A Food Blogger’s Ontario Home is Minimal, Monochromatic, and Marvelous
A Food Blogger’s Ontario Home is Minimal, Monochromatic, and Marvelous
Name: Marcella, Justin, and their dogs Buddy Holly and Pete
Location: Fonthill — Ontario, Canada
Size: 1,700 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years, owned
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Just two years ago Marce of Hey Modest Marce decided to leave her hectic job in the Toronto financial district and uproot her life to live a slower pace. She and boyfriend Justin found a 1920s traditional craftsman home in Fonthill, a small town in the heart of Ontario’s wine country. Just minutes away from the town’s center, Marce is able to walk to the market and pick up the ingredients for the day’s recipe.
While the home they live in is traditional in many ways, the couple have brought their modern “city” touch to the space. They’ve been careful to maintain the nearly 100-year-old home’s integrity, but you will also find modern streamlined decor, giving the home “best of both worlds” as Marce puts it. Filled with premium furniture and fixtures, the monochromatic home perfectly mixes old and new. Combinations of rich tones, subtle patterns, and layered textures give the home a luxurious but still homey feel, no doubt where Marce finds inspiration for many of her recipes.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Cozy! Monochromatic and minimal (most of the time). I like a mix of vintage and modern, or the best of both worlds; modern vintage (think Rejuvenation and Schoolhouse Electric).
Inspiration: Instagram has become a huge inspiration source for me. I love following Apartment Therapy, Design Sponge, and Remodelista to name a few.
Favorite Element: The wallpaper! I don’t think I will ever get sick of it. The blue stove is a very close second. Okay, it might be a tie.
Biggest Challenge: Living in an old house, I am constantly trying to do the house justice. I go out of my way to bring in pieces that could have been here in the 1920s.
What Friends Say: “When I win the lottery, can you design my house?” or “Do you seriously fold the toilet paper into a triangle every single time?” The answer to the latter question is yes, yes I do. I have been called Monica Geller one too many times.
Biggest Embarrassment: When I decided to paint the porch floor bright white. Like Farrow & Ball’s All White. My design ideas usually pan out, that one did not. The white was so bright you needed sunglasses every time you stepped outside. Some things just aren’t meant to be painted white!
Proudest DIY: We don’t do many DIYs, but I would say sanding and refinishing every original door in the house the first month we moved in. Those old doors are heavy and took so much TLC to restore them to almost new. I think there was 12 in total!
Biggest Indulgence: The Lacanche range! No regrets, it is perfect. The custom front white oak door, too.
Best Advice: Design with what works best for your home. I let each house or apartment we have lived in really influence my final designs and style decisions. From living in an old Toronto Victorian, to a bright modern condo, to our current 1920s Craftsman home, I always work with the features each space has to offer.
Dream Sources: O&G Studio, I have a long wish list of items from them.
