Parris McKenna Design

Parris McKenna Design Offering interior design services that blend transitional style with effortless sophistication.

We always start in the same place.Not with finishes.Not with furniture.Not even with floor plans.We start by asking our ...
06/10/2026

We always start in the same place.

Not with finishes.

Not with furniture.

Not even with floor plans.

We start by asking our clients:

How do you want this space to feel?

For this breakfast nook, the answer wasn’t formal dining.

It was Sunday mornings that turn into afternoons.

Weeknight dinners that run a little longer than planned.

Homework spread across the table.
Quick coffees.

Long conversations.

A space that feels lived in.

The built-in banquette creates intimacy, the custom table anchors the room, and the tapestry backdrop adds a sense of whimsy and warmth that makes the entire corner feel collected over time.

Because the most important spaces are the ones that bring everyone together.

Photography by
Styling by

One of the things we think about often when designing a home is how far its living space can extend beyond the walls.Bef...
06/05/2026

One of the things we think about often when designing a home is how far its living space can extend beyond the walls.

Before, this was deck that was too small to be enjoyed.

Today, it’s an outdoor room.

A place to cook, gather, linger over dinner, and move seamlessly between inside and out.

The pass-through window became part of the experience. The outdoor kitchen became part of the architecture. And every detail was considered with the same care as the rooms inside the home.

Because some of the most memorable spaces aren’t additional square footage at all.

They’re just make you want to stay a little longer.

Photography by
Styling by

There are certain details we return to in almost every project.Not because they’re trending, but because they quietly ch...
06/02/2026

There are certain details we return to in almost every project.

Not because they’re trending, but because they quietly change the way a home feels in all the right ways.

Layered lighting that softens a room at night.

Millwork that makes a space feel grounded and architectural.

Natural materials that age beautifully over time.

These aren’t usually the first things people notice when they walk into a home.

But they’re often the reason the space feels calm, warm, and deeply intentional once you’re settled in.

Photography by

The beauty of marble is never about one thing alone.It’s about the way every element works together, and the most intere...
05/30/2026

The beauty of marble is never about one thing alone.

It’s about the way every element works together, and the most interesting pieces aren’t always the most dramatic.

They’re the ones with balance:

Brecciated marble: Defined by fragmented mineral compositions and layered movement. Often higher contrast, more expressive, and heavily detailed.

Quartzites with tectonic movement: Large-scale ribboning and directional flow that creates a more architectural feeling across the slab.

Onyx + translucent stone: Known for depth, softness, and the way the material responds to light throughout the day.

Classic Italian white marble: Warmer and more dimensional than people often expect, with stronger veining, mineral variation, and movement throughout the slab.

Vein-cut and textured stone: More linear in composition, with rhythm, repetition, and surface finish becoming part of the overall experience of the material.

The final feeling of a stone isn’t about colour alone.

It’s about movement.

Depth.
Scale.
Texture.

And how the stone changes the atmosphere around it.

One of the most whimsical details at our Hawthorne project has been bringing the kids rooms to life.Both kids chose thei...
05/27/2026

One of the most whimsical details at our Hawthorne project has been bringing the kids rooms to life.

Both kids chose their own wallpaper, with Parris’s daughter’s choice of wallpaper really making a colourful statement that we ran with.

There’s something so special about creating rooms that children feel connected to spaces that can grow with them and truly feel like their own little worlds. ✨

Photography by
Styling by

Designing my own homes has undeniably shifted the way I think about design.Over the years I’ve renovated four kitchens f...
05/22/2026

Designing my own homes has undeniably shifted the way I think about design.

Over the years I’ve renovated four kitchens for my family, and each one has been completely different from the last.

Not because my style changed dramatically (spoiler: it has) but because life did.

Where we were living.

What our days looked like at the time.

How the house needed to support the way we actually lived.

I’ve always believed that design should start there. Not with a style, but with how you want to live in the space.

The layout, the palette, the materials… they begin to take shape once that part is clear.

Looking back at these kitchens now, what I find most interesting isn’t how different they are, it’s how clearly each one reflects how we were able to live and function and flow in the home during that chapter.

Because design really is just a thoughtful, functional, and aesthetic compilation of moments that make up those chapters, that turn into all the beautiful years to come.

Photography by

A vignette usually starts with pieces you already have.A lamp that’s found its place.A stack of books.Something collecte...
05/18/2026

A vignette usually starts with pieces you already have.

A lamp that’s found its place.

A stack of books.

Something collected along the way.

It’s less about adding more, and more about how those pieces sit together.

A bit of layering.
A shift in scale.
And knowing when to leave space.

When it feels right, you’ll notice.

Not because it stands out —
but because everything seems to settle into place.

Photography by

Jake leads our Muskoka projects with a clear sense of vision and a strong understanding of how a home needs to function....
05/16/2026

Jake leads our Muskoka projects with a clear sense of vision and a strong understanding of how a home needs to function.

He has a natural instinct for layout and flow - often spotting the small adjustments that make a space feel easier, more considered, and better to live in.

He brings so much personality and energy to the team, which carries through into both the work and the experience of working with him.

It’s his thoughtful, steady approach that makes your project feel calm and clear from beginning to end.

Selkirk, in progress.One of the things we love most about renovation projects is watching a home slowly come back to lif...
05/15/2026

Selkirk, in progress.

One of the things we love most about renovation projects is watching a home slowly come back to life through the layers.

The framing.
The light.
The proportions.

The details that start to change how a space feels before it’s fully complete.

This project has been full of those moments.

Rooms that once felt unfinished or disconnected now feel warm, intentional, and ready to hold real life inside them.

And while there’s still more to share, these before and afters felt too good not to post now.

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Toronto, ON

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