This Maximalist Mansion in Canada Exudes an Eclectic, Art Deco-Inspired Glamour
Interior designer Meredith Heron, founder of her eponymous design firm and the former host of three HGTV shows, was in her 30s when she dived into the world of design. Heron initially began her career as a schoolteacher but is now considered one of the preeminent Toronto-based luxury residential designers with projects around the world. An expert when it comes to color, the designer is known for infusing unexpected yet tasteful vibrancy into each project she takes on.
“I was a schoolteacher, and after leaving teaching, I went back to school for design and took a part-time job at Home Depot,” Heron tells Robb Report. “It was there that I learned about paint and quickly became the color whisperer—I just knew how to create certain colors. People would call and ask when I was coming in for work, and they began hiring me for their design projects.”
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Her early clients, whom she calls her “lifers,” are still her top clients to this day. That includes a couple, tech entrepreneurs Christopher and Jeff Fettes, whom she has known for more than two decades after meeting at a design show. Almost ten years ago, the couple bought a 12,000-square-foot Tudor-style home in Winnipeg from Paul Maurice, currently the head coach of the NHL’s Florida Panthers, and tapped Heron to dream up the interiors. The couple wanted to create an Art Deco-style home ideal for both formal entertaining and casual hangouts with their family.
“They are incredibly creative people, and if someone is going to let me dream—it’s them,” she says. This led to creative brainstorming between Heron and her clients that resulted in one-of-a-kind elements such as an opulent hammam, which includes a German shower system the couple experienced in Zurich.
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Known for her mastery of color, Heron also excels in custom furnishings, bespoke craftsmanship, and artistic detailing. In fact, the designer has a line of custom rugs, some of which she included in several rooms of the home. The couple also brought their own eclectic collection to the table, including an original Salvador Dalí painting, a Picasso, and a baby grand piano signed by musician Ben Folds—a surprise guest at their wedding who played their first dance. As part of the multi-year overhaul that was completed in 2024, the couple had a logo created for the house, which can be seen throughout, whether it’s on the fireplace in the living room or emblazoned into the floor of the garage.
Standout spaces include the offices. Jeff, whose career included drawing comics for Marvel, wanted a sci-fi-inspired space that looked like a movie set but was still functional. The ultra-modern space is accessed via biometric technology—in this case, a handprint—through a hydraulic door with an exhaust system for the ultimate theatrical entrance. Inside, there are rotating screens that display Jeff’s artwork, along with an Iron Man costume replica. Meanwhile, Christopher’s office is the polar opposite, a calm, wood-paneled space with a vaulted ceiling and traditional decor, including book shelves lined with classical novels and vintage globes sitting on the desk.
Elsewhere the formal dining room features a classic Art Deco style, including a geometric-patterened ceiling, and the turquoise-hued family room has a fireplace, while the kitchen hews more traditional with brass hardware and snow white cabinets topped by dark, honed stone countertops.
Altogether, there are four bedrooms and eight bathrooms “In one of the guest rooms we used teal, which we call Nana Teal, named after Christopher’s grandmother because it was her favorite color,” Heron says. “It immediately felt so personal to him. We found ways to weave in family stories throughout the home, which incorporates so much warmth and personality to it.”
One of the home’s most incredible spaces is the hammam spa, located off of the primary bedroom via a hidden staircase. The bright-blue and white room has ambient lighting and features a Moroccan Riad-inspired fireplace, a plunge pool, and a hand-painted ceiling. Another unique amenity is the garage, which they dubbed the “Garage Mahal.” The clients purchased Frank Sinatra’s former Rolls-Royce at an auction, the same car he gifted to his fourth wife, Barbara Marx, on their wedding day. As part of the bid, the couple received the negatives of all the wedding and car photos, one of which they had blown up and mounted on the wall of the garage. They also own a vintage Mercedes, which is parked next to Sinatra’s former car in the immaculately lacquered garage.
Just because this house is now complete, the relationship between Heron and her longtime clients is not coming to a close. “The clients recently bought the house next door, which they’re using as an entertainment pavilion,” Heron says. “The property will get even more beautiful when it’s completed.” And if the main house is any indication, it will sure be magnificent.
Click here for more photos of this designer-done Winnipeg home.
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