Western Living March/April 2023

A serene Falken Reynoldsdesigned ensuite on Vancouver Island is all about the views, inside and out.

The wall cabinets are painted in a custom black ma e. The island is stained using Merit's Seaside Timberwood, and finished with custom panels and selves, providing the tailored look from all directions.

Merit Kitchens Presents

Your Tailored Kitchen Awaits

Urban Cool Meets Westcoast Warmth

Combining standard & custom cabinetry sizes and features helps create your dream kitchen while optimizing your investment.

Peace of mind comes standard. Warranty included.

Beauty on the inside. And out.

HOMES + DESIGN

15

TRADE SECRETS

Designer Andrea Rodman conceals a secret, spa-like ensuite behind a hidden door.

16

SHOPPING + OPENINGS

New vintage-cool tableware, comfy outdoor furniture, minimalist lighting and more.

20

GREAT SPACES

Studio Roslyn gives an L.A. cosmetic tattoo parlour some permanent style.

22

ONE TO WATCH

Sculpture can be soft: just ask Vancouver textile designer Annie Axtell.

FEATURES

24 ART AND SOUL

A fine art loving family moves into a galleryglam home from the creative minds at Calgary’s Alykhan Velji Designs.

38

ISLAND LIFE

Renovating your kitchen? Here’s all the beautiful, modern inspiration you need.

50

JUST ADD WATER

From storage-smart powder rooms to spacious retreats, these are the bathrooms we’re obsessing over.

FOOD + TRAVEL

60

LARRY ELLISON WANTS TO SAVE YOUR LIFE

This new resort and spa on Lanai claims to offer life-prolonging treatments. We investigate.

70

TOO MANY COOKS

Kitchen hacks, ingredient recommendations and time-saving techniques from the best chefs in the West.

PLUS

82

MOOD BOARD

Designer Paul Lavoie makes a neutral space feel inspiring and personal.

Dada Engineered

Feeding the Inner Chef

I’m a collector of only a very few things. When I’m travelling, I’ll scout for unusual objets for my bookshelf— a stone cicada from a village in the south of France, a hot-pink owl I picked up in a design shop in Copenhagen. And I’ve got a bar cabinet stocked with local liqueurs from those travels, too (an herbal génépy from the Alps and a juniper-forward borovička from Slovakia are among the more unusual in that selection).

But what I really love to collect are cooking tips. Squeeze a lemon around a fork to extract all the juice. Cook eggs low and slow for a creamier scramble. Put a whole kabocha squash in a hot oven for 10 minutes before you prep it, and it’ll slice like a dream.

So of course I pored over “Too Many Cooks” (page 70) the moment the piece landed on my desk so I could absorb all of the hot—and sweet—cooking tips that our team here collected from a few of Western Canada’s top chefs. It’s just icing on the cake that these great ideas arrived in time for our annual kitchens (and baths) issue. While you’re dreaming of your ideal kitchen, you can layer in all of the perfect meals you’ll be preparing on those lovely new marble counters (or Caesarstone, or Dekton—your dream kitchen is your oyster).

And speaking of kitchens, we have a few tips for those, too. Some of our favourite local designers have shared their best tricks to make that room sing, starting on page 38. I’m already sketching out a very-teal update to my own kitchen, inspired by designer Andrea Ewanchyna’s warm and woodsy space—and I can’t think of a better environment in which to cook up a batch of low-and-slow eggs for my next brunch party.

Anicka Quin , Editorial Director anicka.quin@westernliving.ca

Anicka Quin portrait: Evaan Kheraj; styling by Luisa Rino, stylist assistant Araceli

Ogrinc; makeup by Melanie Neufeld; outfit courtesy Holt

Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com

editorial publisher Samantha Legge, MBA

editorial director Anicka Quin

art director Jenny Reed

associate editor Alyssa Hirose

assistant editors Kerri Donaldson, Dani Wright (on leave)

editor-at-large Stacey McLachlan

wine and spirits editor Neal McLennan

contributing editors Karen Ashbee, Melissa Edwards, Amanda Ross, Julie Van Rosendaal

editorial intern Lydia Cotic-Ehn, Isabella Santamaria

email mail@westernliving.ca

westernliving.ca

production & studio manager Kim McLane

production support technician Ina Bowerbank

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head office web westernliving.ca tel 604-299-7311

email sales@canadawide.com

sales representation

director of sales Anna Lee

senior account executives Brianne Harper, Mira Hershcovitch, Charie G. Ilon, Amy LaJambe, Gabriella Sepulveda Knuth, Sheri Stubel

address Suite 130, 4321 Still Creek Drive, B urnaby, B.C. V5C 6S7 tel 604-299-7311

u.s. sales representation, hayes media sales tel 602-432-4868 email lesley@hayesmediasales.com

european sales representation, s&r media sales manager Sylvie Durlach tel +33 1 44 18 06 65 email srmedia@club-internet.fr

Suite 130, 4321 Still Creek Drive, Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6S7 tel 604-299-7311 fax 604-299-9188

chairman & ceo Peter Legge, OBC, LLD (HON)

president Samantha Legge, MBA

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accounting Terri Mason, Eileen Gajowski

circulation Katie Gajowski, Kelly Kalirai

office manager/sales coordinator Lori North executive assistant to the ceo Charie G. Ilon

PRIVACY

Database.

Senator Table from Cattelan Italia

HOMES+DESIGN >

Spotlighting the best of architecture and design in Western Canada.

TRADE SECRETS

Designed by ANDREA RODMAN, Andrea Rodman Interiors, Vancouver

The Look: Secret Passage

The custom millwork in the bedroom of this family home in Oak Bay, Victoria, performs a neat trick: some doors conceal storage, but behind one you’ll find access to the ensuite. “We were trying to figure out how to incorporate the door with the awkward gable ceiling,” explains Vancouver-based interior designer Andrea Rodman, who tackled the project alongside residential designer Scott Posno, builder Interactive Construction and cabinetmakers South Shore Cabinetry. “This blends it in and creates symmetry.” Through the door, find a spa-like retreat lined with Ann Sacks Savoy tile, ribbed glass and marble: a true hidden gem.

Ema Peter

HOMES + DESIGN SHOPPING

Scandinavian Retreat

Take a load off in Nordic style with this Scandinavian-inspired Labrador accent chair by Gus Modern ($1,995, optional ottoman $795). It combines natural, eco-friendly materials, faux-wool coverings and a minimalist sensibility—so you can recline into your own hygge oasis. fullhousemodern.com

004 Pillar

Holders from Populus Project, from $325. populusproject.com and providehome.com

Luminary Design

This tech-forward, hybrid Carousel lamp (starting at $725) is also a discreet LED wireless charging tray. Available in both floor and table models, the innovative dual-function light lends a warm ambiance to your space that’ll have you looking at your single-purpose lamps in a whole new light. lightformshop.com

Noteworthy

New in stores across the West.

By Kerri Donaldson

Exit Strategy

Luxurious lounging meets the great outdoors in the A-Propos modular sofa set (individual modules from $4,630). The sofas are perfect for entertaining, cozying up by the patio fireplace or watching the clouds go by in HD. roche-bobois.com

Ruggedly Handsome

Artful expression doesn’t just have to live on the walls. The Relevo rug (from $1,549) by Muuto and Milan-based design duo Studiopepe is crafted from 100-percent New Zealand wool, making it soft yet tactile with a contemporary, sculptural feel. informinteriors.com

Vancouver-based Brian Lin first popped up on my radar when we recognized him as a designer to watch in 2021. His brand, Populus Project, still offers the same elegant catch-all trays and artful brass incense burners, and he recently launched a trio of gorgeous candle holders carved from solid travertine (or marble, if that’s more your style). Candles are made to burn, but the 004 pillar holders are made to last: this is something you’ll be passing on to your designophile descendants.

Alyssa Hirose, associate editor

For more editors’ picks visit westernliving.ca

Great Glass

These double-wall insulated Yield glasses (from $67 for a set of two) will keep your drink cool— and they look cool, too. Available in clear, grey, amber and green, the sleek borosilicate glass suspends liquid in the centre, putting your coffee, tea or cocktail on elegant display. designhouse.com

Shelf Life

More than ever, life demands versatility. Living Box from Molteni&C (starting from $18,000) does storage the sleek way: think built-in suffused lighting, elegant drawer options and an interplay of marble and wood. livingspace.com

Clearly Divine

Confidently display your favourite Western Canadian design magazine (and other coffee table items) on this Speke Klein Rowlands coffee table (price on request). With a minimalist design and flush glass top, the openended solid wood table has nothing to hide. gingerjarfurniture.com

Twisted Seating

These bent metal Spinni bar stools (from $1,355) from our 2020 Furniture Designer of the Year Thom Fougere are a playful twist on the practical drafting stool—you’ll definitely want to take one for a spin. division12.com

Shop Talk

Hot new rooms we love.

