Design trends: Nostalgia for a new generation 

Published Oct 16, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

The living room’s made-to-measure millwork showcases objects from the couple’s travels. Chinaware and silverware are stashed behind the closed doors. An elegant stone plinth runs along the base of the unit.  Photo by Sabrina Francescut photograph 

Renovating the home of your high-school nemesis sounds like the plot line of a drugstore novel, but that’s exactly what Giovanna Monaco did. When the architectural designer behind Toronto-based Studio Monaco met her best friend, the two didn’t jibe.  

Eventually, the teenagers found common ground over an obsession with neutral nail polish; then, decades later, Monaco was tasked with making major changes to her friend’s high-school home.  

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And though her friend no longer lives in the house, a 3,000-square-foot red-brick semi in Lawrence Park, her mom and dad do. 

A sinewy drywall staircase replaced a traditional oak one. “It has an origami-like shape,” says designer Giovanna Monaco. Photo by Sabrina Francescut photograph

“The house had maybe undergone one renovation until now,” says Monaco. “They had a white melamine kitchen and arched Palladian windows everywhere.” Tasteful in the Flashdance era; now not so much.  

Monaco recalls meeting the dad, who is from Macedonia. “I was scared of him growing up,” she says. “He’s really eccentric. He calls himself a friendly pit bull. But both of her parents are lovely. Her mom is elegant and welcoming and loves her garden. They’re world travellers and heavy art collectors.” 

And they have opinions. One stipulation was that the revamped house — anointed Henkes House, after the mother’s father — should feel exceedingly calm. Another was that it have high-tech features to jettison it into the 21^st century and make it suitable for the next generation. 

The couple’s art collection includes a large piece by Latvian-Canadian artist André Lapine and a dainty oil by the artist Lisa Boulatova of Studio Libu. Photo by Sabrina Francescut photograph

“Warm Scandinavian” was the Friendly Pitbull’s design request. “He wanted it to be a backdrop of his life. Everything muted and calm,” says Monaco of the project that came together alongside the contractor Pentacon Group. 

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As in galleries and museums, white walls are ideal for showcasing treasures. “The family have gorgeous rugs, Persian tapestry and paintings,” says Monaco, pointing to one favourite: an Old Masters-style oil by the Latvian-Canadian painter André Lapine. Monaco rested it on the headboard of the couple’s new principal suite. Its gold filagree frame and layers of reddish colours are a compelling contrast in the white space. 

Artwork migrates to the ensuite bathroom. Both paintings are by Toronto’s Lisa Boulatova of Studio Libu. Photo by Sabrina Francescut photograph

The third floor, where their bedroom is, is entirely new. Monaco designed the extra storey to give the couple the ultimate retreat. Sleek stairs lead to an ensuite, walk-in closet and private terrace. There are now three decks in the house, an upgrade to the single ground-floor walkout.  

To strengthen that feeling of quietude, Monaco also cloaked the house in custom millwork by Cabernet Kitchens & Fine Cabinetry. And instead of protruding pot lights, cove lighting slashed into the ceiling perimeter bathes rooms and hallways in a gentle glow, as do skylights sporting retractable shades. Instead of clunky baseboards, there’s a subtle reveal, so walls appear to float because they don’t meet the floor; flush-carved vents reinforce the sleek design.  

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A soft glow illuminates the SieMatic Kitchen. The homeowner had the same brand growing up in Germany. Photo by Sabrina Francescut photograph

Custom millwork is everywhere. Cupboards were customized into angular nooks. The second-floor library is fitted and clean-lined. The living room off the rear of the house, meanwhile, a Samsung Picture Frame TV, linear fireplace and open cubbies fit like puzzle pieces. 

The front of the house, where the galley kitchen is located, is another study in sleekness. “It’s the same one the mom had growing up in Germany,” says Monaco of the SieMatic kitchen, a nearly century-old brand. They’re the type of kitchens that make you forget you’re looking at one — ideal for open-concept living. On one side is the “wet wall” with the sink; the other houses the “appliance wall” outfitted with a Miele stove and a Liebherr fridge. 

The modern table and chairs are by Home Société. The doughnut-shaped Mr. Magoo pendant light is by Artemide. New black windows punctuate the white space. Photo by Sabrina Francescut photograph

But it’s the techie wall by the kitchen that’s the Wizard of Oz in this project, controlling the house’s mood. Monaco enlisted Simply Sound Solutions to install a Lutron system. “It’s a crucial component of the house,” she says. “With the touch of a button, the home owners control both the natural and artificial light (the window covering and skylights) and the integrated, invisible speakers in the drywall.” 

The tech team “worked with the homeowners’ circadian rhythm,” says Monaco. Each programmed button reflects their lifestyle. Press “Relax” and certain lights and music (or not) turn on. Press “Dinner,” and so on.  “Their TVs, security system and temperature control is in one hub. And the entire home’s system can be monitored through their cellphones or on the central screen,” says Monaco. “There’s also space for a future Tesla Powerwall. There were intentions in everything we did,” she says. 

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