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Lush layers, natural materials and ultimate livability define this year’s unique Princess Margaret Lottery Show Home
Located just 40 kilometres north of Toronto, the village of King City itself is known for its small-town feel with a distinctive urban flair.
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It’s fitting then that Erica Gelman, the designer behind the interior of this six-bedroom, eight-bathroom, more than 6,000 sq.-ft. Princess Margaret Lottery home, plays with contrasts and juxtaposition to perfection.
The outcome is nothing short of spectacular from the moment you enter the home, and go on in through the archways made of thick slabs of lilac-veined marble above and the bold geometric custom-cut large-scale tiles in black, white and shades of mint below.
Tempered by soft coloured walls and subtle panelling, Gelman masters the art of harmonizing design elements by marrying opposites and achieving a distinctly tailored look that stimulates without overwhelming the senses.
“I wanted to ensure from the onset that this was not going to look like a show home,” affirms Gelman. “Every single finish selected for this home needed to feel like the winner had retained my services.”
Curated to the ‘nth degree,’ Gelman, a mother of three, relied on her own family, with children aged 3 to 10 for inspiration for literally every single element in the home.
Nowhere is that more evident than the colourful playroom on the upper level adjacent to the bunk bed bedroom where walls in striking patterns and textural wallpaper kick off the ultimate child’s chamber.
“I wanted to make the playroom feel like a child would have designed it, if we were to let them,” says Gelman.
Entering this fantastical world without constraints, she tore a page right out of a children’s story book and created a unique multi-coloured space complete with a treehouse, patterned built-ins, a multitude of bulletin and chalk boards and a ladder that leads to a private reading nook.
A non-negotiable for Gelman was including a yellow keyhole that symbolically opens the page to this world of play and untethered imagination. “You turn the key and you’re in this completely different place from the rest of the home,” points out Gelman.
But don’t kid yourself, this custom home bathed in modern sophistication and heightened function seamlessly caters to people of all ages. “I think the entire home is emerged so deeply into livability, says Gelman.
“If you entertain, the house is conducive to that. If you don’t entertain and like spending time alone with your family, it is conducive to that as well.”
Gelman, the consummate hostess, designed a kitchen with family-living weaved throughout each detail.
The open-concept kitchen comes with two large islands; one for utilitarian purposes, the second with eat-in dining seating where she envisions the perfect spot for Sunday brunches. Here Gelman’s love affair with marble continues with countertops, backsplash and islands all clad in striking natural stone.
Adding warm elements such as the two large, circular pendant lights with a wooden texture over the island, as well as a woven vinyl wallcovering within the upper cabinet doors and concealed Signature Kitchen Suite 30-inch Integrated Column Refrigerator and Signature Kitchen Suite 30-inch Integrated Column Freezer — is yet another example of how Gelman strikes that balance and creates a very harmonious and always luxurious feel.
Flooded with light, the great room and living space overlook the four-season loggia outdoors complete with various seating areas, a 50” LG NAN075 4K Smart TV above the fireplace and a sparkling swimming pool.
A double-sided glass enclosed wine display serves as the perfect looking glass into the kitchen from the dining room crowned by a draping black leather fringe chandelier and a silk-wrapped dropping ceiling. A square table is the perfect perch for lively conversations during dinner parties.
True to the Erica Gelman brand, luscious layers and sculptural details ensure the design is never just one-dimensional.
“The kitchen has fluting details on the doorway, so we added an architectural element to mirror the door by continuing the fluting feature beyond the door into the pantry with a metal backsplash fluting within the pantry.”
A spiraling staircase or private elevator leads to a state-of-the-art entertainment haven on the lower level. A spacious home theatre boasts an 86” LG QNED80 4K Smart TV between two wall sconces along with black-painted walls and ceiling creating a moody, evening-at-the-cinema vibe.
Sink into the plush teal velvet chairs with unobstructed views no matter where you sit and take in a traditional movie night in the utmost comfort and privacy of your home.
Add in a gym, games room, spa bathroom, sauna, and Gelman’s favourite lower-level spot, the wine lounge. The bar is wrapped in a white oak finish with a curve edging and a pink and purple stone backsplash,
“I injected some faux-fur bar stools, a candle-lit seating corner and a grass-cloth texture to walls to add yet another layer to this sophisticated yet fun space.”
The upper level is home to private spaces and sumptuous sanctuaries with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The belle-of-the-ball here is definitely the primary bedroom and ensuite. The suite features a dream sized walk-in closet and a spa-inspired ensuite with, of course, a marble-clad shower and vanities.
The piece-de-resistance is a concrete handmade bathtub finished in a warm charcoal, which adds much needed warmth along with the walnut frame around vanities and built-in linen closet to offset the cooling effects of marble and concrete.
With nature being the inspiration for Gelman from material selection to inspiration for her own area rug collection, all spaces throughout the Princess Margaret Show Home are draped with biophilic designs in a multitude of hues that are soothing to the touch.
“Overall, designing this home’s interiors and working collaboratively with Kingsmore has been a fantastic experience,” says Gelman.
Besides the special place she has in her heart for the hospital where her own dad received treatment just five years ago, she was thrilled to offer an opportunity to local artists to don the walls of this exceptional home with art.
“I know what it is like when you are struggling to have any kind of exposure. You just want to create.I wanted to bring in the artist community to showcase their work, and we benefitted greatly from this as we were able to provide real art pieces on our walls.”
The true spirit of giving back permeates throughout this extraordinary home.
The Early Bird deadline for tickets is Friday, November 15. For more information go to https://princessmargaretlotto.com
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