Interior: Dressed all in white

Three years ago, Style at Home design editor Ann Marie Favot and husband Jonathan Raymond bought this semi-detached Toronto Victorian, their first home together. In her previous window-filled apartment, Ann Marie had painted much of the furniture white, a simple, inexpensive trick that updates and marries unmatched pieces.

Though the decor is white, it leans neither to starkly crisp or shabby chic, instead feeling like an entirely new take on the all-white house. "It works because there are numerous whites," says Ann Marie, "whereas if there were just one or two it wouldn't."
Living room Even experts who see every sofa imaginable will cool their heels until they find the perfect model. "I waited until I knew exactly what I wanted and had the money to have it all custom-made," says homeowner and Style at Home design editor Ann Marie Favot. "Never buy something just to fill a space."