Room of the Day: Très Chic in Toronto
A family’s kitchen-dining room combo finds a nice balance of traditional and modern
Partners David Klass and Andrew Cudmore have busy lives between their careers and raising their 3-year-old daughter, but when they combine forces and become Klassmore (their hobby design firm), they make time to sweat the details. For their newly remodeled kitchen-dining room, they balance their home’s 1890s Queen Anne charm with a bold, modern aesthetic.
Among these elements is the walnut on the cabinet frames and island base. Mixed with white lacquer cabinet doors and Caesarstone countertops, the walnut doesn’t feel too heavy, and a desired blend of sleek and rustic is achieved. As a final touch, bold yellow back-painted glass forms the backsplash behind the gas range. This fun color reappears through the room in accessories such as glass bowls, vases and art.
The island is two-tiered: The standard counter-height surface around the sink is perfect for kitchen prep, and the table-height end accommodates standard dining chairs. “We use this island all the time, whether we’re hosting friends or just hanging out as a family. There’s something about the lower height that makes the space feel more intimate than a typical kitchen island,” Cudmore says.
The kitchen cabinets are also a mix of heights. Lower cabinets allow the home’s original brick wall to shine through, while two floor-to-ceiling cabinets bookending it provide ample storage. On the opposite side of the island, floating shelves next to the gas range lend a light feel.
Cudmore and Klass say that, though the original plan was to paint the dining area walls black, they first got cold feet and painted them dark gray. “It was the safe bet, but it really watered down the look,” Klass says. After committing to a second coat of flat black, they got the dramatic effect they desired. An inexpensive Andy Warhol-inspired portrait in a gilded frame is an ideal match for the wall.
The brass Meurice chandelier from Jonathan Adler was the first thing they bought for the space, Cudmore says. “It’s a piece we always admired, and we knew we wanted it above the dining table. It really set the tone for the rest of the design.” The dining table top is made of salvaged railroad ties from Vietnam that have been placed under a thick sheet of glass.
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See more Rooms of the Day
Who lives here: David Klass and Andrew Cudmore and their daughter
Location: Toronto
Size: About 450 square feet (41.8 square meters)
Designer: Klassmore
Finding the right balance of modern and traditional was at the heart of the design, say homeowners and part-time designers Andrew Cudmore and David Klass. The original oak floors got a custom espresso stain that grounds the entire space. “The room has a lot of black and white going on, which could come across as severe, but there’s other elements in the space that help tone it down and add warmth,” Klass says.