A Winning Ticket
People walk through an open house and fantasize about living in it – the well-thought out floor plan, the beautiful furnishings and upscale neighbourhood.
In the case of London Health Sciences Foundation’s Win a Million Lottery homes, that dream is enhanced by a mortgage-free lifestyle. A ticket to support the foundation is also a ticket to ride – free of a mortgage.
It’s also a ticket to support LHSC’s highest priorities and continue the high level of patient care and research the community has come to expect.
Living in an area where life-changing – and life-saving – research and health care happens every day can create a blase attitude, until it hits home. Anyone who has experienced the medical expertise available here knows it’s important to support this fundraiser.
A $50 ticket supports the foundation and gives a chance to win one of two grand prize homes or $1 million.
“The homes are gorgeous,” said Rita Fieder, director, gaming and lotteries for the foundation. “People do fall in love with them. We get a lot of comments that say ‘I want to live in this house.’ ”
Wastell Builders Group built the grand prize house at 307 Delacourt Rd. The two-storey home is furnished by Kingsmill’s and designed by Mary Allen. She starts with the builder’s plans.
“I see the blueprint first and get a feeling of the kind of look I want. Then I find something I fall in love with – a piece of furniture, for example.”
Then she chooses flooring, cabinetry and furnishings. Paint colours come last.
“This house is casual elegance, more urban with a mix of styles,” Allen said. “I envisioned someone downsizing from a larger home, maybe with a teen or two at home, but not wanting to give up the luxurious things in a home. This is no plain Jane.”
That style is also evident in the house itself. Wastell is known for its attention to detail. In this case, in the variety of ceiling treatments, stairway with wrought-iron balustrade and a layout that allows for private and entertaining areas with good flow of both people and air. The landing is open to the hallway and sunroom. Upstairs, the railing curves outward, adding space and architectural interest.
Another signature element is built-in bookcases. A stunning example takes place of prominence in the soaring great room with space for a fireplace and flat-screen television.
“This is a very inviting house,” Fieder said. Allen agreed: “It wraps its arms around you.”
Part of the warm atmosphere is created by the palette of seafoam, camel and chocolate she chose for the main floor. The dark wood flooring picks up the rich brown accents. In the entry, a dramatic inset of porcelain tiles that look like marble acts as a welcome carpet. In the laundry room, porcelain tiles masquerade as wood flooring. They are also used for the backsplash to create a unified look. Built-ins corral coats and footware.
The latest colours and furnishings are showcased in the house. The kitchen cabinets are done in a glazed vanilla finish for sophisticated and practical style. The metal of stainless steel appliances is continued in art on the wall of the eating area and decorative place settings.
The sunroom beside the kitchen is decorated as a study. Allen shows practical space-saving ideas, such as a coffee table with two small separate tables that tuck under each end, and a tray table beside another chair.
A nature motif runs through the house. In one upper bedroom, the gingko leaf pattern of the linens and draperies is echoed in a leaf sculpture and wall art.
“Repetition of design in a room is important,” Allen said. “People sometimes miss that.”
They might also miss the way she has linked the colours of rooms in subtle variations. For example, the two bedrooms at the top of the stairs look quite different in colour and style.
One is primarily turquoise and camel. The second is “more vibrant and fun,” Allen said. The dominant colour is orange grounded with dark wood furniture, but the striped linens include camel, chocolate and a soft turquoise like the first one. “We get a lot of compliments on that room,” Fieder said.
The other grand prize house is a condo at 103-1030 Coronation Dr. built by Tricar. It’s designed by David Bradstock and furnished by Kingsmill’s. The palette and diversity of textures evokes the Art Deco era of the 1930s.
“It is contemporary rather than modern,” Bradstock said.
“The elements are classic lines and textiles, a little more forward. The layout is traditional, and I incorporated a more comfortable living style. It’s sophisticated and luxurious.”
The condo uses Tricar’s standard high-end finishes, Bradstock said.
The flooring and cabinets are standard options. The only difference is his decision to continue the dark wood flooring throughout, except for wall-to-wall carpet in the master bedroom.
“The Manuscript paint colour is also a builder selection. Its canvas nature is a perfect foil for the textures and tones of bronze, linen and ivory with bits of silver, chrome and white. The background needed to be quiet, conservative and supportive of that palette.”
Like Allen, Bradstock said paint colour is always the final choice because it is most flexible. “Everything has to relate back to the hard surfaces. The main room brings all the elements together.”
The warm tones transition well from season to season. “As winter approaches, those tones give a fresh look without being cold. The glass, chrome and ivory look good in summer. There is a lot of diversity in design to follow, but you must be aware of geography.”
Rather than decorate the second bedroom as such, Bradstock made it a multi-purpose space. “We felt it should function as a media space and accommodate guests, so it’s even more casual.”
For the master bedroom, he pulled out the stops on luxury with silks, a fluffy carpet, fireplace, cashmere throw and velvet pillows in a scheme of pearl, ivory, ecru, silver and platinum. “It all makes a luxurious retreat, a cocoon. The fireplace creates a very personal space.”
Bradstock chose his and hers dressers to flank the bed. They are part of the Mitchell Gold line seen throughout the condo. “They have classic proportions in a mix of materials, simple lines but not hard edge. They are enduring pieces you won’t tire of,” he said.
A design note with big impact is the use of drapery rods and finials.
“They’re an important design element,” Bradstock said. In the main rooms, the windows are topped by dark wooden rods with polished chrome brackets and finials. The bedroom has pewter rods with Lucite finials.
Another critical component is the art. The work over the table in the front entry is an overture to the rest of the condo, setting the colours and textures. A 1.5-metre-square piece dominates the hall.
“People come to see trends, colours and furnishings,” Fieder said. “We love to showcase the homes.
“It’s a win-win situation. People come from around the world to our hospitals. The level of care here is phenomenal.
“We are so dependent on donations. Ticket sales are ahead of last year . . . Time and tickets are running out. We expect to sold out by the early bird cut-off Nov. 23.”
Janis Wallace is a London writer.
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London Health Sciences Foundation Win a Million Lottery
Tickets: 1 for $50; 3 for $100; 9 for $250; 25 for $500 from 519-488-9898, toll free 1-866-594-6880, online, or participating Shoppers Drug Marts
Early bird deadline: Midnight, Nov. 23
Final deadline: Midnight, Dec. 2
Final draw: Dec. 16
Option A: London Design Home, fully furnished plus $250,000 (value of $1.17 million)
Option B: London Design Condo, fully furnished plus $500,000 (value of $1.03 million)
Option C: Three BMW vehicles plus $750,000
Option D: $1 million For other options, check the website
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Viewing
Design Home: Seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Design Condo: Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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