My Houzz: Calm, Cool and Collected in Downtown Toronto
Taylor Russell has seen a lot of interiors. After living in hotels for six years — her job at a communications agency had her moving every four months to places like Kuwait, Pakistan, Spain and Barbados — she experienced hundreds of different living spaces. More than enough to realize what style was right for her.
“I was most drawn to bright, airy spaces that were open and inviting, with pretty and interesting pieces — places where you could curl up comfortably on the couch one night and host a cocktail party the next,” Russell says.
Burned out from her hectic schedule, Russell quit her job from a pay phone in Heathrow airport back in 2007 while transitioning from a project in Kuwait to Jamaica. She bought a one-way ticket to her hometown of Toronto and decided on the flight to buy a home. Four days later she purchased a preconstruction condo unit in the King West neighborhood.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Taylor Russell, entrepreneur, and her mini Australian shepherd, Hayete
Location: King West neighborhood of Toronto
Size: 1,250 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Russell's globe-trotting crash course in interior design wasn’t the only thing on her side. Her parents heavily influenced her new home decor, too.
Their paintings and sculptures are featured throughout the space, and when Russell’s mother retired as an interior designer and owner of B.B. Bargoon’s, a well-known Toronto design shop, Russell (shown here) inherited many of her mother’s beautiful pieces that Russell had grown up with. “Our houses were always beautifully decorated while being comfortable and inviting,” Russell says. “My parents never wanted to live in a museum but wanted to create spaces for us to enjoy as a family and while entertaining friends. The house was always full of wonderful pieces from around the world, each having its own story.”
Russell and Hayete relax on the living room sofa, which came from her mother's shop. A haven for downtown dog owners, the neighborhood has six nearby parks and quick access to the waterfront, which the duo takes full advantage of.
Sofa: vintage, B.B. Bargoon's
Wanting her home to feel warm in the winter and cool in the summer, she landed on a palette of mostly whites and camel browns with a touch of blue in the bedroom and green from the many plants to help give the space a fresh feel.
Russell's sister found the large coffee table with a chrome base on the street and rolled it home. Russell's mother painted the flower painting.
Chairs: vintage, Lazy Farmer Antiques; coffee table: vintage, found on the street; painting: Bonnie Bickel
This stone mantel came from Russell’s childhood home.
Sofa, chair, lamp: B.B. Bargoon's
A cabinet near the staircase contains a collection of artifacts and other objects. Feminine elements, like the gilded mirror, are contrasted with rustic, industrial pieces, like the rusted letters.
Tucked underneath the stairs, Russell's office space — she co-owns Tkaro, which makes a portable drinking glass, with her sister — combines ornate, crafted elements with midcentury classics. The planter stand originally stood in her childhood home, and the painting on the wall is by her mother.
Office chair: Eames Aluminum Management Chair, Herman Miller; painting: Bonnie Bickel
The fully modern kitchen combines high-gloss white kitchen cabinetry with granite countertops.
Chandelier: vintage, from Mexico; portable drinking glass: Tkaro
Dining chairs: A Chair, Tolix
The entry gallery contains images shot by Russell while living abroad.
Vintage vases hold flowers purchased around the corner. Russell was drawn to the King West neighborhood because of its proximity to both downtown and the major highways out of the city — perfect for weekend getaways. Many of Toronto’s best restaurants and bars are within walking distance, as are multiple parks and the waterfront.
Keeping an office downstairs has allowed Russell to turn the den into a guest bedroom. A vintage American flag atop a mirrored cabinet makes for a striking focal point there.
The lofted bedroom overlooks the living space below, taking advantage of the soaring 24-foot ceilings. The chandelier, repurposed here as a nightlight, was sourced on a trip to a small Mexican town.
Chair: A Chair, Tolix
The serene master en suite features a large window that looks into the bedroom.
Sink: Duravit
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