Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Caribbean Villas Inspire a Toronto Home
Light textiles, white walls, distressed wood and clean lines capture the essence of the island style these homeowners love
These homeowners wanted to bring the feeling of their favorite Caribbean vacation spot 2,000 miles north to their home in Toronto. But the builder’s run-of-the-mill finishes throughout the interior were far from the light, bright and breezy French Colonial-meets-modern villas they love to stay in on the island of St. Barthélemy. “Our goal was to capture the essence of a St. Barts villa but infuse it with clean, crisp lines, spectacular craftsmanship and, where appropriate, slightly rustic touches done in a way that would not compromise the quality and modernity,” says interior designer Fardid Biglar.
Just off the front entrance, the living room also sets the tone of the house. The homeowners opted to get rid of a small dining area in this room and let the living room take over the entire space.
After falling in love with the red on a new barn door made for the basement, the homeowners decided to add touches of red to punch up the neutral color palette. “Repeating things like the red accents ties together the various parts of the house,” Biglar says.
The eclectic mix of furniture was a collaboration between the designer and his clients. It’s a balance of vintage industrial, rustic and clean-lined modern pieces, with playful touches like the red accents, Eiffel Tower and Sputnik chandelier. While the clients already had a lot of the existing furniture to work with, the goal was to make it look as though it had all been collected over time.
Paint: Snowbound and Gauntlet Gray, Sherwin-Williams
After falling in love with the red on a new barn door made for the basement, the homeowners decided to add touches of red to punch up the neutral color palette. “Repeating things like the red accents ties together the various parts of the house,” Biglar says.
The eclectic mix of furniture was a collaboration between the designer and his clients. It’s a balance of vintage industrial, rustic and clean-lined modern pieces, with playful touches like the red accents, Eiffel Tower and Sputnik chandelier. While the clients already had a lot of the existing furniture to work with, the goal was to make it look as though it had all been collected over time.
Paint: Snowbound and Gauntlet Gray, Sherwin-Williams
This view of the concealed kitchen office area exemplifies the home’s style. The color palette is a mix of a custom gray and sandy hues brightened by white. “The barn doors were custom-designed and built to provide a rustic and casual layer to the otherwise hard-edged industrial kitchen,” Biglar says. The heavy-duty track supports the large doors and allows the homeowners to open and shut them with ease, while adding a clean modern contrast to the rustic wood.
“The white against the natural floors created a light, airy and warm palette,” the designer says. He also added the warmth and texture to the ceiling in the form of light-colored wood planks.
Barn door track: K.N. Crowder
“The white against the natural floors created a light, airy and warm palette,” the designer says. He also added the warmth and texture to the ceiling in the form of light-colored wood planks.
Barn door track: K.N. Crowder
A 36-inch Wolf gas range with griddle and a massive 48-inch hood give the professional-looking kitchen a strong focal point. Statuario marble composes an elegant backsplash, while open shelving offers the opportunity to personalize the wall with casual displays. More dashes of red energize the room.
Hood: Vent-A-Hood; countertops: Blizzard, Caesarstone; dishwasher: Miele; sink: Kindred
Hood: Vent-A-Hood; countertops: Blizzard, Caesarstone; dishwasher: Miele; sink: Kindred
A stainless steel sink and faucet with an integrated sprayer continue the clean professional kitchen look; the pendant lights even resemble the heat lamps one would find in a restaurant kitchen. The dishwasher and a Hailo recycling center are concealed behind cabinet panels.
“We utilized the side wall … for the refrigerator, microwave and pantry space so that visually heavy and bulky items can be in the periphery and their mass and depth are hidden by wall returns,” Biglar says. Packing so much storage into the walls and lower cabinets allowed space for open shelving elsewhere. This layout also creates an easy work triangle.
Another detail that adds a casual rustic touch to the kitchen is the wood-plank ceiling. “The wood-plank ceiling was intended to provide authenticity to the kitchen and dining space — it’s almost intended to look like the underside of a wood decking structure,” Biglar says.
