House in Toronto

How was your weekend? Hope it was happy. Monday takes us to Canada where homeowners Laurent Papaix and David Toto spent four months renovating and almost a year decorating their new home on the beach area of Toronto. French and rustic touches in this bright and airy three-storey home.


Sunny spot between the kitchen and the living room with an authentic marble-top bistro table purchased at Les Puces de St-Ouen flea market near Paris for under $150.


Other than the original birch floors, everything in the kitchen is new. "We didn't have space for an island, so the trolley is a compromise," says Laurent. "Our carpenter used salvaged wood topped with acid-washed marble." The farm-style sink has rustic edge that's tempered by the modern pendant light.


China cabinet with slatted sides and glass-front doorsa Basque table runner and dramatic dark silk-and-cotton drapes from Paris. The lustrous crystal chandelier was purchased on a trip to Savannah, Georgia.


In the living room the antique mirror over the mantel rang in at over $500, but is perfectly at home with the vintage trunk scooped up for under $100. The antique ivory elephant figurines belonged to Laurent's grandmother, who lived on Africa's Ivory Coast.


Dark-colour shams punctuate the spot where a headboard should be. The bedside table was a HomeSense bargain; the DIY lamp was made from an at-home lighting kit - the base is a Spanish bottle.


Next to the master bedroom, the third-floor sitting area is a welcoming retreat for reading and late-afternoon naps. The sofa was covered in antique French colonial cotton that belonged to Laurent's grandmother.


In the second-floor main bathroom a claw-foot tubwas pos itioned on an angle for a dramatic effect.


Crisp striped wallpaper and a new porthole-style window infuse the third-floor ensuite with a nautical feel. The ladder was an inexpensive antique store find.

Photography byChristy Wright

All images and information from Styleathome.

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