My Houzz: From Baseball Factory to Homey Loft in Toronto
Textural secondhand finds cozy up this loft's industrial elements but keep the generous views front and center
When Robert Van Every casually popped into a neighborhood open house one day in Toronto, he wasn't expecting the loft to blow him away. But the space was just what he'd always wanted. Located inside a former Rawlings baseball glove factory built in 1902, the space had an industrial shell that held modern finishes, 10-foot ceilings, original wood beams and exposed brick. "I immediately started visualizing myself living here; it was really meant to be," he says.
He bought the loft and got to work filling the space with standout vintage furniture for a smart but subdued look that allows the many expansive windows to play a continuous loop of the West Toronto neighborhood. "This is my ultimate dream home," Van Every says. "It's what keeps me inspired."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Robert Van Every and his greyhound, Jason
Location: Roncesvalles neighborhood of Toronto
Size: 1,300 square feet; 1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms
He bought the loft and got to work filling the space with standout vintage furniture for a smart but subdued look that allows the many expansive windows to play a continuous loop of the West Toronto neighborhood. "This is my ultimate dream home," Van Every says. "It's what keeps me inspired."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Robert Van Every and his greyhound, Jason
Location: Roncesvalles neighborhood of Toronto
Size: 1,300 square feet; 1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms
The height and openness of the loft initially drew Van Every to the space, which, he says, lends itself very well to entertaining.
The fireplace wasn't something he thought he'd ever need, but now he can't imagine living without it.
The fireplace wasn't something he thought he'd ever need, but now he can't imagine living without it.
On the first night in his new loft, a few days before Christmas, as he waited for the paint to dry in his bedroom, Van Every put his mattress on the floor in front of the fireplace and curled up with a glass of wine. That moment may have been the impetus for the placement of his greyhound's bed nearby.
Though the loft hadn't been renovated since the '80s, the charcoal-gray kitchen had aged surprisingly well. Concrete floors set the space apart from the wood-floor living area.
Green chair: Value Village; taxidermy, Smash!
Green chair: Value Village; taxidermy, Smash!
The kitchen's galley style helps keep the mess of entertaining confined to the wide-open living spaces. A Persian-inspired rug, combined with a taxidermy deer head and a midcentury armchair, adds eclectic flair.
Rug: Valby Ruta, Ikea
Rug: Valby Ruta, Ikea
Van Every created this small seating nook off the kitchen; he enjoys his morning coffee and news here. "My decorating philosophy is based on experience," he says. "I envision how I want to use a space and then figure out the best possible furniture placement. Each space has a reason for being."
Suitcases double as storage for his favorite magazines.
Chair: Papa Bear, Hans J. Wegner
Suitcases double as storage for his favorite magazines.
Chair: Papa Bear, Hans J. Wegner
Van Every's favorite recent purchase is a bright aqua Era chair that he found on Craigslist.
Chair: Era, originally from Design Within Reach; dining table: Stornäs, Ikea
Chair: Era, originally from Design Within Reach; dining table: Stornäs, Ikea
The sunken main bedroom is an exercise in simplicity, with ornate empty frames and a simple hanging pendant light that illuminates the warm wood ceiling.
Bed: Svelvik, Ikea
Bed: Svelvik, Ikea
The building allows Van Every, shown here with dog Jason, to walk and bike to just about everything in the Roncesvalles neighborhood of West Toronto, where he has lived for the past five years.
Your turn: Show us your loft!
Your turn: Show us your loft!
Van Every maximized space with a large sectional, weighty bronze pendant lights and a coffee table he created with old crates and a vintage marble top.
Sofa: Mirabel, Domison; rocking chair, Thonet, Value Village; lighting: Bronze Copper Pendant, Tom Dixon; rug: Alvine Ruta, Ikea