Jennifer Roberts/The Globe and Mail
Ken Metrick, the president of Elte in Toronto, holds the keys to a major furniture emporium, so it's not surprising that his home showcases the best it has to offer. His condo is decorated with pieces that he and wife, Renée, a buyer for the retailer, chose from the store or during buying trips abroad. Their two-storey apartment – one of seven custom-designed units in a low-rise building – has a number of impressive rooms, but the dining room is Metrick's favourite. "We do a lot of entertaining in our home and it is quite grand," he says of the space. "We have been told that, even though it's large, it feels very warm and inviting."
The carpet
"This carpet is part of our Second Life rug collection, which was produced by a carpet manufacturer in Afghanistan. Semi-vintage rugs are taken, stripped of their original colour and then overdyed, giving them a consistent colour. It is a modern take on a traditional piece. Our son Jamie chose this piece [along with all the other rugs in the Elte showroom]."
The drawings
"These were purchased on one of our antique-buying trips to France. We saw them and were intrigued by their subjects. They are original charcoals. An art consultant once told us, 'One should buy art that is provocative. When one looks at a piece of art, it should evoke some sort of emotion or response.' These fit the bill."
The dining-room table
"The dining-room table is from one of our best suppliers from Vietnam: Theodore Alexander. It is made of rosewood with polished stainless-steel trim in the art deco style. It seats 12 comfortably."
The chairs
"The dining-room chairs are also from Theodore Alexander. They too are made of rosewood with leather seats, also in the deco style."
The light fixture
"It looks like an antique, but it is actually new. The crystals are all tea-stained to give it that vintage appeal. The vintage-style ceiling light with the decoinspired table is something that one would not expect in the same room, but it has worked very well for us."
The candle holders
"These are candle holders that Elte has carried. They are made of glass and aren't very expensive."
The tapestry
"This tapestry is one of a limited edition by the renowned Canadian artist Harold Town. It was made approximately 30 years ago for an art installation at our old location on Front Street; [the installation] featured 10 of Canada's top artists. We had purchased one for ourselves and did not have a place to put it until we purchased this condo. There are only two colours, but it took three weeks for us to pick the right black and the right white."