Karen Kain — artistic director of The National Ballet of Canada — and her husband Ross Petty enlisted H&H design editor Cameron MacNeil to revamp their cottage. When furnishing the space, Cameron didn't buy all the pieces at once. Instead, he took inspiration from various styles and eras to create a unique, relaxed look. In the kitchen, glass-fronted cabinets, open shelves and butcher-block counters offer a laid-back feel.
20Comments
Jan 21, 2012 3:00AM
Jan 21, 2012 8:41AM
Jan 21, 2012 10:16AM
Someone should break the news as gently as possible to designers, especially Linda Reeves, that there are other colours in the Benjamin Moore paint deck besides Cloud White. That and tinting to an actual colour does not cost any extra. These rooms are beyond boring because they are white, white, white. The first one in particular looks like a waiting room. Many of the others just look like they ran out of time and/or money to paint the walls. This is exactly the reason why I turfed my subscription to H&H magazine.
Jan 21, 2012 8:46AM
Jan 21, 2012 11:27AM
Jan 21, 2012 9:23AM
Jan 21, 2012 12:33PM
Jan 21, 2012 3:43PM
Reading the comments is quite refreshing I must say, seeing rooms like these posted as the best rooms of 2011!!! cmonnnnnn people! Im glad others can see how dull and boring and unimaginative designers are even though they think they are gods gift to the world of design. I am a contractor by trade and ive yet to have anyone in 15 years ask me to do a room like these. For one there is no personality in them(unless your a doctor perhaps) and secondly, people have KIDS! You mine as well put locked doors or bars to keep people out of these rooms. It would be like wearing all white to an ice cream eating contest. uh, helloooooooo!
I'm so glad people are out there that can still see how sad these kinda designs are and how over-priced they are aswell! and lets not forget how pretentious the designers are out there.
The world of homes, design and real estate needs a wake up call. Its made people think they need to change things or 'fit' in or (this one kills me) 'stage' their homes to sell them. They have taken the simple buy and sell concept and added so much crap in the middle just so they can all make a buck(and it aint a cheap buck!).
I love when I walk in someones home and they give me their idea of what they want and tell me how the designer or real estate person told them its a very bad idea but they say to me, who's the one who lives in it? Sure some people get totally crazy but its their home!!! if someone wants to buy it after they will! and they will just tear it all out and make it their own.
Unless you are out there flipping homes to make a buck or just trying to please the so called pretentious 'designers' out there, you should just do what you like to your over priced home in this city of Toronto. Its your home and who cares who the hell is going to buy it after you, 9 out of 10 times they are just going to tear the crap out of it anyhow!!!!
House & Home, come back to the real world!! Hopefully reading these comments will make you stand up and see just how sad and pathetic that kind of designing is to real folk out there.
And to everyone else out there who have most likely over paid for their home in this country...................MAKE IT YOUR OWN!!
Cheers!
Jan 21, 2012 3:53AM
Jan 21, 2012 3:02PM
I agree with cold and stark...reminds me of hospitals years ago...looks like no imagination is involved and everything is unwelcoming except for the stone fireplace...we live in a country that has white all around us for 5 or 6 months of the year...give me warm, inviting colours anytime. Also, I stopped buying or subscribing to this magazine when it changed from Century Home because I could see drastic changes coming to an interesting, captivating magazine
Jan 21, 2012 2:28PM
Jan 21, 2012 7:45PM
I own a white car and when I bought my house it was completely white. So what did I do? Add some freakin colour. Look some of these white rooms look great, but how can ALL of them be white/off white? And while I'm at it, some of them also look like they're furnished with garage sale fodder. Okay I can hear those of you out there that like garage sale "treasures" and please keep on thinking that way, so I can always get rid of my junk.
Jan 21, 2012 7:18PM
If this is the best than there time has come-this magazine and the respective designers, especially LR, move over and let other designers with fresh ideas take over. Sorry to be so negative but this is ridiculous, compared to the talent that is really out there. This year I am looking forward to the Princess Margaret Lottery because House and Home and LR are not the decorators.
Jan 21, 2012 2:50PM
"The best of 2011"??
Like, what planet would that be in??
I totally agree that it does look stark, cold, & institutional. Certainly nothing to brag about much less call it the best of any year.
Goodness, If that's the best of 2011 I for one am glad that the horrible year of "designers creativity block" is over!!
Having said that, I certainly hope that the "designers" have the wisdom to enroll in some much needed course upgrades before they start any new projects.
Jan 21, 2012 9:26AM
Jan 21, 2012 11:23PM
OH MY GOD! What are the judges thinking?
These are the most cold, detached, unimaginative homes I have ever seen!
And as an Interior Designer myself, I am ashamed.....
Where is the warmth, the homey, the creative? In a society as we are today, with mega technology coming out of our ears, and a lifestyle that has an I-Pod or a cell phone at your fingertips, we need to invite passion, colour and "home" into the picture!
Jan 21, 2012 9:02PM
Can you hear that?? Billy, get your feet off the table.......Dont touch that.......wash your hands.......sit up straight! lol
I'm sorry people over there at house and home but this is very sad and reading under the pictures about what the people did, well its all a little too rich for my blood......and WHERE is the colour?
To the comment about blaming the photographer, well I am one and I can tell you this....we arent the ones who decide on the pics taken or what angle they are taken at and didnt you read the headline for this article.....best homes of 2011, not best parts of rooms in homes.
Hey, white is beautiful and it goes with anything and need I say, it doesnt take a rocket scientist to decorate with mostly all white! maybe its time to find some new designers.
Jan 21, 2012 1:52PM
OK..trying to find something positive here...like the very nice light fixtures and some unique chair designs but really, these room designs were highlighted as the best of 2011? If that were the case I would not struggle to find elements I liked but rather, there should be too many to choose. I completely agree with the comments about the white colour choices.
Jan 21, 2012 5:53PM
Okay, so I love white, there are lots to choose from. I love white because it is a color, when I want to add more color I add pillows, accessories in color. Also since my windows don't have a privacy issue I don't have window coverings, they are beautifully framed and make a statement themselves. So that is my opinion!!!
These shots of the homes really do not do justice to the designers, instead of basing them, how about giving the photographer a lesson....
I bet the rooms shown in full would be amazing and we have children, our children live in the home and for photos, you should see what our rooms look like. These shots are meant to give us just a tiny bit of a look into the rooms, so people use your imagination, is there something you can use in your own home. I found some ideas from these shots. Hey I guess the comments were made from professionals or should I say wanna be decorators. Sorry... it was made with love. So get away from your computers and get some decorating done, send it in to H & H and ask them to compare yours with theirs. Ouch,.. touched a sore spot. Sorry, again said with love and please be kind to the designers, they did alot of hard work. No, I do not know them personally but I do my own decorating in my home, in my way.
Jan 12, 2012 7:19PM
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