Not A House, But A Home: Style at Home

The March 2012 issue of Style At Home is all about decluttering and storage solutions in smaller spaces - two ideas that go hand in hand. They're also particularly relevant as we get closer to spring... and spring cleaning!

I'm pretty sure I gasped when I first saw this. This vacation home is located in the Laurentian countryside, just north of Montreal. Guylain and Katrine Verdier are the homeowners of this 5000-square-foot house, which was designed in collaboration with Marc Julien and Denish Cyr of JCB Architectes and designer Jean-François Ménard. There is so much to love about this space. I love that there are wood floors and ceilings as you don't often see wood ceilings - gorgeous. I love the cabinetry, the backsplash, the touches of reclaimed wood throughout the space, the lightness, the airiness. They did a fantastic job of mixing modern and rustic elements. The space feels light and flowy because of the windows, the white shaker cabinets, and the acrylic chairs, but is well anchored with all of the wood - the floors, ceilings, bookshelf, and dining table.

Photography by Nicolas Ruel, Styling by Lucie Desmarais

This townhouse is owned by Catherine and Nick Chan, and is located in Toronto's King West area. It was a pre-build purchase, so the homeowners brought in the services of Ryan Martin and Amy Kent from Croma Design to help bring their vision to life. Ryan describes Catherine's style as "modern, clean, spare" with "a lot of texture" and I think they captured it perfectly! The minimal aestethic with the beige and grey palette really lets the textures shine - check out the grasscloth accent walls (swoon!), the bedding, the bed, and the sparkle above the couch. All perfection! If I could combine the kitchen and dining room of the Verdier's house with the living room and bedroom of the Chan's house, I think I'd have the perfect space.

Photography by Michael Graydon, Styling by Christine Hanlon

This console table caught my eye. I love the long and skinny legs. It's also quite narrow, so it would work very well in a small space... perfect for condo-dwellers!

Photography by Angus Fergusson

This office belongs to fellow blogger, Jennifer Flores from Rambling Renovators. My favourite parts of this room are the L-shaped desk that creates two workspaces, the mix of open and closed storage, and the configuration of the storage - some high, some low. You don't often see the Expedit bookcases hung on the wall, so I appreciate the creative use!