Katherine Yaphe is photographed in her favourite room, the master bathroom in her Toronto home.Jennifer Roberts/The Globe and Mail
Katherine Yaphe comes from a family of designers, so she knew who to ask for advice when it was time to draw up the plans for her North Toronto home. The 43-year old founder of the Oliver Yaphe rug company wanted her custom-built house to look like a Brooklyn brownstone on the outside while having a contemporary feel on the interior. To help her execute her plan, the former Montrealer called on the modernist interior designer Connie Braemar, who designed the built-ins within the spacious 10-by-10 master bathroom in response to Yaphe's request that the space feel 'lived in,' as opposed to merely functional. "It's not a typical bathroom in that it is the room we use the most as a family," Yaphe says. "Our kids use it as much as we do – ignoring their own bathrooms – and I think it's because it's not an afterthought. Some of my favourite objects and pieces are there."
The vanity
"This was all custom-made by Martek following a design by Connie Braemar. The countertop is Caesarstone and I think the rest is MDF. I wanted something without hardware. There's lots of drawers, lots of space, but it's very clean and simple. I think because we have so many details in the room, we didn't need the extra clutter of hardware. I wanted to add detail through accessories."
The flowers
"I rotate things in this room all the time; it's just a way to change your look. Flowers are such an easy way to brighten up a space. I always use fresh cut flowers, which I get at the markets at Avenue and Davenport."
The shelving
"I wanted the bathroom to feel like an actual room that would be just as important as any other space in the house. Adding built-in shelving like this is a real opportunity to warm up a space and make it personal, and have character. Most of the stuff on the shelves are pictures drawn by kids as well as photographs of my kids and smallish prints, nothing precious. Even the vase is a DIY project: a formerly white vessel I painted myself. The other pieces include an Alanna Cavanagh print, a Japanese teapot, and ceramics by Mud Australia."
The stool
"It's an African stool from Kiondo African Imports on Queen St E. in Toronto. I had actually not been to that store before. I loved everything in it, but especially this stool. I like adding something natural and rustic in a contemporary space."
The rug
"This is mine, my own design, and it's a handmade runner made in Nepal. The design is called 'Nate,' named after my nephew. All my striped runners are named after members of my family."
The bath tub
"I bought this tub from Clearwater Baths, a company in London, England. Someone I know had already bought a tub like it before we started building, and I sat in it when it was in her living room to see if I liked it. I had wanted a freestanding tub, I like the look of it, and this was a fraction of the price of other similar tubs."
The window
"I knew when we were building the house that I wanted black trim windows. I love the look of white walls with black windows. It's simple and clean and contemporary. We have an unobstructed view, so it's just looking out onto trees. It's very calming."