By Kerri Donaldson

VANCOUVER, B.C.

Signed Sealed Delivered

Serving Opalescence

Ikea’s Varmblixt serving bowl with lid (from $30) shows off snacks in retro style. Its translucent, curved shape ensures it catches the light—and t he attention of whoever’s in the room. ikea.ca

This store has called the bustling West 4th Avenue shopping district home for the last 20 years, and after a hiatus for renovations, it’s back offering up a wide selection of one-of-a-kind greeting cards for any occasion, with brands like Halfpenny Postage, the Yard File and Blunt Umbrellas, plus stylish Izi Pizi reading glasses and puzzles and games that make for a perfect gift. 1988 W 4th Ave., Vancouver

HIGH BROW

Studio Roslyn brings permanent style to a Los Angeles cosmetic tattoo parlour.

By Alyssa Hirose / Photos by Hunter Kerhart

L.A.’s Studio Sashiko welcomes guests in with warm woods, deep hues of blue and cream and elements of Japanese minimalism—but patrons of the space will spend most of their visit staring at the ceiling. This cosmetic tattoo parlour specializes in microblading, scar camouflage and other kinds of restorative and decorative tattooing. So when it came to design, the team at Vancouver-based Studio Roslyn started by looking up.

Storage Wars

Space-saving laminate and stainless steel drawers provide clean-lined storage for practitioners, and custom-printed wallpaper sports the Studio Sashiko logo.

According to Jessica MacDonald, coprincipal of Studio Roslyn, the original space was tall, concrete and cavernous. “We really wanted to bring the ceiling plane down,” she explains. A metal grid and soft, oversized globe lights help create a cozier vibe, but the real focus is the massive, cloud-like art installation. L.A. floral design company Birch and Bone used dried blue baby’s breath and other whimsical florals to construct the clouds, which were then installed carefully on-site. “It was a tricky process to do,” MacDonald remembers.

And it was totally worth it. The designers aimed to infuse as much nature as possible into Studio Sashiko, and explored different planes of earth, sea and sky. Stained green concrete and artfully placed boulder formations give the floor an organic vibe, and cabinets of wood and stainless steel provide sleek, functional storage for the artists. “It feels a little bit set-like,” says MacDonald, “which is interesting in the Los Angeles context.” Like they say: lights, camera, eyebrows.

With pops of yellow and peach, plus natural stone, travertine and grey marble, the design is clean but comforting. “There is a serene quality to the space, but in an unexpected way,” says MacDonald. “It doesn’t feel like the classic spa aesthetic—there are some punchy colours in there, but it still has a very calming feeling.”

SLEEPING BEAUTIES

Textile designer Annie Axtell makes functional art for your sofa.

By Kerri Donaldson

For over a decade, Annie Axtell worked with paper: hunkered down in her East Vancouver studio, she screenprinted her hand-drawn fine art and lunar calendars. She considered herself an artist first, but fuelling that creativity was a love for design and interior spaces. “I had always created threedimensional objects,” Axtell recalls. “I didn’t realize that I’ve been a designer for a long time.”

So, she stepped deliberately into home design, launching her first collection of pillows in November 2020. Early on, her main focus was the silhouette. “I started with the idea of shape,” she says. “I wanted something that was fun, but also useful.”

The resulting trio of sculptural pillows (Wiggle, Slink and Link) are a celebration of unique shapes, stunning colour palettes and lush fabrics. Axtell’s unconventional designs are also highly functional—even more so than she had originally intended. “I was really surprised with how my customers use my pieces,” she says. The curved shapes make the pillows perfect for nursing parents to support their babies, and kids often self-soothe by cuddling up to the soft structures. Axtell herself uses Wiggle as a body pillow: “It has a pick-meup-and-hold-me-forever feeling about it,” she explains.

Each plush piece is made by hand, right down to the felted wool print tags, and she keeps her production to a limited scale to focus on quality and sustainability (she often uses deadstock and end-of-roll fabrics to keep her environmental impact in check). “I love making pieces that are super high-quality, durable and beautiful,” says the designer.

Portrait by Kyoko Fierro

EAST VAN ESCAPE

With a kitchen and three bathrooms to renovate, and a young family out of the home while the team worked, Cabinet Painting Vancouver had less than four weeks to deliver. Fortunately, they were prepared, since they guarantee a two-week turnaround for kitchen remodels and under four weeks for bathrooms.

Homeowners Catherine, Dave, and the kids headed to an AirBnB for a month while their home received a complete overhaul on a modest budget. Thanks to Cabinet Painting Vancouver, they got their dream home and saved over $30,000 by refinishing and revitalizing their existing cabinetry. By having the project wrapped in record time, they also saved on the auxiliary costs of a months-long renovation, including housing, takeout meals, and stress.

“The homeowners had a strong sense of design and came to their kitchen and bathroom renovation project confident in a contemporary colour palette,” says Jon Milstein,

owner of Cabinet Painting Vancouver. “But their dark, stained-wood kitchen and chunky tile would have to change.”

The kitchen received a total facelift, beginning with cabinet refinishing. “I think many homeowners and designers aren’t yet aware that cabinet refinishing can deliver the quality, durability, look and feel of new cabinets,” Milstein says. “Our mission is to change that fact and save tons of waste from local landfills, our clients’ budgets, and their timelines.”

Using a soft, two-toned cabinet colour palette created a beautiful, subtle contrast between the lower cabinets and the countertops. “Gold cabinet handles and drawer knobs complement both cabinet colours,” Milstein says. “This, paired with a gold faucet and stainless-steel sink, is both elegant and intentional.”

White quartz countertops and a matching backsplash delivered the client’s modern aesthetic and are easy to clean and maintain without grout to scrub. New engineered hardwood

floors finished the transformation. BATHROOM TRANQUILITY

Two upstairs bathrooms and a downstairs powder room needed new tubs and tile throughout. Cabinet Painting Vancouver also refinished the cabinets, installed new countertops and installed new custom glass for the upstairs baths. Gold finishes in the upstairs bathrooms brought aesthetic continuity throughout the home.

TIMELY SERVICE

Completed just ahead of deadline, the family returned home rested and ready to enjoy their new space. “It’s a core tenet of our business to provide the most efficient turnaround time, without sacrificing the care and attention to detail important for a high-quality, visually-stunning and long-lasting product,” Milstein says.

Saving clients $30,000 and three months on their renovation wasn’t easy, but Cabinet Painting Vancouver was up to the task

ART

It’s the perfect design match for the team at Alykhan Velji Design and an art-collecting, colour-loving family of four in Calgary.

By Anicka Quin / Photos by Joel Klassen

Fine Dining

The custom millwork piece in the dining room wraps around to the living area on the other side of the wall. Here, it frames a piece from Cathy Daley. Vancouver’s Lock and Mortice designed the dining room table; the dramatic forest photo is from artist Karen Maiolo.

SOUL AND

Great Divide

The Living Is Easy

When designers Alison Connor and Aly Velji of Calgary-based Alykhan Velji Designs started looking through photos of their new clients’ previous home, they quickly realized that the design process ahead of them was going to be seriously fun. “Their old house was filled with lots of colour, playfulness and pattern—and we didn’t want to lose that,” says Velji. “They wanted something that had loads of personality, but that also felt inviting and warm.”

So the designers set out to create a space that would find that balance of delight and comfort, colour and calm—and that would work for a busy family of four. The home

In the entry (top right), the team had explored a few options to separate the stairs but narrowed in on simple painted partition spindles in the same pale blue that’s seen in the mud room.

A painting from artist John McKee is framed by an asymmetrical fireplace mantel in the living room. The sculptural coffee table is from Crate and Barrel.

Bold Display

The kitchen (above, right and opposite page) was designed with open storage to showcase the clients’ great collection of objects and accessories. The pendant lights over the island and the chandelier over the eating nook are custom from Luminaire Authentik.

Clean Living

The laundry room (left), with its boldly floral wallpaper, may be one of the most fun spaces in the house. “You can never go wrong with Marimekko,” says Velji.

Rock It

Both kids were involved in the design of their bedrooms (right and below). One was a fan of ’80s and ’90s music, so the design team incorporated a custom record shelf over his bed to showcase some of his favourites (below).