Resources:
PAINT & COLORS
Main Floor — Farrow & Ball Purbeck Stone in Estate Emulsion
Front Entry — Farrow & Ball Ammonite in Estate Emulsion
All Wood Trim and Fireplace — Farrow & Ball Wevet in Estate Eggshell Master Bedroom — Farrow & Ball Cornforth White in Estate Emulsion
Bathroom — Farrow & Ball All White in Estate Emulsion
Loft — Farrow & Ball All White in Estate Emulsion
ENTRY
Cedar & Moss 3-Arm Semi Flush Chandelier — Rejuvenation
Cedar & Moss Table Lamp — Rejuvenation
Tumalo Walnut Knob Exterior Door Set — Rejuvenation
Knock Doorbells McNeil Long Bell Door Chime — Rejuvenation
Skyline Flatweave Rug in Heathered Gray — Rejuvenation
Nehalem Single Hook —Rejuvenation
Atwood Chest — Crate & Barrel
LIVING ROOM
Luca Sectional in Oyster — Rove Concepts
Luca Armchair in Oyster — Rove Concepts
Lasse Coffee Table — Rove Concepts
Display Shelf — Rove Concepts
Avro Rug in Oatmeal — Gus Modern
Solid Cushion Covers — Rough Linen
Orkney Curtains — Rough Linen
Cedar & Moss Mixed Globe 3-Light Multipendant — Rejuvenation
Cedar & Moss Floor Lamp — Rejuvenation
Chevron Brass Fireplace Screen — Crate & Barrel
Antiqued Brass Fireplace Tool Set — Crate & Barrel
Antiqued Brass Log Holder — Crate & Barrel
Anurhada Round Wall Mirror — Crate & Barrel
Assorted Pottery — Virginia Sin
DINING ROOM
Big Sur Smoke 65” Dining Table — Crate & Barrel
Big Sur Smoke 48” Bench — Crate & Barrel
Big Sur Smoke Sideboard — Crate & Barrel
Marlow Wood Dining Chairs — Crate & Barrel
Miles Floor Lamp — School House
Kennedy Clock — School House
Tangled Chandelier — School House
KITCHEN
Cormatin Range in Delft Blue — Lacanche
Isle Cord Pendant — Cedar & Moss
1940s Vintage Toledo Bar Chair — Restoration Hardware
Single Handle Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet — Delta Faucet
Mess Hall Knife Rack — Peg & Awl
Gilmore Pulls & Knobs — Restoration Hardware
Smeg Retro Toaster, Kettle & Blender — Crate & Barrel
Copper Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer — Crate & Barrel
Cookhouse Clock — Rejuvenation
POWDER ROOM
Wyatt Sconce — Cedar & Moss
Cassidy In The Bath Collection — Delta Faucet
Bath Mat — Rough Linen
Bath & Hand Towel — Rough Linen
MASTER BEDROOM
Queen Bed Makeover in Dusk/White — Rough Linen
Solid Cushion Covers — Rough Linen
Asher Bed — Rove Concepts
Asher Night Stands — Rove Concepts
Asher Wide Dresser — Rove Concepts
Braided Rug — Rugs USA
Lander Brass Pendant Light — Crate & Barrel
Linen Sheer White Curtain — Crate & Barrel
Metal Framed Round Wall Mirror — West Elm
Emlyn Basket — Crate & Barrel
GUEST BEDROOM
Modernist Table Lamp — West Elm
Stria Bed, Dresser & Nightstands in Honey — West Elm
Belgian Flax Linen Duvet & Shams — West Elm
Souk Wool Rug — West Elm
Metal Framed Round Wall Mirror — West Elm
Parisian Architectural Milk Glass Brasserie Flushmount —Restoration Hardware
Oversized Adjustable Metal Rod in Antique Brass — West Elm
OFFICE
Kendall Walnut Desk — Crate & Barrel
Kendall Walnut Bookcase — Crate & Barrel
Harvey Black Swivel Armchair — Crate & Barrel
Morgan Black Metal Desk Lamp — Crate & Barrel
Colca Wool Rug — West Elm
Parisian Architectural Milk Glass Brasserie Flushmount — Restoration Hardware
Hanging Planter — Convivial Production
Fruit Bowl — Convivial Production
LOFT Jourdan Tufted Back Sofa in Newport Cloud —Crate & Barrel
Jourdan Tufted Back Chair in Newport Cloud — Crate & Barrel
Jourdan Ottoman in Newport Cloud — Crate & Barrel
Blake Grey Wash 68” Media Console — Crate & Barrel
Blake Grey Wash 2-Door Cabinet — Crate & Barrel
Spoke Marble Coffee Table — Crate & Barrel
Spoke Marble End Table — Crate & Barrel
Lander Brass Pendant Lights — Crate & Barrel
Jourdan Brass Floor Lamp — Crate & Barrel
Memphis White Shag Rug — Crate & Barrel
BATHROOM
Beau Small Chrome Medicine Cabinet — Crate & Barrel
Lander Polished Nickel Sconce — Crate & Barrel
Thanks, Marcella and Justin!
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