The front hall and staircase
How do you make a grand home seem more intimate? Try crowding in a few hundred eager decor enthusiasts poking into every corner and opening every cupboard door!
Sunday was beautiful, warm and sunny day here. Several hundred people and I decided to take advantage of the fine weather to drive to Oakville to see the Princess Margaret Hospital's showhome for 2012.
The 6500 sq.ft. home in Oakville, Ontario was designed by Linda Reeves and a team of designers at Canadian House and Home Magazine. The house is among several properties, vacations, and luxury vehicles that can be won in an annual lottery in support of the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.
Love these striped curtains in the living room!
The house was wonderfully light and airy with its cream colored walls, oiled-oak wood floors and tall glass doors with black metal frames. Artwork on the walls was kept to a minimum. With a few exceptions, the showhouse's overall color palette was quiet: creams, neutrals, grey, and black with a jolt of a greenish-yellow color as an accent.
It was tasteful, so very tasteful in fact, it maybe even lacked a bit of character.
The kitchen was very untraditional with a layout that incorporated black lower cabinets and no uppers along the main wall. Opposite the island was the freestanding modular unit (see above) that was painted charcoal to match the kitchen's lower cabinets. Noticeably absent, the kitchen fridge was hidden in drawers in the island. The only full-height fridge to be found was in the servery linking the kitchen and the dining room.
The guest bedroom
Guest Bathroom with slate-grey tiles in a herringbone pattern.
The principal bedroom
The home's exterior was as restrained and spare as the interior spaces. This is the pathway leading to the two-car garage and the back garden.
The plantings were well-ordered and minimal: a variety of ornamental grasses, veronica, hydrangea, box and periwinkle to name, but a few.
At the back of the home there was a large patio area and deck with table and chairs right off the kitchen. It would be a wonderful spot for family dinners and parties in the summer months.
So what do you think? Could this be your dream home?
More Information and Links:
The Princess Margaret Showhome is located on 220 Pinehurst Drive in Oakville, Ontario. Hours: Weekdays: 4 pm to 8 pm. Weekends & Holidays: Noon to 5pm. Order tickets to help fight cancer and for a chance to win the showhome here.