NewTechWood Innovates: Discover Cedar & Shou Sugi Ban Wood Composite

Fluted wood composite panels—a contemporary wall siding option for remarkable architectural accents

Flexible and Safe

NewTechWood products meet exceptional standards for indoor and outdoor use and for use in any room in the home. Humid environments such as bathrooms, outdoor showers, or on the salty coast of Western Canada, are no match for these resilient, designer and builder tested materials. Fluted composite panels can even be used to create architectural cut-outs or accent walls or as a fireplace surround. The options are almost limitless.

NewTechWood Canada’s premium wood composite products are the ultimate solution for indoor and outdoor wall siding projects. They bring architectural creativity and flexibility to every application, influenced by extensive consultation between NewTechWood and Canada’s design and builder community. This year, NewTechWood introduces two new products, both of which respond to strong market demand: the Cedar colour and the Shou Sugi Ban texture in Ebony. Both colours will enter the Canadian market in 2023.

New this Spring

The new Cedar shade is a light blonde, multichromatic colour with pink wood grain and a purplish tinge. It is only available in the thin-strip fluted wood composite cladding— for example, NewTechWood’s flagship Norwegian UH61.

The new Shou Sugi Ban or “burnt cedar” product offers a unique aesthetic that replicates a popular Japanese architecture and landscaping technique where wood is burned to solidify it and increase its natural resistance to wear, mould and insects. Although the NewTechWood products aren’t burned, they contain 60% upgraded real wood fibre and UltraShield protection against wear, discolouration, mould and insects. Both products replicate natural cedar, renown for its strength, beauty and aroma, but disadvantaged by its tendency to discolour under UV rays.

NewTechWood composite wood is UV-resistant, which means it provides the same great quality cedar does, but with excellent resistance to humidity and the Canadian climate—all without the n eed to add chemical products.

Fluted composite wood was introduced to the Canadian market by NewTechWood Canada in 2018, after the design and home builder community got excited about a flexible, resilient product that was strong enough to take on the Canadian landscape. Since then, NewTechWood continues to innovate in response to the needs of Canada’s top design experts. Although the options have diversified to meet changing, high demand, NewTechWood products remain true to their original composite panel design and the company’s roots as a pioneer and leader in fluted composite wood products and technology.

Making a Splash

In the primary ensuite (right), an overscale terrazzo tile brings a little drama without overdoing it. “It still feels calming and neutral, almost spa-like,” says Connor. “An elevated mid-century.”

“They weren’t afraid of colour, of mixing patterns and textures—which we’re all about, too.”

HAVAN Professionals Inspire

The HAVAN Awards offer inspiration and connect homeowners with professionals who can bring dream home projects to life

For growing families, space might seem tight, but a home’s revamp might just be the solution to falling in love with it all over again. This means avoiding the need to sell and leave a treasured neighbourhood, schools, and amenities.

From kitchen renovations to whole home makeovers and new custom-built homes, pairing inspiration with resources is essential to achieving a successful project. Through its annual HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence and Home Design and Reno Show, Homebuilders Association Vancouver is exactly the place to find your inspiration and the professionals who can bring your home to life.

“Searching for a builder or designer can be daunting,” says Katerina Vastardis, Owner and Lead Designer of Designs by KS. “The

HAVAN Awards are peer-reviewed and provide an added level of confirmation to the homeowner that they are choosing to work with professionals recommended by the industry.”

Working with Professionals

In a constantly changing world with evolving lifestyles and a fluctuating housing market, homeowners need options. They also need expertise to help them navigate those options. Working with a professional can help reduce costs, streamline the process, and navigate bylaws and permitting to make the most of generational trends in home ownership.

“People are inheriting family homes and looking to take advantage of City of Vancouver bylaws potentially allowing up to six units to be built on a traditional singlefamily lot property,” says Ron Rapp, HAVAN CEO. “Builders and designers can help homeowners leverage their properties resulting in generational wealth.”

“Energy efficiency and building with a smaller footprint is also important when looking to design homes built to last,” Rapp says. “Healthier air, better light, improved windows and doors systems and security also mean greater comfort and safety for the family. HAVAN members have the expertise in energy efficient building and design and use the latest technology to help protect homeowners’ investments.” Why work with a designer and builder It’s not always easy to identify one’s style as trends change year over year. This is where working with a designer pays off. “Designers can help identify your design style right for you,” Vastardis says. “They can also help with situations where, for instance, you have a couple and he prefers modern, while she leans towards country.

“Designers will work with the builder, required consultants and you to bring your vision to life, within budget, while hitting the functional targets of the project. Good designers will make a home work for you.” Learn

BUILDER: MERIDIAN PACIFIC CONSTRUCTION INC.

PHOTO CREDIT: MARTIN KNOWLES PHOTO/MEDIA

KITCHEN DESIGNER: DESIGNS BY KS / PHOTO CREDIT: ISHOT

BUILDER: MERIDIAN PACIFIC CONSTRUCTION INC.

PHOTO CREDIT: MARTIN KNOWLES PHOTO/MEDIA

Blue Mood

The mud room is just off the kitchen, making load-in for groceries easy. The custom millwork is painted in a pretty powder blue— Benjamin Moore’s Iceberg—that’s also seen throughout the home, with leather pulls making for an unusual accent.

itself was built and designed by Alloy Homes, but the homeowners—along with their two boys, aged 13 and 15—were also very much partners in the design process. “It was a full collaboration with the clients,” says Connor. “We pushed them, and they pushed us, too.”

The main living area is a perfect illustration of how that dance led to an elegant space with plenty of wow. The striking fireplace, with its custom concrete tiles, evolved out of months of debate and plenty of drawings: should it be brass, concrete, ceramic tile or something else?

Then, one day, the perfect concrete tile sample arrived at AVD headquarters. “It was one of those things that was almost serendipitous—as soon as they saw it, they loved it,” says Velji. “And we were so glad we waited.”

Playful hits of colour layer in a sense of fun: a vibrant Maharam fabric on the vintage chairs, sunny yellow stools that pull up by the fireplace, pretty pops of pink on the throw pillows. And that asymmetrical, whitewashed coffee table from Crate and Barrel brings in an unexpected, sculptural moment.

The kitchen was designed to be all about family time: from the spacious island where everyone can pitch in with meal prep to the nearby eating nook with its multicoloured fabric bench. “They really wanted

a casual seating moment where they could have breakfast and dinner with the kids, and not have to sit at the island,” says Connor.

Upstairs, the primary bedroom is suitably soothing, with layers of linens on the bed in pinks and blues. “It’s a mix of mid-century style with an updated, modern feel,” says Velji. “They weren’t afraid of colour, of mixing patterns and textures—which we’re all about, too.”

The homeowners also have an incredible art collection, and so much of the design focused on positioning each piece so it could be properly showcased. The fireplace mantel was elongated so that a piece from John McKee would be framed with millwork rather than just left to float in the space. In the dining room, a quiet design lets works from Cathy Daley and Karen Maiolo take centre stage.

The unique collaborative process has created a space that reflects the clients’ own passion for design. “I love that each room has this unexpected moment, whether it’s the wallpaper, a textural moment or a bold colour,” says Velji. “Each room you walk into has soul.”

Most importantly, it’s a space that truly works for the family that lives here. “Right before Christmas, the clients were sending us selfies of all of them cooking in the kitchen, enjoying their house. It’s not one of those homes that’s just pretty—it’s truly utilized,” says Velji. “And I love that so much.”

DesignTalks

SMART SPACE PLANNING AT RESOURCE FURNITURE

It was a great night of sparkling conversation —and excellent cocktails—as we hosted our latest WL Design Talks at Resource Furniture this past February. Designers

Anneliesse Kelly of AK Design and Andrea Rodman of Andrea Rodman Interiors shared their recent work, along with advice on the concept of smart space planning. Stay tuned to westernliving.ca/events for details to join us for our next WL Design Talks!

Resource Furniture’s David Hooper with guests Jo Anne Gin, Dan Quan.

WL Editorial director Anicka Quin (centre) hosted designers Annaliesse Kelly (left) and Andrea Rodman (right).

Kitchen Infinity Atelier

Located at 101 Water Street in Vancouver, Kitchen Infinity is your how-to workshop on achieving the kitchen of your dreams

Step inside Gastown’s Kitchen Infinity Atelier and discover an immersive kitchen and cabinetry design experience that goes beyond blueprints and material samples. The family-owned business specializes in designing luxury kitchens and cabinetry throughout the home, but they don’t always work alone. Designers and highend homeowners with a taste for DYI are invited to descend up on the space armed with ideas and inspiration for collaborative, custom solutions.

“We’d like to call on designers

to come and use the space for their designs,” says Carlos Muller, managing director. “Our space is also open to high-end homeowner customers, particularly those who may struggle to read ideas from 2D plans. We encourage these groups to come in and put their design to the test and use our space to validate their wants and wishes.”

