Only The Best Will Do

STORY GABRIELLE TIEMAN-LEE | PHOTOGRAPHY JASON HARTOG

Featured in The Golden Horseshoe - Fall 2025

This European-inspired beauty stands out on a bespoke street in a lovely Oakville neighbourhood. Landscaped with bright flowers that pop against the Sand Dune-sided home, the newly-built two-storey, completed in 2023, is a testament to thoughtful design and a genuine partnership between homeowner and designer.

Homeowners Amit and Sam Sawh are not newcomers to construction. When they began to conceptualize their new home for their family, their second project on the same street, they had a vision and knew they wanted to act as general contractors for the project. But having designed their first home without help, they knew right away that they wanted to work with a designer this time around.

“Designing is an unbelievable amount of work,” says Sam. “I knew I wanted a designer who would understand and execute our vision so we could create a cohesive look.”

Sam quickly reached out to Niagara-based design firm Eansor Luxury Interiors Inc. Sam grew up with principal designer Elizabeth Eansor but had lost contact over the years. Elizabeth’s Instagram page reconnected the old friends.

“It was like we had never been apart,” says Sam. “Liz came prepared, presenting a vision for the house as a whole, so I could visualize our home. She exposed me to design ideas I did not even know existed.”

Construction began in 2022 with the millennial team leading the charge. Elizabeth and the homeowners consulted with Sylvia Edelenbos of Just Drafting Ltd. on the architectural drawings and the project was underway. The exterior was completed first, setting the tone for the interior – a fresh and bright French colonial-inspired abode with Maibec-Rabbet Bevel wood siding, Mastergrain Fibreglass Arabica Oak doors and modern Ostaco vinyl black-framed windows from Statements Windows and Doors “as big as the home could handle,” says Sam.

“Sam was very receptive towards my vision,” says Elizabeth. “Though I had been in the design field for years, I had just ventured out on my own when she contacted me. It is rare that you get the opportunity to take on a whole-home project as your first venture. I was very fortunate with the timing.”

The transitional open-concept interior is a charming juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary style that feels both purposeful yet entirely comfortable. It balances porcelain and blush feminine touches with modern lighting and texture, which are cohesive throughout.

Texture and pattern are a repeating theme and special attention was given to every wall, ceiling and floor used to both define each space and add warmth. Board-and-batten wall treatments add interest to the entry walls and frame the metal and wood staircase from Kenedy Stairs Inc. that winds up to the bedrooms and down to the lower-level playroom.

The kitchen sits at the heart of the home. A warm vibrant Calacatta porcelain from KSTONE was used for the waterfall island, countertops, backsplash and hood. Custom cabinetry in Chantilly Lace was designed by Elizabeth to add smart storage. Elizabeth designed all the cabinetry, which was built by Alliance Millwork.

Two oversize pendants by The Lighting Centre illuminate the island, which seats four comfortably and discreetly hides appliances behind fluted cabinetry. The porcelain application was used again in the adjacent built-in dining hutch, adding serving space to the dining and homework area.

“As a new home in Oakville, we wanted to add value while remaining budget conscious,” says Elizabeth. “Quality is going to change the space. The walls can be white, the floors and décor can be simple, but quality millwork and materials can elevate it all.”

The living room’s unique architectural elements take the stage to define the space. Arched built-ins flank the gas fireplace from Erindale Fireplace. The fireplace, encased in a dark-veined Arabescato Noir porcelain surround from KSTONE, pops against the custom, white-fluted wall. Overhead, wood flooring was inset into the coffered ceiling, adding warmth and dimension to the predominantly white space while playing into the European feel of the home.

Demarcating each area in an open-concept layout is important to Elizabeth. Techniques, like laying the Wheat Berry hardwood flooring from Speers Flooring in a herringbone pattern in the living room, define the living space. “I wanted to make the rooms feel singular,” says Elizabeth. “Each area was defined with unique lighting and design features like flooring, colours and metals.”

Bold, oversize lighting in mixed metals was purposely chosen to intentionally distinguish each space. “When you hit that eyeline, you want wow, not blank air,” says Elizabeth. “I personally think bigger is always better in terms of lighting, even in smaller spaces.”

Rounding out the main floor is an office space complete with geometric wallpaper, custom cabinetry and desk space, and a powder room and adjacent mudroom with checkered tile flooring from SS Tile & Stone Inc. and floor-to-ceiling storage. All custom cabinetry and storage throughout were designed by Elizabeth and executed by Alliance Millwork, which Elizabeth says was exceptional at executing the vision.

“My strengths are interior-design based, not decorating spaces,” says Elizabeth. “I want the base pieces and the room itself to be beautiful. I want the room to speak from the building perspective and the quality of work.”

For the family that likes to host, a sound system from Lucent Controls was wired into the home for quality music control. “You can have one soundtrack playing inside and an entirely different playlist outside,” says Sam.

Upstairs, the family’s individual personalities are at the forefront of the design. A dinosaur-themed bedroom for one child, a pink unicorn dream for another, a chic nursery and a primary suite in soothing neutrals for the parents.

“We let the kids choose their bedroom designs,” says Sam. “We wanted the rooms to show their personality and not just be another room in the house.”

Elizabeth believes bathrooms are a space for having fun and being bold with design, so each child’s en suite was given as much personality as their bedrooms, with tile work, custom cabinetry and, again, great lighting.

“I have a strength with bathrooms and millwork,” says Elizabeth. “Tilework is really important to me. I really believe in investing in these areas and spending a little more because it will change the space itself. Tilework is really the art of the space.”

As Elizabeth moves forward in her solo career, she appreciates the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients, allowing her to grow her unique style in her own way. “I am very client-centric and I always want to be as I grow in the industry,” says Elizabeth. “I am always excited to see what is coming next.” OH