Diamond in the Rough

After buying a Queen West Victorian decades ago, jewellery designer Anne Sportun and her husband Ian wanted to update the hub of their home. They hired interior designer Lisa Lev to modernize the dated space and create an open and inviting retreat in the heart of the city. Large sliding doors spill the room out into the landscaped garden where koi swim happily and the sounds of the pond trickle into the cooking area.

With the twin goals of streamlining and imparting a more serene mood, Lev and her team started with sleek, flat-panel cabinetry painted a soft, sandy tone – Benjamin Moore’s Abalone, which creates the envelope for the narrow space. In the centre of the room, the island, topped in grey Caesarstone and butcherblock, rescued from the old kitchen, houses the dishwasher, garbage and recycling bins, and reams of storage.

“The initial vision was to create a space that would accommodate the family full of adult children, many friends and neighbours, while still allowing for this social gathering place to also be a sanctuary for Anne,” says Lev. The key to this is the newly opened-up back wall and the custom banquette. Upholstered in a charcoal-toned velvet with striking artwork by Isabelle Menin above, the seating area offers
a beautiful view of the back garden. The fresh new space has an intangible quality where light, texture and colour come together beautifully, much like Sportun’s beloved jewellery designs. LISALEVDESIGN.COM