California Meets Sweden in This 1950s Hamilton Bungalow

Freelance graphic designer Rachelle Letain and her fiance, general contractor Mat Sewerynek, were renting a condo in Toronto’s Queen West in 2015 when they decided to start house shopping. They set a budget of $450,000, before they quickly realized they couldn’t afford a home anywhere near their favourite west-end spots. On a friend’s recommendation, they checked out Hamilton. They immediately fell in love with Locke Street, a trendy area dotted with antique shops and cute restaurants, and bought a two-bedroom bungalow for nearly $100,000 under budget. With an eye for Scandinavian minimalism and midcentury Californian design, the couple updated the 1950s house into a place of their own.

All-white living room with painted white fireplace

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California Dreaming

The living space was once quite dark, so Rachelle and Mat punched a new window to the right of the fireplace and painted the entire room white. The biggest transformation was the all-white fireplace, which was once different shades of grey and tan.

Close-up of the all-white fireplace in the living room with a framed photo hanging above

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Surf’s Up

To capture those California vibes, they hung a framed photo of Big Sur above the mantle and added pops of greenery throughout.

Dining room table that can be expanded to seat 10 people

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Something Old, Something New

The mix-and-match dining space is grounded by the vintage white light fixture that Rachelle and Mat scored off eBay. The dining room table was similarly found online through Kijiji from a friendly Danish couple. It can be expanded to seat 10 people.

Living room with handmade coffee table and neutral couch

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Factory Finds

Ever the handyman, Mat built this coffee table from a factory cart that he deconstructed and refinished. The leather couch, from EQ3, was chosen both for its striking colour and because it can take a beating from their dog, Arrow. The white Eames rocking chair was Rachelle’s first big furniture purchase, and it has passed the test of time. Most of the pillows are from Rug & Weave, a home decor shop in Guelph, Ont.

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Neighbourhood Watch

The couch even comes dog-approved.

Tiny prayer plant in the corner of the dining room

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Graphic Content

On the wall, Rachelle added a pop of graphic intrigue with a piece from Block Shop Textiles, a California-based company that produces sustainable woven pieces. A little prayer plant in the corner, found at crown flora studio in Toronto, adds a little life to the corner.

All-white bathroom with minimal decoration aside from a potted plant on a shelf

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Lighten Up

Believe it or not, the bathroom was originally a deep, eggplant purple. Rachelle said that walking into the bathroom felt like “entering a bat cave.” A radical redesign included several coats of white paint, matte black fixtures, a monochromatic tile job and a trip to Ikea for the sink and mirror.

A vintage brass door stopper in the shape of a dog

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Doggy Destiny?

This vintage brass door stopper once lived in the home of Rachelle’s grandmother. Fast forward 20 years, it is identical to Rachelle and Mat’s dog, down to the funny kink in the tail. Rachelle’s grandmother gifted it to her granddaughter, and the canine twin now stands guard at the bedroom door.

All-white bedroom with pop of colour from patterned tapestry and throw pillows

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Power Clashing

Originally, the bedroom was a clean white slate. Then Rachelle stumbled upon this Atelier Bingo tapestry at Urban Outfitters and figured it would add a proper focal point. The bold pattern plays off the blue-and-white throw pillow, from West Elm, and the cross-checked quilt.

A bedside table that doubles as a dresser with an alarm clock and potted plant on top

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Flip Flop

The bedside table doubles as a dresser, and it’s a resting place for the vintage flip clock that Rachelle found in Antique Avenue, a vintage shop in Hamilton. The snake plant and speckled pot are both from Dynasty in Toronto.

Two striped Turkish towels hanging from a hook on the bathroom door

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Dry Off

Rachelle is all about making the most of even the smallest design choices. Even the Turkish towels, from Leaves of Trees in Toronto, serve an aesthetic purpose. (Better yet, they’re deceptively absorbent.)

The entryway that opens into the kitchen

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Breaking Down Barriers

The entryway to the kitchen was once cordoned off by a wall. On their first night in the house, Mat broke it down into a half wall to invite more light. The kitchen was painted a bold red, so Rachelle and Mat cleaned it up with a fresh coat of white to complement the subway tile. Arrow’s dog bowl, found on Etsy, matches the kitchen’s neutral tones.

All-white kitchen with potted plants and random patterned wall art

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Wide Open Spaces

Here’s a better look at the kitchen and dining space.

A patterned bowl and fresh pineapple on the kitchen counter

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Shape Up

As a graphic designer, Rachelle was drawn to this black-and-white patterned bowl by Marimekko. The house-shaped cutting board is another piece Mat made himself.

Sparse living room with grey couch and patterned throw pillows

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Double Time

Rachelle and Mat opted to use their second bedroom as an extra hangout space. However, if they have guests over, the grey Ikea couch pulls out into a double bed. The pillows and light fixture are also from Ikea.

A DIY bookshelf transformed from a cubby in the kitchen pantry

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Book Nook

In another life, this cubby was once the pantry for the kitchen. Mat and Rachelle turned it into a bookshelf and storage space for important documents. A pothos plant hangs in a macrame planter that Rachelle made herself.

Unique, modular shelving unit with a variety of items and knick knacks

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Storage Goals

This modular shelving unit from EQ3 can be adapted to fit different heights and lengths. Rachelle and Mat use it to store plenty of odds and ends, including a ZZ plant, a marble paperweight, a vintage enamel pitcher and artwork. The Hamilton brick on the right is a particularly prized local find.

Wooden fence providing privacy in the backyard

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Serving Shade

Originally, the backyard had little more than a wire fence. Mat added some much-needed privacy with this wooden fence, which he built himself. The sun sail above adds some shade for hotter days. The patio furniture is all from Ikea.

Potted plants in white planters on the backdoor steps

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Grow Your Own

Greenery is a mainstay both indoors and out. The top two pots were thrifted finds, and the concrete piece was purchased from Centro Garden in Burlington. The white pot is from Ikea.

A desktop computer in the home office overlooking the residential street

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Office With a View

The office space is built off the back room. It isn’t functional in winter but offers a cottage-like work environment the rest of the year. Mat built the desk from old barn board, and Rachelle takes advantage of the light to propagate several tiny plants.

A neon coral front door with a cedar deck containing white furniture

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Bold Beginnings

From the sidewalk, the facade of the home is quite striking. Rachelle and Mat originally considered a yellow door, but settled on neon coral after spotting a few other yellow doors in the area. They built and stained the cedar deck themselves and added a little privacy fence beside the front door, where they’ve place a pair of vintage Solair chairs they found second-hand.