Neutral Palette – Anything But Boring

Exterior stonework is presented in every shade of gray; a front door and garden furniture are dressed in bold black; snow-white flowers flank the entry. The facade of this King, Ontario home provides subtle clues to what’s inside. Like the exterior, the interior dramatizes stalwart neutrals of black, white, and gray.

“My clients didn’t want strong colors,” explains William MacDonald, owner of Toronto-based WillMac Design. “They like things warm and classic. There’s a lot of texture and there is color, but it’s not over the top.”

The foyer instantly reveals the design themes found in the home: repetition of color and shape that has been energized by a mix of textures. Black entry doors open onto gray marble. MacDonald calls the tile design a “marble carpet,” which is an apt description. The black-and-white curves in the tile repeat in iron railings found inside and outside of the home. The curved shape in the tile repeats in the round hallway mirror. The rectangular shapes of the door and sidelights are mimicked in the marble tiles, low benches, and console table.

A formal sitting room off the entry provides a master class in mixing shapes effectively. Squares and rectangles occur in the sharp angles of the fireplace tiles, firebox, tray ceiling, sofa, and artwork. Yet a round chandelier shade, corner floor lamp, and metal support structure of the side table soften those angles. Neutral colors dominate the space, but touches of blue and red accessories draw some of the focus. Bright brass sprinkled through the room offers warmth and contrasts the cooler neutrals.

A graceful chandelier draws the eye into the dining room. “The chandelier has traditional elements but it’s been deconstructed,” says MacDonald. “The shape is elongated so the fixture doesn’t simply sit in the middle of the room.” Dove-gray velvet covers the side chairs. Head chairs use the same gray fabric but an elegant scroll covers the backs; that same fabric frames the window.

Drama continues in, of all places, the powder room. The room was inspired by a black vessel sink that the client purchased. “When I saw that sink, I said, ‘Let’s create a black powder room,’” says MacDonald. Marbleized wallpaper adds boldness, as does the touch of color provided by oxblood shades on the sconces.

“This house is large and the rooms are big. The challenge was to use interior design to make it feel cozy and homey,” says MacDonald. That challenge becomes most obvious in the family room. In the two-story space, MacDonald used color to ground the room with gray cabinetry at the same height as the gray drapes. Yet the height of the space isn’t ignored. The chandelier draws the eye up, as does the stenciled pattern on the fireplace feature wall. That painted pattern matches the shape in the drapery fabric.

The kitchen mixes gray-and-white cabinets and uses a diamond pattern in the glass. Gray stools with nailhead trim and silver-back rings sit next to the white-marble topped island. The other kitchen countertops are black granite. An informal dining area partners with the kitchen. Nine slim windows circle the round dining table. That view is framed by fabric that strays from the neutral palette by adding in a cool blue. “It’s quite a bohemian fabric for such a traditional house,” says MacDonald.