Western Living September/October 2021

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Designers Year2021 of the

The Best in Architecture, Interiors, Furniture, Fashion & More.

2021

EXTRAORDINARY IS

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Glamorous, even when you’re not.

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Insertion: Sept/Oct, 2021 Due:Aug 26, 2021

COVER: McLeod Bovell: Ema Peter; this page: (top left) Vale: Doug Lang/ANDstudio Designs Inc.; (top right) Donohoe Landscaping: Luke Potter; (bottom left) Vallely Architecture: Ema Peter; Becki Chan Jewellery: Becki Chan

COVER: McLeod Bovell: Ema Peter; this page: (top left) Vale: Doug Lang/ANDstudio Designs Inc.; (top right) Donohoe Landscaping: Luke Potter; (bottom left) Vallely Architecture: Ema Peter; Becki Chan Jewellery: Becki Chan

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DESIGNERS OF THE YEAR 31

The Winners

They’re winners, baby! Our deep dive into the lives, career paths and stunning work of our incredible 2021 Designers of the Year.

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The Judges

The Finalists

From esteemed local architects to head designers of international brands, here’s a quick rundown of the folks who judged DOTY 2021.

The entries that made our judge’s jobs that much more difficult: here are the runners-up to keep an eye on in the coming years.

B.C. & ALBERTA L VOLUME 50 L NUMBER 6

CONTENTS westernliving.ca / s e p t e m b e r / o c t o b e r

2021

11

HOMES + DESIGN

23

103

Trade Secrets

Maxine’s: Kyoko Fierro; Naramata Inn: Jon Adrian; pub: Crown and Thieves

Designer Nyla Free brings in fresh-faced cabinets to make her Calgary kitchen pop.

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Shopping

Cozy leather armchairs, a bubbleguminspired lamp and the 50-year-old lifesaver appliance you’ve never heard of.

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Great Spaces

Ste. Marie Art and Design tranforms a buzzy bicycle café into a gorgeous restaurant with a spectacular bar.

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FOOD + TRAVEL

103

The Chef Is Inn

126

How chef Ned Bell and Kate Colley cooked up success at the Naramata Inn (including four of their recipes).

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A Wine List Like No Other

Five reasons why Emily Walker’s wine list may just be the best in B.C.

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The Check-In

PLUS

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Way Back WL

A look back at the Residential Design Awards in 2003 (our precursor to DOTY).

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B.C. & ALBERTA L VOLUME 50 L NUMBER 6

CONTENTS 2021 /

westernliving.ca

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Nyla Free kitchen: Phil Crozier

Okanagan, it’s been a while—here are 10 new restaurants, wineries and breweries.

WESTERN LIVING editorial publisher Samantha Legge, MBA editorial director Anicka Quin art director Jenny Reed travel editor Neal McLennan assistant editor Alyssa Hirose editor at large Stacey McLachlan contributing editors Karen Ashbee, Julia Dilworth,

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SPONSORED REPORT

Alloy Homes

Amanda Hamilton Interior Design

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Led by Amanda Hamilton, an award winning entrepreneur and Founder of Palette Archives, Amanda’s bold and unorthodox approach to design and business has made her one of the most sought-after creative minds in Canada.

We are an award-winning full-service design firm. We create unique, elegant and inviting homes, custom-designed around our client's lifestyle and tastes.

With our signature design process, we walk through the design planning journey with you as a team to create the home of your dreams.

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Alloy Homes’ turnkey approach to homebuilding integrates real estate, design, construction, cost control and concierge maintenance services into one seamless process.

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alloyhomes.com

WESTERN CANADA’S TOP DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS

W

KALINE DICKSON

Kaline Dickson Kaline is a mother, designer and organizer of spaces and things. She currently works at Frits de Vries Architect Ltd. as a senior designer and project manager. She brings her experience in luxury custom home design to her own home renovation.

Working specifically with her young daughter in mind, Kaline explores ways to join the luxe sense of interior design with play, affordability and the need for spaces to evolve as families evolve over time.

bighouselittlehouse _ kalined

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Living Radius Architecture & Interior Design Inc. Ready for a home that's 100% you?

