Great Spaces: a look inside the lodgings of Drake Hotel owner Jeff Stober
Great Spaces: a look inside the lodgings of Drake Hotel owner Jeff Stober
By Peter Saltsman | September 30, 2013
By Peter Saltsman | 09/30/2013
By Peter Saltsman | Photography by Derek Shapton
Jeff Stober is known for his exacting taste. In fact, as the owner of the Drake Hotel and the new Financial District restaurant Drake One Fifty, he’s staked his career on it. It’s no surprise, then, that his home of more than 20 years is an extension of his public spaces. He calls it an “aesthetic laboratory” that morphs every few years with changing seasons, trends and tastes. The current iteration, which he worked on closely with his longtime design collaborator, John Tong, and the Drake’s curator, Mia Nielson, perfectly sums up Stober’s aesthetic: a playful mix of classic and contemporary styles, modern and vintage furnishings, and high and low culture. He’s filled the house with art—much of it Canadian—and furniture that, while expertly crafted, still retains a sense of whimsy. He’s also a lover of the outdoors, which is why he made sure there were plenty of huge windows and natural wood details—not to mention a fully loaded gym in his backyard.
237262 Jeff Stober worked with longtime design collaborator, John Tong, and the Drake’s curator, Mia Nielson, on his home’s most recent look (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-02-e1380125063750-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-02.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Derek Shapton"} https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-02/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-02 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237263 Polycarbonate honeycomb panels slide across the windows in lieu of shades. They cast geometric silhouettes across the room when the light hits them. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-03-e1380125050512-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-03.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-03/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-03 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237264 Stober is an avid art collector and frequently travels to major shows around the world. <br />
He bought the piece by Aurel Schmidt at Deitch Projects.<br />
(Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-04-e1380125038135-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-04.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-04/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-04 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237265 Stober often changes the art in his house. The centre painting above the mantel is—for now—by Alonso Mateo. <br />
(Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-05-e1380125026406-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-05.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-05/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-05 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237266 The vintage bingo cage is from the Drake General Store. Stober fell for its battered whimsy. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-06-e1380125014698-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-06.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-06/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-06 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237273 The kitchen table was designed by Tong and made in Toronto. It’s a custom top on vintage legs. Stober picked up the chairs in L.A. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-13-e1380124918128-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-13.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-13/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-13 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237269 Stober found the dining table in New York. Tong hacked it by insetting an acrylic panel where the leaf would have gone. Similar vintage armchairs are also found in many rooms at the Drake. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-09-e1380124978842-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-09.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-09/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-09 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237270 The light fixture from Droog is made of sandblasted milk bottles. The painting, called <em>Dancing Girls,</em> is by the Albertan artist Dana Holst. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-10-e1380124963212-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-10.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-10/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-10 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237268 Stober found the side chair in a vintage store in New York. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-08-e1380124990775-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-08.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-08/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-08 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237261 The door of Stober’s bedroom opens onto this rooftop terrace. The orange laminated glass wall gives privacy and a punch of colour.<br />
(Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-01-e1380124822250-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-01/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-01 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237267 John Tong designed the wall with a vinyl print of river rocks, based on photos by Nancy Tong, hanging behind a photo of water printed on a scrim.<br />
(Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-07-e1380125002608-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-07.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Derek Shapton"} https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-07/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-07 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
237272 Stober travels a lot and likes to keep his luggage readily accessible, so he had Tong design and build this industrial rack for his bedroom.<br />
(Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: the house that Drake built Great Spaces: the house that Drake built https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-12-e1380124930166-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-12.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built/slide/great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-12/ great-spaces-the-house-that-drake-built-12 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)