The Modern Manor - Luxury Contemporary Whole Home in Whitby

Project Overview

This custom-built Whitby home spans over 4,500 square feet of meticulously designed living space. From the initial planning stages, the vision was clear: create a modern manor that seamlessly blends contemporary luxury with warm, livable comfort. Every room received custom cabinetry designed specifically for its function, from the grand gourmet kitchen to the cinematic basement theatre, creating a cohesive whole-home experience.

The Design Vision

The homeowners wanted a home that felt simultaneously grand and inviting - impressive enough for entertaining, comfortable enough for daily family life. They sought modern luxury without cold minimalism, sophisticated design without sacrificing warmth.

Our challenge was creating a unified design language that would flow through vastly different spaces - from the bright, social kitchen to the dramatic basement theatre to the intimate bedroom closets - while giving each room its own character and purpose.

The Grand Kitchen

The kitchen serves as the home’s social centerpiece, designed for both gourmet cooking and elegant entertaining.

Fluted Island Centerpiece: The kitchen island features distinctive fluted paneling that creates architectural drama and visual texture. The vertical grooves catch light throughout the day, making the island a sculptural focal point that anchors the open-concept main floor.

Warm Neutral Palette: Custom cabinetry in sophisticated warm neutrals creates visual calm while feeling luxurious. The subtle color palette allows natural materials and textures to shine while maintaining the modern aesthetic.

Professional Functionality: Beyond beauty, the kitchen functions like a professional space with generous counter areas, high-end appliance integration, and thoughtful storage planning. Every inch was designed for serious cooking and gracious hosting.

The Glass-Paneled Pantry

Adjacent to the kitchen, the walk-in pantry became a showcase of both organization and design.

Glass Panel Details: Custom glass-paneled doors provide glimpses of organized storage while maintaining a refined aesthetic. The transparency adds architectural interest without exposing clutter.

Custom Organization: Floor-to-ceiling custom shelving, pull-out drawers, and specialized storage zones create a highly organized system for pantry items, small appliances, and entertaining supplies.

Lighting Integration: Interior LED lighting makes finding items effortless while adding a warm glow when the glass doors are closed - turning functional storage into a glowing design element.

The Cinematic Home Theatre

The basement theatre demonstrates how custom cabinetry can enhance entertainment experiences.

Integrated Millwork: Custom cabinetry surrounds the screen, concealing speakers and electronics while framing the viewing area. The millwork creates an immersive theatre experience that rivals commercial cinemas.

Acoustic Considerations: Cabinetry placement and materials were selected with acoustics in mind, enhancing sound quality while maintaining the clean aesthetic.

Concealed Technology: All wiring, equipment, and technology hides within the custom cabinetry, ensuring the theatre looks as impressive when not in use as during movie nights.

The Basement Bar

Designed for entertaining, the basement bar brings sophisticated hospitality to the lower level.

Sleek Modern Design: Clean-lined cabinetry with integrated lighting creates an upscale bar atmosphere. Rich materials and warm finishes make the space feel like an exclusive lounge.

Entertainment Focus: Ample counter space for serving, integrated wine and beverage storage, and display areas for glassware make this bar fully functional for hosting gatherings large and small.

Mood Lighting: Layered lighting design - including LED strips and task lighting - creates atmosphere while ensuring functionality for drink preparation and serving.

Bedroom Closet Systems

Every bedroom received custom walk-in closet design tailored to its specific users.

Master Suite: The primary bedroom closet functions like a luxury dressing room with integrated lighting, specialized hanging zones, custom drawer systems, and boutique-style organization.

Secondary Bedrooms: Even guest and children’s bedrooms received thoughtfully designed closet systems scaled appropriately to their needs while maintaining the home’s overall design aesthetic.

Smart Organization: Each closet features adjustable components, allowing the systems to adapt as family needs change over time.

Spa-Like Bathroom Vanities

Multiple bathrooms throughout the home feature custom vanity designs.

Material Quality: Premium finishes, integrated lighting, and thoughtful storage make each bathroom feel like a personal spa. Quality materials promise years of beautiful function.

Tailored Solutions: Each bathroom’s vanity was designed for its specific space and users - from the grand primary ensuite to the practical powder room to the kids’ shared bathroom.

Hidden Storage: Despite their sleek appearance, the vanities conceal substantial storage through custom drawer systems, pull-out organizers, and concealed compartments.

Executive Home Office

The home office received built-in cabinetry that supports productive work while maintaining residential warmth.

Custom Workspace: Integrated desk areas, file storage, display shelving, and technology accommodation create a fully functional office environment.

Professional Aesthetic: The design balances professional functionality with home comfort - impressive enough for video calls, comfortable enough for long work sessions.

Storage Solutions: Custom cabinetry conceals office supplies, files, and equipment, allowing the space to feel organized and intentional rather than cluttered.

Creating Whole-Home Cohesion

With so many distinct spaces, maintaining design cohesion required careful planning:

Unified Palette: Warm neutral tones appear throughout, creating visual flow even as individual spaces vary in style intensity.

Consistent Quality: Every space received the same level of attention to detail and quality materials, ensuring no room feels like an afterthought.

Thoughtful Transitions: Design elements subtly reference each other across spaces - the fluting in the kitchen finds echoes in the bar design, the glass details in the pantry relate to the closet systems.

Precision Lighting Throughout

Custom lighting design elevates every space:

• Under-cabinet task lighting in the kitchen and bar
• Ambient LED strips highlighting architectural details
• Closet lighting making organization effortless
• Theatre lighting creating the perfect viewing atmosphere

The Result

The completed Modern Manor demonstrates how comprehensive custom cabinetry can transform a new build into a truly custom home. Over 4,500 square feet of thoughtfully designed, precisely crafted cabinetry creates a living experience that’s simultaneously grand and intimate, luxurious and comfortable.

Each space - from the gourmet kitchen to the cinematic theatre to the spa-like bathrooms - works beautifully independently while contributing to a unified whole. The warm neutral palette, rich textures, and precision lighting create visual cohesion that makes the entire home feel intentionally designed rather than assembled.

This Whitby home proves that modern luxury doesn’t require cold minimalism. Through warm materials, thoughtful details, and comprehensive custom solutions, we created a contemporary manor that’s as inviting as it is impressive - a true family home elevated to luxury living through the power of exceptional custom cabinetry.