How a photographer and a designer turned a commercial studio into a colourful crash pad

In 2014, Peter Chou, a food photographer, and his wife, Anne Bancroft, an interior designer, bought a 1,200-square-foot commercial loft in the Fashion District. Peter was looking for a commercial studio, and the natural light filtering in from the 35-foot wraparound factory windows was irresistible. In addition to fantastic city views, the loft also has 12-foot ceilings and open ductwork. And all the units in the 10-storey building are zoned for live-work, which is rare.

For the next decade, Peter shot every kind of fare imaginable at the studio—“From cat food to confit,” he says—for clients including Coca-Cola, Campbell’s and cookbook authors. He worked out of the loft while the couple raised their two kids in a modest house in Rosedale.

The unit had crisp white walls and pale wood floors as well as an industrial-style kitchen with a stainless steel island. A revolving team of food and prop stylists worked in the space, lunching at a long harvest table. “Because of its natural light and corner location, we knew we’d never give this place up,” says Peter. The couple had always thought that, when the time came for Peter to retire, they’d convert it into a residential space.

In 2022, Peter and Anne sold their Rosedale home and used the funds to purchase a cottage-like retreat in Wakefield, half an hour north of Ottawa. They planned to use the loft as a city crash pad and Airbnb it when they weren’t using it.

While they settled into country life, custom-home firm Alair Homes gutted and renovated the loft over six months. The goal was to replace the unit’s utilitarian interior with a whimsical and welcoming abode that the couple could enjoy on their visits to Toronto. “We come to the city regularly to see friends, eat out and go to book club gatherings,” says Peter.

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Anne designed the new two-bedroom space, decorating it with colour, art and character. Pops of yellow, red and blue permeate the loft. The kitchen has punchy teal cabinets with shelves skirting the windows. Even the bathrooms are vibrant—one features an abstract mural, the other a shower decked out with variegated sea-green and blue tiles.

There are old-world touches too, including handmade tiles in both bathrooms. “They have an old European look while still feeling current,” says Anne. The same goes for the oversized stones in the kitchen and hallway flooring and the brass pot rack in the kitchen, which was handmade in India.

To add a sculptural element, Anne designed a minimalist fireplace with an integrated window bench for gazing at the cityscape. There’s also a custom window wall, plus factory-style windows built into each of the bedrooms to provide uninterrupted light and views.

“Because the condo is also our home, I wanted it to be 100 per cent aligned with our taste and not just designed as a rental,” says Anne. “Colour was important since it’s a big part of our lives.” The couple also wanted to balance the richness and texture of old-world finishes with a modern look.

Peter and Anne are both big cooks, so the kitchen had to be both stylish and functional. This past December, they put it to use when they hosted 12 for Christmas. “At the beginning of a project, it’s hard to envision the finished product,” says Peter. “We love the new space. Wakefield is our refuge, but when we’re in the city, we want to be immersed in the energy.”

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The Herman Miller chairs were left over from when the loft was a commercial photography studio, and the harvest dining table was custom-built by a woodworker the couple met 35 years ago at the Harbourfront Antique Market.

The pendant light was sourced from Lighting Forest in China. To create the aqua-coloured artwork, Peter took a photo of a relief on a wall of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia cathedral and made it into a triptych.

A wall treatment depicting ancient doors helps to mask the TV. Peter made the mural in Photoshop. “It’s a photograph of old wooden Chinese doors,” he says. “I desaturated the image and applied the teal colour from the kitchen, then resized it so it fit the exact proportion of the wall.”

The minimalist faux fireplace injects character into the space. Anne found the decorative branch in the woods in Wakefield. “I spray-painted it a custard colour and put lights on it,” she says.

A bright-yellow armoire adds a pop of colour to the entry hall. “We put it there because the space had very little storage,” says Anne.

Interior factory-style windows let in the light and views. “You can still get a sense of privacy because the windows have blinds,” says Anne.

The powder room features mural wallpaper from Sweden-based brand Photowall. It depicts a painted forest scene. “I was looking for something with a hand-painted look to work with the rustic green tiles,” says Anne.

The chef’s kitchen has a suite of KitchenAid appliances, including an induction stove and a fridge with built-in filtered water and ice-making capabilities. There are granite countertops, black cathedral stone floors from Saltillo Tile and vivid cabinetry painted Benjamin Moore’s Naples Blue.

The couple found this mask 10 years ago at the Toronto Art Fair.