Instead of Following Trends, the Designer of This Toronto Cottage Was Guided by One Question — "Is This an Artful Move?"

Clean lines, playful touches, and a jolt of bold color have turned this cottage into a thoroughly modern home

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White living room with corner sofa, abstract graphic black and white cushions, wood coffee table and cobalt blue Wiggle side chairs
(Image credit: Lauren Miller)

"Blue is the invisible becoming visible," noted the artist Yves Klein of the ultramarine shade he created in 1960. It also turns out to be an apt metaphor for this Victorian worker’s cottage in downtown Toronto, where once run-of-the-mill schemes have been allowed to sing again in a now modern home updated by Sam Sacks Design.

Yes, that particular brand of International Klein Blue underscores the transformation, inspired by the vivid colors of Yves Saint Laurent’s Jardin Majorelle in Morocco, but a host of other details, from meticulous woodwork to statement rugs, also play their part.

White living room with patio doors to garden, cream sofa, cobalt blue cabinet and armchairs, and glass coffee table

"This home looks like a small, unassuming cottage, yet once inside it unfolds in layers," says designer Sam Sacks. "You expect low ceilings but you find airiness." (Image credit: Lauren Miller)

"My goal was to put the architecture back in," says interior designer Sam Sacks of the property, which had been renovated in the early 2000s, resulting in the formation of an impressive double-height living space on the first floor.

But many of the building’s original features had been lost, so Sam reinstated moldings and architraves. "Everything had to feel intentional and understated because the owner doesn’t like anything flashy or blingy," says Sam. "She wanted the space to reflect her character — a blend of calm, boldness, and nostalgia."

Kitchen with sleek cabinetry in International Klein Blue

Sam replaced a traditional Shaker kitchen with sleek International Klein Blue cabinetry. "I love that modernist juxtaposition between new and old," she says of the softening coving and brick veneer that she added for contrast. (Image credit: Lauren Miller)

Sam spent two years on the revamp, ensuring all the spaces related to one another, while adding back character. "Every room is a monochromatic cube, with spare, well-placed hits of color and texture," she says.

"The color is added in controlled, meaningful ways. If you look closely, most of the spaces are a sea of white and timber, and color mainly comes from accessories. It’s about a little going a long way — gently pulling tones through from one room to the next."

White living room with corner sofa, abstract graphic black and white cushions, wood coffee table and cobalt blue Wiggle side chairs

Graphic lines, sleek stripes and architectural furniture lend contemporary appeal to this double-height space. "We had fun here, introducing shots of blue in the chairs, as well as lighting-cum-art installations for playfulness," says Sam. (Image credit: Lauren Miller)

The result is a home that treads the line between timelessness and of-the-moment appeal. "In fact, trendy never hits the radar with her," says Sam of her client. "We were guided by one question: 'Does this feel like an artful move?’".

Dining room with wood table and black and orange checkerboard dining chairs, serpent sisal rug and tapestry artwork

Wood, cane and the soft sheen of a gold leaf console add warmth to this playful dining room. "The sisal serpent rug reflects the owner’s passion for liveable art," says Sam. (Image credit: Lauren Miller)

This has paid off in spades, with evidence of playfulness throughout. In the double-height living area, a light has cavities that sprout trailing plants, while in a subtle but fun customization, that blue appears again via the edges of a pair of Frank Gehry Wiggle chairs painted by Sam.

Bathroom with beige zellige wall tiles, brown floor tiles, white bathtub with chartreuse ball feet

"We wanted a little softness here so we chose zellige tiles for their organic feel," says Sam. (Image credit: Lauren Miller)

In the dining room and study, sisal rugs shaped like a serpent and a crocodile are a visual surprise, while the guest bathroom has a sink that resembles a bin. "They are emblematic of the owner’s love of the unusual — cheeky moments that play into her personality," says Sam.

White bedroom with contemporary timber four-poster bed

"We kept it clean and peaceful in this space, where a simple palette is offset by a contemporary timber, four-poster oak bed to create quiet impact and architectural structure," says Sam. (Image credit: Lauren Miller)

But it’s the softening elements that inject the "lived-in and deeply personal" feel that the owner craved, from the tactile leather knife pouches in the kitchen to the standout white oak four-poster bed.

Special pieces, including a charcoal drawing and a vintage Mixmaster owned by the client’s grandmother, are displayed on open shelving above the kitchen sink, a subtle nod to nostalgia.

White bathroom with graphic mustard yellow tiles

Graphic tiles with a hint of retro patterning add dimension to this compact en suite. "The sphere repeats riffs on the shape of the porthole window," says Sam. (Image credit: Lauren Miller)

It all adds up to a home that shows that with a tweak here, a statement piece there, and a confident splash of color, anything is possible. "Isn’t that the dream?" asks Sam. "If you’re prepared to be adventurous, you can really ring the changes."

Emma J Page

Specializing in interiors, travel, food, lifestyle and thought pieces, Emma J Page is a UK journalist, editor and commissioning editor. She has a prolific freelance career, writing for publications including Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, The Times Magazine, House & Garden, The World of Interiors, Stella, Architectural Digest, The Telegraph Magazine, Food & Travel and Evening Standard among many others. An influential voice among a number of genres, she regularly writes trends pieces, in-depth profiles, homes stories and interiors news. Her first book, London Shopfronts, in collaboration with photographer Rachael Smith, was published in autumn 2021 by Hoxton Mini Press.