“Does it say ‘wow’ yet?” Self-proclaimed colorist Cynthia Ferguson often wondered this while she was designing the vibrant home she shares with husband Tim De Groot. The principal designer, who has two grown sons, waited years to renovate and redecorate her circa-1930 home in North Toronto, so missing the opportunity to go all-out just wasn’t an option. “To be a true maximalist, you’re not trying to match patterns or colors,” says Cynthia. “You’re setting out with no rules other than more is more.” The bland-averse designer puts her money where her paintbrush is, using splashy colors such as jet blue and cherry red throughout her 1,100-square-foot home.
Pushing decorating boundaries while appeasing clients is a challenge most designers face. “Brighter color palettes are a harder sell in Toronto,” says Cynthia. Covering walls in lively wallpapers can also take some convincing (Cynthia admits even she wouldn’t go near wallpaper a decade ago). But when you’re decorating your own space, the sky’s the limit. “Now my eldest son teases me that if he stood still long enough, I might wallpaper him, too!”
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Katie Ridder, a New York designer with an enviable knack for combining colors and patterns, was a major source of inspiration. One of her home office designs, which had walls lacquered in red, made a particularly lasting impression on Cynthia. “I decided to paint my foyer a similar color and upholster the ceiling in a paisley Peter Dunham fabric I’ve loved for a long time,” she says of the three- by three-foot space.
“I added moldings to create a defined area that we liberally refer to as the foyer,” says Cynthia (pictured). Visitors are met with uplifting color from the moment they walk through the front door.
“I feel like I’m cheating on my other rooms, but this is my favorite one in the house,” says Cynthia of the zesty green family room.
Cynthia starts her mornings with a cappuccino in her favorite armchair. She had the built-ins sprayed in Sherwin-Williams’ Pickle while the rest of the family was away.
Blue-black cabinets and honed Calacatta marble give the kitchen classic appeal. “When my painter asked me what color we were doing in the kitchen and I replied, ‘Oxford White,’ he didn’t believe me,” she says with a laugh. “Changing up your kitchen down the road isn’t so easy!”
Pretty serving dishes are displayed on open shelving above the sink.
Removable cabana-stripe slipcovers are a graphic touch in the dining room. “My favorite dinner parties are loud and long, which requires everyone to be comfortable,” says Cynthia.
Pink grasscloth-covered ceilings, blue walls and a custom sofa are true maximalist moves in the living room.
The bathroom walls were painted to match the roman blind fabric.
“In a small room, repetition is important to keep the patterns from overwhelming,” says Cynthia of her bedroom’s twinning drapery and headboard fabric.
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