At Living Radius we value great relationships and having fun while designing extraordinarily beautiful homes. With over 5 decades of combined experience in architecture and interior design, we’re more passionate than ever about going beyond the obvious to create homes that are the perfect fit for our clients.

livingradius.com

MA+HG Architects MA+HG Architects create innovative works that are concise and practical, yet poetic and personal. By encouraging artfulness and challenging traditional suppositions, we create homes that are honest and playful, yet rooted in reality. Described as having the ability to “…magically transform ordinary spaces and humble materials into places of poetic beauty”, we are driven to delight, while advocating for beautiful housing as a right, not as a luxury.

We believe in the importance of everyday beauty and the usefulness of creativity.

mahg.ca

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MONICA STEVENS DESIGN

Measured Architecture

Monica Stevens Interior Design

NAKO Design

Measured Architecture is a full-service Vancouver-based studio practice focused on modern design, interiors and landscapes.

Since the inception of Monica Stevens Interior Design, her firm’s talent and experience has brought both national and international projects and recognition.

We are a boutique design studio with an emphasis on creating minimalist, but welcoming, interiors. We focus on high end custom residential in both a new build and renovation capacity.

We are engaged in every phase of a project from concept to completion, enabling the creation of buildings, interiors and landscapes that facilitate the desires of clients. Our goal is to create unique, sustainable buildings designed to meet our client’s needs and celebrate distinct opportunities of their sites.

measured.ca

Based in Calgary, Alberta, Monica Stevens specializes in high-end residential and recreational properties and exclusive commercial and public spaces.

Over the past three decades she has established a reputation for providing innovative solutions tailored to her client’s needs, creating comfortably elegant and thoughtful interiors.

Our approach to each project is passionate with key consideration for thoughtful and innovative details. It is important to us that each space we design feels authentic and unique, a direct reflection of the end user.

nakodesign.ca

WESTERN CANADA’S TOP DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS

Royal Pacific Landing Ltd. Royal Pacific Landing Ltd. (RPL) specializes in Executive Residential and Multi-family Landscape architecture design. With an East meets West aesthetic, we create a harmonious balance to your outdoor living space that is grand, elegant and refined.

Founder Lu Xu, has an extensive background in Fine Arts training with a BA of Architecture and a MA in Landscape Architecture. She also actively served the Advisory Design Panel in the First Shaughnessy and University Endowment Lands.

royalpl.com

Serac Studios

Shima Javan Design

Serac Studios design consultants develop bespoke residential and hospitality interiors of exceptional quality, delivered through a high-touch service experience. We supply complete interior design from project conception to completion for custom development projects and renovations.

Shima Javan, the founder and principal of Shima Javan Design has been working on numerous residential and commercial projects in Middle East, then Canada for nearly 14 years. Her expertise landed her projects in Vancouver’s most luxurious neighborhoods in the last 4 years.

We specialize in high-end and multi-family residential and hospitality environments.

The services she offers are interior architecture and design, landscaping design and renovations to even minor cosmetic changes.

She believes her projects have a unique soul and must be exciting, timeless and refined.

seracstudios.com

shimajavan.com

8/27/21 12:23 AM

SPONSORED REPORT

Shift Interiors Our work and design philosophies are based on subtle minimalism, guided by clear, authentic, and honest relationships.

We see a direct correlation between our clean aesthetics with the way we interact with the people involved in each project. “For us, the peace and tranquility that you feel when you are surrounded by simple shapes, spaces, and designs is the same harmony and feel of serenity that comes from transparent and clear communication between our team and the client”. - Jamie Deck

shift-interiors.com

Synthesis Design Inc.

Space 9 Interior Design Inc.

For over 27 years, Synthesis Design Inc. has collaborated with clients to create thought provoking custom homes, additions and interior design projects. We focus on designing smart sustainable homes, constantly pushing towards progressive prefabrication and modular construction methods.

Space 9 Interior Design Inc. specializes in single residential, multi-family and commercial projects. The multidisciplinary team of experienced and talented designers and interior architects collaborates seamlessly with its assembled network of worldwide curated sub-trades, suppliers and artists to ensure the highest levels of precision, quality and care. Space 9 will always embody a reflection of each client’s style and tastes, delivered with comprehensive design services that are both friendly and approachable.

