The project? To assist a Toronto couple who wanted to downsize from their multi-level family home to a condo. The result? A thoughtfully designed space that encompassed artfully curated decor and made-to-order cabinetry that followed an elegant, sophisticated yet approachable modern look.
Letting nature in
The initial design began by taking into consideration the expansive window elevation overlooking and framing a serene vantage point of treetops from a nearby park. The flow of the treeline was the inspiration behind sourcing furniture with a unified wood finish, with some pieces expressed in comfy, organic sculptural forms, juxtaposed with ones with clean square lines.
A modern vibe
Natural touches can be included in other ways aside from wood. For example, to complete the picture, wool-blended off-white linear pleated drapery panels and a wool area rug with a diagonal line weave pattern were added. The large-scale pieces of proportioned single-function furniture set in a monochromatic palette were the specific design codes used to enhance the space’s modern esthetic.
Three-dimensionality
Seemingly floating above the dining table, the gracefully folded sumo-sized and uniformly finished matte silver metal light pendant fixture is an artful gallery moment for a sophisticated look. But beyond its elegance, its reflection and that of the dining room in the oversized round mirror on the nearby wall provides an added sparkle to the space. The use of three-dimensional forms is not only inherent in the furniture pieces, but also illustrates how all three dimensions of the interior are utilized – the floors, walls and ceiling – to optimize design to complete a space.
Design challenge
The main interior design challenge was to neutralize the off-balanced fireplace elevation where a duct from one side of the gas fireplace runs across the ceiling to vent outside. To do this, we hid the duct within one of the now visually balanced floor-to-ceiling cabinets, finished with integrated full-height pulls.
Each cabinet now offers ample storage, fulfilling the wish of the client, who downsized from a substantial home and desired more storage than the condo originally offered. The central fireplace feature flanked by the symmetrical cabinet doors is adorned with a single monolithic slab of Canadian-mined Algonquin stone, a selection that is a nod to the client’s interest in Canadian art and adds a unique personalized layer to connect the client to the space.
A full-height mirror panel on the window side of the millwork makes a decorative architectural statement and also acts as a filler margin to allow for centering the overall millwork and furniture compositions to the room. This is also where the drapes will rest against so as not to get in the way of the adjacent operable cabinet door when in use.
The repetition of the full-height vertical lines in the millwork draws the eyes up, accentuating the ceiling height and also subliminally dialing up the modernity factor by way of scale exaggeration and visual tempo, orchestrated through a considered measurement rhythm sequence. Such thoughtful design details not only maintain the integrity of the elements invested in the interior design, but also enhance the sophistication of the signature design language where style intersects with substance.