GEORGIAN REVIVAL

Can great decorating bring an old soul to a newly built house? Lindsay Mens thought so, and she set out to prove it with architect David Small and project manager, Kelsey Eurig. Their approach was to blend carefully crafted architectural detail with a mix of contemporary yet classic furniture and hand-picked antiques. It’s a look that balances a sense of history with what’s new and now.

The graphic impact of patterned marble in the foyer is handsomely juxtaposed with a French Empire mahogany console and companion gilt mirror; just like that, the tone is set. In the adjacent dining room, an antique sideboard in rich natural wood tones and a twentieth century mirror are set against the drama of Fortuny’s clouds. It’s a bold mix with a soft tone, giving the home’s more public spaces a sense of easy formality.

In the home’s more casual spaces, the mix and the mood shifts to soft texture and cool colour. The kitchen is a stage set for family dining, island-side on cushiony stools. From the opposite side, the view is all soft landings on overstuffed furniture with feet-up on tufted velvet. 

Upstairs, bed and bath boast a blended scheme in soft whites and subtle tones where warm woods and magenta moments add just the right energy. Architectural panels and cornice details are brought together beautifully in a unifying tone of pale grey in the principle suite. In the young daughter’s room, pretty butterfly-print wallpaper is the perfect backdrop for painted furniture and baskets brimming with toys. These are magical moves that make a young girl’s bedroom dream big.

For a young family helmed by a fashion exec and a financier, this home strikes a balance that  suits both the dash and the discipline of both clients. It’s a seriously unserious approach with a healthy dose of soul and structure. A new house with an emotional core, has the best shot at a long story, and in this case, the writing is on the walls — and in the details.