Houzz Tour: Toronto Homeowners Channel California
A designer uses a striking mural, custom pieces and boho style to make this urban pad cozy for a singer and her husband
Here’s a look at the main, or ground, floor plan. Notice that a long, narrow entryway on the left side leads to an open floor plan that encompasses the kitchen, dining and living areas.
Lev added a fun black-and-white wallpaper and a custom birch plywood bench and storage cabinet to the entryway. One panel of the upper cabinet is painted in Prairie Green by Benjamin Moore.
Though the photo doesn’t capture it, the entryway ceiling is painted black. Lev made this decision because the home had black track lighting that the couple wanted to leave in place. Thanks to the dark paint, “the track lights disappear and it makes the hall so much nicer,” Lev says.
Though the photo doesn’t capture it, the entryway ceiling is painted black. Lev made this decision because the home had black track lighting that the couple wanted to leave in place. Thanks to the dark paint, “the track lights disappear and it makes the hall so much nicer,” Lev says.
The first space to the left as you exit the entry hall is the kitchen. Lev selected leather bar stools and the pendants above the island as well as the decorative accessories, but otherwise the space is as the builder made it. One of the three pendants (not pictured here) was originally hanging where the dining table now is, but Lev found it far too small and chose two coordinating pendants to group with it over the island.
Find pendant lights in the Houzz Shop
Find pendant lights in the Houzz Shop
On the wide swath of open white wall opposite the kitchen Lev created a gallery display of the couple’s art, which she curated and had framed as a cohesive collection.
The gallery wall helps define this area as a distinct space from the dining and living zones. Bonnell and her husband frequently entertain, and this is where guests tend to gather and mingle as they come into the home. “It’s nice to have a collection of their personal stuff” in a space that functions as a welcoming location, Lev says.
The gallery wall helps define this area as a distinct space from the dining and living zones. Bonnell and her husband frequently entertain, and this is where guests tend to gather and mingle as they come into the home. “It’s nice to have a collection of their personal stuff” in a space that functions as a welcoming location, Lev says.
Here’s another look at the gallery wall from the next zone, the dining area.
Over the table Lev replaced the original too-small pendant (now over the kitchen island) with a dramatic modern chandelier made by a local artisan. The table was custom-made by a local designer and has an ash wood top and legs of black-stained oak. Lev got it for a substantial discount.
The couple had two black chairs and Lev added white and teal. “We like to reuse things when we can, but I didn’t want to do all black, so it was a way to add some texture and fun,” she says.
Over the table Lev replaced the original too-small pendant (now over the kitchen island) with a dramatic modern chandelier made by a local artisan. The table was custom-made by a local designer and has an ash wood top and legs of black-stained oak. Lev got it for a substantial discount.
The couple had two black chairs and Lev added white and teal. “We like to reuse things when we can, but I didn’t want to do all black, so it was a way to add some texture and fun,” she says.
Bonnell and her husband already owned the wall-mounted cabinet, which Lev used to define the dining zone. It serves as their music cabinet, where they keep a record player and a selection of their vinyl collection. The photo above the cabinet captures Bob Dylan.
Find midcentury sideboards in the Houzz Shop
Find midcentury sideboards in the Houzz Shop
Lev likes using oversize light fixtures to define spaces but had to persuade the couple to try the black one here, which has a paper shade. “But now it’s their favorite thing” along with the tree mural, Lev says. “Apparently at night it casts the most amazing shadows.”
Lev had the oatmeal sofa custom-made to fit the mural wall. The cream-colored throw pillows on the sofa were made by a friend of Bonnell’s who owns a textile company. Lev’s husband, Stephen Myers, a photographer, took the black-and-white shot of the men walking.
A traditional carpet in bright shades of magenta, pink and navy brings a youthful feel to the room. There is no TV in this space; they use this area as a relaxation zone for reading and conversation and have their television in the basement.
Lev had the oatmeal sofa custom-made to fit the mural wall. The cream-colored throw pillows on the sofa were made by a friend of Bonnell’s who owns a textile company. Lev’s husband, Stephen Myers, a photographer, took the black-and-white shot of the men walking.
A traditional carpet in bright shades of magenta, pink and navy brings a youthful feel to the room. There is no TV in this space; they use this area as a relaxation zone for reading and conversation and have their television in the basement.
A glass door off the living area leads to the back patio. This is where the couple typically enters their home, as the back entry is through the garage.
Lev used this vignette — like the record console and gallery wall — to help define a zone, in this case the living zone. It also serves as a place to stash warm throws for the living room and for the pair to check their appearances as they head out the door.
Lev also decorated the 120-square-foot upstairs guest room, painting an accent wall in Midnight Dream from Benjamin Moore, the same black paint she used on the entryway ceiling. The bed is a vintage midcentury modern piece with built-in nightstands. The two cream pillows are from Bonnell’s friend’s company. The photo of ostriches above the bed was taken by Bonnell’s husband.
At the end of the bed Lev added a midcentury desk and vintage chair for Bonnell’s husband. This is a three-bedroom home. The other two bedrooms serve as the master bedroom and Bonnell’s rehearsal space, so the couple wanted to tuck in a desk for Bonnell’s husband to use here.
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More on Houzz
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Interior Designer?
Browse photos for inspiration
Find an interior designer near you
Shop for furniture and decor
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Singer-songwriter Megan Bonnell, her husband and their dog, Dave
Location: West Queen West neighborhood in Toronto
Size: 650 square feet (60 square meters)
Designer: Lisa Lev Design
Canadian singer Megan Bonnell and her husband purchased a home in an urban neighborhood of Toronto. They searched for a designer on Houzz and discovered Lisa Lev, who turned out to be a great fit. Lev helped the couple infuse their plain, all-white space with their personalities and tastes. The designer grouped furniture and decor to divide the long, skinny ground floor of the couple’s home into three distinct zones: kitchen, living and dining.
In the initial consultation, Lev likes to chat with her clients to get to know them, which helps her understand their tastes. “What came out of that is they love California,” Lev says.
The designer proposed placing a large mural of a Northern California forest in the living room, and Bonnell loved the idea, as the California scene also reminds her of the Ontario countryside where she grew up. The 8-foot-tall mural is mounted on medium-density fiberboard.
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