LET IT SNOW

WINTER DECORATING
LET IT SNOW
WINTERY SHADES OF GREY CREATE A SERENE
WOODLAND RETREAT FOR A BUSY CITY COUPLE.
Text by SAMANTHA SACKS | Photography by MICHAEL GRAYDON
Homeowners Mark Robert (left) and Jim Johnson
(with Labradoodle Charlie) can often be found
hanging out on the dock — even when it becomes
frozen into their property’s pond in winter.
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The sectional in the living
room comfortably seats
eight. While the overall
design is sophisticated,
natural elements — an antler
chandelier, a birch-bark
lamp, a dappled cowhide
ottoman, and fur pillows
repurposed from Mark’s
grandmother’s old coat —
reference the rustic setting.
Sofa, Crate & Barrel; leather
chairs, L’Atelier; ottoman,
birch lamp, antler chandelier,
Angus & Company; side table
by Eero Saarinen, Quasi Modo;
reading light, West Elm.
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ENTERTAINING SPACES
• Encourage guests to settle
in and enjoy their stay with
comfortable, ample seating,
even in a compact room.
• Give each houseguest their
own blanket to up the cosy
factor while playing board
games or sitting by the fire.
• Include spots for visitors to
spend a quiet moment, such
as adding a sofa in a guest
bedroom.
Flat black cabinets and slim charcoal wall tiles deliver visual drama in the kitchen.
The effect — streamlined and urban — is enhanced by sleek industrial lighting and
contrasted by exposed, rough-hewn rafters stained warm amber. Contractor,
Grandview Contracting; cabinets, Ikea; pendant lights, Stylegarage; fridge, Viking.
So often, we set our sights on the perfect summer home. But here in Canada, where at least
six months out of 12 can be spent warming oneself by the fire, the winter retreat is perhaps
the wiser splurge. Nestled in a thick pine forest that straddles the Niagara Escarpment and
the rolling farmlands of Mulmur Township — about an hour northwest of Toronto — lies
the frost-covered sanctuary of Mark Robert and Jim Johnson. Set deep into a 10-acre
parcel of land and surrounded by a web of snowmobile trails, the 1,200-square-foot cabin
seems like a surprising choice for two urbane jetsetters with a busy social life: Jim is
president of marketing at media juggernaut Corus Entertainment, and Mark co-owns
the Carlu, a swanky Toronto events facility that he restored to its original Art Moderne
opulence. But the remote nature of the property was precisely its appeal.
The pair bought the home — originally a two-bedroom, one-bath builder special — in
2006, with the goal of adding a sweeping addition. But the economic downturn two years
later gave them the opportunity to reassess their wants and needs. It was a fortuitous
hiccup: the more they mulled over the property, the more they began to see its hidden
potential. With a new layout, a luxe smoky grey palette and a keen eye on the outside spaces,
they could transform the existing building into a snug winter refuge — the perfect coldweather counterpoint to their polished city home (featured in House & Home, November
2002), where they spend most of the summer. “We wanted a sexy cabin,” says Mark of the
home’s cocoon-like charm. “This place is all about hunkering down with the fire going —
it’s a warm and cosy space that envelops you.”
To set the stage for that toasty feeling, the couple spruced up the tired board-and-batten
exterior with a rich, matte black that instantly transformed the ’70s-era building into a chic
chalet and gives it a striking presence amidst the green coniferous trees and thick white
snow that blanket the area. Indeed, the cabin’s outside spaces were given as much
CONTINUED ON PAGE 176
consideration as the interior, allowing the couple to create an additional
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WINTER DECORATING
TAILORED
RUSTIC
Chic ways to play it cool when
the temperature dips.
Layered in moody greys, the dining
room is a feast of textures, from the
tactile grasscloth walls to the spunstring lamp and wood-plank dining
table. Table, South Hill Home; chairs,
Sarah Richardson Design; chair fabric,
Designer Fabrics; Random light by
Moooi, Klaus; grasscloth wallpaper,
Crown Wallpaper; throw, Mjölk.
USE SOFT TEXTURES Plush fabrics like
flannel, faux fur and wool give rooms a rich
depth and warmth.
THINK SLEEK Urban luxuries like fine china
and fabulous lighting can transform a rustic
abode into a chic retreat.
MIX IT UP Juxtapose simple, organic elements
inspired by the environment with more
glamorous furnishings to make spaces read
“high style” without feeling formal.
GO FOR GREY Velvety hues like charcoal and
matte black amplify the sense that the home is
a harbour from the storm outside.
web
Like this look? See our gallery of winter
cottages at houseandhome.com/dec12.
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TOP LEFT: The
principal bedroom
hits a contemporary
note with modern
art and wallmounted task
lighting.
TOP RIGHT: The
guest bedroom’s
twin headboards
were made by
Mark’s greatgrandmother. A
mirrored side table
keeps the look
current.
BOTTOM LEFT:
Cole & Son’s
Woods wallpaper
in the powder room
nods to the cabin’s
forested setting.
BOTTOM RIGHT:
An antique
secretary acts as a
bedside table in the
bunkie. A framed
photo of the
Toronto Argos
football team in
1950 hangs above.
OPPOSITE, TOP
LEFT: The bunkie
has its own porch,
where guests can
enjoy a pond view.
LEFT CENTRE:
Vintage dishes and
buffalo-plaid
napkins continue
the cabin’s rusticformal mix.
RIGHT CENTRE:
Pine-panelled walls
in the bunkie are a
casual backdrop for
antique finds, while
white slipcovers
revive older
furniture brought
from the pair’s
Toronto home.
BOTTOM LEFT:
The black house
looks striking
against its natural
surroundings.
BOTTOM CENTRE:
Though it isn’t
heated, the
screened-in porch
gets used yearround. With a
sectional covered
in hardworking
outdoor fabric, it’s
the perfect spot to
watch a snowstorm.
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