What Do You Do With a 124-Year-Old House? Not Much, According to This Toronto Artist

Anna wanted to preserve the home’s historic character while giving it a 21st-century update. The solution, she found, was a simple coat of white paint. Here, she’s painted the fireplace to match the walls. They don’t plan on building fires, so Anna tucked a green glass bottle inside. The pieces on the floor, including the boat buoy and number one sign, are from the Christie Antique and Vintage Show. If you love antiques, check out this T.O. rental that was completely transformed with vintage treasures.

To the side of the fireplace, Anna has hung some of her artwork. The sheepskin on the couch comes all the way from New Zealand, and its neutral tones harmonize with the pinky cushions. Anna stumbled upon the patterned foot poof at a shop on Yonge Street, and it’s become one of the most utilized pieces in the home.

Here’s a wider look at the living space.

To see another Toronto home full of unconventional art, check out this creative rental.

The eight-foot-tall mirror from Bronze Home Decor, a shop in Leslieville, was going to be stripped back and painted white by the shopkeeper, but Anna intervened – she liked its weathered look. The artwork of the budgie is by an Australian artist, and the stylish green chair is from another Leslieville shop. The massive wrought iron pineapple vase was picked up from a store on Ossington.

This piece was painted by Anna’s grandmother, a fine artist from New Zealand.

This modern white locker from IKEA is used to conceal the bar. On top, Anna has placed some of her favourite art and design books. The artwork on the wall is from Anna’s newest collection, a series of collages pieced together from individually photographed leaves that use light to trick the eye.

One of the most unique pieces in the home is this weathered locker, salvaged from the Christie Antique and Vintage Show. Tucked in the front hallway, the locker is used to stow away the kids’ shoes, backpacks and helmets. Anna likes combining modern and vintage pieces, so she added this bright yellow chair from Guff, a Leslieville store.

The dining room is comprised of old and new pieces. The blush pink chairs are from IKEA, and Anna decided to mix and match the chairs with different colours. The table, originally from New Zealand, was given to Anna from friends who brought it over in a container of furniture but realized once they arrived that it didn’t fit with their home. The grey rug is from Canadian Tire.

One of the most striking rooms in the home is Anna’s studio, which is awash in daylight thanks to a massive west-facing window. Anna calls it her happy place. The space is big enough for her to spread out and create art, but also functional for the administrative side of her work. Anna loved the IKEA chairs in the dining room, so she got pair in earthy brown for the studio. The patterned rug is a vintage piece she picked up on a trip to New York.

As a visual artist, Anna curates her space with little pieces that continually capture her attention. She’s included a photograph she took while studying photography at Ryerson, a weathered piece of brick she found at the Leslie Street Spit, and a little pop of greenery.

The studio space is huge, and Anna takes advantage of all the light with a tall bird of paradise plant.

This wood table, from Duff, is one of Anna’a favourite piece. She loved its structural element, and it can be extended into an oblong shape. The brassy chandelier is one of the original features of the house, and it’s so well preserved that the lights still work.

Anna surprised her daughter, Molly, with her own bedroom on her eighth birthday. (She’d been sharing with her little brother, Thomas, who is six.) Anna found this ethereal wallpaper while scrolling through Instagram. The vintage white commode was purchased at the Christie Antique & Vintage Show, and the mid-century chair was found abandoned on the side of the road. To brighten up the room, Anna painted the hardwood floors a crisp white – a technique she’s used throughout the home.

This bronze bingo roller was picked up from a shop in Leslieville. The bingo balls were lost long ago, but Anna loved the piece’s sculptural design.

When Molly talked about her dream bedroom, she always imagined a canopy bed. Anna fell in love with this mustard-gold fabric and built the canopy herself, with a tasselled dreamcatcher from New Zealand at its peak. The strawberry pillow on the bed was made by a friend, and Molly can tuck her pyjamas inside. The artwork is a piece that Anna made herself, hand-picked by Molly.

This bubblegum-pink swan vase is a remake of an iconic brand back in New Zealand. The matching pink Moroccan carpet is from Mellah rugs. For a pop of modern design, Anna included a clear side table from CB2.

Another piece of Anna’s, titled “Sugar and Spice,” hangs at the end of Molly’s bed. The piece is inspired by the 19th century nursery rhyme. The bedspread is from Caroline Z Hurley, a Brooklyn-based design studio.

A little desk in Molly’s room offers the perfect place for homework, or arts and crafts. The peg board on the wall was found at Home Depot, and Anna hung little wire baskets where Molly can store her craft supplies. The portraits on the wall are family photos from summers at Lake Huron.

Thomas’s room draws on his love of dinosaurs, Lego and having fun. The vintage poster on the wall was purchased from the Drake General store, and the little sailboat on the dresser is from the St. Lawrence Antique Market.

The white platform bed frame was made by Thomas’s dad, Nick. The art on the wall, titled “Frogs and Snails,” is a sibling to “Sugar and Spice” in Molly’s room. To emphasize the sailing theme, Anna included a red and white nautical flag on the wall. The pillowcase – which reads “Good morning, wake up and be awesome” – is from H&M Home. The vintage white stool beside the bookcase once belonged to a library.

Anna found this “T” sign at the Christie Antique and Vintage Show. Molly has a matching blue “M” beside her bed.

Opposite to Thomas’s bed hangs another piece by Anna, titled “Just Don’t Call Me Hipster,” depicting a bison with a man bun and moustache. When Anna first moved to Canada from New Zealand, she was inspired by the litany of hipsters in town. The bedspread below is also by Caroline Z Hurley.

Throughout the house, Anna takes advantage of the ample wall space to hang her art. This piece, called “Party Animal,” sits in the third-floor hallway and depicts a zebra with a necklace of balloons.

The master bedroom is tucked in the attic, and Anna wanted to create a space that was bright, airy and uncluttered. The neutral bedspread is from Shelter, a New Zealand company, and the portraits above the bed are the backs of the kids’ heads. The side lamp beside the bed is another original feature of the home, and the bench is from Smash Salvage in the Junction.

As a colourful accent to the neutral hues, Anna added these green pedestal side tables she found for $20 each at a garage sale.

Anna’s husband has always dreamed of sailing back to New Zealand. To get him started, Anna got him this portrait of a sailboat for his birthday – along with sailing lessons. The arrows on the beside table are handcrafted from ABC Home in New York.

Sticking to the mix of modern and vintage pieces, the dresser is another piece discovered at St. Lawrence Market, as is the unusual hand. The pink vase is from EQ3, and Anna brought the bottles back with her from New Zealand. The artwork leaning against the wall is from her newest collection.

Everything is intentional within the space, including the decision to profile this dreamy kimono on the wall, picked up from the Junction Flea a few years ago. The side bag is from New Zealand.