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Toronto Star: A Stratus Symbol

Press     June 3, 2006



Trish Stratus is a six-time World Wrestling Entertainment women's champion but today the wrestling superstar will temporarily leave the ring to host this year's Canada's Walk of Fame gala at Toronto's Hummingbird Centre.

The two-hour tribute will be broadcast tomorrow on CTV starting at 7 p.m.

Stratus spends the majority of her time on the road, so when she went house hunting just over a year ago, she wanted something convenient to Pearson International Airport. She found it in a mature neighbourhood, just off Highway 401 in North York. The newly built, 3,500-square-foot, two-storey, custom home with a beige stucco exterior, a stone front and a beige painted wood deck at back is less than 20 minutes from Pearson.

"I was hesitant about the area; it is busier than where I lived before in Richmond Hill," says Stratus, who had lived in Richmond Hill all her life.

"The weirdest thing about my lifestyle is because I am on the road so much, I don't actually get to enjoy my home or any of my surroundings.

"Last summer I had a back injury — a herniated disk. I was off work for four months and during that time I fell in love with the area. I got into taking walks around the neighbourhood. It is so neat to see all the different collections of houses; in the newer suburbs the houses all look alike. There are so many big, beautiful trees; I have cherry blossom trees in my backyard."

Although Stratus is not handy, she decorated the interior of her house. She feels the fun and modern pieces throughout reflect her personality. This includes colourful art in her living room, a pool table in the dining room, an arcade game in the basement and a pop machine in the kitchen.

Her finished basement was built as a fully contained apartment, since several people in the area either rent out a basement apartment or use it as a nanny suite. Stratus' includes a kitchenette, sitting area/living room, bedroom, bathroom and separate laundry room.

"In the basement is where I have all my toys, my Fuse Ball, Wrestlemania stand-up arcade game, weights, treadmill and step climber. My sitting area has a TV, video games, a gas fireplace and a bar," says Stratus.

To the right of the main-floor entrance is an open-concept living room and dining room; at the back of the house is the kitchen leading to the outside deck.

Also on the main floor is Stratus' home office, a family room and powder room. The top floor has a laundry room and five bedrooms all with ensuites.

"Originally I thought, `Who wants a laundry room?' And let me tell you, it is probably the best thing I've ever done. I never have to take my clothes downstairs," says the wrestler, who has a best-selling DVD called 100 per cent Stratusfaction Guaranteed and was named in the May issue of Elle Magazine as one of Canada's 30 Most Powerful Women.

The living room and dining room are painted a beige/taupe with hardwood flooring stained chestnut. The window treatments are white, horizontal metal blinds. In the living room are two matching taupe couches. A glass cabinet houses Stratus' extensive colourful, blown-glass collection. It was inspired by the first piece she bought when starting to decorate — a multi-coloured sculpture sitting on a lighted pedestal. Continuing the theme, Stratus has a glass, rectangular coffee table with a multicoloured strip showing from underneath.

The dining room is designated as the poolroom.

"I bought this stainless steel pool table and put it in my dining room. My mother didn't like it; she thought I should have a dining room table in there.

"It is important to utilize each space like how you would need it. I already had an eight-seater table in my kitchen, and I wanted to have a pool table in the dining room instead. So, whenever I do entertain, I find the women are all sitting in the kitchen at the table and the guys are playing pool,"says Stratus.

The kitchen has beige limestone flooring, cappuccino cabinetry and beige and brown countertops including a bar area with two black steel stools. The appliances are stainless steel. There is a black granite table with eight black leather chairs with stainless-steel legs.

The focal point in her elegant kitchen is a fun and quirky full-sized soda pop machine with the Toronto Maple Leafs logo on it. Her favourite room is the master bedroom, where she spends a lot of time watching TV or packing to leave home. The walls are painted a silver/grey, and there is a king-sized bed with a white duvet and bedding in black, white and silver. The bedroom furniture, painted in a silver tone, includes a dresser with mirror, headboard and two side tables. A stainless-steel armoire stand holds the TV. On the wall hangs a ceramic tile art piece she commissioned and helped design. The black, silver and white tiles surrounding a mirror form the shape of a wave. Her ensuite is black and beige and has a Jacuzzi in the corner.

Racks of her clothes are stored in one of the upstairs bedrooms, while her collection of wrestling figurines occupies another bedroom.

She has two guest rooms, one called the Jungle Room decorated in green tones, which is a favourite room for nephews Wayne and Bailey Stratus when they come to visit.

"I'm really proud of my guest rooms. One is designed to look like a luxury suite of a hotel based on the many hotels I've stayed at around the world. It has taupe walls, dark cherry wood furniture with stainless-steel fixtures and moss-green bedding with white linens. There is a moss-green custom-made sofa with black and moss-green pillows. There's even a hotel luggage rack for that extra touch," she says.

Stratus bought this house thinking it was her dream home; but it appears you can't take Richmond Hill out of the wrestler. She recently stumbled upon a large piece of land in her hometown and purchased it. She plans to have a new house custom built on the property, so that she can be closer to family and childhood friends and enjoy greater privacy.

by kathryn kates
source: thestar.com


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