We have consistently built a reputation that exceeds our client’s expectations from modern to traditional, and everything in between.

We listen to our clients’ thoughts and ideas, helping to drive the design and create their perfect home.

synthesisdesign.ca

spacenineinteriors.com

WESTERN CANADA’S TOP DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS

Looking to refresh your space?

Subscribe to the

Newsletter.

WA Architects Ltd. WA Architects Ltd. is an architectural, planning, and interior design firm based in Vancouver and Victoria. We believe good relationships are the foundation of great design.

We go beyond designing buildings and shaping landscapes. Our clients love working with us because we are fun, down to earth, and we get the job done. We make a great impression.

And so do our buildings.

wa-arch.ca

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Home: Burgers Architecture; photo: Ema Peter

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1457 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver | 604.925.8333

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EDITOR'S NOTE

q& A

NOW AND THEN

Bridget Stringer-Holden, writer, "One to Watch" page 6 6 Follow Anicka on Instagram @aniqua

I’m a nostalgic person at the best of times. A recent visit back home—for the first time since, you know, the world we live in now—had me up until the wee hours with old friends, recounting our misadventures when the six of us lived together in a semi-detached teardown nearly 25 years ago. I’m also in the midst of writing a novel that takes place in a video store in the late ’90s so, yes—recent and not-so-recent history is very much my jam.

And given that Western Living is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, nostalgic deep-dives have been part of our daily life for months now—and I’m loving every minute of it. Case in point: I’ve been warmly reflecting on our very first Designers of the Year awards party, which took place back in 2008. We were in a showsuite for the (never to be built, as it turned out) Ritz-Carlton, and both architect Arthur Erickson and interior designer Robert Ledingham were among the attendees. Given their reputation for supporting emerging designers—a reason we still honour them today with their namesake memorial awards—it’s no surprise they were there to celebrate their peers. We’d planned for 150 guests, and instead crowded in over 300.

Some things have changed since that first year—“Eco” was retired as a category, and instead became a criterion in all of the award categories; “Maker” was launched in 2016— and our epic parties grew into boisterous affairs held in an airplane hangar, an abandoned Target store, an artist’s warehouse and many more unique locations.

And while so much of our day-to-day world has changed (we certainly weren’t crowding 600+ guests into an event last year), I’ve drawn a lot of comfort from the little things that haven’t—and high on that list is the day the results from our judges are tallied and I get to call each of our winners and let them know it’s their year to claim the title of Designer of the Year. There are whoops and cheers and sometimes tears, and it’s always a wonderful moment, whether or not there’s a big party to follow.

We’ll be hosting a much more intimate celebration with this year’s winners this fall (catch it September 23 on Facebook and Instagram Live!) and I look forward to bigger and louder parties to come as we inch forward into a (hopefully) post-pandemic life. In the meantime, we’re thrilled to present the 2021 Designers of the Year to you in these pages. I hope their work inspires you to dream of moments of nostalgia to come.

Without a morning commute to wake myself up, my glasses have become an integral part of working from home. I can roll out of bed right before a meeting, slap on my tortoise shell glasses and magically look put together. Plus, the innovative blue-light blocking lenses and anti-glare coating significantly reduces eye strain—perfect.

Tanya Goehring, photographer, "Designers of the Year," page 3 1 It’s my coveted ceramic coffee mug from Danica Studio. It’s mint green with a geometric white pattern on it, and feels perfect in my hands. It even makes my coffee taste better.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Photographer Tanya Goehring and her assistant Michal Urbanek take an innovative approach to creating tree-dappled light for a portrait of our Landscape Designer of the Year, Ryan Donohoe (page 70).

VISIT

anick a quin, editorial director anick a.quin@westernliving.ca

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westernliving.ca

FOLLOW US ON

Anicka Quin portrait: Evaan Kheraj; styling by Luisa Rino, stylist assistant Araceli Ogrinc; makeup by Melanie Neufeld; outfit courtesy Holt Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com; photographed at the Polygon Gallery

This month we asked our contributors, What do you think is the most perfectly designed object?

