Iconic Canadian men's retailer Harry Rosen and Brian McCourt — design expert, real-estate flipper, contractor and star of Backyard Builds — have co-created an impressive home edit that’ll turn your space into an oasis.
Narcity Canada spoke with McCourt about the new collection — plus he offered up some useful design tips.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
"When you boil both clothing and furniture down to the essentials, both are about quality construction and materials, lasting design and feeling good," says McCourt.
While the collection is available online, it's also a unique retail installation at Harry Rosen's Yorkdale Shopping Centre location. This entirely shoppable, immersive experience is one you really have to see for yourself.
McCourt is proud of the careful curation of furniture, decor and investment pieces in The Harry Rosen x Brian McCourt Home Edit.
"[It’s] filled with high-quality handmade goods and one-of-a-kind products,” he told Narcity. “Some pieces are bespoke and made locally while others are from around the globe that we’ve brought in through travelled, passion brands like Obakki."
The Harry Rosen x Brian McCourt Home Editwww.youtube.com
McCourt knows homes — he’s kind of the authority on ‘em. As a fifth-generation builder (you could say it runs in the family), he’s been in the business for nearly two decades.
Brian’s passion for improving how people feel in their homes has taken him on a journey from DIY projects to full-house renos, leading him to be featured in several HGTV shows.
Coming from a construction background, McCourt believes that focusing on both the form and function of a piece is critical. He sees high-quality items — whether it’s a well-made shirt or a gunmetal coffee table — as a true investment.
"I feel like we’ve lost touch with heirloom-quality goods as a whole, and I’m inspired by the charm of time and the connection of generations past to the generations that have yet to come."
Bringing these values to life, each made-to-order piece in the collection is crafted through responsible construction techniques and thoughtful design practices.
Translation: you can shop as a more mindful consumer one luxe piece at a time.
McCourt says he leaned into the Victorian era (a time when pieces were made by hand from solid materials) for inspiration while curating the home edit. The result is a collection radiating his unique "New-Classic" style.
And yes: Brian admits to owning several pieces from the collection — the window-pane and houndstooth designs from the pillow collection are scattered around his house.
"I’ve always loved classic suit patterning and wanted to interpret those patterns from fashion into furniture,” he said. “The pillows are incredibly well made and comfortable and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more handsome pillow collection before!"
Whether you're drawn to throwback aesthetics or modern design, these pieces combine the best of classic and contemporary tastes.
McCourt offers some general advice for those looking to experiment with their lifestyle spaces: make it comfy, make it feel good and make it reflect who you are.
"What does your space say about you? Is it filled with things you love? Or is it a collection of things you think other people will like? Art is subjective, taste is subjective but in your home, the only opinion that truly matters is your own."
While you can already shop the home edit both in-person and online, you can see what you're drawn to (and what that might indicate about your personality) at the exciting launch event happening October 1 at Harry Rosen's Yorkdale flagship location.
Visitors can also treat themselves to a conversation between Ian Rosen and Brian McCourt as they introduce the new collection.
To learn more about The Harry Rosen x Brian McCourt collection, check out their website or follow Harry Rosen on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube. To learn more about Brian McCourt, check out his website or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or LinkedIn.