Immersed in Design

The expansive, 7,000-squarefoot showroom is a space where drawings, design wishes, pictures, Pinterest projects, design boards and other sources of inspiration

are welcome. KI Atelier doesn’t charge for its design time or designs at this stage—the process is to explore the showroom and go through Q&As and wish lists to compare those with the client’s inspiration ideas.

“We are very hands on in assisting our clients to achieve their design goals,” Muller says. “For customer direct clients, we provide design feedback as well as technical expertise. For designers, we will let them take the lead on the visual while we provide technical advice on the nuances of the operation and tasteful

suggestions to complement their design ideas.”

Experience the Vision

With a vision in place, KI Atelier will prepare dynamic 3D design renders and invite the client to come back in for a private presentation. As a team, they explore the whole kitchen and change any details like colours, layouts and product selection on the fly. In most cases, they have the very same hardware, cabinets, drawer, islands and live examples of the layouts in the showroom.

“We typically go to the kitchen in the showroom that suits and try the seating spaces, plates, elbow room, distance to cabinets, and other scenarios,” Muller says. “It is really the greatest advantage since many customers can’t derive these conclusions from a 2D drawing. Instead, they get to experience it and be 100% sure that the design presented achieves all of their wishes.”

Culinary Artistry

On hand to help make those wishes come true is Chef Mark Singson, KI Atelier’s in-house chef, who operates events and experiences

from an immersive kitchen at the showroom, designed with eight individual stations, each with its own equipment.

“This lets everyone work with a section of the kitchen and all of the Gaggenau appliances,” Muller says. “The experience focuses on the flow of the equipment in a setting that isn’t a sales pitch, but rather an organic, fun time at our kitchen with premium food and premium cooking tips.”

The immersive experience means every design dollar spent

on the kitchen is productive. KI Atelier’s design mandate is to be sure that the kitchen is as beautiful as the client’s dreams, yet functional every step of the way. Whether that beauty meets function principle is expressed in the ergonomics of the space or the placements and selections of hardware and drawers, the process from beginning to end, ends up feeling like an audit of the design and the way and what users prepare in the kitchen.

Kitchen Design 101

Muller points out that the showroom’s location at 101 Water St. a coincidental, playful nod to its ‘Design 101 Workshop’ environment where KI Atelier’s team of experts has only one mission: creating the client’s perfect space.

“We will help create a kitchen that you will love visually, but you will love cooking in it even more,” he says.

Learn more at: kiatelier.com

@kitcheninfinityatelier

Island Life

Green Scene

”We wanted something that brought in a bit of texture,” says designer Andrea Ewanchyna of the backsplash. “It plays off the creamy whiteness of the Dekton countertop.” The ribbed design of Ann Sacks’s Savoy tile was the perfect fit—and, paired with undercounter lighting, it adds just the right amount of warmth to the modern design.

Ready to renovate? The designers behind these 6 spectacular kitchens offer their top tips to get started.

By Kerri Donaldson, Alyssa Hirose, Stacey McLachlan and Anicka Quin

 Warm wood loves colour.

The hood fan is quiet on two fronts: the Faber fan will quietly sweep away cooking odours, and it’s designed to be visually quiet, with a white drywall enclosure. “The central fan is a function of having your cooktop on the island, but by keeping it white, crisp and clean, it’s not where your eye is drawn,” says Ewanchyna. “Instead it’s drawn to the back, to the warm cherry and teal.”

The homeowners had been loving their BattersbyHowat-designed home in Vancouver for going on a dozen years when they had the thought: What if we could make the kitchen larger? With growing tween-aged kids and a family love for cooking and entertaining, they were in need of a little more elbow room. Architect Ian McLean and designer Andrea Ewanchyna of Andreajae Studio came on board and opened the space up to the adjoining living room, while maximizing storage in the design (think cabinets from Sofo Kitchens brought right to the ceiling, a dedicated pull-out spice rack, baking organization above the ovens and moving the cooktop to the new island). The renovation tackled the entire main floor, but the design team also wanted to ensure that the update didn’t feel out of place with the rest of the home. But one thing made that challenge a lot easier: “The clients were not afraid of colour, hallelujah!” says Ewanchyna with a laugh. The millwork throughout the upper floor is a warm cherry wood, so the team planned a kitchen design with perimeter cabinets in a gorgeous, cherry-loving teal (Newburgh Green from Benjamin Moore), with inset pulls in the same cherry wood as upstairs. And on the island? The complete reverse.

Easy Breezy

 Balance over-the-top statement pieces with practical functionality.

“Laid-back glamour” doesn’t have to be an oxymoron, as this chic Palm Beach kitchen from Vancouver-based interior designer Gillian Segal proves. “We wanted to create a space that was transitional from the intimate day-to-day of raising kids to hosting, connecting and entertaining,” says Segal. This warm, welcoming space features plenty of California luxury—like the swaggy glass-chain Trueing Studio fixture, the luxe asymmetrical waterfall marble countertop and the crisply tailored leather Thomas Hayes stools— but, at its heart, it’s also intensely family friendly. Hardwearing materials like leather and stone will weather gracefully through big parties and kid messes, and the streamlined palette of warm camels, golds and whites keep the room from feeling fussy.

The Gathering Place

Kelly Wearstler chairs surround a custom marble-top table; paired with a banquette seat, there’s plenty of space for the whole family to pile in. The pendant light over the dining nook is made from rattan. The humble, organic material balances out the glitzier elements of the room—like the custom mirrored hood vent.

Nick Mele

 Yes, you can mix beautiful surfaces with durable surfaces in the same space.

Pre-renovation, this kitchen in Vancouver’s Yaletown neighbourhood dated back to the Expo 86 days. The homeowner spotted Atmosphere Interior Design’s work on Instagram, and recruited the Saskatoon-based firm to make her new space light, bright and contemporary: a palette of white and grey with glam pops of gold. And glam it is: heavily distressed mirrors on the upper cabinet doors are inspired by a Kelly Wearstler design in L.A. and help reflect light throughout the space. The natural marble on the backsplash was selected from a sample during those challenging pandemic days, but it ended up being the ideal fit for the space. “It was the perfect amount of grey and warm tones, with hints of gold in there,” says designer Curtis Elmy of Atmosphere. And while the design team went for a durable, grandkid-visit-friendly Caesarstone on working surfaces like the island and perimeter countertops, the natural marble still shows up in a creative installation on the lower part of the island. “It allowed us to interpret the stone in a unique way—and she doesn’t have to worry about it when she entertains,” says Elmy.

A Little Sparkle

The Kelly Wearstler sconces from Visual Comfort that sit on either side of the range help create an elegant transition from day mood to night. “We’re big fans of putting sconces into kitchens,” says Elmy.

Well Seated

“The right stool can make or break a kitchen,” says Elmy. “It’s the only furniture you see in the space, and they need to be both functional and comfortable—and it can be difficult to marry the two.” These beauties are from Gresham House, with a shagreen stamped leather on the seat. “The fabric is really durable,” says Elmy, “but has lots of visual interest with the greys and oyster shades.”

 Make your kitchen island perform double (or triple) duty.

This North Vancouver laneway home was too small for a dining table, so Rebecca Foster, director of design at Welton Design Group, and the builders at Revel Built Inc . decided to think big: with the kitchen island, that is. “We created an oversized island and incorporated seating on the side, so the homeowners are able to sit as a family,” says Foster. The island, which is nearly 11 feet long, has a built-in banquette, plus room to pull up bar seating and a high chair, allowing it to pull triple duty as a dining surface, food prep area and storage solution. To prevent the space from feeling too boxed-in, the designer opted for open shelving on the upper cabinetry. “We positioned that bottom shelf very strategically—it’s two inches above eye-height for the tallest person in the home,” Foster explains. “It lightens up the room, and doesn’t distract from views of the beautiful backyard.”

Line, Please

This kitchen embraces the linear in subtle (but intentional) ways. The horizontal lines created by the brick wall, for example, balance the vertical lines made by the shiplap that clads the island.

Pub Style

The clients’ own design taste leans toward an English pub vibe, which contrasted with the modern architecture of the home. To bring the two elements together, Foster opted for traditional exposed brick and contemporary pale green cabinetry (Benjamin Moore’s Nature Lover), and tied them together with the warm faux-leather banquette.

Shape Shifter

The West Coast ’70s architecture of this cabin created some very cool storage possibilities, and Barker took full advantage of them. The wall behind the green cabinets slopes back, so each drawer goes slightly deeper than the one above it. The orange cabinetry that conceals the fridge and pantry also holds shoes, recycling bins and firestarter logs.

