I’m a strong believer that some people are born with an eye for design and that a sense of style, the same as an heirloom, can be passed down through many generations. Dana Simeunovic, with roots in Eastern Europe, is the spirit behind the interior design of this incredibly unique tudor-style home in Lakeshore. Together with her husband Mike Lovell, a teacher and freelance illustrator, they’ve managed to perfectly execute modern Scandinavian minimalism with a sort of 70s, bohemian maximalism.
The couple have been gutting and renovating since they found their home in 2014 – an ongoing project that we’ll be following up with in the future. The original stone fireplace and glassed in sunroom (that previously housed a lap pool) are the “wow factors” that make this home so bold and unique. I’m always a fan of pure white walls and here you can see how they help to focus your eye toward the greenery outside and the pops of colour and texture throughout the interior.
Dana and Mike raved about working with Danny Azar of Azar Homes and Mylen, out of Chatham, on their kitchen. It’s easy to imagine that Dana had a pretty good idea of what she wanted – kitchen designer Albert Rossignol took her “inspiration pictures” and combined different materials to come up with this blend of white shaker and walnut cabinets, Cambria quartz and butcher block countertops with fixtures from the Lighting Boutique. A perfect backdrop for the assortment of vintage, mid-century Jadeite kitchenware that she’s been collecting over the past 20 years.
Dana’s age-old love of textiles and fashion stems from her mother, a Serbian seamstress who moved to Canada in the early 70s. But the line of talented women in her family doesn’t stop there – the stunning rugs on display in her dining room and sunroom were handmade in Europe by her grandmother and great grandmother. The red design pops against the dark oak floors they chose for their main living space.
The creative mix of the couple’s memorabilia with other unique and vintage finds is what makes this home such feast for the eyes. For mid-century furniture like her sideboard and desk, look to Memory Lane Antiques in London, Ontario and Three60vintage on Insta. For air plants and terrariums, Windsor’s Bungalow Home Decor is where it’s at and for modern bohemian tapestries like the one above, shop Boho By Lauren.
Dana’s blend of interior style and personality is forever swoon-worthy so be sure to follow her on Instagram for more pics of their pad and inspiration on adding textiles, punches of colour and life into your home.
