Montana Burnett is an in-demand Toronto-based interior designer that got her start at House & Home Magazine working in editorial. She branched out on her own and started her firm, Montana Burnett Design and her work continues to be showcased in print and on television.

Montana’s beautiful older home in the Forest Hill area of Toronto exudes classic-ness and sophistication, but the interior very much describes Montana’s style. She loves light and bright with a hint of earthiness and she adds a touch of that to every project. With that combination we can certainly see why she’s so successful. 

We sat down with Montana to discuss her real estate experiences and what she loves so much about her home:

1. Think back to the first place you lived in on your own, what were your walls decorated with?

MB:  The first place I lived in on my own was adorned with classically designed floor to ceiling, and wall to wall built in bookshelves.  I had a large collection of books so really it slightly resembled a library.  I love the cozy ambiance that a wall of books can bring to a space.  To this day, I make sure that I have ample space for my collection of books.

2. What did you love most about the first place you purchased?

MB: The proportion of the home.  It had high ceilings, large arched windows and close proximity to nature. It was in a quiet woodsy area of midtown Toronto and had a lot of old world charm.  If I had to choose, I would choose an old house with a lot of character that needs work over a new build or home with little to no charm.

3. How would you describe your interior design style now?

MB: My style is constantly evolving and changing but there is always an underlying light and bright earthiness to my approach.  As in life, it’s important not to take yourself too seriously.  Creating points of interest such as pairing odd couples and injecting a sense of humour into spaces is always paramount in my approach.  It makes me giddy to walk into a grand palatial room with classical and luxurious mouldings, to find that a few key pieces are either contemporary or more akin to what you would find in a hippy-like beach house.  Odd couples are always the most interesting in my opinion.  There’s nothing worse than being ‘cookie cutter’ and playing it safe.

4. What room do you spend the most time in?

MB: I would say that I spend the most time in the kitchen.  My second passion is cooking and I really find that this is where most family and friends generally park themselves when they come over.   It’s therefore pretty crucial that the kitchen is not tiny.  If designing a small space, I’m of the rare breed that would sacrifice closet space for more kitchen space.

5. What is the #1 feature you’d look for in your next home?

MB: I always look for high ceilings, good flow and lots of light.  Exposure is something that people don’t always consider when choosing a home but you could have the most beautiful space and have no sunrise or sunset light to highlight its features.

6. What does your dream home look like?

MB: When designing new builds or renovating older houses, I always encourage clients to incorporate an open concept kitchen and family room.  The separate spaces within one space allows for closeness without crowding.  My dream is to have the best possible space to be able to entertain and cook simultaneously.  For me, a dream space is all about setting a perfect stage for life to unfold in.

Montana’s favourite property on sothebysrealty.ca right now:

Montana Burnett is a Toronto based Residential and Commercial interior designer.  After graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in International Relations and Political Science, she discovered by chance that her hobby, interior design was actually her true passion.   She worked in editorial at Canadian House and Home Magazine for several years before founding her firm, Montana Burnett Design.  Since then her work has been featured in many leading publications and on television.

Visit http://www.montanaburnettdesign.com or follow @MontanaBurnettDesign on Instagram & Facebook, @MontanaBurnett on Twitter for more information.

Feature image by Carly Villeneuve. Other images in profile by Jaclyn Wilson, Freelance Photographer. Visit http://www.jaclynwilson.com or follow @thejaxeffect on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook for more information.