Benson pendant lights and bus stop scroll art: Restoration Hardware
Benson pendant lights and bus stop scroll art: Restoration Hardware
A significant part of changing the floor plan was getting rid of a dining space that was open to the living room, taking out a small eat-in area from the kitchen and opening a new dining room area to the kitchen. “Our clients usually entertain casually, so this was more appropriate for their lifestyle,” Biglar says.
He replaced a bay window with a giant glazed window bump-out. “We wanted to blur the boundaries between inside and out,” he says. The wide-open view includes a patio space, planting beds and the back of the garage, which they made over to resemble a Caribbean veranda.
While the table is rustic and the upholstered chairs are soft, a polished-nickel drum pendant adds contemporary sheen overhead. This light fixture and the pendants over the island “create a bit of brightness and glam,” Biglar says.
O pendant light: Global Views
He replaced a bay window with a giant glazed window bump-out. “We wanted to blur the boundaries between inside and out,” he says. The wide-open view includes a patio space, planting beds and the back of the garage, which they made over to resemble a Caribbean veranda.
While the table is rustic and the upholstered chairs are soft, a polished-nickel drum pendant adds contemporary sheen overhead. This light fixture and the pendants over the island “create a bit of brightness and glam,” Biglar says.
O pendant light: Global Views
The hardwood floors and gray-and-white color palette continue on the second floor. Bedroom furnishings combine industrial and modern items with country style. For example, a patchwork quilt is country, but its gray color palette is more modern. The Anglepoise reading lamps are a classic industrial touch.
Wall paint: Gauntlet Gray, Sherwin-Williams; bed: Restoration Hardware; art: “Nature’s Firework” by Susan Case, Sweet Gumball
Wall paint: Gauntlet Gray, Sherwin-Williams; bed: Restoration Hardware; art: “Nature’s Firework” by Susan Case, Sweet Gumball
In the bathroom, the vanity gets its distinctive look from the treatment of the wood. “This is solid wood — they brush the wood surface to expose the grain, then glaze it to highlight the grain and provide a patina, then use several coats of clear lacquer in order to provide a smooth finish and a protective coating,” Biglar says. It’s another one of those carefully balanced rustic touches.
Contemporary elements like the rectangular vessel sink, the copious use of white and the polished metal accents give the room a pleasing balance of modern and rustic.
The tub-shower combo has the appearance of a clean-lined shower stall. Using a drop-in tub allowed the designer to achieve a streamlined stone ledge and tile skirt. “The half wall allows the vanity to resolve into the tub without any awkward or hard-to-clean areas yet maintains an open feel,” Biglar says.
Vanity wood: Rough Chic collection, Miralis
Contemporary elements like the rectangular vessel sink, the copious use of white and the polished metal accents give the room a pleasing balance of modern and rustic.
The tub-shower combo has the appearance of a clean-lined shower stall. Using a drop-in tub allowed the designer to achieve a streamlined stone ledge and tile skirt. “The half wall allows the vanity to resolve into the tub without any awkward or hard-to-clean areas yet maintains an open feel,” Biglar says.
Vanity wood: Rough Chic collection, Miralis
The couple opted to use the second bedroom on this floor as their office. “This room is not a symmetrical room — the window is off-center, and there is a random recess in the wall,” Biglar says. So he placed the desk to line up with one of the only architectural features in the room, the window, and tucked bookshelves into the recess.
“The desk and window required more anchoring; we chose a pendant as the source of light over the desk instead of task lamp or pot lighting,” he says. The desk and bookshelves have a French industrial look, while the street art-inspired painting and black wall are more urban.
“The desk and window required more anchoring; we chose a pendant as the source of light over the desk instead of task lamp or pot lighting,” he says. The desk and bookshelves have a French industrial look, while the street art-inspired painting and black wall are more urban.
