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3co vet gardeninspiration grows here

greg everything in

its right place

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contributors

VALERIE WILCOXphotographer

Toronto-based photo-grapher Valerie has

been shooting people,

places and things for

over seven years. We’re

glad to have her back

shooting for us again!

valeriewilcox.ca

PAUL Cphotographer

Paul takes pictures ofinteriors, exteriors, eats

and assorted other things.

His work has appeared

in such magazines as

Style at Home, Elle Canada 

and Reno and Decor .

paulc.ca

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nspiration!

Start the year right with

 this clever, go-anywhere

Post-it-style calendar

from Presto Paper and

Home. To win, go to

prestopaperandhome.com

 to learn more about the

calendars. Then send us

an email and tell us how

 you would use this planner

 to organize your life. The

frst-prize winner will receive

four calendar pads (one in

each colour). The runner-

up will receive one pad in

 the colour of their choice.

Contest is open to North American residents only.

  W  I  N  T  H  E  S  E  !

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 welcomeLast month, we wanted to move in with

Lindsey and her kids. This month, we want

to run away with photographer Greg. We

shot Greg’s compact Parkdale home just

before he packed it all up to take a trip

halfway across the world and then maybe

take to a life on the water. But before

he left, he shared his favourite rooms,

collections and renovation ideas.

And proving that home really is where

the heart is, Greg plans to return to

land-based living and his house one day.

In the meantime, adventure awaits!

On the cover and contents : photos by Valerie Wilcox.

Self-portrait in felt (above) by Greg White.

4  the spaceA small space and

the wide world

20  Q & A

22  the styleUrban cycling chic

24  the projectSleeping bags for

your gadgets

29  the drinkRum runner

30  inspirationFelt likes

contents

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The tapestry on thewall was a find fromthe St. LawrenceMarket. “I thinkthe lady I boughtit from thought it

was crazy. My momthought it was crazy.”

LEAVING HOME

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the space“I found thiswood slab at anantique shop…

I don’t know whatit was for originally,

but it’s perfecton the wall.”

By the time you read this, Greg will be far away, exploringthe world. But a piece of his heart will remain in his compact

Parkdale house interior photography by Valerie Wilcox still-life photography by Paul C

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Greg openedup the ceiling,leaving the

floor joistsexposed.

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the space

This is a story about a house in

transition. While every place we’ve

featured in Covet Garden has rep-

resented a snapshot of how it was lived in at

that moment in time, this month we visit Greg’s

house mere weeks before he packed everything

into storage to set off on his travels.

When Greg bought his west-end abode, he was

an Ontario College of Art and Design grad who

found himself working in finance. “I was in a job

sitting at a desk for 14 years,” says Greg. “This

house became an expression of creativi ty. An

oasis of creating felt collages and sewing projects,

making pizza and playing cards with friends.”

More recently, Greg decided to transition back

to his first love, photography. “Now that I don’t

have to go to Bay Street every day, I have another

creative outlet.”

The house has always been in a state of flux—heoriginally lived there with his sister and brother-

in-law—but it’s also a symbol of stability. Born and

raised in Durban, South Africa, Greg and his family

left almost everything behind when they relocated

to Markham. “I lived in eight different places in 10

 years before I bought the house,” he says. “I was

trying to create a sense of personal history.”

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opposite: Greg foundthese diningchairs at

Value Villagefor $3 each.

the space

‘I still loveand appreciatethe spaceI’ve created’ 

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On her attrac-tion to wooden

objects, Jensays, “I’m inter-

ested in the lay-ering of things.”

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the spacethe space

One of the most charming things

about Greg’s home is that while

it is compact, it also tells a story

 via his many collections.

The vibe of his rooms is definitely eclectic, mixing

sturdy Edwardian pieces with sleekly cantilevered

Scandinavian designs and Pop graphic pieces.

Apart from the art, says Greg, “It’s all thrift-store

finds.” He says it’s difficult to describe the aes-

thetic that he’s attracted to. “The pieces that most

appeal to me show the aesthetic or enthusiasm of

the designer.”

Greg’s greatest find is a signed lithograph by

Alexander Calder, which you can see hanging on

the kitchen wall in the previous pages. “I found it

in a storage unit that was being cleared,” he says.

“As soon as I saw it I grabbed it.” Still, in such

a small space the collections must also serve a

purpose. “I don’t carry collecting to an obsession.

