Swish Château: an interior designer to the jet set creates a plush sanctuary in the city
Swish Château: an interior designer to the jet set creates a plush sanctuary in the city
By Toronto Life | February 17, 2015
By Toronto Life | 02/17/2015
Photographs by Derek Shapton
For 25 years, Lori Morris has designed fantasy-inducing estates all over the world—a sprawling mountain lodge in Montana, an ancient house in Jerusalem, an oceanfront beach property on the Gulf of Mexico. The hectic, travel-heavy lifestyle made her crave a waterfront retreat of her own. Walking around her Etobicoke neighbourhood in 2003, she came across a terraced neo-Georgian row house on the lakefront and had to have it. Problem was, it wasn’t for sale. She waited five years for it to come on the market and scooped it up the moment it did. In February 2008 she took possession and got to work turning the 2,500-square-foot property into her own private escape. She was inspired by French châteaus she’d visited on buying trips and indulged herself with the same luxuries as her clients: custom furnishings; antiques collected from France, Italy and England; ornate chandeliers; and enough rococo gilding to make Marie Antoinette blanch. She also updated the look to satisfy her 21st-century tastes. She stripped the house down to the studs, added grand archways to open up the space and crowned the rooms with custom millwork she designed herself. The result is an over-the-top hideaway that serves as her own Petit Trianon in Mimico. Her favourite room is her bedroom—she calls the rest of the house “the long hallway to my bedroom.”
305043 (Image: Derek Shapton) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-01-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-01.jpg 1200 800 {"copyright":"\u00a9 Derek Shapton"} https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-01/ lori-morris-great-spaces-01 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
305044 The mirrored <strong>reading alcoves</strong> are a signature Morris design. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-02-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-02.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-02/ lori-morris-great-spaces-02 0 0
305045 The leather and suede <strong>couches</strong> are custom designed by Morris and inspired by <strong>Fendi pillows,</strong> her favourite, which she has throughout. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-03-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-03/ lori-morris-great-spaces-03 0 0
305046 The 1940s Murano <strong>chandelier</strong> is from Stanley Wagman Antiques. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-04-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-04/ lori-morris-great-spaces-04 0 0
305047 The <strong>fireplace</strong> was cast from a French carved walnut piece imported for Forest Hill clients. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-05-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-05/ lori-morris-great-spaces-05 0 0
305048 British artist Russell Young did the <strong>Marilyn Monroe portrait.</strong> It’s finished with diamond dust. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-06-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-06.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-06/ lori-morris-great-spaces-06 0 0
305049 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-07-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-07.jpg 1200 803 {"copyright":"\u00a9 Derek Shapton"} https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-07/ lori-morris-great-spaces-07 0 0
305050 Morris is fanatical about <strong>fresh flowers.</strong> She gets the blooms from DMF and arranges them herself. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-08-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-08/ lori-morris-great-spaces-08 0 0
305051 Dinner parties let Morris show off her high-end mix-and-match aesthetic. She pairs <strong>black wine glasses</strong> with 24-karat gold plates, lamé crocodile placemats and antique silver services. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-09-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-09.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-09/ lori-morris-great-spaces-09 0 0
305052 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-10-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-10.jpg 649 987 {"copyright":"\u00a9 Derek Shapton"} https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-10/ lori-morris-great-spaces-10 0 0
305053 Tufted velvet walls and velvet pillows contrast <strong>“Choice of Weapon,”</strong> a work by French painter Yannick Fournié. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-11-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-11.jpg 1200 842 {"copyright":"\u00a9 Derek Shapton"} https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-11/ lori-morris-great-spaces-11 0 0
305054 She designed the bedroom in <strong>neutral creams and powder blues</strong> for a romantic Merchant Ivory effect. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-12-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-12.jpg 643 964 {"copyright":"\u00a9 Derek Shapton"} https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-12/ lori-morris-great-spaces-12 0 0
305055 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-13-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-13.jpg 1200 801 {"copyright":"\u00a9 Derek Shapton"} https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-13/ lori-morris-great-spaces-13 0 0
305056 The <strong>antique mirror–topped table</strong> acts as a kitchen island. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-14-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-14/ lori-morris-great-spaces-14 0 0
305057 Morris displays <strong>crystal and silver</strong> throughout the house. “Why buy beautiful things and hide them in a cupboard?” she says. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-15-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-15.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-15/ lori-morris-great-spaces-15 0 0
305058 The mesh, crystal and LED <strong>chandelier</strong> is from the south of France. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-16-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lori-morris-great-spaces-16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/lori-morris-great-spaces-swiss-chateau/slide/lori-morris-great-spaces-16/ lori-morris-great-spaces-16 0 0
I’ve been in several homes designed by Lori. She knows how to make a house feel warm and welcoming – and simultaneously luxurious and impressive! What a talent.
Jesus, this place is garish.
these photos are framed in a bizarre manner, I kept trying to scroll down to see the rest of the photo
Dreadful.
T.A.C.K.Y.