Just a few minutes from the vibrant centre of Toronto, tucked into a ravine in the Rosedale neighbourhood, stands a striking U-shaped mid-century-inspired house. This peaceful retreat is home to award-winning musician Dallas Green and his wife Leah Miller.
Dallas spends a lot of time on the road with his musical projects (City and Color, and as one-half of the folk duo You+Me with Alecia Moore aka Pink) and longed for a sanctuary to return to after the rigours of touring. The couple used to live in Nashville and it was while renovating that home that Leah discovered her passion for interior design.
‘The privacy and peace that this property offers was really important to us,’ says Leah. ‘I’ve always been searching for a home like it, but it’s hard to find in the city.’
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The couple’s relaxed approach and keen eye for design comes through in pieces like the Pierre Chapo ‘Eye’ table, a favourite spot to eat pizza or burgers on the floor while watching TV. Personal touches, such as the distressed Marshall amp in the kitchen – a relic from a 1960s Motown band that has travelled with them to every home – are evident throughout the house.
Leah drew inspiration from the original wood ceilings to create cosy, warm interiors which are flooded with light on all sides from the Torp windows that she sourced from Denmark. The unique U-shape of the footprint makes the home feel both immersed in nature (deer often wander out of the trees into the yard) yet also enveloping and private.
The home’s showstopper is its glass-enclosed pool courtyard. This serene space is not only a visual centerpiece but also a place for relaxation and year-round swimming. ‘It’s a really peaceful little zone,’ says Leah, adding, ‘it’s lovely to go on a nice hike through Evergreen Brickworks on a hot day and come back and swim.’
The project took two years to complete and during that time Leah painstakingly sourced furniture from a wide range of trusted suppliers, including California’s Galerie Provenance and Galerie Half, as well as PRB Collection in Palm Beach.
Among the standout pieces are a Pierre Jeanneret ‘Pigeonhole’ desk, an original Arnold Madsen ‘Clam’ chair and a lucky find from Porch Modern in Toronto: two armchairs by Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier, which she reupholstered in mohair. Much of the lighting came from Apparatus Studio in New York, complemented by finds from Paris and California.
With those huge picture windows flooding every space with sunshine and providing an ever-changing view of the surrounding woods, this tranquil home gives it inhabitants a calming sense of being immersed in nature – a much-need antidote to a rock and roll life.