Thai Green Curry with Prawns

coconut green curry, jasmine rice, bok choy, spinach, peppers, bean sprouts, thai basil, cilantro, crispy rice.

N E W & N O TA B L E • A B I K E C A F É S W I T C H E S G E A R S • D E S I G N E R S O F T H E Y E A R

TR AD E S ECR ETS D esig n e d by N Y L A F R E E , N Y L A F R E E D E S I G N S

The Look: Cloth Cabinetry

Phil Crozier

Soft-close cabinets we’re familiar with. Soft-to-the-touch on the other hand? That’s a new one. But the second we saw these grasscloth cabinet fronts in Calgary designer Nyla Free’s home kitchen, we were on board. The dreamy light-grey cabinetry, installed by Renaissance Joinery and Millwork, would’ve been lovely on its own, to be sure. But among the more expected (and still beautiful) details in the space—quartzite counters, Ann Sacks tiles, a chic Kelly Wearstler light fixture—the textured pantry panels add a surprise hit of warmth and interest. “I wanted our pantry to feel different and special, not too utilitarian,” says Free. “Including a material you wouldn’t necessarily think about adding to a kitchen, like to a cabinet front, elevates a room, and makes it feel inviting.”

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HOMES + DESIGN SHOPPING

Weigh to Go

The Alexandra table ($12,500) is Autonomous Furniture’s first ever round dining table, and it’s a sturdy, beautiful beast. Designer Kirk Van Ludwig wanted it to be solid enough that a person could sit on the end of it without it tipping, so it’s made with a strong steel conical base. autonomousfurniture.com

Fuzzy Image

The recycled raw cotton framing this Woven mirror ($600) provides a gorgeous, feathered texture. It’s handwoven in Mexico and made to order, which minimizes waste even further. obakki.com

Blow Up

Seletti’s Wonder lamp ($556) turns the classic statue genre on its head— who says a stoic warrior can’t chew bubblegum?

The pop of colour acts as a pink glass shade that gently diffuses light. lightformshop.com

Power Nap

The classic, clean-lined Duet daybed ($1,500) is a minimalist seating solution that’s eager to play any role: sofa, daybed, single or double bed. It’s a good sport that way. vanspecial.com

NOTEWORTHY

New in stores across the West.

BY A LY S S A H I R O S E

Hidden Gem

Here’s a fun spot to prop up your feet: the multifaceted— literally—Amulet ottoman (from $1,335). This octagonal footstool can also serve as a side or coffee table and features customizable openwork seams to match or contrast with your upholstery of choice. resourcefurniture.com

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HOMES + DESIGN SHOPPING Editor’s Pick Thermomix

$2,009, thermomix.ca

Neck and Call

In case you missed it, we’ve been celebrating Western Living’s 50th anniversary this year.

And, it turns out, Thermomix is 50 too. Who, what?

At least that’s what I was saying before I tested one out over these last couple of months—and now, to be honest, I’m pretty much obsessed.

The countertop food processor with an integrated heating unit has been hot in Europe for (literally) decades, and it’s gaining steam over here these days.

(Can I make more cooking metaphors?)

Thanks to its wifi-connected recipe platform, I’ve made everything from a chopped salad to an excellent broccoli and Stilton soup—and perfectly jammy boiled eggs. It’s quickly become my most-used countertop appliance.

—ANICKA QUIN, Editorial Director

Fall Flame

A nod to the world of fashion design, the Aryas chandelier by Alora Lighting ($1,650) takes inspiration from haute couture jewellery—the three illuminated ribbons and vintage brass frame are like a necklace for your ceiling. savemoreplumbing.com

Kilig is a Tagalog word that can be translated to “butterflies in your tummy,” and the company’s soy candles ($35) poured in East Vancouver are all about special feelings and memories. The fall collection includes Salted Caramel, Sugar and Spice, and Pacific (sea salt, sandalwood and plumeria)—all the smells of autumn in the PNW. kiligcandleco.com

For more editors’ picks visit westernliving.ca

Orange You Glad

Moooi just launched four new leather collections with 26 upholstery options (and if that much choice feels overwhelming, they also have an augmented reality tool to help you envision each design). New combos include the Bart armchair ($5,019) in this oh-so-warm ochre leather. livingspace.com

Work Hard Clay Hard

Kilig candles: Malumi

This new table from Vancouver designer Isac Kaid is hand-moulded in clay, then formed in cast stone. Called Unis ($1,895), the sleek pedestal and tactile tabletop is one of five one-of-a-kind functional sculptures crafted in B.C. switzercultcreative.com

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HOMES + DESIGN GREAT SPACES

SWITCHING GEARS

Ste. Marie Art and Design spins a concept-heavy bike café into a casual, elegant restaurant.

