DDesigner Violeta Hovsepian, founder of Décor Studio Group in Vaughan and her partner Hillary Javadpour have never been afraid of a challenge. So when Violeta decided to design and build a home from the bottom up, the duo gave themselves an extra element of difficulty.

Violeta chose an ideal lot on an established, tree-lined street in an in-demand urban area. The challenge? Create a spacious-feeling, luxurious home on a 25-by-125 foot lot.

With that in mind, just about every design decision came down to space: how to use it, make the most of it and create the illusion of more of it.

Gord Pahlbod of Pahlbod Homes helped bring the design vision to reality. From outside, the home’s tall windows and impressive garage doors in dark walnut are grand and classic. Violeta designed the front door by Master Doors Inc. with a window set high to preserve privacy but let in light.

STORY MELISSA CAMPEAUPHOTOGRAPHY SANDY MACKAY

CREATIVE SPACES

ABOVE: Custom trim work on the ceiling adds a wow factor to the dining area.FAR LEFT: Hillary Javadpour and Violeta Hovsepian design beautiful spaces.LEFT: The smaller lot still accommodated a sizable home.OPPOSITE: Cool hues in the living room help capture the modern tone.

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Once inside, the design played with levels, rather than walls, to create a division of space in the entranceway, which steps up to the formal living room.

Ten-foot ceilings help draw the eye up and coffered ceilings, featuring Violeta’s own design, add texture and interest. A built-in wall unit in rich walnut frames the fireplace, surrounded by Italian porcelain tiles from Stone Tile.

“There’s a dimension to everything,” says Violeta. “It’s very important when you first come into the home, instead of just having a flat wall. It gives the room, and the whole home, some depth.”

Proportion is important when making a room feel larger. “People think when they have a small room they should put small things in it. They think it gives them more space, but it’s the opposite. When you do something larger it gives you a sense of openness.”

Underfoot, subtle grains and colours in the engineered wide-plank oak flooring from

Oakland Flooring add interest, but a matte finish means there’s no shine to pull focus and distract from the height and textures of the room’s main focus. “The colours in here are really neutral and quite cool,” says Violeta, “so it feels very elegant.” Rugs by Weavers Art grace the space.

The eat-in kitchen and family-room area feature a warm palette to suit more casual family gatherings. Floor-to-ceiling windows are a standout feature, bringing the outside in, and making the room feel spacious. Drapes throughout by Maple Drapery & Carpet Ltd. add elegance and dimension.

Design cues tie the kitchen, eating and family zones together. Mouldings by Contemporary Mouldings in the family room echo the custom design of the pantry doors in the kitchen.

Light colours are everywhere. White cabinetry from Woodbridge Kitchen & Bath makes the most of the light as does the white range hood.

A sofa in the cosy dining nook makes it feel like an extension of the living area.

RIGHT: Modern elements, like the waterfall countertop and curved mullionsin the cabinetry gives the kitchen a contemporary vibe. BOTTOM RIGHT:Integrated appliances help make good use of the space.

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A darker grey island is topped with a waterfall-edge, exotic quartzite counter that adds a polished touch. “We spent about two weeks to find this colour” says Violeta. “We love it because it goes with all colours of the house.”

The built-in shelving around the fireplace is made of walnut, like in the living room, but white shelves were added to create a more informal atmosphere.

Next to the kitchen, a glass table with colourful chairs and sofa seating make smart use of a dining nook. “In a smaller home, sometimes it’s difficult for people to visualize and understand how to optimize the use of the space and create a spacious and luxurious feeling,” says Violeta.

From the dining area and family room, the backyard is in full display. For a city home, it’s a good amount of greenery, with horizontally-planked fencing to make the yard seem even wider.

LEFT: The family room is beautifully bright with floor-to-ceiling windows. BOTTOM LEFT: The addition of walnut adds dimension and warms up the space. BELOW: The powder room is kept fresh and bright with the use of white. OPPOSITE: Custom drapes and an area rug bring texture to the space.

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Stone decking sets the stage for outdoor entertaining, and french doors lead directly to the family’s recreation room on the home’s lower level. “This room is a more relaxed area for the kids to enjoy, and have their own place,” says Violeta. “The colours are still really neutral – black, yellow, beige – which keeps everything feeling calm and peaceful.”

High, 12-foot ceilings and ample windows mean the room has plenty of light. “In the actual floor plan there weren’t any windows, but we insisted to put them in,” says Violeta. “It’s really important in lower levels.”

Light was a top priority for the home’s second floor. A skylight in the guest bathroom maintains an open, breezy feel, and a skylight at the top of the staircase directs light to both the upper and lower floors.

An additional recreation space in the lower level walk-out provides roomto spread out. BELOW LEFT: The walk-out to a patio makes full use of the backyard space. BELOW RIGHT: Every inch of lower level recreation space is thoughtfully used.

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Down the hall, the master bedroom features oversize windows on two different planes, allowing plenty of sun and also separating the room into distinct zones: one for sleep, and one for lounging.

Detailed ceiling mouldings help create distinct spaces and a more refined feel. In the master bedroom, odd angles necessitated a little creativity. “Here, we used flat moulding,” says Violeta. “It’s a good solution in a room like this. You want to have moulding to create a finished look, but you can’t do the traditional kind because of all the dimensions in the ceiling and the walls, so we created an option that was flat and would work here.”

Staying flexible was a common theme throughout the entire build – necessary for more than just decisions about ceiling finishes. Remaining open to ideas and flexing some creative muscles helped Violeta build the house she imagined.

“Designing a larger house is much easier. When it’s small you have to make use of every inch,” says Violeta. “But we love the light in this house, we love the feeling of each room.” She adds, “It was really about making the most of every space, every corner, and I think we did that well.” OH

Soft, romantic accents in the master bedroom take on a dreamy quality. BELOW LEFT: A picture-perfect seating area is pretty and functional. BELOW RIGHT: A vanity by the window takes advantage of the natural light. RIGHT: Large profile tiles add a little luxe in the master en suite.

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