Interior design: Turning over a new leaf

The showstopping, hand-dyed mural in the kitchen was designed by Cara Marie Piazza for Wallpaper Projects.   Photo by Nanne Springer 

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At one point, a jacuzzi the size of a beached whale occupied the large bathroom upstairs. Instead of walls, glass blocks divided the loo from the adjacent bedroom and study, allowing light to seep through — far from ideal when you’re trying to sleep in.  

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“Plain strange” is how Toronto architect Heather Asquith of Asquith Architecture describes it.  

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There were other decorating gaffes in the Riverdale home: a faux-steel industrial beam (nixed by Asquith) on the main floor; a dated L-shaped kitchen sporting strange angles; and a series of glass doors to the ravine-like backyard and pool that cut up the view. 

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“We made a slightly larger opening and added a large, two-panel sliding door instead of four individual swing doors for fewer visual divisions,” says Asquith. She worked on the project with her colleague, architect Ashley Adams, gutting and refinishing the 2,500-square-foot Edwardian over the course of 10 months with Webb & Lashbrook in charge of contracting. 

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Blue Ash Studio did the millwork in the home, including the custom-built oak kitchen, topped in quartz. Photo by Nanne Springer 

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The reason for the lengthy timeframe, says Asquith, is that there was an unfinished basement to contend with.  

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“We lowered it, waterproofed it and put in a laundry room and a bathroom,” she says. “The rest of the space is an open family room and music studio.” 

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Having an extra hangout zone suits the couple’s teenage son.  “And Dad was also adamant about this part of the project and liked it for a separate TV-watching, guitar-playing space,” says Asquith.  

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She also notes the household’s charismatic cockapoo, “an integral member of the family,” who appreciated being able to scamper throughout the main floor unencumbered by the angled kitchen. 

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The new one, custom-crafted by Blue Ash Studio — galley-style with panelled appliances — is calm and collected. 

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“The palette is a rift-cut white oak with a natural finish to match the new white-oak flooring,” says Asquith. “The cabinet faces are flat panelled to [create] a calm backdrop in the open-concept space,” she says.  

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Skinny matte-green tiles and wood elements hit a natural note in the generously sized bathroom. Photo by Nanne Springer 

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“Visually you can see them from all parts of the ground floor, so they needed to blend seamlessly.” 

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Leaning heavily on white oak establishes a modern, Scandinavian feel underscoring the natural vibe the homeowners were after.  

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The quartz countertop and backsplash are white with barely there grey veining, “so it looks natural without being overpowering,” says Asquith. 

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But the star is the kitchen’s hand-dyed mural that hangs above the cabinetry in the kitchen’s rear, designed by Cara Marie Piazza for Wallpaper Projects; its spinach-green swooshes mingle with purples and browns for a soft, painterly effect. 

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The original staircase was painted in High Park by Benjamin Moore, and offers a pleasing old/new contrast against the sleek oak sideboard. Asquith Architecture also opened up the cavity leading to the new, underpinned basement. Photo by Nanne Springer

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It won’t suffer from tomato-sauce splatters, says Asquith because “it’s purposefully in an area that doesn’t have plumbing, so it won’t get wet.”   

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Sage green pops up again on the original staircase. Leaving it intact, along with its old-school spindles, saved on the budget and maintains the home’s character. It’s painted in High Park by Benjamin Moore, an herby green. 

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At the top of the stairs, large pocket doors open to a reimagined bathroom.  

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“When we got rid of that jacuzzi, the space really opened up, so it feels generous,” says Asquith, noting the sizeable window that lets in tons of light. 

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The four-piece loo is now calm and restorative. Vertical matte-green tiles are a nod to nature and play warmly against the millwork on the vanity and shelves, which were also made by Blue Ash Studio.  

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The simple, freestanding tub is worlds away from its hulking predecessor.    

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“The homeowners,” says  Asquith, “are very happy.”  

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