Building an Icon
From her mold-breaking show House of Ali to an impressive portfolio of high-end residential projects, designer Ali Budd brings electric design instincts, a killer work ethic, and a hearty dose of assuredness to everything she does.
By Elia Essen | Portrait Photography by Natasha Gerschon | Photography by Lauren Miller
Hair and Makeup by Alicia Franchino | Wardrobe Styling by Kelly Ostro
When Living Luxe caught up with Ali Budd, she was on the go, as is often the case for the renowned vivacious designer. This time, her work has taken her to Puerto Rico, where Budd is working on a 5,000-square-foot beachfront residential project.
A Toronto native, Budd grew up with creative parents who ran an advertising agency. She attended Huron College at the University of Western Ontario and the now-shuttered International Academy of Design in Toronto. After her studies, she dived head first into the design industry, working her way up the ladder with grit and determination. “Let’s try it” is something of a motto for her, a reminder to go bold and take on new challenges, even if she doesn’t feel ready.
It’s an attitude that helped her launch her eponymous studio in 2010, which today encompasses a tight-knit team of women creatives who have together tackled a large number of multi-million dollar projects for a range of high-profile clients across North America. It’s also, Budd says, what drove her to say yes to hosting her own television show, House of Ali, that follows her studio’s work. “I'm very proud of it, and I don't think there's anything else like it on TV,” she says. “I kind of feel like love it or hate it, love it or hate me, I know that it's real and I know that it's different.”
Her magnetic personality and commitment to being unapologetically herself—coupled with her electric and timeless but never boring designs—are exactly what makes Budd so popular, both with TV viewers and clients. Budd brings a mastery of form, texture and light to any project, deftly creating liveable contemporary spaces across a variety of design languages. “I love doing different things for different people,” she says. “I love that I've built a firm that isn't pigeonholed into one style. We're able to imagine the creative for whatever people want.”
For the Living Luxe Magazine shoot, Budd revisited a recent new-build project in Forest Hill for which her firm took on the construction and furniture design. Created for a young couple who became pregnant during the work on the project, the house features plenty of clean lines, oak and black metal. Yet it still exudes the welcoming air of a family home thanks to a warm colour palette and plenty of natural light. An elegant curved plaster staircase extends across the home’s three storeys—a must for the clients. An open kitchen is wrapped in oak cabinetry, while Taj Mahal stone and Opala white quartzite harmonize on the backsplash, counters and island. Tiered plaster pendant lights make an impact and add a dose of fun.
Throughout, spaces are kept clean and simple through cleverly tucked-away storage. In the foyer, for example, a wood-clad wall conceals a coat closet while a built-in mirror and floating marble console limit visual clutter. In the family room, simple Venetian plaster walls hide additional storage, allowing the burnished brass-clad fireplace and sleek but cozy furnishings to shine.
Having young children in a home of creamy whites and light neutrals may seem daunting but, with three children of her own, Budd is an expert in choosing durable and cleanable fabrics and finishes. “I'm a big, big advocate for building the way that you live versus the way that you think you should build,” she says. “I love that their family room is cozy and comfy, but it's really elevated and beautiful. You can definitely entertain more formally, but also have the kids in there.”
For Budd, the concept of building for life goes beyond the practical decisions. There’s an intimacy to her role that she doesn’t take for granted. “It’s like you're painting that backdrop for all of these memories,” she notes. This deep-rooted understanding and respect for what makes a house a home is what has earned Ali Budd Interiors a slew of awards, accolades and high-profile features, from House & Home’s Designer of the Year to an OPAL Award and more.
The latest feather in Budd’s cap? Her role as a keynote speaker at the prestigious Living Luxe Design Show this April, a luxurious and immersive celebration of Canadian talent. The designer says she is honoured to be included in the conversation and encourages design-lovers of every type to come ask their questions. “So many people will say to me, ‘I love design. I'm not a designer.’ But who cares? I love fashion. I can't sew, I can't put together an outfit, and I have a stylist. I love art. I'm not a painter,” she says. “For people who love something, it's so interesting to hear other people who are experts speak about it. I find I love that. I love going to talks given by other people on different creative subjects. I think there's so much to learn from one another.”
Celebrating Canadian design talent is a mission Budd can get behind—she advocates loudly and unabashedly for her peers and names a long list of Canadian designers she admires, including Montana Burnett, Tommy Smythe, Gillian Segal, Montana Labelle, Les Ensembliers, Stacey Cohen, Nam Dang-Mitchell and Elizabeth Metcalfe, among many others. “I'm so proud of all the incredible Canadian designers; we have so much talent here,” she says. In the notoriously competitive world of design, she’s adamant that there are plenty of opportunities to go around. “Nobody else's success takes away anything from mine. I'm not like that. The only person I'm competitive with is myself.”
“I love doing different things for different people. I love that I've built a firm that isn't pigeonholed into one style. We're able to imagine the creative for whatever people want.“
Looking ahead, Budd has a busy—and exciting—year, full of career highlights. The second season of House of Ali is set to debut on the Home Network and she's launching collaborations with Artistic Tile, Art & Loom and Williams Sonoma. Of course, there’s an enviable list of luxury properties she’s working on as well, including projects in Toronto, New York and Miami. While the details are still under wraps, she also hints at a 23,000-square-foot commercial space—a rarity for the residential-focused firm—in the heart of New York City. “I’m just excited when I wake up in the morning,” the designer says.
But across the accolades, projects and miles, what stands out the most to Budd are the people she works with. “We love the amazing homes, but I think it's really the clients that end up making a project what it is,” she says. “When people come at it from a place of respect and everyone has a wonderful relationship, those are, for me, the standout projects. When I close my eyes and think, ‘What did I love?’ I see people, not houses.”