styleNorth

Who: Peter, a computer systems designer, and Elaine, a special education teacher
What: 3,600 square foot detached house
Where: Thornhill (north Toronto)

Peter and Elaine aren’t Asian but their decor sure is. The couple has spent the last 30 years filling their beautiful split level home with treasures from around the globe, the Far East in particular. Their aesthetic is 70s modern meets Asian antique (and contemporary) although the 70s are being purged with the help of Craigslist, which is how I came to meet the couple.

The moment I entered their beautiful home I knew it would make a stunning house tour. I was shocked to learn that some of Peter and Elaine’s guests don’t comment on their decor at all: “Maybe it’s because they don’t really like it,” speculates Elaine.

Although vintage modern pieces like the Danish Arc lamp I purchased from them are being dispersed, permanent features like the horizontal brass rails that protect the landings will always define the home’s essential character. The Le Corbusier sofas and Marcel Breuer chairs aren’t going anywhere, either.

Peter and Elaine are the original owners of the house and they’ve been tinkering with the property since they bought it. The lot, which backs onto a steep ravine, is almost completely shielded by a 12-foot cedar hedge they planted years ago. The couple has built two beautiful pergolas, one in the side yard, one in the back, and Peter constructed a sympathetic alter for a Buddha, which beautifully disguises a prefab garden shed.

Peter inherited some special pieces from his grandfather who worked in China in 1920s and 30s: “That got us hooked,” he says. “We continue to be fascinated with Chinese construction techniques, their ancient and very rich cultural heritage and their distinctive aesthetics.”

I love that the couple isn’t the least bit snobbish in their collecting; they blend valuable antiques with less expensive contemporary pieces and mix countries and even continents of origin without blinking an eye. “We just buy what we like,” says Elaine simply.

Peter worked with Rosenthal during the 70s and visited the company’s factory in Selb, Germany, where some of the original Bauhaus designers were still working. “That exposure had a huge impact on both of us,” he recalls. “Trying to blend Bauhaus with Asian works but it takes some perseverance. We’re really after an eclectic look with the focus on Asian.”

Peter and Elaine are big do-it-yourselfers: they designed and constructed several superb stained glass windows together and even made a Tiffany-style lamp. Elaine carefully restored an enormous Chinese relief tapestry purchased at auction — the piece had hung in Toronto’s famous Old Mill until it was water damaged by the sprinkler system. Today the 10′ tall piece, below left, presides over the couple’s dining room.

“Our home is our hobby,” says Peter. The dragon stained glass, above, took the couple six months to complete but like all the other highly personal pieces throughout the house, it contributes to a tremendous feeling of serenity both inside and outside this very special home.

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