Designer Lindsey Levy shifts the tone of a 52nd-floor condo on Toronto’s waterfront from basic to beautiful.

Retirement invites many personal pursuits, and in this case, it was a home makeover. “Before retiring, the owner was an on-the-go professional who lived here with nothing but three televisions, a floor lamp and a folding chair,” says designer Lindsey Levy. She and her team elevated the look from empty to elegant, with a full renovation of the 1,200-square-foot space that saw builder finishes and dark wood floors replaced with custom cabinetry, terrazzo tiles and thoughtful furnishings. Says Lindsey: “We focused on craftsmanship to create a refined space ideal for entertaining and just as comfy for a quiet night at home.” And all without a folding chair in sight.

 

Photography, Alex Lukey

 

On view

The new terrazzo floors speak to the owner’s love of minimalism. They run throughout the condo for continuity in the primarily open-concept layout. “I chose a neutral sofa to keep the lake view the focus, but I loved incorporating some colour with the blue-green living room chairs,” says designer Lindsey Levy.

DESIGN, Lindsey Levy, Lindsey Levy Design. Terrazzo FLOOR TILES, Ciot. ARMCHAIRS, Lawson Fenning. COFFEE TABLE, Hollace Cluny. FLOOR LAMP, Hollis + Morris.

Well rounded

A round table and curved chairs are easy to navigate around in the dining area and are a soft balance to the hard edges of the fireplace and island. “We framed the existing fireplace with a larger surround in keeping with the TV’s scale and used the same marble on the island for consistency,” says Lindsey. The iconic Ingo Maurer chandelier has 31 printed and 48 blank paper sheets.

Ingo Maurer CHANDELIER, The Modern Shop. DINING TABLE, Cabinet. DINING CHAIRS, Design Within Reach.

 

Photography, Alex Lukey

 

“If you invest in quality finishes and furnishings, you don’t need a lot of stuff to make a space feel luxurious.”

 

Photography, Alex Lukey

 

Light touch

The kitchen was gutted and fitted with white-oak custom cabinets that impart natural warmth. “We opted for a slimmer-profile Shaker door to achieve an updated yet still timeless look,” says Lindsey, who lined the backsplash with mirror rather than tiles. “The mirror reflects the gorgeous views outside the windows and often creates the illusion that the cabinetry continues indefinitely.” The island’s base is stained black, not painted, to showcase the grain of the wood. In the dining area, an angular mirror plays up the reflective backsplash and is an intentional foil to the rectangular presence of the TV.

MIRROR, Sukrachand. SIDEBOARD, Design Within Reach.

 

Photography, Alex Lukey

 

By design

Designer Lindsey Levy (shown below) says consistency was a key motivator: “We wanted to create a cohesive look and feel throughout the condo and designed the rooms to reference each other while still maintaining their own uniqueness.”

 

Photography, Alex Lukey

 

Flex hours

“The owner is now retired so the office gets light use, but I still wanted it to be special,” says Lindsey. Custom floor-to-ceiling cabinets offer ample storage that helps keep the in-plain-view space clutter-free and tidy. Lucite hardware and a mirrored backsplash reference the adjacent kitchen, while a custom glass-topped desk with metal legs feels more like a chic piece of furniture than a work surface. Says Lindsey, “The homeowner didn’t want a door here. And I love how this separate workspace is still open to the spectacular view and light.”

Custom CABINETRY, Watchtower Interiors. DESK CHAIR, Design Within Reach. PENDANT LIGHT, Lambert et Fils.

 

Photography, Alex Lukey

 

Blue notes

Flashes of watery blue and green exude a lively, lakeside energy in the den. “This room is a self-contained space that’s closed off from the open floor plan and that inspired me to implement colour here in a bolder way,” says Lindsey. The patterned cushions, nubby ottoman and beautiful resin table lamps distinctly populate the clean white backdrop. Wooden accessories, including a detailed, tone-on-tone console, lend a bit of warmth and are in step with the kitchen’s white oak cabinets.

PENDANT LIGHT, Rich Brilliant Willing. PAINTING, Richard Miller. SIDE TABLES, Mary Ratcliffe Studio. TABLE LAMPS, Martha Sturdy.

 

Photography, Alex Lukey

 

In the black

In the entryway, a graphic piece of art ties in with the adjacent room’s colours and lets the custom-made bench act as a focal point.

BENCH, Peg Woodworking. Noir SIDEBOARD, Light House Co. art, Kelly Hopter Interiors.

 

Photography, Alex Lukey

 

“The owner commissioned a local artist to paint this picture based on the den’s palette. It complements the space so beautifully. I wish I could take credit for it!”

Photography, Alex Lukey

“I wanted the bedroom to feel like a sanctuary – a calm, quiet escape from the busy world outside.”

Photography, Alex Lukey

Material matters

The primary bedroom surprises with an untraditional choice of material. “The owner isn’t a fan of soft, upholstered headboards and I wanted the room to have the same presence as the rest of the space, so I chose a slab of marble similar to that in the kitchen and living room,” says Lindsey. By night, it warmly reflects the bedside sconces, and during the day, the light from floor-to-ceiling windows. The organic shape of the chandelier is a wavy counterpoint to the marble and is reminiscent of clouds.

CHAIR, Hollace Cluny. Calacatta Carrara MARBLE, Ciot. CABINETRY, Watchtower Interiors. CHANDELIER, Artemide. SCONCES, Rich Brilliant Willing.

Photography, Alex Lukey

Storing more

“My goal was to make the bedroom’s built-in feel unique from the one in the kitchen, so I offset the millwork with a warm white paint colour,” says Lindsey. Layers of luxurious fabrics and an upholstered bed frame have a soft presence beside the marble and terrazzo, and encourage lounging in bed to take in the stunning view.

Rock star

“It’s always important to have task lighting beside the bed, but I felt that the beauty of the marble slab should be the focal point in the room,” says Lindsey. Simple metal sconces attached to the millwork ensure the stone remains the star, and when lit, they reflect beautifully on the stone. Lindsey extended the terrazzo flooring into the ensuite, which boasts a double-sink vanity.

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