Libation Station

The homeowner loves to host, so Barker created a place for guests to store and pour drinks without cluttering the countertop. The walnut credenza has room for glasses and bottles, plus an integrated fridge drawer, and it becomes a central hub when entertaining.

 Don’t be afraid to go bold with colour.

West Coast cabins traditionally abide by a certain palette: natural woods, forest greens, perhaps a river rock fireplace. But the kitchen in this home on Bowen Island, B.C., pops with bright orange and avocado green millwork—it’s an ode to the homeowner’s love for colour, and to the building’s 1970s roots. The Richard Henriquez home was renovated by Andrew Barker, principal designer of AJ Barker Design , with millwork by Momentum Millwork. After the client selected the orange, Barker chose the green: “The avocado colour was a nice counterpoint to the orange—it works with the wood and it’s relevant to the era of the house, but it’s not screaming out ’70s,” says the designer. The bright hues keep company with more neutral materials (Caesarstone countertops in a concrete hue, black slate tile floor, a sleek chrome faucet from Cantu), creating a space that’s both grounded and exciting.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

For a traditional kitchen design that’s still very functional, Martin turned to clever cabinetry and custom panelling. “We do the panel for the appliances so a lot of that more industrial feel is avoided and it feels a lot more like custom millwork,” says the designer. The cabinet framing serves as elegant camouflage for busy lives, and adds a classic feel.

Ageless Beauty

Like the cabinet pulls, the faucet that pairs with the kitchen’s farmhouse sink is unlacquered brass, meaning it will age naturally over time. “It gives it kind of an old European feel—which I think is charming and endearing and adds to the character of the whole home,” says the designer.

 Opt for natural, imperfect materials for a kitchen that tells a story.

Like many renovations, the design of this beachy coastal home in beautiful Oak Bay started in the kitchen. For Jenny Martin of Jenny Martin Design , making this modern build feel timeless meant using natural materials like brass and marble for an oldworld charm that, over time, would take on a life of its own. “We picked a lot of the materials that had a more handmade feel and were imperfect by nature,” says Martin. By adding materials that age gracefully— like the unlacquered brass handles on the cabinets that will darken and patina over time, or the marble countertops that will stain and scratch—the designer brings in an imperfection that gives a home its own characteristic beauty. “Every one of those little stains or marks is a story; it gives your house memories,” says Martin. “You go to Europe and you see a baker’s counter that they’ve been using for hundreds of years and it might have divots from all the work that has happened on it. But the patinas that it has are exactly what makes it so beautiful.”

Dasha Armstrong

REIMAGINE REMODELLING

The kitchen is the busiest, most versatile room in the house. It’s where family gathers to share meals and make memories; it is the heart of the home. A custom kitchen renovation must capture the perfect blend of style and function— but does it need to be stressful?

Not according to Kitchen Canvas, a full-service kitchen renovation company based in Vancouver. Division manager Jacobus Visser says the company was created to solve all of the typical pain points clients experience in construction and deliver a high level of customer service for custom kitchens that won’t break the bank. “We handle every aspect of the project from design to install so homeowners don’t have to manage and coordinate these scopes,” he says.

OPTIONS FOR EVERY BUDGET

Kitchen Canvas also provides budgetary options, starting with three treatments for cabinets. Cabinet refinishing involves respraying existing cabinet doors with premium quality satin lacquer—the perfect option for clients wanting solid colour cabinets, with a tighter budget and a reduced environmental impact. They can even add custom cabinet additions or modifications to bring new functionality into the space.

Cabinet refacing is a second option that is also less time and budget intensive. Old cabinets receive new flat-panel doors and a veneer will be applied on the cabinet exteriors. Clients who prefer a wood veneer and an unchanged kitchen layout are the best fit for this treatment.

Brand new millwork, redesigned spaces and custom projects are the place for new custom cabinets.

“We can get the look and feel of a brand-new kitchen while saving tens of thousands of dollars,” Visser says. “To give you an idea, our refinished or refaced full kitchen remodels are usually $18,000-$28,000, while new custom kitchens can range anywhere from $40,000-$80,000+.”

REMOVING PAIN POINTS

Kitchen Canvas’s complete project management system includes in-house design consultations, 3D design plans, a dedicated project management team, and even a professional cleaning once the work is done. As renovation specialists, Kitchen Canvas can offer higher efficiency and better value for every dollar spent.

“Kitchen and bath renovations are all we do, so we bring to the table focused material knowledge and experience, full design help, flexible space and cost saving solutions,” Visser says. “This all translates into a higher-quality experience and less down time for your kitchen.”

CERTAINTY + PEACE OF MIND

Like any specialist, Kitchen Canvas knows exactly what projects cost and offers fixed price contracts, so everyone is on the same page from day one.

Kitchen Canvas guarantees their turnaround times, and is the only Vancouver kitchen remodeller to offer $2000 cash back on their project if clients aren’t back in their functioning kitchen within a fourweek work window.

Ready to build the kitchen of your dreams? Connect with Kitchen Canvas for a consultation on your perfect r enovation—and peace of mind.

If you want a dream kitchen with a guaranteed quote, a guaranteed timeline, a dedicated project manager, and quality custom craftsmanship, you want Kitchen Canvas

Just Add Water

These gorgeous bathroom designs are made for long soaks and plenty of me time.

By Kerri Donaldson, Alyssa Hirose, Stacey McLachlan and Anicka Quin

Black and White and Bold

Wenge works well in black and white bathrooms because of its naturally dark colour, and because the wood has a tight vertical grain with natural flecks of black within it.

Custom Colour

The Victoria and Albert bath is a solid-surface tub that’s high-gloss on the inside and matte black on the exterior, but can be ordered in just about any colour. The volcanic limestone construction really holds heat well, too— perfect for a night in at the home spa.

There’s no question that the striking porcelain tile in this Saskatoon bathroom—the Floor Gres collection in Pebble from Stone Tile—is a showstopper. It’s highly patterned without overwhelming the space, and that’s thanks to a few smart design tricks from the team at Atmosphere Interior Design . The room is warmed up with accents of richly stained wood—the white oak screen behind the tub, the wenge millwork on the vanity—and, on either side of the excellently deep soaker tub, a pair of charcoal grey smoked-glass doors bring a hotel spa vibe. “Originally the plans had one door going into the water closet on the right side of the tub,” says Atmosphere’s Curtis Elmy. “But we pushed to get matching glass doors on either side to play up the symmetry. The dark grey tinted glass offers privacy, but also brings a moodiness to the room we really wanted.”

 Bring a moody design into the home spa with bold hits of black—and smoked glass.

Eymeric Widling

Respect Your Elders

“Older

Despite the major renovation that this Vancouver character home was slated to go through, knocking down the bathroom walls was a structural no-go. So Negar Reihani, founder and principal designer at Space Harmony, instead focused on making the original square footage feel larger. She and her team chose a vintage-vibed penny tile as a nod to the home’s history, and extended the dreamy blue material all the way up to emphasize the bathroom’s sloped ceiling. An all-glass shower and slender pedestal vanities ensure that the view is uninterrupted. “The material lets the eyes roam around and allows the room itself to talk, not the finishes,” says Reihani. But this space still offers plenty of smart storage: recessed medicine cabinets hide behind the vanity mirrors and wall-to-wall cabinets are nestled in the short end of the slope.

Penny for Your Thoughts

Penny tile is most often seen in blacks, whites and browns, but this bathroom looks modern and serene thanks to the light blue hue of the Madrid penny tile from Creekside Tile. “The glaze has a watery effect—it’s a pretty, pretty penny,” says Reihani.

Use one material everywhere to let the architecture shine.

homes really provide character that no new house can match,” says designer Negar Reihani. To complement the home’s history, she chose vanity legs with an antique silhouette and a traditional bronze finish.

Organic Materials

 Max out natural light to make a space feel larger.

For this ensuite in Cadboro Bay, B.C., designers Chad Falkenberg and Kelly Reynolds of Falken Reynolds Interiors had one clear direction from the client: when she was standing in the shower, she wanted to be able to see the ocean view. And so the space planning started from there: the shower is on one wall with a view to a corner window, and a sculptural soaker tub—the Spoon M from Agape—allows for bathers to glimpse the shoreline, too. Skylights were oriented toward the walls rather than the centre of the room, and the mirror above the custom sink soars all the way up and into one of those skylights. The result is a room that’s flooded with natural light—and when paired with warm, organic plaster and cool green marble, it’s a welcoming retreat that appears much larger than its 160 square feet.