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Pedal Power

Maxine’s design includes a few nods to its cycle-centric past, like the bike logos engraved on the bathroom doors.

“We wanted an ode to Musette,” explains Goergler.

Kyoko Fierro

Located on a busy downtown corner, the former Musette Caffè drew design inspiration from Vancouver’s favourite eco-friendly transport: the bike. The café’s walls were covered with cycling memorabilia (think jerseys, posters and even old bikes suspended from the ceiling). But this leg of the journey recently came to an end for the restaurateurs, as they decided to pivot from the eclectic, industrial concept to something a little more elevated, but just as friendly.

In place of Musette is now Maxine’s, a buzzy restaurant that maintains the same easygoing energy of the bike café. The owners brought on Ste. Marie Art and Design to support the transformation. “Musette had a heavy concept and storytelling around cycling, and the owners wanted a casual neighbourhood café kind of place—something that was more versatile,” explains Julia Goergler, senior designer at Ste. Marie.

To achieve this, the designers set out to create a new space that felt both comfortable and classic. Maxine’s owners had a beautiful collection of vintage furniture, and an antique bookcase served as a model for the stunning European-style bar. “It really is the focal point of the space, and we wanted to make sure that it was functional as well as beautiful,” says Goergler.

Perforated brass arches frame the natural wood shelving, and traditional touches of Carrara marble complete the bar. Around it, different seating areas each maintain their own vibe: there’s a raised seating section with dark leather banquettes and sage beadboarding, a back room with a wood coffered ceiling and French windows and doors, and a pretty patio complete with string lights that’s bursting with greenery and flowers. “I find that every little area of this restaurant has something special to it,” says Goergler.

Despite these distinct zones, the design of Maxine’s is harmonious thanks to the details. Those brass arches on the bar are complemented by hints of brass in the lighting and vintage decor. The palette of natural wood, soft green and deep red is warm and welcoming throughout. And everywhere you look, there’s texture: leather, marble, brick and steel make this restaurant a tactile treasure. “The materials speak through this project,” says Goergler. “It has that classical European feeling, but less formal—so you can really show up however you want.”—Alyssa Hirose

Find more inspiring spaces at westernliving.ca

H O M E ACC E S S O R I E S W I T H P E R S O N A L I T Y 2 7 1 7 G R A N V I L L E S T. / T 6 0 4 .8 0 6 .0 5 10 / D E TA I L S B Y M R K .CO M

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DO TY

2021 Our 14th annual Designers of the Year awards celebrate the brightest and boldest design minds working in Western Canada today. And we have to agree with our panel of judges: the striking work from this year’s winners rivals the best in the world.

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DO TY

2021

Reflection Point

Matt McLeod and Lisa Bovell enjoy the fruits of their labour with a rare moment of rest on the deck of one of their designs—located, as usual, on a steep and stunning lot.

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architectural design

THE OPTIMISTS

Impossible sites, soaring cliffs: repeat winners Matt McLeod and Lisa Bovell of McLeod Bovell Modern Houses have proved again that they can’t (or won’t) be stumped.

by Stacey M c Lachlan portrait by tanya goehring

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DO TY

Up, Up and Up

Situated on a granite rock 40 metres above the shoreline, the Black Cliff House takes cues from the site’s distinct topographical features and extreme contours.

T They may have won our Architectural Designers of the Year award back in 2018, but this second win doesn’t feel like a repeat for McLeod Bovell. In three years, they’ve changed, evolved, adapted, grown: to win for the work they’ve produced as McLeod Bovell 2.0 is a victory as sweet as the first.

