中东传统 | Sally Kassar | 2025 | 加拿大
Despite its location in the leafy Richmond Hill neighbourhood north of Toronto, this home’s story is rooted in multi-generational living. Designed by Sally Kassar and Ava Nourbaran, two interior designers of Iraqi and Persian heritage, for a family of Iraqi descent, it was also built by an Iraqi contractor, Ziad Killu of Buildcrest.
What’s more, the five-bedroom residence was conceived for the kind of multi-generational living that typifies Middle Eastern families. Kassar and Nourbaran’s Toronto-based studio, Architecture Riot, designed the space for a doctor couple whose children and grandchildren visit regularly, often for extended periods. “Their lifestyle called for a ‘forever home’ that felt refined for the couple day to day, yet was flexible and robust enough to welcome large gatherings,” says Kassar. It was also important to future-proof the design, so that it will work for the owners as they grow older. “Key priorities included accessibility, flexibility, durable finishes and generous entertaining areas,” adds Kassar.
The architecture is organised around clear circulation, natural light and layered spatial experiences. “Distinct yet connected zones allow the house to operate at multiple scales: intimate family moments, extended family weekends or formal entertaining,” explains Kassar. “The design balances openness with privacy, elegance with practicality, and sculptural expression with everyday function.”
With longevity in mind, the designers focused on a timeless material palette of white oak, marble and quartzite, with warm metallic details and understated neutral colours. This is not a home where you’ll find loud patterns or ephemeral flourishes. “The interiors were conceived as a composed backdrop that elevates daily life, emphasising tactile richness and material interplay rather than decorative motifs,” says Kassar. The backbone of the house is the modern staircase, which is open on one side to bring in light from large windows and has bronzed-steel uprights; the solid oak handrail offers a reassuringly sturdy grip for older residents. Like the rest of the interior, the design combines practicality with a sculptural quality.
In both the entrance hall and passageways, expanses of oak conceal storage, pipework and plumbing. Their appearance is cleverly lightened with transparent elements: the louvred screens that divide rooms such as the living and dining area, for example, or the basement gym and wine storage. Kassar and Nourbaran also employed fluted glass on many of the cabinet doors, notably those in the kitchen. “It keeps spaces visually light while providing privacy and concealing clutter,” says Kassar.
The home’s most luxurious detail is undoubtedly its custom stone surfaces. The kitchen – which boasts a raft of labour-saving gadgets, such as a coffee station and a dining hutch for serving meals – is adorned with Dover White quartzite on the splashback and carved island, a richly veined stone that needs little further embellishment (although the Lee Broom pendant lights hanging overhead add a jewel-like touch). One wall of the dining room is clad in grey-green Python quartzite, while the living room has a decadent drinks bar in book-matched travertine and bronzed metal. No space is forgotten: the powder room and basement bar are glammed up with inky Carmen Blue granite, and the compact dressing room feels opulent thanks to Calacatta Capraia marble and mirrored walls. “Our intention was to highlight texture, shadow, and proportion rather than rely on bold colour, creating a calm backdrop that can adapt to different moods and gatherings,” says Kassar. “The stone has a subtle texture that complements the oak.”
- 转载自：AD(admiddleeast)
- 图片@AD(admiddleeast)
- 国家：美国
- 编辑：序赞网
- 翻译：序赞网
- 阅读原文
|
