A Gallery Residence Steeped in Serenity

Set along the winding streets and among the majestic trees of a Toronto residential neighborhood, is a beautiful home designed by Diego Burdi of the Canadian-based design firm, Burdifilek.

Titled Gallery Residence, Diego and his team reimagined this private 25,000 sqft contemporary house for a philanthropic family whom regularly hosts events, including concerts and large dinner parties in support of various charities. Used to a more traditional design style, but with a desire for a bolder contemporary expression, the client sought out Burdifilek to redefine their sensibilities in their new residence.

The stunning home feels serene and sophisticated, and the artistry of every element brings on an even further sense of refinement to the space. Natural materials, understated tones, bold works of art and custom finishes create a warm and cozy feeling to love throughout the residence. Read on and explore!



The primary entryway features a minimalist fireplace clad in the same French limestone used on the hallway floors. Matching base molding is, in itself, eye-catching, with a pregnant curve integrated into its profile.

Fourteen-foot portal doorways lead to the grand room where three groupings of custom soft furnishings allow for even small gatherings to feel intimate. The cashmere-covered walls and a silk-thread carpet that covers most of the hardwood flooring create a warm feeling. Designed by Burdi, the expansive rug reveals a gradual tonal shift from silver to deep charcoal at the edges.

Burdifilek luxury living room contemporary design canada

Monotones also appear in other details, found in the blackened bronze door frames and a mantel-free fireplace harboring a sculptural work of art in its firebox where flames shoot up between a series of jagged bronze shapes that read as a small mountain range.

While the grand room is all about sophisticated entertaining, any undue formality loosens with such grounding touches as stacks of wooden logs beside the hearth and glass doors that open to groupings of casual outdoor living spaces.

Burdifilek living room fire place design contemporary modern

A secondary entrance leads to a solarium where four potted trees visually connect to a vine-covered wall beyond. Providing a seating area for arriving guests, this all-glass room is highly curated with limited-edition furnishings sharing space with 20th-century works of art by such familiar names as Donald Judd and Vincent Dubourg.

solarium luxury design indoor ourdoor living

It is among the most artistically expressive rooms in the house and speaks to the trust the clients had in developing a new visual language. To inspire and deepen their understanding of contemporary design and art, Burdi traveled with his clients to London, Paris and New York to visit galleries and furniture showrooms specialized in functional art objects.

dining room contemporary luxury design canada

Adjacent to the solarium is a minimalist dining room with padded silk walls that help to dampen ambient sounds, and four custom china cabinets intended to visually recede into the room’s overall simplicity.

Rather than a chandelier serving as the focal point, Burdi chose to turn the gaze toward two adjacent features, one being a set of cast glass doors custom-made by Toronto’s Jeff Goodman Studio, and which separate the dining room from the solarium. When closed at night, they create a lantern effect, and provide a theatrical moment when rolled to the side, signaling the start of dinner. 

luxury dining room with custom sliding privacy doors by Burdifilek

The other feature visible from the dining room is a hand-carved stone staircase that spirals between three floors. Its sinuous curves are countered by a cut-glass pendant light that hangs from the ceiling for 30 feet. Burdi’s vision was realized with Canadian lighting designer Matthew McCormick who developed the light’s bijou presence by adopting a gemstone cutting technique customarily used by jewelers. The craftsmanship behind each piece of convex glass enables the fixture to cast dazzling patterns of refracted light. 

custom spiral staricase cream marble custom chandelier crystal glass

With catering a common occurrence, the kitchen and an equally sized pantry can accommodate plating up to 40 servings at once. Multiple sinks offer places for various activities to coincide, including one used daily for cutting and arranging fresh flowers. A similar palette of natural wood, black-stained Baltic pine and marble found in other areas of the home reappear here, in the cabinetry and on the walls. The entire kitchen comes into visual harmony with a countertop made of translucent quartzite.

contemporary kitchen design with traditional tableware

Private realms are on each floor, including an indoor lap pool and a family room clad in brushed and black-stained Baltic pine panels. The principal bedroom, which faces onto a structured garden, is awash in French blue walls, seating and linens, and is flanked by his and hers dressing rooms. A tiny cubby area has been carved out, too, for making a morning espresso without going to the kitchen. Finally, the den captures the quiet solitude of a library experience with open shelving made from Mozambique wood and an expansive leather-bound desktop. 

Every room expresses the firm’s commitment to detail, composition and beauty. The result is a powerful visual statement that is also highly functional.

From private residences to stunning retail spaces and beyond, explore more Burdifilek at burdifilek.com.

All Photography by Doublespace, Courtesy of Burdifilek


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