The Collector: a multicoloured midtown rental bursting with over-the-top opulence
The Collector: a multicoloured midtown rental bursting with over-the-top opulence
By Bronwen Jervis | July 6, 2015
By Bronwen Jervis | 07/06/2015
(Images by Derek Shapton)
Alex Donovan hoards beautiful things. The 53-year-old decorator bought his first piece of art—a vivid screen print by Ann-Marie LeQuesne—in 1982, after moving from Woodstock to Toronto to study art and design. He’s since lent his flamboyant sense of style to homes all over the city, both as an interior designer and as a buyer for upscale furniture showrooms like HorseFeathers, 1212 Decor and Barrymore. All the while, he’s amassed his own cache of treasures, transforming an 800-square-foot rental apartment near Yonge and St. Clair into an explosion of colour and art. The five small rooms, which he shares with his bichon frise, Flanders, are chockablock with enough canvasses, sculptures and ornate furnishings to fill a Rosedale estate. But Donovan doesn’t mind the tight squeeze. He loves reading magazines and watching TV in his hot pink sitting room. Client meetings take place at an antique desk piled with books, candles and curios. It’s tricky to keep things organized—one reason for the ever-growing collection of antique armoires—but Donovan has never been tempted to move into a bigger place. “Why should I?” he says. “This way, I can always reach my drink.”
319248 (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-00-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-00.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-00.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-00/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-00 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
319249 The Swarovski crystal <strong>chandelier</strong> is from Bentley Flanders. It’s designed to resemble a traditional Chinese headdress. (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-01-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-01.jpg 800 800 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-01/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-01 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
319250 The fruitwood <strong>armoire</strong> houses Donovan’s extensive shoe collection (he owns over 40 pairs). (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-02-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-02.jpg 800 800 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-02/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-02 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
319251 The <strong>wingback chair</strong> was a fortuitous discovery: Donovan found it by the side of the road during a rainstorm. (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-03-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-03.jpg 800 800 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-03/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-03 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
319252 Burglars stole this marble Guglielmo Pugi <strong>sculpture</strong> from HorseFeathers while Donovan was working there. He was called as a witness in court, and later purchased it. (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-04-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-04.jpg 800 1200 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-04/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-04 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
319253 Donovan designed the <strong>chaise lounges</strong> himself. They double as guest beds. (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-05-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-05.jpg 800 1200 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-05/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-05 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
319254 He was drawn to this 1930s <strong>painting</strong> because the woman looks just like his mother. (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-06-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-06.jpg 800 800 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-06/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-06 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
319255 The blue-and-white<strong> Chinese vases</strong> were purchased from a dealer in New York. They sit on a 1970s plinth made of Carrara marble. (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-07-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-07.jpg 800 800 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-07/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-07 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
319256 The Jeff Koons–like <strong>dachshund sculpture</strong> isn’t original—Donovan bought it for $25 in Palm Springs. “It’s my one piece of kitsch,” he says. “I’d love to own a real Koons one day.” (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-08-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-08.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-midtown-yonge-st-clair-alex-donovan-antiques/slide/great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-08/ great-spaces-the-collector-alex-donovan-08 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)