This media room is on the second floor and serves as the family room. Because the ceiling architecture was awkwardly high, Biglar made it disappear by using the same white paint on the walls and ceiling.
The large chandelier and painting help bring the high ceilings down to human scale. A woven rug and ethereal, slightly textured drapes soften the room and bring in the style of a St. Barts villa. The French door opens to a balcony on the front of the house. “It’s a nice way of bringing a light breeze into the media room,” the designer says.
The large chandelier and painting help bring the high ceilings down to human scale. A woven rug and ethereal, slightly textured drapes soften the room and bring in the style of a St. Barts villa. The French door opens to a balcony on the front of the house. “It’s a nice way of bringing a light breeze into the media room,” the designer says.
The armoire conceals the TV. “Technology is wonderful; however, sometimes it distracts from the beauty of handmade finishes and can unintentionally shift the balance to more modern,” Biglar says. “We don’t want the TV to become the focal point unless it’s on and everyone is watching.”
The staircase to the third-story master suite has a more contemporary look than the one between the first two floors. It is crafted of half-inch-thick tempered glass and C.R. Laurence stainless steel standoffs. “This is to evoke a sense of lightness and bring in some modernity. Had we used wood railings in these areas, the textures would have been overwhelming and would have taken away from the light and airy relaxed feel,” he says.
The staircase to the third-story master suite has a more contemporary look than the one between the first two floors. It is crafted of half-inch-thick tempered glass and C.R. Laurence stainless steel standoffs. “This is to evoke a sense of lightness and bring in some modernity. Had we used wood railings in these areas, the textures would have been overwhelming and would have taken away from the light and airy relaxed feel,” he says.
In the third-floor master suite, applying painted wood planks to the ceiling and leaving the rafters exposed brought in the St. Barts villa aesthetic. “We hand-selected raw dressed stock, installed them precisely and let their imperfections come out after the paint was applied,” Biglar says. “Our desire was to have a pristine material but have the cracks between the planks show for an authentic look — you can’t get this effect from tongue-and-groove paneling.” The ceiling is a great example of the rustic-but-not-too-rustic details that carry through the house. An orbit chandelier adds a glitzy contrast to the rough boards.
Maximizing storage in the master suite was a priority. More efficient than free-standing dressers, the smart built-ins flanking a distressed-wood dressing table provide room for hanging and folded clothing.
A simple industrial sconce over the mirror offers an industrial contrast to the glamorous chandelier. Curved elements like the light fixtures and mirror contrast with the sharp angles of the vaulted ceiling.
A simple industrial sconce over the mirror offers an industrial contrast to the glamorous chandelier. Curved elements like the light fixtures and mirror contrast with the sharp angles of the vaulted ceiling.
In the master bathroom, the designer used the same distressed wood that he used on the dressing table, the sides of the vanity, the custom mirror frame and the shelving. “We love this distressed finish and used it because it allows us to subtly add a rustic element and control how much of it you see,” Biglar says. “At the same time, it’s an engineered material, so it’s very durable and can be used as cabinetry, counters, paneling and so on.”
The industrial sconces are repeated in here, while clean-lined faucets and a rectangular trough sink balance them with modern touches.
Distressed wood: Rough Chic collection, Miralis
The industrial sconces are repeated in here, while clean-lined faucets and a rectangular trough sink balance them with modern touches.
Distressed wood: Rough Chic collection, Miralis
Raising the vanity off the floor is another modern move that makes the narrow room feel more open.
Countertop: Blizzard, Caesarstone
Countertop: Blizzard, Caesarstone
A clear glass shower stall has a shimmering wall of Murano glass mosaic tile. Again it’s about contrast: between the glittering glass tile and the pebble tile shower floor, and between the rustic distressed-wood accents and the pristine quartz countertop.
Before the renovations, the basement was unfinished. Because the homeowners embraced what they had to work with (for example, exposed joists and wiring conduits overhead), the design leans more industrial down here.
