Black, White and Bold Decor Brings Drama to a Toronto Home
A minimalist color scheme, original art and extraordinary details make a statement in this family’s living spaces
When a young professional couple with two kids reached out to designer Terry Briceland to inject drama into their home’s first-floor living areas, they gave him a single mandate: Keep the walls white. Adding custom furniture pieces, art of his own design and generous amounts of black, Briceland created living, dining and family spaces that carry his signature edge.
The light fixture from Union Lighting is another focal point and labor of love: It took five hours to assemble and hang. Briceland says the homeowners wanted a fixture “that would put people in awe” when they walked in, and this brass-and-glass model delivers.
Briceland’s customized approach comes from his days supplying finished goods to other designers. He and his business partner started off sewing curtains and pillows, eventually teaching themselves upholstery, then creating digital art, then printing their own fabrics. He decided to become a designer himself when he recognized that his clients sometimes needed help placing his offbeat creations in their rooms. This formal living space, like the rest of the home’s first level, is full of his custom designs.
Briceland used a computer program to create the black-and-gold artwork behind the sofa and printed his own fabric for the backs of the side chairs and the bright red-orange bench by the window. The black-and-white rug is another of his custom designs and was fabricated by Weaver & Loom.
“We’re big on elements of the unexpected, clash of colors and patterns, and showpieces,” Briceland says. He always tells his clients not to “limit or censor” themselves. “If zombies or superheroes are your thing, we know how to make that work in your home and keep it sophisticated.”
Browse black-and-white rugs
“We’re big on elements of the unexpected, clash of colors and patterns, and showpieces,” Briceland says. He always tells his clients not to “limit or censor” themselves. “If zombies or superheroes are your thing, we know how to make that work in your home and keep it sophisticated.”
Browse black-and-white rugs
The banquette features custom upholstery by Briceland and a metal table made by Design Republic. The black-and-white striped chairs pick up on the equally graphic rug in the living room just beyond, and the see-through cabinets and black candles on the table make the breakfast area feel like an extension of the formal dining area.
Embedded in the tufts are 10 skull buttons created by a jewelry designer and friend of Briceland’s.
The family room is the more casual hangout space. “This is where the kids are allowed,” Briceland jokes. During the design process, he pre-configures his rooms using 3D software to convey his ideas visually to his clients. The process helped them decide to go dark with the ceiling.
“Painting it dark makes the ceiling look even taller” than its 12-foot height, Briceland says. The dramatic navy satin draperies enhance the feeling. The branching light fixture from Elite Living adds a dose of drama.
“Painting it dark makes the ceiling look even taller” than its 12-foot height, Briceland says. The dramatic navy satin draperies enhance the feeling. The branching light fixture from Elite Living adds a dose of drama.
Just about everything else in the room is custom. The coffee table is from Design Republic, and the ottomans are upholstered in a gray pinstripe menswear fabric. They provide extra seating when the close-knit family has relatives over.
The pieces of art above the sofa are stylized portraits of the four family members, mounted on canvas and covered in a thick coat of resin for a glossy effect.
The pieces of art above the sofa are stylized portraits of the four family members, mounted on canvas and covered in a thick coat of resin for a glossy effect.
The accent chairs are upholstered in a custom-printed fabric with an overscale navy-and-black damask motif.
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First Floor at a Glance
Who lives here: Young professionals with two children
Location: Toronto
Size: About 1,000 square feet (about 93 square meters)
Designer: Terry Edward Briceland of teb Interiors
Briceland likes to start every project with one dramatic custom piece that sets the tone for the rest of the space. For this project, that piece was the dining table made of concrete, metal and wood. Velvet host chairs anchor six black leather armless chairs with chrome nailheads. Briceland drew inspiration for the candle grouping from a store called Elte, where he got the striking black candleholders.