoes. Gold rods in a variety of lengths gives the “dripping” chandelier its graphic appearance. 

CABINETRY, Ant Man Woodcrafting & Design. HARDWARE, ADH. CHANDELIER, Robinson Lighting & Bath. BENCH, Sunpan.

 

Photography Alex Lukey

 “Unlike most clients, this homeowner didn’t want her tub by the window,” says Jodie. Instead, it’s nestled by a luxe marble wall slab with a shelf for pretty candles and soap. A sparkling chandelier lights the way after a shower. The enclosure features a luxe cantilevered seat that’s heated, as well as two shower heads.

SOAKING TUB, Taps. CHANDELIER, CB2. MARBLE PANEL, SHELF, Ciot. FIXTURES, Taps. NICHE SHOWER TILE, Saltillo Tile.

 

Photography Alex Lukey

The daughter’s bedroom has walls of marble...wallpaper. At bedtime, she can reach the neon flamingo light from her sleep zone among fuzzy lilac pillows. Polka-dot drapes, a macramé pouf and a leopard-spot rug are in keeping with the home’s expressive personality.

Custom HEADBOARD, Jodie Rosen Design. Headboard FABRIC, Bilbrough. POUF, END TABLES, RH Teen. RUG, Elte. Fluffy PILLOWS, THROW, Wayfair. WALLPAPER, Crown Wallpaper. DRAPES, Kravet.

The reminder of pink in the wallpaper and the return of marble creates a beautiful link between the bedroom and its bathroom.

 

Photography Alex Lukey

“This is the daughter’s bathroom. I had very strong design direction from her,” says Jodie of the 12-year-old. “She wanted something a little bit classic and glamorous – with flamingos. Wallpaper satisfies the latter request. The round gold mirror is crowned with a library lamp – perfect for checking her hair before she leaves. And an integrated ledge in the marble-look porcelain slab on the wall can catch toiletries. 

Flamingo WALLPAPER, New Wall. Custom ROUND MIRROR, Jodie Rosen Design. LAMP (over mirror), Robinson Lighting & Bath. HARDWARE, ADH. FLOOR TILE, Deco Tile. WALL TILE, Centura. Mosaic NICHE TILE, Stone Tile.

 

Photography Alex Lukey

In the powder room, a dramatic porcelain vanity in the shape of a hollowed cube is shimmered up by creamy gold wallpaper and a metal mirror. 

Custom vanity, mirror, Jodie Rosen Design. Stone (vanity), Marble Trend. fixtures, Taps. wallpaper, Crown Wallpaper. 

 

Photography Alex Lukey

In the home office, a glass desk and navy chair sit on a rug in delicate pinks and blues. Drapes in black-to-grey ombré and a swivel chair in grey create a cozy corner. The shelves float on a dark panel. “This room was intended to be more moody than the rest of the house,” says Jodie. 

Custom desk, Jodie Rosen Design. chair, West Elm. Built-in shelving/cabinetry, Ant Man Woodcrafting & Design. Swivel chair, rug, Elte. Painting, Samara Shuter. Drapes, Threadcount.

“To make a mud room or entryway look less tired and utilitarian, inject some bright colour.”

 

Photography Alex Lukey

Mod acrylic pegs spring from blue vinyl wallpaper in the vibrant side-entrance mud room. Bright baskets catch scarves and hats, and when wet mitts or umbrellas are set down, the faux leather bench easily wipes dry. Hexagon floor
tiles are the perfect hue for disguising the family pooch’s paw prints.

Wallpaper, Crown Wallpaper.  Bench upholstery, Kravet. Baskets, Wayfair. PEGS, 313 Design Market. FlOORING, Stone Tile.

 

Photography Alex Lukey

The larger, main mud room is on the basement level. This is where everyone tramples in – adults, dog, kids. And it’s bursting with storage.  Pops of blue brighten the breezy wallpaper, and graphic shapes in the floor tile are echoed in the hexagon coat pegs.

Wallpaper, New Wall. Baskets, Crate and Barrel. PEGS, RH. BENCH UPHOLSTERY, Maxwell. FLOOR TILE, Olympia Tile. BLUE PAINT (on built-in cabinetry), Gentleman’s Gray 2062-20, Benjamin Moore.