The Art of Living: Michael London, the Grand Collection, and the Meaning of True Personalization

There is a phrase that Michael London uses when describing his approach to interior design, and it is deceptively simple: "I want to beautify the world." Coming from almost anyone else in the design industry, this might sound like marketing language — the kind of aspirational statement that fills brochures and disappears on contact with reality. Coming from Michael London, it is a precise description of a working philosophy that has shaped some of the most celebrated residential interiors in Canada.

London's firm, Michael London Design, has built its reputation on a conviction that luxury is not a price point. It is not a list of premium brands or a square-footage threshold. It is, rather, a quality of experience — the feeling of entering a space and sensing, immediately and viscerally, that every decision about that space was made with care, with intention, and with a deep understanding of how human beings actually live. This is the philosophy that informs every residence at The Unionville Condominium, and it is most fully expressed in the project's Grand Collection — a curated series of residences where personalization is elevated to its highest form.

What Is the Michael London Design Philosophy?

To understand what makes the interiors at The Unionville genuinely different from those of comparable condominium developments, it helps to understand how Michael London approaches the design process. His methodology begins not with a mood board or a material palette, but with what he calls a rigorous analysis of "the floor, the walls, the ceiling, and the volume of space."

This spatial logic — the insistence on understanding a room as a three-dimensional volume before making any decisions about its surfaces or furnishings — is the foundation of London's practice. It is what allows him to create interiors that feel coherent and purposeful rather than assembled from a catalogue of luxury components. A Michael London interior has a logic to it: the ceiling height is calibrated to the room's proportions, the flooring pattern reinforces the spatial flow, the lighting responds to the natural light conditions of the specific exposure. Nothing is arbitrary.

At The Unionville, this philosophy is expressed through a series of technical and aesthetic decisions that, taken together, create a residential experience that is genuinely exceptional. The standard ceiling height of 9 feet with smooth finish — already above the industry norm for condominium development — rises to 10 feet on the ground and penthouse levels, creating volumes that feel expansive and light-filled. The floor-to-ceiling windows that characterize the building's exterior are not merely a facade gesture; they are integral to London's interior strategy, flooding each residence with natural light and framing views of the Markham skyline and the adjacent nature preserve as living artwork.

What Is the Grand Collection at The Unionville?

The Grand Collection is a designation applied to a select series of residences at The Unionville where the standard of personalization and finish exceeds even the already-elevated baseline of the building's regular suites. It is, in essence, the project's answer to the question that the most discerning luxury buyers always ask: "Can I have exactly what I want?"

At most condominium developments, "customization" is a constrained process. Buyers choose from a limited selection of pre-approved colour palettes and finish packages, and the result — however pleasant — is a home that looks very much like the homes of their neighbours. The Grand Collection takes a fundamentally different approach. Residents are not choosing from a menu; they are collaborating with Michael London Design to create a home that reflects their individual aesthetic, lifestyle, and sense of self.

This collaboration encompasses every aspect of the home's interior:

Layout Reconfiguration: Grand Collection residents have the option to work with the design team to reconfigure the layout of their suite — adjusting room proportions, modifying the relationship between kitchen and living spaces, or creating bespoke storage solutions — in ways that are simply not available in standard condominium purchases.

Material Selection: Through an exclusive Decor Centre, residents can hand-select stone finishes, flooring patterns, cabinetry hardware, and fixture specifications from a curated collection of premium materials. The emphasis is on materials with genuine provenance — Italian stone, European oak, artisanal tile — rather than the mass-produced substitutes that are standard in the industry.

Lighting Design: The Grand Collection includes the opportunity to work with the design team on a bespoke lighting plan — a detail that is almost never offered in condominium development but that makes an enormous difference to the quality and atmosphere of a finished home.

Why Are Trevisana Kitchens Considered a Luxury Standard?

The kitchen is the room in which the Michael London design philosophy is most vividly expressed at The Unionville, and the choice of Trevisana as the kitchen millwork partner is central to this expression.

Trevisana is an Italian manufacturer with more than 70 years of artisanal tradition in the production of custom kitchen cabinetry. The firm's approach to kitchen design is rooted in the Italian concept of bella figura — the idea that beauty is not a superficial quality but an expression of underlying excellence. A Trevisana kitchen is not beautiful because it has been styled to look beautiful; it is beautiful because every component has been designed and manufactured to the highest possible standard of quality.

At The Unionville, the Trevisana kitchens feature ribbed-glass upper cabinets — a design detail that adds visual texture and depth while allowing the kitchen's contents to be partially visible, creating a sense of curated abundance rather than concealed storage. The stone-wrapped range hoods are a signature element: rather than the standard stainless steel or painted MDF hood that characterizes most condominium kitchens, the Trevisana hoods are clad in the same stone material as the countertops, creating a sculptural focal point that anchors the kitchen as the room's central design statement.

The island and countertop surfaces are executed in premium stone — marble, quartzite, or engineered stone, depending on the resident's selection at the Decor Centre — with the kind of careful attention to veining, colour, and edge profile that distinguishes a truly custom kitchen from a production-line approximation of one.

What Appliances Are Included, and Why Do They Matter?

The quality of a luxury kitchen is ultimately measured by the quality of its appliances, and The Unionville's appliance specification reflects the same commitment to excellence that characterizes every other aspect of the project.

Fulgor Milano (standard suites) and Miele (Grand Collection) represent two of the most respected names in European kitchen appliance manufacturing, and their inclusion at The Unionville is not a marketing decision — it is a functional one.