Of course, as the projects have become more ambitious, as the team has expanded (currently to a crew of 10), as the budgets and scope and ambition have grown, the heart of the Vancouverbased residential design firm has stayed the same: principals Matt McLeod and Lisa Bovell are still creating dreamy, modernist visions out of concrete, glass and sheer audacity. And they’re still finishing each other’s sentences, as they’ve been doing since they first became friends and collaborators at UBC. Though they certainly didn’t set out to do this when they first founded their firm in 2008, their specialty has somehow become tailoring sleek residential forms quite comfortably onto irregularly shaped lots and death-defyingly steep land masses.

The first two houses they worked on just happened to be on challenging lots, so McLeod and Bovell learned as they went. “We got educated...” says McLeod, as Bovell jumps in: “...really fast.”

One West Vancouver site was so steep, portions of it weren’t even walkable. But the landscape set the tone for the designers to find a careful solution to every siting consideration, every decision, and to become unphased by even the steepest, rockiest of topographical challenges.

And so, over the past several years, the daring designs have kept on coming. For instance: situated on a granite rock 40 metres above the shore, the Black Cliff House acts as a gathering spot for a family scattered across the globe. Two wings are separated by a shared outdoor terrace; a shifting spatial geometry at the

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Ema Peter

2021

architectural design Containing the Excitement

The Container House was commissioned for a couple near retirement: they asked McLeod Bovell for spaces that offered the ease of an apartment with the flexibility of a large, inviting outdoor area.

Slice of Light

Gutter Credit

Views and light pour in to the Black Cliff House from every angle, thanks to a clever spatial design that puts a “void” at the centre of the building.

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architectural Design

2021 Glass Act

A fully glazed gallery acts as an intersection between the living spaces and outdoor spaces of the Four and Four House. The upper floor spans the outdoor living room below like a bridge.

Q&A

WITH MATT M c LEOD & LISA BOVELL

What classic object is most in need of a redesign?

The smoke detector!

What are your design pet peeves?

M: Notches.

L: Meaningless ceiling drops.

You’re organizing a designer dinner party: which three designers, dead or alive, would you want there?

A terrifying prospect, but if we had to arrange it: Luis Barragán, Paulo Mendes da Rocha and Eileen Gray.

Was there a childhood moment that hinted design was in your future?

M: A general dislike of buttons (an attribute I later learned that I shared with Rudolph Schindler).

L: The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. Understanding that spaces that felt real could be created purely from the imagination... and being excited that maybe I could do that one day.

Is there a famous project or object you wish you’d designed ?

What do people often get wrong about design?

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That design arrives fully formed from a particular moment of inspiration. In our experience, good design comes from an unglamorous combination of hard work, learned intuition, iteration and team participation. The opposite of the napkin sketch, in other words.

Andrew Latreille

M: The Museu Brasileiro de Escultura (MuBE) in São Paulo.

L: The Bocci 22 system!

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architectural design

2021

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The Great Outdoors

The Four and Four House features a sunken entry courtyard, a garden courtyard, a covered outdoor living room and a waterfront lounge deck.

Armstrong, meanwhile, praised their holistic approach: “There’s so much coherent expression from outside to inside.”

Their reputation, in many cases, encourages their clients to push the duo to the limits; their structural engineering partners, too, bring a level of ambition (see: cliff houses) that also eggs them on. “You can either fight or give in to that quirk,” says Bovell. “You can acknowledge that this is what you’ve got and use it as an opportunity to be more ambitious.”

At this point, that’s the way they like it. Even for homes that are on a more traditional urban lot—read: flat—their team takes the same principles, sensibility and skill set and puts them to work. There may not be the slopes or views to play with, but “whimsy becomes a driver, even when we don’t have to,” says McLeod. Does it have to sit flat, or can it hover? Can a corner lift up? They can’t help themselves.

“Maybe it’s just us now. Maybe we’ve just changed,” says Bovell.

And at this new stage of their career, they’ve got the chance to focus in a whole new way. “We’re in a phase where we have an opportunity to be more reflective,” says McLeod. “We’ve got a different way of completing the projects, not just in how they happen, but how we work.”

