About HowardHouse
Who is Howard?
John George Howard (1803 – 1890) was a generous, public-spirited man who, upon his death, bequeathed his home, Colbourne Lodge, and 120 acres of High Park to the city with the caveat that it stay a green space for the people of Toronto. Most graciously, he also allowed his servants and their families to continue to live in Colbourne Lodge after his death with no limitations on their stay. John Howard was an artist, carpenter, architect, and the principal designer of the High Park walkways, roads, and structures. As you can see from the photo, he seems to be a mischievous character. It only seemed fitting to attach his name to the household, hence HowardHouse.
History and Inspiration
A unique alternative to standard, furnished, short-term rentals, HowardHouse was established in a converted 110-year-old Edwardian-era High Park home in 2017.
The key interior design inspiration came from a talk given by Brian Gluckstein at the Toronto Interior Design Show. He described his need to periodically lift up the hood of his 1960s Mercedes, just to admire how the mechanical components looked so beautiful inside the spaciousness of the engine compartment. Something clicked with that statement… First, vintage furnishings and light fixtures were curated and purchased, carefully measured, restored, and repurposed if needed, then put into storage, awaiting the shell to house them. The building envelope was then constructed to suit – nothing was left to chance, no detail left out, no compromise allowed. Even a custom chisel was made to hand-chip away at two radiators to make them look like steamships circa 1910. The theory was that someone out there would love to lay on a mint, low-slung 1960s rosewood and leather case couch and be able to reach effortlessly over and dim a 1920s wall sconce from an equally low-slung dimmer switch. Even the 1950s desk in the bedroom/study has a knee wall that will offer just enough privacy if one person is at the desk, another in bed. Proportions and sightlines for chairs were also considered when reframing was installed.
Utmost consideration was given to sound privacy in the old structure – resilient channels, boxes of soundproofing caulking, layers of soundproofing insulation between the ceiling and floor joists, multiple layers of drywall, and even a half-inch of cork underneath the hardwood to reduce impact noise.
The aesthetic can transport you back to a different era, but just as much care and thought was taken to outfit the spaces with modern luxuries, so you can feel comfortable and at home living/working in HowardHouse.
Construction/Restoration
