Canadian Stone Mansion

Tour Maus Park, a mid-19th c. Canadian stone mansion home to an antiques dealer.

A rustic kitchen led me to Maus Park, a mid-19th century Canadian stone mansion and historic home near Toronto. One of my favorite kitchens here on Atticmag, when I originally posted it we all swooned over the combination of luxury and natural stone. Then there was the   oil painting hung in the kitchen next to a La Cornue range.

Then I discovered the entire house. What a find. A stately and luxuriously furnished stone mansion Maus Park is set in a 12-1/2 acre park. The estate consists of a 7,000 square foot main residence and a 14,000 square foot renovated barn/showroom, the property of Canadian antiques dealer Douglas Stocks. It clearly takes an antiques dealer-owner to do it justice.  Stocks has great furniture, which is what it truly needs. I only find one room fussy.  Most are a blend of old and new and feel perfectly comfortable, contemporary and elegant.

The majestic entry hall, with its antique console, mirror and Oriental rug runner hints at the elegance beyond.

A circular hall table is a formal touch in this intimate music room.

A pair of colossal Nubian figures holding torches aloft were often seen in homes during the 19th century but are rarely seen today.

The living room has more color than most rooms in the house plus draperies that strike me as  more frilly than stately.  However any room with a pair of Knole sofas (the sides can be lowered when the tassels on the corners are loosened) and fine English antiques should be taken seriously since there’s something to learn.  I suspect the color scheme was taken from the antique carpet.

The great room [above and below] is surprisingly cozy given the antique seating. I find the color scheme wonderfully soothing.

Note the gray-green door of the door, which relates so well to the natural stone walls.

The formal dining room has Empire chairs with gilded dolphin motifs in the slats and yet another magnificent Oriental rug.

A less formal dining area features a long, rustic table outside on the porch and chairs of a style often copied during the 1940s and ’50s.  There’s a comfy seating area with two upholstered chairs down at the end of the room.

Empire chairs and Persian carpets are such strong themes in the house both are even used on the upstairs landing.  The antique lantern lights are perfect for this space — note the beautiful ceiling medallions.

The master bedroom has a beautiful old bed, a place to sit and write and room to move around.

In contrast to the austerity of the bedroom, this master bath seems palatial.  The idea of formal chairs, a serious chandelier over the tub and the fireplace does have the air of the grand manor house about it.

I have a weakness for linen closets. What can I say?

A simpler tester (4-poster) bed is used in one of the guest bedrooms.

Back downstairs, in the private study, a leather-topped desk, a pair of armchairs and a drinks tray on the chest (left) suggests that this is a well-used room.

Tour the Maus Park kitchen.

(Source: mauspark.com)

Copy and Paste the Shortlink to Quick Share this Post: http://bit.ly/gDleqF