The Verdi Alpi marble for the custom sink and the ledge behind the tub was inspired by a photo Falkenberg captured on a ferry. “The sea spray that comes off the back of the ferry was this beautiful green and white,” he says. “And the client said, ‘Let’s have this bathroom be the one area where we bring colour into construction.’ We went back to that photo, and started searching for a marble that was that perfect colour.”

Hand Finished

The client wanted a low-maintenance room, so the design team went with plaster throughout the space—even on the millwork. Applied by hand, it’s a warm and inviting surface that has an organic depth to it, and it’s totally water resistant. Best of all? There are no grout lines to scrub.

 “Black and black” can be a dynamic colour palette.

In an eight-bathroom house, it’s only natural that the design choices start to push the boundaries—how many times can one designer get excited about white subway tiles, after all? So by the time Katie Rioux and Candice Arcuri of Calgary’s DWK Interiors got to this space (an ensuite attached to the family’s collegeaged son’s bedroom), they were ready to get bold, with an arresting black-on-black design. The trick to keeping the room from feeling like a black hole is subtle texture. Here, the walls are lined with a mix of textured and solid black tiles from Ames Tile, which run from behind the tub all the way to the back of the vanity. The shower, too, is decked out in this moody black-on-black-on-black palette, and the fixtures here are matte black to match. But amid the darkness, one thing pops: an egg-like ivory tub that seems to almost glow beneath a Cartwright Lighting pendant lamp.

Michelle Johnson

Mixing Metals

Allowing the metals to clash gives this bathroom a lived-in, not-so-perfect feel to counterbalance the coastal, traditional look. “We’ve got brass on the hardware but we’ve also got polished nickel on the plumbing fixtures themselves. So it kind of creates a little bit of playful contrast here,” says designer Jenny Martin. “It’s nice to mix the metals as it can very quickly start to look spec when everything is the same.”

Dasha Armstrong

Forever Home

The homeowners were looking for a design that would allow for aging in place—and details like undercounter lighting, motorized blinds, a stylish shower bar and large doorways help ensure that the home is stylishly up to the task. “The market is adapting and giving us more options for finding beautiful things that we can use that are also very functional for aging in place,” says the designer. “The options are getting much nicer, too.”

 Make a bold statement with the bath.

There’s classic elegance in a clawfoot tub—but there’s also always room for improvement. In designing this new home, Jenny Martin and her team at Jenny Martin Design were focused on bringing in modern accents along with traditional nods to the past. By opting for a bold tuxedo-style graphite grey on the exterior of the tub, Martin created an accent piece that would draw both admiring gazes and plenty of baths. “It picks up on some of the accents in the tile,” says Martin, “and creates a statement on its own.” Painted on site, the darker bath brings the design of the bathroom together while honouring that transitional coastal feel that’s carried throughout the home. And while the look is timeless, it doesn’t have to be forever. “It’s just paint—if down the road they want to change the colour, they can change it to whatever they want.”

LARRY ELLISON WANTS TO SAVE YOUR LIFE

Will a trip to this Hawaiian wellness resort make you live longer?

By Neal McLennan

IIt was 2017 when I first saw Larry Ellison in person. I was at Lanai’s Manele Bay Hotel on assignment, and Ellison had famously purchased not just that property but 98 percent of the entire island a few years prior. I was there to cover the hotel’s grand reopening. One morning, while I was having breakfast, a large group of tennis-clad guests sat beside me. At the locus of the group was the distinctive, impeccable, Downey Jr-esque groomed beard and mustache combo that was attached to the then-eighth richest person on the planet. I did my best not to stare or eavesdrop, and after breakfast I was trying to square the idea that the dude who created

Oracle in 1977 appeared to be only in his mid50s, which was impossible. I immediately returned to my very well-appointed room, flipped open my laptop and typed “How old is Larry Ellison?”

I am terrible about diarizing things. My calendar still has recurring notices for the soccer practices of a team my daughter was on five years go. But for a while, every six months a notice would pop up that said: “Email re:

Koele.” It was a reference to the other hotel on Lanai that came with Ellison’s purchase. If Manele was the classic luxe beach resort, Koele was the quirky, smaller property tucked away near the island’s centre—and, at almost 2,000 feet above sea level, it felt a world unto itself. I’d call it scrappy, but given that it was a Four Seasons, that seems a bit of a stretch. Like Manele, it closed down after Ellison’s purchase... but unlike its swank sibling, it never re-opened. I’d driven by twice, and it was a fenced-off construction site with prominent NO TRESPASSING signs plastered everywhere. My requests for a hardhat tour (“I’m such a big fan of the property”) were

To Infinity Wellness meets tech at this resort: expect a massage, but also expect to have a thermal infrared scan beforehand.

gently rebuffed. I engaged the locals to see if they had heard any scuttlebutt about what Uncle Larry was doing up there and the broad consensus seemed to be “fancy spa,” but years ticked by with no opening. So every six months I’d dutifully send my email to the Four Seasons team to check for updates, and they’d politely thank me for my inquiry and tell me they’d let me know when they had news to share.

It was December 2019 and they had news to share. The former Lodge at Koele was now “Sensei Lanai: A Four Seasons Resort.” It was open in something of a beta phase, and if I agreed to stop sending emails they’d see about letting me come and check it out.

The internet wasn’t giving me much to bone up on before my trip. From what I could glean, Sensei was designed to be an entirely new type of wellness resort, less focused on facials and mimosas and more on helping its guests learn the diet, movement and goal-setting skills that would change their lifestyles permanently. This admirable goal came about through Ellison and Dr. Larry Agus (who I later learned is a bit of a legend in the longevity game), who had been commiserating over the premature death of a mutual friend. Ellison—the original tech bro—was wondering why no one had yet solved the public’s general refusal to embrace behaviours that could enrich and prolong their lives. It sounded vaguely like a cross between The Road to Wellville and Ex Machina and, I’ll admit, my initial interest waned slightly—I hadn’t waited for years only to presumably be served plates of lettuce and refused a glass of albariño on my vacation. But when the email from the Sensei team assured me that there was an onsite

Pick Your (Anti) Poison Yoga classes, floats and massage are all ingredients in Sensei Lanai’s recipe for a longer life.

Your are here. You are home.

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We know you are going to love living here as much as we do. Let us be the first to say, welcome home.

Nobu with a full wine list, my enthusiasm rebounded nicely.

Brain Food

The approach to the hotel remained familiar. The property is a short drive from charming Lanai City, and its huge wraparound veranda and gabled roofs evoke a vibe that’s more Kennedy compound than glitzy resort. And while the layout was familiar to me, there were some new touches—like millions of dollars’ worth of massive Fernando Botero sculptures (oddly, of his trademark rotund people) dotted throughout the resort. On checking in, my wife and I were separated and led to airy, high-tech rooms upstairs where we were onboarded: our vitals were recorded, our flexibility was tested and even our body fat was measured through some machine that required me to hold two metal rods and not cry when the result was announced. Then it was time to sit down with Marcus, my guide, and chat about why I was there. I mentioned my writing assignment, and he was warm but firm in not wanting a surface answer. We had a free-flowing discussion about sleep patterns, physical activity, diet, life stresses and family medical history that lasted for close to an hour. At the end, he put down the iPad that he had been working with, said, “Great, I think we can work with this,” and led me back to re-join my wife in an idyllic spot overlooking the resort’s lagoon, where we relaxed while our guides completed itineraries for us that were based on our interviews.

The next morning, we started with yoga in a stunning open-air pavilion with only one other participant in a class that was easily one of the top three I’ve ever done. Then we had breakfast in an empty Nobu followed by a walking meditation through the garden.

The menu at Sensei’s Nobu aims to “ignite the senses with optimal benefits”—and also quell those post-aquatic bodywork rumbles.

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR POTENTIAL

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT.

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IS CREATIVITY IN YOUR FUTURE?

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(Surprisingly, my skepticism was replaced with what seemed like actual zen about 48 steps in.) Even an afternoon massage started with a thermal infrared scan on my body to see where inflammation and tightness were lurking. The more I interacted with the team, the more I realized that the place was all experts, like a wellness version of The Avengers Marcus’s last job was training Navy Seals on goal-setting before missions. Prior to chatting with me about snacking habits, Quentin had been doing nutrition for a pro hockey team. My walking meditation guru had cashed out of Microsoft a few years before to devote his life to a higher calling. Everyone spoke about Sensei more like a tech start-up than a resort. This was the beta version of a program they believed would one day be rolling out across the globe, bringing people information and tools to advance and improve their lives.

