Canada’s design identity is a direct reflection of our geography, our people, and our personal stories. For many of us in the Great White North, reflecting our unique personal style in our residence can be an exciting design challenge.
Luckily, we have lots of Canadian Designers to inspire us including Emma Reddington, a well known Canadian Home Blogger, Interior Designer, and the esteemed editor of Chatelaine Magazine in Toronto, Canada.
Reddington’s own private residence, a century old beauty, thoughtfully illustrates the art of self expression.
Photo courtesy of Emma Reddington via Mason Journal
As a successful woman balancing motherhood and career Reddington, whose sun-filled high-ceiling classic Victorian was uplifted with contemporary finishes on a modest $30,000 budget, amalgamated her personal and professional point of view to create a visually cohesive home sweet home.
Not only showcasing homage to our Canadian industry, craftsmanship, and contextual history, using materials like First Nation prints, or everyday objects signaling our northern clime including the umbrellas and winter boots at the front door, Reddington also incorporated remnants from growing up with her English parents in her domestic spaces.
As visitors circulate from her rustic foyer to the post-modern sitting room, the functional living room is not only a space to showcase family heirlooms and artifacts, but serves as an inviting space for everyday life to bloom.
Photo courtesy of House and Home
Reddington lined her space with many personal symbols, a deviation from the usual minimalist approach of contemporary design.
Warm woods, in the flooring, in the furnishings, and stacked ready for the hearth wraps the space in comfort, providing a neutral backdrop for detailed embroidered throws and rugs.
Photo courtesy of Houzz
The feature I love the most is the exposed stacked fire wood, which elevates the hearth as the centre of the Home while keeping a rustic nod to our Canadian roots.
Photo courtesy of Amy Azzarito of Design Sponge
Reddington also modernizes her living room with iconic Eames Eiffel chairs and sheep skin, integrating many mid-century modern design elements. She says:
“I was born in Canada and raised here by British parents […] many of the items in my home have been passed down by my parents.
[…] some items have been purchased here or, elsewhere.
In that sense, my home reflects the multicultural fabric of Canada, where cultures intersect seamlessly”.
This home achieves the ability to transcend time and trends, reflecting the personal journey of its occupants.
Emma Reddington’s home is one of a kind, much like her.
Photo courtesy of Amy Azzarito of Design Sponge
As an aspiring Interior Designer I relish in the dream of having a home that reflects all aspects of who I am.
By design, skill, and time this dream will inevitably become a reality, when I can curate a home as beautiful as Emma Reddington’s.
For more housing inspiration, visit Emma Reddington’s blog and instagram!
Researched and Written by Sarah Iserhienrhien, BID Interior Design, Ryerson University