Name: Scott Edward Foxwell
Location: Downtown — Toronto, Canada
Size: Approximately 500 square feet
Years lived in: 3 — rented
If you're looking for a great view of Toronto, my advice is to get yourself invited to Scott Foxwell's bright and cheerful downtown perch. For those of you who can't score a personal invite, this House Tour will have to do. Fresh white walls act as a canvas for him to display exotic treasures and his own handiwork; meanwhile the inviting sitting area encourages guests to sit down and soak in the urban vibe.
The large south-facing windows and expansive city views make the compact apartment feel open and larger than it actually is. A sensible layout using furniture in neutral colors and simple shapes further help to achieve a sense of spaciousness. His larger pieces are well-balanced and placed so as not to compete with the enviable view. Scott has used reflective and metallic surfaces in accent pieces to brighten up darker corners. In the bathroom, the metallic silver wallpaper hung horizontally widens the small space and adds a lustrous air to the room.
Scott has managed to put his own stamp on nearly everything in his stylish and contemporary apartment. From the gallery wall of travel photographs to the paintings and personalized DIY furniture, Scott has put some serious elbow grease into getting things looking their best while holding personal meaning. When he can't find a piece that will suit the needs of his space and fit in his budget, he experiments until he achieves the look he wants. For example, his bedside tables are Ikea pieces that he glammed up using foil. Scott entertains often and makes his home welcoming to all visitors, human and canine alike. On the day of my visit Scott was taking care of his friends' dog Whicket, who managed to ham it up for the camera.
In the end, Scott's beautiful space just may distract you from that killer view.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Monochromatic with a Pop! All the major pieces are basic black and white with pops of color added in the accessories.
Inspiration: Travel and international cultures — I've traveled to 24 countries in the world and love to bring back pieces that reflect the style and feeling of each place. I love to look around my home and see little reminders of places I've visited. I also love the colors found in pop-art paintings of the 60s and 70s — and the work of Fornasetti.
Favorite Element: The view. I can see Lake Ontario and the CN Tower (which puts on great lightshows at night.) It just feels so urban and like I'm in the middle of everything. There is also an amazing old domed church next door – I love looking down onto the dome and bell tower.
Biggest Challenge: The space is fairly small so I had to find the right scale furniture for the space - simple clean lines worked the best. Also I decided not to have a dining table as there wasn't room, so a folding table is brought out when I have friends over for dinner.
What Friends Say: Generally they say I have lots of "eye candy" to look at and they love the stories that are behind so many of the art works and travel finds.
Biggest Embarrassment: The kitchen is very small and old, but I don't cook that often so it's fine for me. I painted it white and added fun accessories to distract the eye.
Proudest DIY: The faux flagstones that I painted on the floor of the balcony. Some guests don't realize that they are only painted and not real stones. It really added a lot of warmth to the balcony space.
Also the black stencilled trim on the walls of the living room. It's a simple design but it adds some structure and architecture to an otherwise basic box.
Biggest Indulgence: The Ryan Barrett Mouse Trap painting adds so much personality to my living room. The colors are fun and it is the first piece that everyone that comes to my home never fails to comment on. And the fact that the mouse traps are actually set makes it an interactive painting, as unsuspecting guests have set them off by accident to great surprise to all.
Best Advice: I get so disappointed and bored when I walk into somebody's home and it is too showroom perfect and matchy-matchy. Your room should reflect some of your personality and life experience whether it be in the artwork or the accessories. Every room should have some humour and history in it!
Dream Sources: The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and the souks of Morocco for the amazing handcrafted exotic works. Also the Ralph Pucci showroom in New York for all the clean line modern furniture.
Resources of Note:
LIVING ROOM
- • Mirrored chest- By Scott Foxwell
• Burled walnut sofa table - vintage
• Spinning Face glass vase -Karim Rashid
• Curved floor lamp- Home Depot
• White leather chairs- BLVD Toronto
• Silver Chair- vintage silver leafed and upholstered by Scott Foxwell
• Carved mask- Kenya
• Bronze man by Epping
• Saint Sebastian carving from Guatemala
• Lichtenstein inspired painting by Scott Foxwell
• Bronze bust- Global Views
• White clay horse figures- Brazil
• Glass bowl- Calvin Klein
• Small Globe collection- vintage
• Fornesetti plates- Italy
• Photo Lamp- New York Artist
• Mouse Trap painting- Ryan Barrett-Toronto
• Bull fighting lithograph- San Miguel Mexico
• Glass Face- Crete Greece
BEDROOM
- • Headboard- Scott Foxwell
• Side tables- Ikea- foiled and patina- by Scott Foxwell
• Cloud painting - Scott Foxwell
• Carved bone mirror - Morocco
• Black and White Dresser- vintage, painted by Scott Foxwell
• White Alter -Guatemala
• Shadow Box- Mexico
• Lunch pails- 60s vintage
BATHROOM
- • Wall paper-from Umbra (hung horizontal)
• Black and White travel pictures by Scott Foxwell
• Beaded offering basket - Indonesia
Thanks, Scott!
