How Dimitri Chris made a Toronto loft feel like home without renovating
Designer Dimitri Chris transformed a 1,200 sq. ft. Toronto rental with low-cost, high-impact moves: refinished cabinets, a moody paint, white gallery walls and carefully chosen furniture.
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By Torontoer Staff
When interior designer Dimitri Chris and his husband, David Marinier, moved into a 1,200-square-foot Toronto loft in a converted factory, they wanted the space to reflect their personalities while respecting the limits of a rental. The unit had great bones, with soaring ceilings and large windows, but it showed wear from previous occupants: scratched cabinets and dated finishes that did not suit Chris’s aesthetic.
Chris approached the project as a working designer who needs a practical, liveable home. Changes had to be strategic, reversible and budget conscious. He persuaded the owners to allow updates by promising neutral, tenant-friendly solutions that would still read as thoughtfully designed.
Design approach: low investment, high impact
The guiding principle was clear: keep structural elements as they are, and focus on visible surfaces that make a dramatic difference. Chris removed cabinet doors, refinished the existing carcasses and repainted them, a fix that took three days and avoided a full renovation. He prioritised materials and colours that read timeless rather than trendy, so the updates would work for future tenants.
The kitchen: depth, not basic black
Rather than replace the kitchen, Chris refreshed it. He painted the cabinetry in Farrow & Ball’s Off Black, a warm near-black that shifts from a soft brown in daylight to a deep tone at night. He replaced a reflective silver backsplash with end-of-lot tiles in a matching dark hue. The overall effect is a modern, moody kitchen that still reads neutral enough for renters.
I’m so over basic black kitchens. This has depth.
Dimitri Chris
Light, art and workspace
Chris kept most of the loft bright white, particularly the areas around his home office, which sits away from the windows. White walls bounce light and make the workspace feel energetic, while the darker kitchen and mezzanine bedroom provide calming zones for downtime. The white also functions as a rotating gallery for his art collection.
Artwork is a living element in the loft. Pieces arrive, rotate and sometimes leave, depending on what Chris finds at galleries. A recent focal piece is Les portes de l’Orient by Reynald Piché, displayed behind the television. The clean wall treatment keeps attention on the art and lets individual pieces read like intentional installations.
White also gives my workspace a sense of energy. The darker areas feel more calming. They help me unwind.
Dimitri Chris
Furniture and finishes
Chris mixed classic modern pieces with items from his Montreal roots. The living room features vintage LC2 armchairs, modern classics designed by Le Corbusier and produced by Cassina, and a slouchy Dive sofa from Élément de Base. Sculptural lighting from Hay adds a graphic, contemporary touch next to a marble plinth bearing a small sculpture.
Details such as the Pulcina moka pot in the kitchen and considered lighting choices complete the space. Each object is chosen to be useful and visually expressive, so the loft feels curated rather than cluttered.
Get the look
- LC2 armchairs, vintage or Cassina reissue, modern classic seating, price upon request through cassina.com
- Pulcina moka pot by Michele De Lucchi, designed to reduce bitterness, $122 through bergodesigns.ca
- Farrow & Ball paint, Off Black for cabinetry and dark accents, from $52/750 ml through farrow-ball.com
- Dive sofa from Élément de Base, relaxed profile and Quebec craftsmanship, $4,190 through elementdebase.com
- Neon LED Light Tubes from Hay, sculptural lighting to add glow, $175 per tube from Vancouver Special
A temporary home treated with permanence
Chris treats rental interiors as designed, liveable projects rather than temporary stopovers. He accepts that ownership is limited, and focuses on interventions that improve daily life and photograph well, while remaining reversible. That pragmatic approach lets him invest in pieces and finishes he loves without becoming overly attached to the space itself.
I design it, I live in it, I enjoy it, and when it’s done, I move on.
Dimitri Chris
The loft demonstrates how careful edits, thoughtful colour choices and a mix of classic furniture can transform a rental into a personal, functional home. The result is a calm, gallery-like backdrop that supports day-to-day life and shows how classic design can feel both purposeful and temporary.
interiorsrental-decorTorontohome-designDimitri Chris
