Expert Interior Designer and Architect

Lynda D'Souza is the co-founder of Wilde North Interiors, a Design-Build-Decorate boutique firm based out of Toronto, Canada. We chat with her about her unique design aesthetic, her stand-out projects, and what drives her, daily.  

Lynda D'Souza's Projects:
 

 

 

 

 
Design Philosophy:
We offer design solutions that showcase the client's personality and tell their story through their home.

Areas of Specialty:
Expertise - Lighting, Decoration, and Styling, Interior Design
Service - Design and Build
Sector - Residential
 
Certifications and Awards:
Bachelor of Arts, National Institute of Fashion Technology and The Academy of Realist Art, CA.
Award - Best of Houzz 2016

Your Favourite Art Gallery or Museum?
This would have to be the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam. The building itself is a work of art with the 'silent architecture' approach to the new wing. The museum's collection of Rembrandts and Johannes Vermeer's work is one of the largest, and very impressive. 
 
What heritage design principle do you carry along in your current practice? 
When we design or decorate homes, we often use vintage elements to bring character and a bit of history to a room. Sometimes, the client will show us an exquisite bowl that belonged to her grandmother and we will find a way to integrate it into the grand plan. At the Fenwick Residence, for example, we salvaged the client's old hardwood floor boards and turned them into the counter top for her home bar. This way, the clients can still hold on to memories that are sentimental to them. Other times, we visit antique markets at Brimfield and Aberfoyle to find furniture, lighting, and accessories that fit the period of the home, and the overall design scheme. 
 
Name three design personalities you admire:
Milo Baughmann for his American designs that were forward-thinking and distinctive, yet unpretentious and affordable. His velvet and brass tufted lounge chairs are often spotted at antique markets and in mid-century homes. 

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Louis Kahn for his extensive use of heavily textured brick and bare concrete juxtaposed against highly-refined materials like travertine. This is something I favour in design when opposing elements are used to create a sense of tension and movement.

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Emily Henderson, whose skill in mixing vintage and modern in an eclectic way is something I admire greatly. She designs homes keeping in mind the personalities of the people inhabiting them because no one really wants their home to look like it came directly from the pages of a catalogue!

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When designing a room, what is the most important factor that you like to keep in mind?
The most important factor when designing a room is telling the client's story, likes and interests through the ART. At the Fenwick Residence, our client's love for gardening was brought into the living room, through vintage botanical plates that we framed and mounted. At the Berryman Residence, we mounted a series of macro black and white photographs to display the family's love for sports and music. Rather than just putting up a pretty painting we will take it one step further and curate the displays to show off the client's personality and dreams.
 
Discern to you means?
Making good design accessible to everyone is what Discern means to me.
 
Discern makes interior design services accessible to you. Our panel of well-known and carefully selected designers is here to understand your style and give you professional design advice at a price that's within your reach. To know more about our Decor and Design packages, connect with us at interiors@discernliving.com

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