RSS

Tag Archive | "House Tour"

Decorating Detectives

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

3 Comments

You and I would tour Spadina Museum and not have a clue (or a care) that this wallpaper or that drapery wasn’t absolutely accurate but the project’s chief curators, Karen Edwards and Neil Brochu, take authenticity very, very seriously. Spadina reopened to the public last month after a nearly year-long restoration that took the grand old mansion back to its glory days in the 1920s and '30s. From now until the end of November special tours of the house are being offered that examine the enormous challenge of recreating rooms like the library, below, featuring this digitally reproduced wallpaper.

Full post and comments...

Spadina: Historic House Reborn

Saturday, October 23, 2010

4 Comments

Toronto's Spadina Museum re-opens to the public tomorrow (Sunday) after a year-long restoration that has taken the house back to its 1920s glory. Costumed docents will be on hand to lead free tours from 1 - 4 pm as part of the grand unveiling. I had the privilege of touring the house earlier this week and was amazed at how refreshed it all felt with new wallpapers, draperies, flooring, fabrics, etc. Much earlier in the year, museum conservator Neil Brochu took me behind the scenes to talk about the complex restoration process, a story I'll have for you tomorrow, but in the meantime I wanted to give you a heads up about Sunday's reopening. You can see the house as it was in my house tour from 2009.

Full post and comments...

Prudence Pays Off For Marcelo and Magela

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

11 Comments

Knowing that Marcelo is a professional landscaper, I expected a beautiful property that showcased his skills and talent. What I didn’t anticipate was the confidence with which stay-at-home Mom Mahela has decorated the interior of the couple’s lovely midtown home. With white, painted floors, strong wall colours and quality, mid-century furnishings the house feels fresh and stylish, exactly right for a young family of four.

Full post and comments...

Cabbagetown Tour of Homes

Saturday, September 4, 2010

5 Comments

It's time once again for the Cabbagetown Tour of Homes, one of Toronto's best opportunities to snoop around some extremely tasteful abodes. The photos above and below are scalped from one of my very best house tours, the home of decorator Sean Ward and his partner Stephen Fillmore who have agreed to open their door to the masses this year. The annual Tour of Homes is a fundraiser for the Cabbagetown Preservation Association, which works to preserve and enhance this uniquely historic neighbourhood. Tickets for the September 19 event (1 - 5 pm) are $30 each, available online or in person at the Cabbagetown BIA office at 237 Carlton Street (416.921.0857).

Full post and comments...

Toronto Islanders Open Their Homes

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

3 Comments

This weekend offers Toronto house junkies an opportunity to experience one of the city’s most precious jewels, the quaint, cottage-y neighbourhoods on Algonquin and Ward’s Islands. Dubbed the Toronto Island House and History Tour, the June 13 event has been organized by Grannies in Spirit, a group supporting the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign, a project that has so far raised more than $7 million for African grandmothers and the children in their care. Last Sunday, I was lucky enough to enjoy a preview of three island homes with one of the tour organizers, Paulette Pelletier-Kelly.

Full post and comments...
« Previous Entries
Next Entries »