And then there was Liron. The entry on my itinerary simply said “Aquatic Bodywork: 120 mins,” so as I ducked into one of the resort’s freestanding hales (their luxe version of treatment rooms) I had no idea what to expect other than water. For the next hour, Liron directed me as I floated in a small warm pool with my ears underwater and my eyes looking skyward, while he tried to understand how my body should move and what was holding me back from achieving more integrated control of my muscles. It not only sounds airy fairy to the nth degree, but also, to someone who can’t watch a YouTube video without simultaneously checking my iPhone, torture. But it was not—I entered some sort of dreamlike reverie for I don’t know how long and, after Liron had completed his indepth assessment, we went to the treatment table where we worked on the muscles he decided were most in need of some fine tuning. Revelatory.

Apple a Day

Donna Seduta 2001 is one of the many works by Colombian artist Fernando Botero on the property (this photo).

YOU ARE ALREADY BEAUTIFUL Lightweight. Volumizing. Long-lasting.

FLUTTER MASCARA

VEGAN, PARABEN-FREE, CRUELTY-FREE, PEG-FREE AND TEA-FREE

Epilogue

I went back. Throughout the pandemic I continued to follow the resort’s progress as it closed for several spells during the heart of Hawaii’s lockdown and then opened on a more limited basis, allowing guests to opt out of the all-inclusive nature of the original concept in favour of just booking a room and adding the sessions à la carte. They were still offering this model when I was feeling ready to travel—and were throwing in a free flight from Honolulu to boot—and I uncharacteristically said to my wife, “I want to go back.” So we did. Not much had changed—I was again onboarded by Marcus, who greeted me like an old friend, and found out that, despite a pandemic’s worth of near-daily Peloton rides, my body fat had only decreased by 1.2 percent. There was a massive new Jeff Koons sculpture placed in the lobby (“We had to reinforce the floor, it’s so heavy,” personnel confided) that Ellison had reportedly gifted to himself for Christmas. I spent seven nights there, and at the end it was the single largest hotel bill I’ve ever been handed (there was a brief moment of respite when it seemed lower than expected, until my wife reminded me ofthe 20-percent deposit we had already paid). So I hope that tells you how I feel about this place. I mean, how do you put a price on endless life?

Just Relax Sensei Lanai’s spa treatments feature Japanese ofuro soaking tubs (this photo). Outside, there’s plenty of space—and views—to take in (below).

TooCooksMany

Sure, it pays to have friends in high places, but we think it’s even more useful to have friends in hot places, too—namely, the kitchen. We grilled 29 chefs from across Western Canada for their pro tips, kitchen hacks and pantry essentials, and boy did they deliver. What follows is a culinary crash course: dozens of morsels of advice sure to elevate your home-cook game. Eat up.

Produced by Stacey McLachlan

The secret to making great stock? Take it off the stove... and into the oven.

“That way it never boils hard and you’ll have a clearer stock.”

– Bryan Satterford, chef/owner, Juke Fried Chicken, Vancouver

Add these three ingredients to your arsenal

Fish Sauce

“You don’t need much to make a difference in a dish—it adds a depth of flavour to most things you make at home. You don’t want to use enough that someone can say, ‘Hey, there’s fish sauce in there,’ but you want them to feel like something is missing if it isn’t there.”

Replace your spices twice a year

We don’t know who needs to hear this, but: your spices are ancient. Chefs agree that spices lose their potency around the six-month mark.

Clark

Deutscher,

owner, Nowhere *a Restaurant and Hanks *a Restaurant, Victoria

Anchovies

Full-Fat Everything

“You’ll end up using less to achieve body and fuller flavour in your dishes.”

– Dawn Doucette, chef/owner,

Douce Diner, North Vancouver

“I use so many anchovies at home. Comical amounts. They have the magical effect of giving simple, quickly cooked meals so much oomph. I love to overload them in most things, but if you’re unsure, just get a small jar and melt them into olive oil and garlic over low heat, then wilt in some greens and season with a dash of red wine vinegar. It’s the perfect side dish, or magnificent tossed with spaghetti. When I’m tired I’ll just eat them on buttered baguettes with a squeeze of lemon. Heaven.”

– Claire Livia Lassam, owner, Livia Forno e Vino, Vancouver

Keep your chips fresh with... silica gel?

It’s a hack chip-hound Patrick Do, owner of Vancouver’s Do Chay, swears by. “I learned this trick recently, but saving those little silica gel packs that come in those seaweed snack packs helps with preserving chips and kale crisps,” he says.

“If you don’t remember when you bought them, it’s time to get a new batch,” says Rogelio Herrera, chef/ owner of Calgary’s Alloy. Give that bag of cumin a whiff: if it doesn’t smell like much, it’s not going to taste like much, either.

How do you reduce your spice waste? Buy in small quantities, toast before storage and store in sealed containers. (That’s right: toss the bag!)

PRO TIP

RECIPE Chef Phong Vo’s Go-To Vegetable Side Dish

“Quick-blanch your vegetables in salted boiling water. Take out when they turn vibrant but are still firm. Ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain. Sauté with mushrooms, garlic and sea salt.”

“Buy whole spices and grind small amounts as needed.”

– Alex Kim, culinary director, Glowbal Restaurants, Vancouver

“Most home cooks do not season adequately. Seasoning during the cooking process helps to build levels of flavour.”

– Andrew Richardson, executive chef, Elisa and CinCin, Vancouver

Freeze your avocados

Vo,

Even the pros ask the pros

At farmers’ markets, at butcher shops, at the cheesemonger: the number-one tip our elite panel had was to ask the experts. “Just talk to a butcher,” advises Blair Lebsack, chef/co-owner of RGE RD in Edmonton. “If you can tell them how you plan to cook the meat, how long you want to take to prepare it, then there are multiple cuts they can point you to. Some are obvious, but most may be unknown to you and are typically less expensive than the prime cuts.”

...and your pre-chopped garlic, too

admits Vancouver-based food stylist Lawren Moneta. “I will chop a whole bunch of garlic in a food processor at the beginning of the month, place it in a Ziploc and section out little squares before placing in the freezer. I break off a piece or two of frozen garlic when I need it.”

Treat yourself to a vacuum sealer

Chef Kim sings the praises of his low-budget vacuum sealer. “For less than $100 you can find a decent vacuum sealer these days. I use mine to keep my leftover food longer and fresher, but also for marinating steaks, pickling vegetables, slow-cooking some tough cuts of beef under water (sous vide!) and even just to organize my fridge and freezer.”

Chanthy Yen, executive chef at Nightshade Restaurant in Vancouver, seconds the motion: “Be open-minded to cuts that are considered a ‘butcher’s secret’ and ask for advice on how to process it.”

The same goes for the veggie pros, too. “At the farmers’ market, find a farmer when they have a minute of ‘down time’ and ask them about different products, where they’re grown and the practices they use. They like it! Maybe you’ll even get to snack on a free carrot or apple,” says Devon Latte, head chef at Vancouver’s Acorn.

RECIPE

Chef Bryan Satterford’s G randma’s Salad Dressing

“Honey, grainy mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, shallot, chopped herbs—all placed in a mason jar and shaken vigorously.”

The FoodSaver compact vacuum sealer, $89.99, londondrugs.com

“If your avocados are perfectly ripe and you’re not going to eat them anytime soon, then you can freeze them to prevent over-ripening.”

– Phong

executive chef, Laowai and Bagheera, Vancouver

“I hate chopping garlic,”

Spring fresh.

Reserve your table online.

Thai Green Curry with Prawns

Sometimes, brand name matters...

There are times to cheap out, and then there are times to treat yo’self to some Kewpie. These are the brand-name grocery staples our chefs insist on.

• Elman’s mustard

• Yamasa soy

• Golden Boy fish sauce

• Kewpie

• Hellman’s mayonnaise

• Diamond Crystal kosher salt

• Heinz ketchup

• Herdez guacamole

• McClure’s pickles

• Aroy-D coconut milk

• Valentina hot sauce

• Maille cornichons

• Amora Dijon mustard

...and sometimes, generic is just fine

When it comes to some ingredients, only the best won’t do. Here are the staples you don’t need to overthink, according to chefs: canned beans, canola oil, chocolate chips, dried pasta, canned tomatoes, flour, sugar, oats and white vinegar.

PRO TIP

Want to shop the farmers’ market like a pro? Head to westernliving.ca for more chef wisdom

– Alexandre Carrière, chef, Au Comptoir, Vancouver

RECIPE

Chef Dawn Doucette’s Kitchen Pantry Puttanesca

“Sauté minced garlic and capers for 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat. Add store-bought pickled veggies (such as roast pepper strips and eggplant in their oils), along with anchovy paste. Continue to cook. Separately, purée a can of pitted black olives, then add to the pan along with marinated artichokes, canned tuna, chili flakes and a touch of tomato purée. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes and, bam! Puttanesca served with linguini... easy peasy.”

