INTO THE BLUE
Designer Jonathan Legate kicks the colour quotient up a notch in this East Coast abode.
Designer Jonathan Legate kicks the colour quotient up a notch in this East Coast abode.
The transformation of this Halifax home isn’t dramatic because it went from tired hues to turquoise – in fact, just the opposite. “When I first walked in, it was a riot of primary colours more suited to a daycare,” says Jonathan.
“It was colour used for the sake of it, not for design or drama. I wanted to remedy that.” He did so with what he calls his “omni colour” approach: lashings of one vibrant hue, with nary a white base board in sight.
SHELF LIFE
Designer Jonathan Legate (pictured here in his YSL kicks) cultivated a curated look for the living room’s built-in shelves. “This collection of objects grew from a couple of white pieces the client owned,” he says. “This is where the idea of texture and pattern is so important. If these items had been multicoloured, you wouldn’t know where to look. By creating an all-white collection, I added interest but not noise.” Old books and paintings add texture and personal history. The “art” over the fireplace is actually a TV showcasing a digital copy of original art.
SHINE ON
The breakfast room is a high-spirited cocoon of colour and texture. “I finished the ceiling and beams in the breakfast area with the same blue as the rest of the kitchen. All other areas of the ceilings between blue beams are finished in a white vinyl wall covering that has a glossy, lacquered effect,” says the designer. “You have to be careful with glossy finishes. Fabrics and other materials in the room are not glossy, because there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Dull finishes ground the shiny.” The blue backdrops a lively mix of furnishings, from a floral valance and quirky chandelier (look closely – those pendants are teapots) to a concrete table and green wicker chairs.
“A LOT OF ONE BOLD COLOUR WON’T SEEM LIKE TOO MUCH ONCE ALL OF THE ELEMENTS ARE IN PLACE.”
BLUE NOTES
The home’s splashy blue takes on a fresh dimension in the kitchen’s cabinetry and custom-colour range. It’s a snazzy foil to the neutral countertops. “I chose white quartz for these and continued it up the walls, gently curving it toward the range hood, which is covered in the same material. The white provides a rest for the eyes,” says Jonathan. He continued the balancing act underfoot. “I wanted the flooring to be special but quiet, grounding but not staunch. I used black slate in a herringbone pattern with a precise border along the edges to frame the pattern. These floors will work with pretty much any future colour or design choices, but they aren’t boring.”
DOOR PRIZE
Forget stainless steel. Stunning framed inlaid glass doors front the integrated fridge and pantry in this kitchen (opposite and below right). “The wooden frames are fitted with individual pieces of cut glass, each square of which I put in place. The custom glass is made in huge sheets with giant swirls of blue, green and white in varying intensities. I didn’t want the swirls to be too overpowering, so I pixilated the pattern by breaking it down into smaller squares. It took some time but was worth the effort.”
“I WANTED THE BATHROOM TO BE A WHIMSICAL ESCAPE THAT WAS ROMANTIC, INDULGENT AND LUXURIOUS.”
TILE FILE
The bathroom’s mix of tiles has a graphic presence and a trick-the-eye secret. “The floor tiles are actually large format, digitally printed tiles made to look like inlaid marble. I’m usually really fussy about using the real thing but these were so beautiful and convincing that I was converted. They’re also the least expensive element in the room.” The shower’s glass tiles act as a sleek complement.
GARDEN OF DELIGHT
The sculptural tub sits below nine eglomise mirrors. “The room was built upon the idea of using these mirrors that romantically depict branches of cherry blossoms, butterflies and birds. I installed them on top of another mirror inset into the panelled wall for an added layer of luxury.” Beside them, mirrored panels conceal in-wall storage. The bronze pendant lights were crafted by a jewellery designer. “The leaves look like butterflies that have emerged from their cocoons,” says Jonathan.