The 2021 McLeod Bovell goes through more cycles of iteration than the 2018 edition. Like for a skilled surgeon or elite

westernliving.ca

athlete, time stretches out in a new way for the pair. They stop, they shift, they anticipate the consequences faster, and the results are all the more special for it.

That’s not to say the art of it all has been abandoned: the mystery of architecture is still alive and well at their studio.

“You do stumble through a miasma when you’re designing,” says McLeod.

“You’re going on your brain and your intuition, but there’s a fog. Certain bits start lifting and clarifying, and then: it appears.” And, with each project, the fog rolls in again.

To paraphrase Eduardo Souto de Moura: Design is like an emergency. You show up on the scene. You triage. You figure out what to do. And Matt McLeod and Lisa Bovell have proven—once again—that they’re the ones you want on the front lines.

Because, after another three years of blood, sweat, tears and architecture, tackling impossible site after impossible site, they know there’s always a solution— no matter how thick the fog feels in the moment. There’s an innate optimism to this approach... or, from another angle, a stubbornness. “I had a professor describe my architecture as ‘willful and obstinate,’” laughs Bovell.

“I don’t think you’d look at either of us and think, oh, there’s a couple of optimists.

But we are optimists,” says McLeod. “Even in moments of design turmoil.”

Andrew Latreille

intersection of the main and upper floors creates a compelling visual void. (“It feels a little bit unexpected,” says McLeod.)

Views and light stream in from the southwest, while a reflecting pond at the entrance foyer and a bamboo courtyard bring a hit of nature.

The Container House is similarly precariously perched, though the floor plan is more modest than Black Cliff: a twostorey split level for a nearly retired couple. Bright, open and airy, the layout connects spaces horizontally and vertically. Elsewhere in West Vancouver, the recently completed waterfront Four and Four House (located, yes, on a steep lot) references a regional tradition of postand-beam construction. The upper level (home to the bedrooms) covers the outdoor living room like a bridge. The site’s generous width allows for four distinct courtyards; inside, a fully glazed gallery is the intersection between the living spaces and the outdoors.

Obviously, McLeod and Bovell can’t be credited with the landscape or the views that are the signature of each of their recent projects—Mother Nature takes the W on that one—but their gift for framing said views, for putting milliondollar vistas on display with a disappearing wall here and a gliding floor-to-ceiling window there, is unparalleled. A McLeod Bovell home is connected to its surroundings at every turn: with the wall-to-wall windows, of course, but also with volumes that intersect and cascade in playful, thoughtful ways along the landscape.

Their masterful approach to siting and structure has earned them plenty of accolades—and has impressed our architecture judges, too. Judge and architect Omar Gandhi called their execution “absolutely brilliant,” praising both the “scale of the site and the scale of the detail.”

Fellow judge and architect Anne-Marie

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2021

THE QUICK-CHANGE ARTIST

Designer Amanda Hamilton wants to bring great design to people who share her passion for it—and that’s meant gorgeous spaces and meaningful collaborations. by anicka quin portrait by phil crozier

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Paris of the Prairies

The vintage Jan Kath rugs in the Concord Penthouse were spotted on a buying trip to Vancouver, along with a similar pendant to the one over the dining table.

Designer Amanda Hamilton had this one custom made by L.A. lighting designer Ron Dier: each piece of selenite is hand-laid into the design.

Joel Klassen

H Her eponymous firm just passed its 12th anniversary—but Amanda Hamilton has been doing things her own way for a very long time.

For starters, our Interior Designer of the Year’s first industry job at a small boutique agency—after graduating from Mount Royal University—wasn’t destined to last long, because she couldn’t help but moonlight the odd gig here and there. “I was designing 5,000-square-foot restaurants on the side, with one year of design experience,” she says. “So the owners took me aside and said I’d have to choose.”

She ultimately decided to stick it out a while longer (“I felt they were the best firm to be working at in Calgary; onboarding was kind of like christening by fire,” she explains) until a client floated

the idea of Hamilton breaking out on her own. “I had never really considered being an entrepreneur, or having my own firm, really,” she says. “But I decided to make the leap in the middle of the recession, August 2009.”