Illustration: Lori Langille

“Don’t ignore the bulk aisle. You can get the right amount to fill up your storage containers.”

– Joshua Chilton, chef, Clive’s Classic Lounge, Victoria

“Sweet, rich and loaded with umami.”

– Patrick Do, chef/owner, Do Chay, Vancouver

“It’s just the best, and also, I’m too French.”

DESIGNERS of the YEAR 2023

CELEBRATING THE BEST NEW DESIGN IN WESTERN CANADA, AS JUDGED BY THE WORLD’S FOREMOST DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS.

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Ask a Chef

What should I do with my food scraps?

“Carrot, beet or radish tops can be made into pesto.”

– Lawren Moneta

“After washing and peeling purple beets, you can use the scraps to colour your pickled vegetables by adding some into your pickling jars.”

– Alex Kim

“I make croutons with stale bread, and use coffee grounds as plant fertilizer.”

– Dawn Doucette

“Apple peels have tons of flavour and make great syrups. Cilantro stems are also full of flavour and make exceptional sauces.”

– Clark Deutscher

“ Take trim from fish or meat to make croquettes or meatballs.”

Get yourself a mandoline….

It’s a favourite tool of the pros; source a Japanese-style ultra-thin one if you can.

The next big trendy ingredient is...

• Sea truffle

• Plant-based steak

• Nutritional yeast

• Kelp

• Food made with food waste products

• Tonka bean

• Yuzu and spicy honey

• Fish sauce

• Toban djan

• Mushrooms

...and a microplane

If you love to grate, it’s great. It’s the perfect tool for adding a dusting of nutmeg, lemon zest or parm to a dish. “They’re incredibly helpful for home cooking,” says Betty Hung, owner of Beaucoup Bakery in Vancouver. “Finely grating garlic and other vegetables, whole spices and cheese with ease helps to speed up the cooking process and allows you to stuff your face full of food on the couch quicker.”

Chefs share their box-brownie hacks at westernliving.ca

DRINK LIKE A CHEF

Chef Gus StieffenhoferBrandson’s

“Crushable” Boulevardier

To make SB’s go-to four-ingredient cocktail, combine equal parts bourbon, Cinzano and Campari over ice. Dilute slightly with a few drops of water and add some orange rind.

– Ben Berwick, chef, Dachi, Vancouver

Zester grater, $18, gourmetwarehouse.ca

Jumbo Japanese mandoline slicer, $105, gourmetwarehouse.ca

Cook a perfect omelette

Start with great ingredients

“You need to start with fresh eggs,” says Doucette.

A great pan is essential “Go non-stick,” advises Carrière.

Add a splash of water

“Just a little bit!” says Nico Schuermans, chef/ owner of Chambar in Vancouver.

Don’t skimp on the butter

“Butter. Like, a lot of butter. When it’s done and rolled, reshape it with a towel and rub roomtemperature butter on top of it again,” says Deutscher.

Heat it low and take it slow

“Keep the cooking temperature low and stir with a spatula,” says Ashley Kurtz, chef de cuisine at Vancouver’s Bar Susu.

Do it

again

“Make one every morning for a month—you will dial it in,” says Stieffenhofer-Brandson.

Stop cooking it earlier than you think

“Stop cooking before the eggs are fully cooked; keep them nice and wet,” Kurtz adds.

Visit

La Cornue Brings Colour and Beauty to Your Luxury Kitchen

La Cornue, offered by Midland Appliance, is proud to introduce

La Cornue ranges represent a world-class line of handcrafted pieces that bring timeless style and an expression of truly refined taste to every luxury kitchen.

The CornuFé series brings the quality and spirit of La Cornue to those who have high culinary standards but prefer a range in a more compact size than La Cornue’s signature Château model. Each CornuFé range is hand-crafted in France using premium materials and craftsmanship held to elite, forward-thinking standards.

Powerful yet playful, the CornuFé series is available in two sizes, with three trim packages to choose from, and is manufactured in either a dual fuel or induction range model w ith full size convection oven.

Driven by a century of tradition and the highest standards in culinary artistry, La Cornue

created the original four hues within the CornuFé Classic Colour Collection—Stainless Steel, Gloss Black, Matte Black and Pure White—which have been timeless, best-sellers for more than two decades.

This spring, La Cornue is proud to launch the new CornuFé Étoilé Colour line, which incorporates rich, saturated hues into the collection. The Étoilé Collection, whose name is derived from dreamy starlit illuminations, brings four new hues: Ocean, Morning Dew, Winter Sky and Graphite.

These deep and sumptuous Étoilé Colours were selected specifically to showcase the elegant detailing and luxurious styling that makes the CornuFé unique. They combine beautifully with the four original Classic Colours to provide the ultimate in creative culinary customization.

Discover CornuFé at Midland Appliance Midland Appliance, a superior dealer in the luxury appliance market and leading La Cornue dealer in BC, specializes in premium, luxury and high-end brands, and proudly displays La Cornue and CornuFé models at its showrooms in Vancouver, Richmond and Langley. Watch for more in luxury appliances at Midland’s next Abbotsford showroom opening later in 2023.

Explore La Cornue at: midlandappliance.com lacornue.com

Connect | Instagram @midlandappliance | @lacornueofficial

a stunning new colour collection for the beloved CornuFé series

GRAPHITE

MORNING DEW WINTER SKY

OCEAN

How to course correct a cooking mistake

If it’s too spicy:

Add a sprinkle of sugar, a splash of vinegar or something fatty. Or, as more than one chef advised: crack a beer and learn to love the heat. “Look at it as training for the next time you travel,” says Bryan Satterford.

If it’s too salty:

Acid to the rescue! Try lemon juice, apple cider or vinegar. Alternatively, add more liquid, or double the batch (without salt this time) and combine. Or, as Herrera suggests, “Just start again.”

Survey says...

We polled our chefs for definitive answers to some of the kitchen’s most pressing questions. Numbers don’t lie.

Butter: salted or unsalted ?

Garlic press: yay or nay?

“Absolute rubbish.”

Microwaves: yay or nay?

“Only at mom’s for leftovers.”

“Just for popcorn.”

“People who say no are pretentious.”

“That was one of my tasks to help my mum cooking, so it’s alway a great memory.”

: soap or wipe out ?

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

You don’t have to peel ginger

“Ginger skin is very flavourful and just as nutritious. Save the skin,” says Vo. (Another food we have been wasting time peeling our whole lives? Kiwis.)

“Cheddar chips and riesling.”

Chefs reveal their favourite oddball food-and-drink pairings.

“Bourbon and apple pie.”

– Jason Kleinfeld, executive chef, Cardero’s, Vancouver

“Foie gras and sweet wine.”

– Alexandre Carrière

“I recall making a grilled cheese using brioche and Kraft cheese. Alongside we drank a bottle of Alex Gambal Chassagne Montrachet... a match made in heaven.”

Richardson

“So weird it’s good”

– Andrew

– Rogelio Herrera

Beyond Beige

To create a collected-over-time aesthetic, it’s all about mixing metals. Pick one finish as your focal point, as I did with this Fenwater chandelier from Hudson Valley in polished nickel, and then layer other finishes in the room to complement them. hvlgroup.com

This beautiful grasscloth wallpaper— Simple Sisal from Kravet—warms up the front entry in all the tones and colours I was after to bring this space to life. kravet.com

This room wouldn’t have felt complete without a touch of black glass on the railing, and the textured glass on the chandelier. These combine beautifully with a creamy wood floor from Vintage Hardwood Flooring, the Accolade from Sherwin-Williams on the walls and S-W’s Origami White for the baseboards and ceilings. sherwin-williams.com, vintageflooring.com

We are moving toward warmer, organic textures. I love the linear quality of this natural stone that we used in the principal ensuite.

I’ve been really drawn to creamy tones lately to help a home feel warmer—whites and creams with browns are making a full comeback. I used a warm beige fabric (Kravet Basics 30299-106) on one of my favourite chairs— the Aniston from Marcantonio Designs. marcantoniodesigns.com

For a new home in Calgary, designer Paul Lavoie creates a space that proves warm neutrals are anything but boring. It’s all about layering, layering and more layering.

“Look for unexpected architectural forms in furniture pieces and accessories—they’re incredible conversation starters, as with this warm brown live edge table that I had made locally here in Calgary.”

Paul Lavoie, Paul Lavoie Interior Design

Eymeric Widling

Sense. Cestello. Mariposa. Botanica.