Inside Interior Designer Marianna Tomlenovich’s Forever Home In Canada
The famed designer has applied her wealth of experience to fashioning her own abode, pursuing her boldest visions yet
Home is where the heart is, at least that’s what everyone seems to agree on. Italian-Canadian interior designer Marianna Tomlenovich sees her home as the realisation of her lifelong interior design dreams. It’s where her dream closet shines and, above all, where her family resides.
“As a designer, I love to create so I will constantly be rearranging my décor, or adding some more art”
Marianna Tomlenovich
Designing what she best describes as her “forever home”, Marianna balanced her roles as homeowner, professional and mother to find a clear vision for her new house and execute it. “I have to say, designing your own home is much harder than designing for a client,” Marianna admits.
“As a designer you are constantly overexposed to the latest design trends, and you always want each of your projects to be unique. Therefore, it is challenging to make decisions and commit to a style that you want to be timeless yet something outside the box and different from what you have done in the past. It is hard to find that balance. You really do become your worst client and end up overanalysing every detail.”
While her passion for interiors was ignited at a young age, growing up immersed in her parents’ Italian furniture and home décor store, Marianna’s own home journey started with the purchase of a house in British Columbia, Canada.
She quickly followed this up by buying the property next door, tearing it down and delving into the redesign. Located in the heart of a peaceful family-friendly suburb in Coquitlam, the result is a testament to Marianna’s eye for clean modern lines and minimal details as well as her keenness to remain fresh and contemporary.
Creamy walls and warm woods demonstrate her appreciation of luxurious combinations, while the closet and spa-like bathroom speak of her grasp of satisfying grandeur. “The one word I would choose to describe my house is ‘resort’,” she says. “Every day when I walk into my house it feels like I am away at a luxurious tropical resort. The palette is so tranquil, warm and inviting. The round arches perfectly frame the pool, and the walk-out backyard is full of greenery everywhere.”
Starting from a homemade moodboard on which Marianna digitally pinned all the images that caught her eye and inspired her, the house offers an interesting reinterpretation of opulence, which is memorable and simple, characterised by clean lines and open spaces. “I would say our home is a neutral palette, but we used lots of different textures and materials to keep it interesting,” she explains.
“The concrete micro topping finish that is used in many areas of the house adds so much texture and warmth. It also gives it that old-world European feeling but without it looking too traditional. The scalloped wall panels in the living room and on the fireplace also give so much dimension and detail to the space. There is also the wide plank oak flooring and cabinets throughout the home, which pair perfectly with the creamy white palette, making it feel timeless.”
Having crossed the finish line of her most consuming project to date, the proud homeowner says she has learnt a lot in the process and has confirmed her tried-and-tested advice to all homeowners: “Always make sure you budget for furniture and decor,” she insists. “I often find that people wait until the bitter end of their build to purchase their furniture. By that time most people are just trying to get their build done and rush into purchasing furniture that truly does not fit with the style of the home. The furniture is just as important as the construction of the build if not more. Furniture can really make or break it all.”
Putting her own professional tip to the test has culminated in the creation of her favourite space in the house. “The den was initially designed to be an office for myself and my husband. However, I did not want it to feel like a typical office, I wanted to get a lot of use out of this room, so we decided to make it more special by panelling all the walls in wood and we had a custom curved 16-foot green velvet sofa made for a tailored lounge feel. My husband and I sometimes use this room as a meeting place for our clients, or I like to use it as a place to sit and have a cocktail with our friends. Additionally, it has floor-to-ceiling windows, making it the perfect place to sit and read a book.”
Reaping the benefits of a two-year build, Marianna and her family are happy with how it all turned out, yet future changes are not off the table. “As a designer, I love to create so I will constantly be rearranging my decor, or adding some more art. This will allow me to always keep the space feeling new and different.”
Images courtesy of: Photography by Ema Peter
From Harper’s Bazaar Interiors’ Summer 2024 issue