Personal Touches Define Mischa Couvrette’s New Family Abode in Swansea
The founder and creative director of hollis+morris has put down new roots within a coastal-inspired oasis along the Humber River
A stone’s throw from the Junction Triangle, Mischa Couvrette has reimagined a neglected lot into a modern sanctuary for him and his family. Framed by the Humber River and surrounded by trees, the 3,300-square-foot home in the city’s Swansea neighbourhood draws from Scandinavian and coastal architecture, seamlessly blending metal and wood. The space also features custom, sustainably crafted furniture designed, of course, by Couvrette himself.
Mischa Couvrette and family. The Riverside sofa makes a grand statement in the living room.
The search for a new home began during the pandemic after Couvrette and his brother sold their house on Symington Avenue. At the time, he and his family lived in a rental in the Roncesvalles Neighbourhood, and he felt ready to leave the city for a change of pace. One day, while running, he came across a house that looked like it had been neglected for years. “I thought, well, if that ever came for sale, maybe I could buy it,” says Couvrette. A few months later, while on his usual run, he noticed a ‘For Sale’ sign planted in front of the very house he’d been eyeing.
The living room fireplace is seamlessly integrated into the wall with subtle bevels, creating a sleek and minimalist look.
He immediately called Halifax-based architect Jonathan Mandeville from Passage Studio—a personal friend—who fell in love with the property just as Couvrette did. The two quickly began working, with Mandeville travelling to Toronto to begin the design. “Growing up in Nova Scotia, we were influenced by MacKay-Lyons, Saunders Architecture and Scandinavian architecture that felt more coastal. That’s what I wanted to accomplish here.”
The intention was to have a subdued tonal palette and combine different materials—something Couvrette has been doing with his furniture and lighting production for years. The key element was adding a metal hoop at the front entrance, inspired by a stainless steel hoop from a sailboat he bought after university.
The Shoal lounge chair—inspired by a rising seabed—features a sturdy base and a high, sheltering backrest to offer comfort and protection for your most peaceful moments.
Mischa Couvrette’s Swansea home living room, dressed in warm wood and imbued with natural light.
Varying window sizes create a dynamic variety of sightlines to the surrounding environment.
A seamless walkout at ground level opens directly to the backyard, blending indoor and outdoor living.
Floor-to-ceiling windows were also not originally a part of the plan. However, after a work trip to Manhattan and seeing how the windows added an elegant impression to his hotel, it only made sense to incorporate it. Realizing how understated the palette was, augmenting windows to frame the trees became a pivotal part of the architectural design.
The Apogee pendant trio adds a quintessentially hollis+morris touch to the home’s staircase.
Inside the Swansea home is an open concept floor plan with a stairwell that extends to the second floor, doubling as a railing that creates a hallway for added privacy. “I love an open concept, but I’m also mindful of my kids, so we created a separation with the stairwell,” says Couvrette. “Even though it’s all open, it still feels like each room is distinguished in its own way.”
The home’s hollis+morris dining table is accompanied by four custom-made Crest dining chairs.
The kitchen combines sleek modern design with functional warmth, featuring minimalist cabinetry and a spacious island that invites both cooking and gathering.
A quartzite backsplash reaches the kitchen ceiling and matches the island fixed in reeded wood.
Couvrette wanted nine-foot ceilings on the main floor and eight-foot ceilings on the basement but didn’t want to sacrifice too much space on the second floor, so Mandeville and his team vaulted the ceilings up to twelve and a half feet. This allowed them to have four spacious bedrooms and two bathrooms on the second floor.
The principal bedroom maintains a minimalist design, reminiscent of Scandinavian interior aesthetics.
In conjunction with building and designing his family home, Couvrette created custom hollis+morris furniture and lighting. The use of white oak and walnut, both Indigenous to North America, comes in various finishes to add dimension and bring the serenity of the surrounding nature into the space. Working on the house revealed areas where the studio didn’t have products. Overall, he designed 12 new items, with the exception of his children’s beds from Sundays.
The Ripple bed features a built-in bedside nook, keeping your essentials within easy reach.
The home’s principal ensuite.
Each vanity mirror is paired with a hollis+morris Willow sconce.
A soaker tub makes all the statement necessary in the home’s principal ensuite.
His wife Allison also wanted large, comfortable sofas, so she accompanied him on trips to the upholster to make sure they felt right. “I don’t often design with pure function in mind, so I was happy to have someone guide me.”
Mischa Couvrette outside his Swansea family home. Full-length hemlock siding from New Brunswick was used to create harmony between the materials. Landscaping, planting, fencing and decks, Box Design.
Designing every inch of the space allowed Couvrette to collaborate with friends and loved ones, resulting in an extraordinary and deeply personal space for his family. And now, as the sun filters through the towering windows, casting soft light on the custom furniture, it’s clear that this house—once just a passing thought on a run—has become the perfect sanctuary, filled with warmth, love, and the natural beauty that first inspired him.