Appliance	Brand	Key Feature	Benefit
Refrigerator	Fulgor Milano / Miele	Twin-Cooling / PerfectFresh	Optimal humidity control, extended food freshness
Cooktop	Fulgor Milano Radiant	Peacock touch controls, ceramic glass	Precise temperature control, easy cleaning
Oven	Fulgor Milano / Miele	True convection / PureLine	Even heat distribution, professional baking results
Dishwasher	Fulgor Milano / Miele	Auto-load sensing / AutoDos	Maximum efficiency, minimum water and energy use
Hoodfan	Stainless steel insert	Dedicated ventilation (not microwave combo)	Superior air quality, quieter operation

The decision to specify a dedicated stainless steel insert hoodfan rather than the combined microwave-hoodfan unit that is standard in virtually every other GTA condominium development is a telling detail. It is the kind of decision that costs more, takes up more space, and is invisible to most buyers — but that makes a material difference to the quality of the cooking experience and the longevity of the kitchen's ventilation system. It is, in short, the kind of decision that only a developer who genuinely cares about the long-term performance of the homes they build would make.

How Does the Bathroom Design Reflect the Michael London Approach?

The bathrooms at The Unionville are designed with the same spatial logic and material integrity that characterizes the kitchens. Kohler fixtures — a brand synonymous with elegant engineering and spa-inspired functionality — are specified throughout, providing a consistent aesthetic language that connects the kitchen and bathroom spaces.

The primary bathrooms in the Grand Collection are designed as genuine spa environments: spaces where the quality of the materials, the precision of the detailing, and the calibration of the lighting combine to create an experience of daily renewal. Large-format stone tiles, custom vanity millwork, and freestanding soaking tubs (in select suites) are among the features that distinguish these spaces from the standard condominium bathroom.

The secondary bathrooms maintain the same standard of finish quality, ensuring that every space in a Grand Collection residence — not just the primary rooms — reflects the commitment to craftsmanship that defines the project.

What Does Personalization Mean for Resale Value?

This is a question that sophisticated buyers and their advisors ask with increasing frequency, and the answer is more nuanced than it might initially appear. The conventional wisdom in real estate holds that highly personalized homes are harder to sell, because the next buyer may not share the original owner's taste. This wisdom, however, applies primarily to personalization that is idiosyncratic or poorly executed — the home with the purple kitchen or the wall-to-wall carpet in the master bedroom.

The personalization offered through the Grand Collection is of a fundamentally different character. Because it is guided by Michael London Design — a firm with a deep understanding of enduring luxury aesthetics — the choices available to Grand Collection residents are curated to remain beautiful and desirable across a wide range of tastes and over a long period of time. Italian stone, European oak, and Kohler fixtures do not go out of fashion; they are the materials of enduring quality that sophisticated buyers recognize and value.

Moreover, the Grand Collection's personalization process creates homes that are genuinely distinctive within the building — a quality that commands a premium in the resale market. In a building of 270 suites, a Grand Collection residence that has been thoughtfully customized by its original owner is not competing with identical units; it is offering something unique, and uniqueness, in the luxury market, is always worth more.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Unionville's Interiors and Grand Collection

Who is Michael London, and what is his design philosophy?

Michael London is one of Canada's most respected luxury interior designers, known for his philosophy of creating spaces that are not merely beautiful but transformative. His approach begins with a rigorous analysis of spatial volume — the relationship between floor, walls, ceiling, and light — before any decisions are made about surfaces or furnishings. At The Unionville, London has styled every facet of the homes, from the custom Italian millwork in the kitchens to the wide selection of stone and flooring finishes available through the project's Decor Centre.

What is the Grand Collection at The Unionville?

The Grand Collection is a curated series of residences at The Unionville where personalization reaches its highest expression. Grand Collection residents collaborate directly with Michael London Design to reconfigure layouts, hand-select every finish and material, and create a home that is uniquely theirs. Appliances in the Grand Collection are specified from Miele, Germany's premier kitchen appliance manufacturer.

What makes Trevisana kitchens special?

Trevisana is an Italian kitchen manufacturer with over 70 years of artisanal tradition. Their kitchens at The Unionville feature ribbed-glass upper cabinets, stone-wrapped range hoods, and premium stone countertops — design elements that elevate the kitchen from a functional space to a sculptural centrepiece of the home.

What ceiling heights can I expect in my suite?

Standard suites at The Unionville feature 9-foot smooth-finish ceilings, which is above the industry norm for condominium development. Ground-floor and penthouse-level suites enjoy 10-foot ceilings, creating particularly expansive and light-filled volumes.

Can I customize my suite if I'm not in the Grand Collection?

All residents at The Unionville have access to the project's Decor Centre, where they can select from a curated range of stone finishes, flooring patterns, and hardware options. The Grand Collection offers a higher level of personalization, including layout reconfiguration and collaboration with the Michael London Design team.

What is the difference between Fulgor Milano and Miele appliances?

Both Fulgor Milano (Italy) and Miele (Germany) are among the world's most respected kitchen appliance manufacturers. Fulgor Milano is specified in the standard suites and is known for its elegant Italian design and high-performance cooking technology. Miele is specified in the Grand Collection and is recognized globally as the benchmark for precision engineering, longevity, and culinary performance.

Explore the Grand Collection at The Unionville by visiting the interactive brochure at theunionville.ca/thegrandcollection. To arrange a private consultation with the sales team, contact sales@theunionville.ca or call (416) 575-5558.