DONALDA CLUB

Designer: Stephanie Houghton
Dwelling:  Country Club
Location:  Don Mills, Toronto
Scope: Renovation & Full Decoration of Three Restaurants

Griffin Houghton was invited by the Donalda Club to renovate and decorate their three main restaurants.  With Steph Houghton having been a past member, we understood the ethos of the club and what was important to members.  The goal was to breathe new life into the rooms without stripping away what members loved about them.  On the lower level, where all the restaurants are located, the décor was quite dated and the whole canvas needed improvement.  Donalda is not a modern club, so we wanted to create a ‘fresh take on tradition’ that would feel sympathetic and in keeping with its history.

The adult dining room (called “The Willow Room”) has always been the restaurant that gets the most amount of natural light and views of the beautiful gardens.  In this room, we created an elevated dining experience that feels special without feeling overly fussy or formal.

The “Sun Room” is the kid-friendly dining room. Previously, members weren’t that excited to dine there but we knew that it had the potential to have its own brand of allure that would make it just as appealing (and maybe a bit more fun!). One of the winning ingredients was the cozy, family-friendly banquettes that we designed.

The Sports Lounge is the club’s pub where members go to socialise after golf, tennis or curling, watch sports or enjoy a good read of the newspaper. One side of the room didn’t have much appeal, so we created an inviting sitting area and it’s now become a favourite spot.