The Pro Knows

Architect Ryan Scarff’s top 5 tips for creating a sanctuary.

Create a large-scale feeling of harmony by using the same flooring material in every room of your house.

The two-by-four floor tile (from Bobo Lamina) is used throughout the Scarff home as well as on the outside decks, which makes for seamless transitions from one room to the next.

Don’t “save” conversation-worthy decor pieces for high-traffic areas.

The Moooi Smoke chandelier is a campy, high-design element in an otherwise understated room, and it gives the bathroom an interesting focal point—no matter that it’s “only” the homeowners who generally enjoy it.

Choose one hard, heat-, stain- and abrasion-proof surface and stick with it.

The bathroom countertops are the same Caesarstone found in the kitchen, the desks in the children’s rooms, the front entrance and the mudroom (all chosen in a nougat colour for its charming, “1950s elementary-schoolgym-floor,” mid-century modern quality).

Seek ways to add interest to modern lines with texture.

The side of the tub and the adjacent wall are covered in the same material as the floor (though the former has a slight overlay pattern), but the architect chose a subtle tone-on-tone pattern to accentuate how the tile, used vertically, captures the light in a way it doesn’t on the floor.

Think of the mirror as a backdrop to the room.

Where an ornate frame is often a good place to add interest to a clean, modern room, sometimes simple packs the biggest punch. Here, a large, unframed mirror reflects the glamorous light fixture and lets it take centre stage.

Shine On Rather than being tucked into the corner, the three-sided glass shower becomes a centrepiece in the room. The homeowners’ son also loves the skylight above it: he assesses the day’s weather with it.