I don’t have that level of attachment.” For exam-

ple, the Fire King coffee mugs and the fromage-

festooned cheese plate pictured in these pages get

regular use. “They’re beautiful, but I use them. If a

piece breaks, I’ll get another one. It’s important to

feel like I’m not just hoarding.”

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How did Fionaand Maciek find

the cast hands intheir living room?The hands foundthem. “We went

to the Junctionfor a visit–strictly

for coffee,”

Perfectlymatched: AnEdwardianmantel anda piece froma pinball

machine.

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the space

appliqué that he made for his flatscreen. The

meta-design looks like a 1970s-era console TV.

Greg also appreciates things with a sense of

humour. Among his favourite art pieces is a

series of paintings of animals smoking by Rob

Elliot. “They’re just so good,” he says of the bright-

ly coloured images. These beasties with bad hab-

its hang alongside works by some of the biggest

names in art—including a print by photographer

Elliott Erwitt. Photography gallery owner “Stephen

Bulger is taking care of that one while I’m away.”

So in this time of transition, Greg

admits that it was a bit of a battle

to pack things away into storage.

The living room, for instance, is the scene of many

a great night, hanging out with favourite people

and creating with friends Robert  and Christine.

“We’ve been getting together and using felt and

scrap material to make things for a couple of years

now,” says Greg. “We spend an evening of craft-

ing, perogies and borscht—it’s like the old quilting

circle.” One of the best examples of Greg’s things

being beautiful and useful is the cover with felt

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Knit pieces byCatherine Rupert

mix it up withMexican folk

art and thrift-shop finds.

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the space

‘I love the motifs of1950s and 1960s design’

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Greg picked uphis Communist-era cameras ona trip to Berlin.

the spacethe space

in the financial industry and I needed a backup

plan,” he says. “And it had to be something that I

already knew how to do.” He decided to redevel-

op his skills working as a wedding photographer.

“It’s stressful, hectic and physically painful,” says

Greg. “And I really enjoy it.”

Some photographers use their camera as a shield

to distance themselves from their subjects. Work-

ing weddings, Greg says, helped him open up

as a person and engage with people. That con-

nection translates into his images and, he adds,

“has deepened my approach to photography.”

When Greg started his reno-

 vation, he set up a base-

ment office to keep all his

photography gear organized. When he left his job

in the financial services industry, he transformed

the room into a dedicated space where he couldwork on projects and leave them out without hav-

ing that process interfere with his living space.

Also, he was lucky that his basement has a big

window that floods the room with a lot of light.

Greg went back to photography two years ago. “I

started to get a sense of how insecure my job was

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the space

“I sleep in hereoccasionally,“ saysAaron, “and it feelslike I’m staying overnight in a hotelroom. It’s still verynew so it really doesfeel like part ofa different house.”

E ven now, while the house is

being emptied for new tenants,

 you can sti ll sense how Greg’s

embrace of change energizes it. So many details,

such as the sliding closet door in the living room

and the bathroom sink frame, were added by

Greg himself. He fashioned the sliding door fromsalvaged barn board that he found in Kitchener.

The enamel sink was discovered in the field of

an antique market north of Bayfield and set on a

stand of Greg’s devising. “I took a woodworking

course at George Brown,” he says. “It gave me

the confidence to build things like this and the

deck, which I also built myself.”

His small but well-planned home in many ways

reminds us of a boat, with everything stowed

away just so. Part of Greg’s plan on his next ad-

 venture is to sail some of the seven seas. One

of the reasons he bought the place was for its

 view of Lake Ontario. He used to stop and watch

whenever a sailboat drifted by. Eventually he meta guy who was looking for a crew for his boat and

Greg signed up, learned to sail and then got a

strong urge to start a new adventure.

“Part of the desire to live on a sailboat is a reaction

against the clutter of land-based living,” says Greg.

“But I’m pretty certain I’ll be back.”

‘It would be fun to start thehunt again, but the golden age of

finding things at the Value Villageat Bloor and Lansdowne is over’

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 What’s your favourite Toronto experienc

Greg’s classic calypso

Greg is reading

1. Duke of Iron

2. The Fabulous McClevertys

3. Lord Kitchener

4. Lili Verona

Aaron and

Amelia

 who?A favouriteschool photoof Greg’s.

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GREG: Looking at the city from the lake.

Gregory White is a Toronto-based

photographer. He studied at the Ontario

College of Art and Design University,

took a detour to work in the world of

finance and then returned to his work

behind the lens. He also enjoys wood-

working, sewing and sailing. He plans

to buy a sailboat and live on it during

the spring and summer, travelling to a

warmer climate for the winter, until he

finally returns to his dream home.

links•Greg’s website

the profle

What’s your greatest strength?