Images: Abby Cook
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That face vase is one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
ME TOO! I LOVE THAT VASE :) wonderful view and lovely home.
Love the mousetraps!
Your landlord is pretty easygoing! S/he let you paint the balcony and hang wallpaper? Very cool. I adore your living room and that you’ve worked your travel treasure into your space. The mousetrap art is awesome!
Ps: I want to come over and steal your mini globes but I won't. Wow.
Love Love Love this place!
Over all not what I would consider my style, but pieces and overall it works so beautifully. Clean and modern without being cold. Love the pops of color. Love all the white and glass objects.
The only place that seems to need some love is the kitchen. I would maybe put some flowers in the glass bottles. Otherwise. Perfect. Great Job.
Whoa. Mousetraps are awesome. So clever.
At first I was guessing that this was another Wellesley St. location, but once I saw the view from the balcony I realized it was not.
The mouse traps are hillarious. I love the Mona Lisa and the gorilla holding the shell display. I have to go through the tour again - would like to come for a visit and edit my house? I think it could use your touch. :-)
Jose A. said it best! But really, that painted balcony? To die for.
Oh my. Is this a manly style? If so sign me up. There are so many things that I love. the mousetraps are f-en brilliant. I have to make one of those but I would not set the traps. Ouch.
Wow the stencil in your living room is great and the mirrored furniture and the glass vase as others have mentioned. Oh and the Fornesetti plates. I also am a big fan of Andy Warhol styled Marilyn Monroe. There are so many pieces that I love.
Love the b/w photos in black frames in the bathroom. I'd like to do this with some art that I have.
Some great ideas worth stealing, plus I'm an ex-pat Canadian living in the USA. This makes me kinda homesick. And the puppy? he looks like a Tibbie (Tibetan Spaniel), like mine!
Mouse traps=perfection. Love it!
Love it. The only thing I found disconcerting was the builders grade tile. But in a rental what can you do? I have to suffer with hideous lino.
Kudos for pulling all of those quirky and interesting pieces together. Thanks for sharing!
That marquetry-style stencilled trim is at least six kinds of awesome.
I like the architectural model just to the right of the mousetrap art too.
Scott is brilliant--he has blended his travel collections with a restrained decor and everything works. I like the white walls and the b/w interior (although I am a color person).
This is one of the best apartments I have seen in a long time--congratulations--well done!
WOW!!!! Great job everything is absolutly wonderful.........love it all. The mouse traps are a riot, as you know how much I love them.The dog fits right in I see.......great place, great view,great person. Mom&Dad
Love the trim. How did you do it?
Wow this is one amazing space! Beautifully done with no dead skulls laying around! The artwork is beautiful....mousetraps_brilliant!
Love your mirrored chest in living rm. Can't believe you did it yourself. Great job!
Where can I get a face vase like that?
It's very unusual
Love so many of the collectibles and original art but I am so sick of seeing the over used cow hide's as rugs, no offense. With your obvious good taste and sense of style I'm sure you could come up with something better to use on the floor. It is a beautiful apartment though none the less.
This is a wonderful apartment! I love it when there is always something new to explore and marvel at around every corner. One question... How did you do the foiled and patina-ed bedside table? My daughter saw it and wants to try it herself. Scott/anyone willing to lay it out?
Fantastic Scott. As in all your undertakings this is a true work of art. Glad your mom shared this link.
Scott, I am so inspired by your beautiful apartment! Can you tell me where you got your amazing lighting fixture in the bathroom? Please tell me it was purchased in Toronto!
staceytinva: I don't know how he did the bedside table exactly but it looks like it might be 3" aluminum adhesive tape from Home depot, usually used for ductwork. I have wrapped things in this tape before and it looks fab. BTW Scott, love everything.
LIKE, LIKE ,LIKE!!!
I love the plastic canadian patio chairs. does anybody know, how I can get them in Europe?
I've seen those tiny chairs on Cash & Cari on HGTV, did you get them from the estate sale or from her shop or is it coincidence, maybe a lot of people made tiny chairs from cans. Very cute perched on top of a painting. What are those metal wire things sticking out from the wall? Love the plates, well, love almost everything!!
I love how this place is artsy and homey at the same time. Beautiful and personal, and it looks like the home of a reader, very nice!
I'm so happy to finally see a design which revolves around those "parquet" flooring. I'm currently stuck with those unlike other apartments which have hardwood floors or at least laminate flooring. This is truly inspiring!