A large barn door provides a whole lot of color and privacy for the guest room. “We wanted the barn door to be a backdrop to the basement seating area and because it’s an interesting element, and we wanted to give it a bold color,” Biglar says. “We were happy when our clients agreed with the choice of red — it provides a lot of visual interest in the basement and became the precedent for the red accents throughout the house.”
Using an integrated track system for the barn door allowed them to make the door as tall and impactful as possible. The track has a soft-close damper that makes opening and closing the heavy door easy and quiet.
Integrated barn door track: K.N. Crowder
A large barn door provides a whole lot of color and privacy for the guest room. “We wanted the barn door to be a backdrop to the basement seating area and because it’s an interesting element, and we wanted to give it a bold color,” Biglar says. “We were happy when our clients agreed with the choice of red — it provides a lot of visual interest in the basement and became the precedent for the red accents throughout the house.”
Using an integrated track system for the barn door allowed them to make the door as tall and impactful as possible. The track has a soft-close damper that makes opening and closing the heavy door easy and quiet.
Integrated barn door track: K.N. Crowder
Because of the ductwork beneath the floor joists, they knew they were going to have to deal with bulkheads, which can be awkward. “We knew from experience that the secret to achieving a successful design with excess bulkheads was to bring order to the random runs,” Biglar says. “We framed every room with the bulkheads in order to create properly framed ceilings that delineate the various rooms.” This involved rerouting some of the HVAC ducts and plumbing.
Because the ceiling height was limited, painting the exposed portions of it gray allowed them to keep it higher while giving it a more polished look. “The relationship between the bulkheads and the more textured ceiling created the illusion of much taller ceilings, which was an unexpected bonus,” he says.
They integrated track lighting by recessing it between the joist cavities. The track lights were selected in a brushed-nickel finish, and they housed the wiring into smooth metal conduits for a cohesive industrial look. The big letters the homeowners found create a large-scale graphic punch.
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Because the ceiling height was limited, painting the exposed portions of it gray allowed them to keep it higher while giving it a more polished look. “The relationship between the bulkheads and the more textured ceiling created the illusion of much taller ceilings, which was an unexpected bonus,” he says.
They integrated track lighting by recessing it between the joist cavities. The track lights were selected in a brushed-nickel finish, and they housed the wiring into smooth metal conduits for a cohesive industrial look. The big letters the homeowners found create a large-scale graphic punch.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: A couple of busy professionals and their two cats
Location: Upper Beaches neighborhood of Toronto
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters) plus basement; four bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Designer: Fardid Biglar of Biglar Kinyan Design Planning
Despite the distance between St. Barts and Toronto, the inspiration was appropriate for the home, as it is in the Upper Beaches neighborhood of the city and has coastal exterior architecture. Capturing the essence of the French-settled island began with the material and color palettes.
“The St. Barts villas my clients love utilize materials honestly, so we selected this brushed-oak flooring because it has nice wide planks and the matte finish shows the natural textures of the wood, such as imperfections like small knots,” Biglar says. The light stain on the floors has a desirable sandy tone that looks as if it has been bleached by the sun. A bright, St. Barts-inspired white covers the majority of walls and some of the ceilings throughout the home, accented here and there with warm grays and rustic planks. The rugs are woven of natural materials, including wool and sisal.
Before, an oppressive honey-colored oak staircase dominated the entrance, didn’t go with the coastal exterior and stole attention from the rest of the house — it didn’t set the right tone. Biglar widened the opening to the kitchen and thus the views through to more of the house from the entry. Then he modified the staircase to better suit the home’s exterior. This included squaring off the bottom steps, and replacing the newel posts, balusters and handrails with more square, streamlined elements. “We didn’t want the textures of the stairs to dominate,” the designer says. “We opted to paint the entire staircase and simply ran a runner up the center.”
Flooring: Sanderson brushed oak, Kentwood