This Toronto Home Proves You Don’t Have to Remove Wood Panelling for a Fresh Update

There’s a lot of wood panelling in this Kingsway-neighbourhood home – and the owners like it like that. “Keeping the wood was mandatory,” says designer Natalie Chong of Nest Design Studio. “The owners wanted a new look, so I needed to maintain the overall traditional character of the home, while still refreshing it.” She relied on a cool colour palette – a snazzy foil to the warm wood tones – lots of texture and smart symmetry for a fabulous redo.

front wooden door and hall with wood wainscotting and teardrop mirror on upper white wall

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Wood You?

Painting it out was not an option in the home’s front hall. “The owner loved the original wood panelling and wanted to keep it,” says designer Natalie Chong. A teardrop-shaped mirror from Crate and Barrel injects some curved lines into the space. The room showcases a high-low mix with a HomeSense bench that shares the space with a table custom-made by Son of a Woodcutter.

white living room, backs of two grey chairs, fireplace and bookshelves

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A Fine Balance

Symmetry was a guiding principle in the living room, where pairs of furnishings create an organized layout that feels relaxed – this is the kind of room that invites lingering.

white coffered ceiling living room with fireplace and caramel tufted ottoman coffee table

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Ottoman Empire

Designer Natalie Chong does not subscribe to the expected, so she replaced the usual coffee table with two custom-made tufted leather ottomans. The ottomans add texture, colour and display areas – and they can also serve as a comfy perch for guests when the family entertains.

white living room shelves chessboard part of bottom shelf

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Travel Feature

“While most of these pieces are new, it was important that we layer in some heirloom pieces from the family’s travels,” says Natalie. “They add personality and keep the look interesting.”

back of two grey chairs facing living room fireplace

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Spin Class

“We really wanted symmetry in the living room and the owners wanted two sofas, so I suggested adding in swivel chairs for practicality – they break up the space and are great for entertaining,” says Natalie, who purchased the pair at Crate and Barrel.

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Memory Bank

West Elm frames display photos of the family’s travels. The black-and-white look fits in nicely with the living room’s colour scheme. Natalie says, “It’s fresh, light and airy – but still somewhat transitional.”

living room with wood fireplace flanking wood book shelves round mirror and two wood-frame windows

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Original Charm

As in the front hall, the original panelling was retained in the family room. The fun sculptural mirror, a HomeSense find, injects a fun, contemporary vibe to the more traditional wood framing.

living room with wood framed windows and two leather square cushions in foreground

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Soft Touch

The family room is a masterclass in mixing textures, all of which are soft and welcoming. We love the way Natalie pairs the sofa’s traditional, elegant velvet with modern leather – both in the sleek chair/stool combo and the more rustic cubes.

living room wood fireplace place wood book shelves round mirror two white arm chairs in front of fireplace

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New Life

“I reupholstered the gorgeous armchairs in a lighter fabric to give them a refresh,” says Natalie. With their lower profiles and squishy silhouette, they seem as if they were custom made for fireside lounging.

TV that looks like black and white pic of woman against wall about woven door console

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What’s On?

This is not a work of art. It’s actually the TV, which moonlights as art when not in use. The vintage-look cabinet is from Crate and Barrel.

tan leather cubes, blue carpet, two lamps in window with white curtains

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Window Display

We love how Natalie placed sculptural lamps in the window behind the sofa. It’s less expected than positioning them on flanking side tables, and here, their round bases are a neat foil to the window panes.

white chair on casters with cushion beside fireplace

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Fireside Chat

This vignette is proof that accents are powerful statement makers. Imagine the chair without the graphic-patterned cushion or sleek side table… it wouldn’t have the same energy and, just as importantly, wouldn’t be as functional.

living room with wood fireplace flanking wood book shelves round mirror and two wood-frame windows, black leather stool in foreground

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Blue Note

“I love deep dark-blue tones, especially in rugs,” says Natalie. This one transforms the space, layering in an interesting cool contrast to all the warm wood. The crisp tones are smartly echoed in the cushions, too.

white kitchen wood island four grey stools

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Easy Peasy

The kitchen’s elegance is right at home with the island’s stools. “I reupholstered them in grey vinyl,” says Natalie. “It echoes the silvery accents in the countertops and appliances, and is extremely easy to wipe and keep clean.”

blue creuset pot an grey backsplash tile

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Going Grey

A backsplash of grey tiles from Metro Source is punctuated by the family’s blue cookware.

three clear pendant lights, kitchen island with grey stools

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Lights Fantastic

Natalie sourced the island’s clear pendant lights from Union Lighting. They have impact without being overpowering – and they keep the view to the cabinetry’s beautiful millwork unimpeded.

wood wainscotting dining room, white rug, six wooden chairs

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Family Tradition

Natalie softened the family’s traditional dining room table and chairs with a plush, textured rug from Elte. Black-and-white photos also inject a modern, light vibe.

rectangular pendant light over dining table with six wooden chairs

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Strong Lines

We love how Natalie eschewed a traditional crystal chandelier in favour of a more contemporary one. “This is from Restoration Hardware, and I like how its lines echo the shape of the table below while still feeling a bit more modern.”

light coloured side board beside wooden dining table and white rug

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Lighten Up

An ivory-coloured sideboard from Restoration Hardware provides practical closed storage and dials up decorative contrast to the wood panelling. Once again, Natalie has used a pair of lamps to create warm symmetry.

grey tufted headboard, white two drawer sidetable with brass handles

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Bedside Manner

The master bedroom boasts a custom-made tufted headboard that continues the grey palette found throughout the principal rooms. Here, Natalie contrasted it with light and bright accents, including a Geovin side table and HomeSense lamp. The artwork is vintage, and all the pieces come together nicely – thanks to shared brass accents.