Big view. Big mountains. Big fireplace. Big seats. Big Sky Land. Pearson Design Group.

At first I was drawn by the large windows. Then I realised they had be picked out in black paint to contrast with the grey walls only to have it dawn on me that it was grey plaster beautifully polished on those walls. Momentarily distracted by the black chandelier hanging from the ceiling my gaze settled on the wood floors. Speaking of floors did you see the floor tiles? Tiles? OMG the powder room and that kitchen and the archway with the cat. Stop it! That bathroom is outrageous. Flatiron loft by Frances Mildred.

I had the pleasure of touring a home on Sunday in the Ottawa neighbourhood of the Glebe that will be part of this year’s Glebe House Tour. The tour is September 17th and I look forward to this event every year. Getting to wander through people’s homes that they have lovingly restored/remodeled/redecorated in this incredible neighbourhood is soooo much fun! And I get the added bonus of a couple of personal tours each year. This home is the first of 2 I will be featuring on the blog. This one is extra special because it just so happens that my husband and I visited this home 2 years ago just before the current owners bought it. This home was built in 1912 and the current owners are only the second to have owned it. When we first saw the home 2 years ago it was virtually untouched from its original state and was quite a frightening grouping of small, cramped rooms. The current owners basically gutted the entire 4300 sq ft home, including the doctor’s office addition at the rear, in a 13 month renovation. There is now a 3rd floor apartment accessed through the right side of the house, and the main floor and basement of the addition at the rear is now a functioning Airbnb (I was unable to tour it as there were people renting it). The owners acted as general contractors and designers during the renovations. The transformation of this home is incredible, it is soooo spacious and I love that it is now open-concept on the main floor. Also love that they managed to reuse some of the old doors. 

A quick note that most, if not all, of the art in the home was painted by the homeowners’ mom who took up this hobby late in life. 

I nearly passed out when I walked into this kitchen. So bright and spacious and functional. LOVE!!!!

If you would like to participate in the Monday’s pets on furniture series please send photos, your name, location and a brief description to kim[at]desiretoinspire[dot]net, or hashtag your photos on Instagram with #DTIpetsonfurniture. Thanks! 

A couple from me, as usual. 🙂 First up, Felix passed out on my new vintage sofa from Greystone Fine Furniture. I am totally in love with this piece, as are all of the cats who take turns on it. Second shot is Milo curled up on yet another new piece from Greystone – a pink velvet armchair. Also constantly being used by all the cats all of the time. 

Most people think living in a concrete house would be cold and unwelcoming. I think that can be true depending on the climate. If it was a home with lots of glass nestled in the hills of Rio de Janeiro (as opposed to nestled within snow in the middle of a Canadian winter for example), like this home, I think it would be wonderful. This is home on weekends to designer Alessandra Clark, her husband Nuno Franco de Sousa (both of Mameluca Studio) and their daughter. With mountains and trees seen through all the windows, rustic wood furnishings, I think this is far from cold. Via Casa Vogue Brazil. Photos: Fran Parente.