Christine Faulhaber welcomes you into her spectacular home. (All photos courtesy of Faulhaber Communications)
Christine Faulhaber is an agency leader, mentor, innovator and founder of globally recognized Faulhaber Communications, a mid-sized marketing communications agency focused on building lifestyle brands.
Faulhaber recently entered the wellness space working with award-winning dose-controlled cannabis brand Dosist. The agency’s client roster includes elevated brands like Monogram, Charlotte Tilbury, Genesis Motors Canada and Bugaboo to name a few. She is also an award-winning entrepreneur featured among the W100: Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs — and included on the PROFIT 500 ranking.
Last summer, the CEO hosted me and a group of powerhouse women for a barbeque at her home. Not only is she a great host, but her home is also beautifully designed.
Upon walking into her kitchen, I said, “This place should be in a magazine.”
Without missing a beat, she replied, "It is."
Now that she just finished doing some work on the home, I thought it was high time to chat with her about the beautiful space and the hostess tips she swears by ...
Home is _______.
A place where you feel comfortable, energized to host your friends and gives you the space to get inspired to achieve goals.
What attracted you to this home and this area?
Toronto real estate is tough and expensive.
Ten years ago, when I had the opportunity to buy, this house made sense. It’s located in the West End of Toronto near some great schools. The Faulhaber Communications office is also in the West End. A quick commute never hurt anyone.
Did you work with an architect or interior designer for this home?
For my kitchen, I enlisted the help of AyA Kitchens and Baths. We used Caesarstone and Monogram to product an excellent designer kitchen. My induction cooktop was actually the first of its kind in Canada. I am currently in the process of re-doing some rooms in my home with Louise Heggie of LHDT.
Who lives with you — and did they have any say in the design for their personal spaces?
My two children live with me.
I wanted my home to be a place where my kids could grow up, feel comfortable and develop into creative and lively individuals. It was important to me that the space was usable for all of us.
We spend a lot of time at the kitchen island. It’s where we eat, finish up homework and make arts and crafts. It’s also an excellent presentation top for my annual taco party. It’s a great multi-functional piece that works for all of us.
I remember your gorgeous kitchen and told you it would be perfect feature for a magazine. You told me it was. Tell us about that feature.
My kitchen was featured in the January 2017 issue of Style at Home.
The team produced a stunning spread incorporating even the tiniest of details, like the custom artwork I have hung in my kitchen from a photo shoot I produced with photographer Christopher Wadsworth for the 10th anniversary of Faulhaber Communications.
How would you describe the style and vibe of your home?
The style of my home is classic, with a touch of trend.
- Eclectic
- Timeless
- A modern take on encaustic tradition
Walk us through your home.
My home is a detached, two-storey downtown house.
It has three bedrooms, a walkout basement, an open kitchen and dining space that brings you right into the backyard (my favourite room) and has a Corten steel fire pit by Paloform.
Talk to me about your personal style and how you went about personalizing the home.
I like to incorporate display space in my home to showcase personal items, like my cookbooks and grandmother’s teacups in my kitchen.
We designed some open shelves in the kitchen directly for this purpose. I also have all kinds of artifacts, some of value and some just for fun — like a Tom Dixon hammered copper fruit bowl versus a beautiful vase I found at HomeSense.
I love having fresh flowers in my home. I love to go to the local florist and pick up some beautiful Norwegian moss and the best-looking orchids and arrange them in random pots and ramekins around the house.
I’ve also designed my backyard so that I can cut flowers from my garden to arrange inside my home.
What’s the first thing you do when you get in from a long day?
I take off my shoes and change into my pajamas.
Do you have an at home office? If so, how did you curate it?
For years I had a home office, but now I just set up shop with my laptop at my kitchen island.
Fav room in the house?
I can see my backyard from my kitchen — and to me it’s an indoor-outdoor match made in heaven.
What one thing can you not live without in your home?
My king-size pillow top mattress. Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep.
What are a few unique features in your home?
My upstairs bathroom has heated floors, which is always a wonderful surprise in the morning. I also have a vintage Korean rice chest that I got at Green Tea Designs.
Last summer, your backyard acted like the perfect hidden oasis for you to host. What was your intention when buying the furniture and setting up your backyard?
Having a beautiful backyard was on my bucket list. I levelled everything, including the fences and the garage to create a blank canvas. My urban backyard oasis has a beautiful wall of David Austin roses.
Back to hosting ... Everything was perfect at your home from the music, to the set-up trays of food, and the cocktails offered right when guests arrived. What’s your key tip for entertaining at home?
Consider 15 minutes before your guests arrive to be game time. Make sure the music and the lipstick are on. Even if you still have food prep to attend to, you’ll seem like the ultimate poised hostess.