GREG: Extraordinary patience.

What’s your greatest weakness?

GREG: In the absence of a deadline, I am

a master procrastinator.

If you could travel in time, what era would

 you most like to visit?

GREG: I’d love to see what Toronto looked

like 20,000 years ago.

What’s your favourite place on earth?

GREG: Cat Ba Island, Vietnam.

Which musical instrument do you wish you

could play?

GREG: The trumpet: its sound brings me

to tears sometimes.

Whose talent do you wish you had?

GREG: Alexander Calder’s.

Forced to choose between night and day,

which would you give up forever? And why?

GREG: I’d give up day because I get all my

creative energy late at night, and because

night sailing under a clear starry sky is an

incredible experience.

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BIG WHEELSGreg loves his handmade Dario Pegoretti Luigino because itis an incredible machine and a thing of beauty. Just as thesecycling accessories are a great mix of form and fashion

Oopsmark

Wine Bottle

Rack, $40

Brooks

Eton

Leather

Satchel,

£299

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the style

Wildhagen’s

Skipper Cap

has ear flaps

that fold down

for warmth andit’s snug enough

to the head that

it fits under a

helmet, $145

Hövding’s

Invisible Cycling

Helmet inflates

to cover and

protect the head

when irregular

movement isdetected by

the sensors,

$499 Euros

Outlier

Double

Fine Merino

Cardigan,

$240

Rapha Hardshell

Jacket in Dark Red

keeps you dry and

warm, regardless of

the weather, $440

Fred Perry

Club Stripe

Scarf, £50

Rapha perfor-

mance denim

Jeans for city

cycling, $240

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cover-UPSInspired by Greg’s fabulous felt projects, we came up withthese easy-to-sew, colourful sleeves for all your electronicsphotography by Jessica Reid

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the spacethe space

inspiration: Wechose graphicbotanical printsinspired by mid-century dishwaremotifs to dress upour gadget cases.

the project

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the pouch• felt fabric

• thread

• scissors

1. Lay the felt fabric down on a surface

with your gadget on top. Trace around

the item leaving ½ inch border on all

sides. Cut two pieces like this.

2. Sew up the pouch around three

sides with a sewing machine.

the decoration• paper punch

• stencil plastic sheet

• fabric ink

• stencil brush

1. Use the paper punch to make a stencil

in the plastic sheet. If you want a small

repeating pattern, punch a few in a row

to help line up the pattern as you go.

2. Apply a small amount of fabric ink on

the brush. Dab it on a scrap of paper first

to make sure you don’t have too much ink. 

3. Set up your first stencil where you would

like it on your finished pouch. Gently dab

the brush repeatedly in an up-and-down

motion to apply the ink on the fabric.

Repeat as necessary. Follow your ink’s

directions to set the image and enjoy!

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 Visit our blog for

thisproject!

the project

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28 issue 30

sweet blissbakingcompany

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affordable elegance • 338 Queen St. East 

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For a hale and hearty cocktail, we asked Greg to recommenda concoction that puts the wind in his sails photography by Paul CTHE RUM DIARIES

dark and stormy 

A favourite of the sailing set from

Bermuda, this drink embodies two

great tastes of the tropics. It’s darker

than most tropical drinks, but it’s

 just as refreshing.

Ice

2 ounces dark rum (if you want to

make the drink true and proper,

it must be Gosling’s black rum)

10 ounces ginger beer

1. Fill a 12-ounce glass with ice.

Pour the rum into the glass. Add the

ginger beer. Stir lightly and serve.

the drink

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Felt is warm, soft and —as Greg demonstrates—endlesslyversatile. Let’s cuddle up with something felty this winter

1. Bev Hisey Butterfly Cushion in pebble grey, $168 2. Flock of Tea Cosy Modern Shorn cosy

black, £225 5. Ten Red Poppy wool felt pillow, $42 6. Tom Dixon Felt lamp shades (sold indiv

cover, $21 9. Glerups Boot slipper in charcoal, $99.95 11. Peace Industry 19” w x 13”h Choob

14. Mika Tolvanen for Muuto Restor Basket in Light Gray, $99 15. Klippie Kuties Poinsettia

heart felt

1 3

2

4

13

14

15

16

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in the next issue...Cool Modernism

meets warm folkloric

touches in artist

Kara’s cool east-

end loft conversion

Can’t wait untilnext month forthe new issue ofCovet Garden?Check out our blogfor more ideas

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