And it’s been quick pivots ever since. She now helms a team of 10 from her studio in Calgary’s Victoria Park neighbourhood, currently juggling up to 65 projects at a time—from furniture packages to multimillion-dollar custom homes, with a handful of restaurants and multi-use spaces in the mix, too.

The range in scope, styles and designs is intentional, of course.

While her firm’s initial goals were solidly to be at the top of their game in the luxury sphere—and many projects still are on the high end of the luxe scale—Hamilton herself felt as though she

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interior design

2021

Mixed Media

In the lower level living area of Range Road, a favourite side table from Arteriors was the inspiration for the perfect green on the custom sofa (left).

“She was pretty nervous about the green,” says Hamilton, “but once she saw it all together, she said, ‘This is pretty cool.’”

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Joel Klassen

For the Range Road Residence, Hamilton’s team customdesigned the sofas in the main living area to angle in at one end, with the idea of pulling conversations into the fireplace and the room (above). Multiple forms of seating can host a party when needed: poufs that tuck under the coffee table, side tables that double as places to sit, too.

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interior design

2021

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In the Britannia Drive Residence, Hamilton employed dynamic wall coverings throughout— including this elegant jade green Glasshouse Pine from Masureel in the dining room, paired with a custom table with a stunning brass pedestal (above). In the entry (left), rich black millwork amps up the drama of a natural stone fireplace surround.

Q&A

Joel Klassen

Creative Colour

WITH AMANDA HAMILTON

Who do you admire most as a designer?

It’s no secret that I’m a huge Kelly Wearstler devotee. She has a distinctive style that—even if one tried—is entirely inimitable. While we explore it in our own individual way, the studio strives to embody the same sense of soul and intentionality in each of our projects.

What books are on your nightstand right now?

I’m a self-proclaimed bibliophage and linguaphile, so this question gives me all the feels. But it also stresses me out because I feel like books (not eyes) are the key to the soul. My next read is The Only Skill That Matters: The Proven Methodology to Read Faster, Remember More and Become a Super Learner by Jonathan Levi.

You know you’re a super book nerd when you read books on how to read more books. If I could insert a book emoji, I would.

Phil Crozier

was missing out on serving a large segment of the population: those who had great taste but not the million-plus budgets. “I really like working with super down-to-earth people,” she says, “and I like working with people who are design savvy, and just passionate about having interesting spaces.”

That’s why, in 2017, she created an entry-level design service for those folks who wanted to plan a space but didn’t have a big budget, yet. Palette Archives is a collection of over 35 bespoke “palettes” of tiles, paint colours, cabinetry, countertops and carpet samples, along with their specs and where to source them. “Instead of targeting a market, or a price point, we’re super driven by working with interesting people that make us happy, and bring us joy,” she says. “And that’s really changed our experience in the studio.”

The firm doesn’t have a signature look, and that too is intentional. “We’re super client focused, so if you want steampunk, we’re going to do steampunk for you.

If you want country cottage, we can do that for you,” she says. “I always just say: the only thing we don’t do is bad design.”

And that philosophy shows in her wide-ranging portfolio of work. For a rural acreage just outside of Red Deer, the designer created a home that’s a combination of cozy, casual and sophisticated. (“Such a great family,” she says. “Their girls are dressed in pink and tights, but they go play in the dirt piles outside, too.”)

High-end finishes like book-matched marble in the kitchen, backlit onyx on a basement bar and richly textured, ombre metallic Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in the theatre room pair with playful accents throughout—like an oversized pair of gold lips on the wall of the home theatre—“because you kiss in the back row of the theatre,” Hamilton says with a laugh.

For a pair of empty nesters in Canmore, her renovation of the family cabin treated the existing motifs with respect (whitewashing the yellowed tongueand-groove ceilings, building out an original stone fireplace with proper wood storage beside it) while opening up the space for a more Scandi-modern design. Mementos from the couple’s travels (a Moroccan rug, a Mandela bust) find pride of place among

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Carson Pennock

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interior design

2021

Mountain Magic

cozy furniture pieces. The new design is white and bright, save for a listening room on the upper level, where moody navy walls and a sage-green velvet sofa provide the perfect space for his collection of guitars and vintage LPs. And for a penthouse, it was an exercise in finding middle ground for a couple with disparate tastes. He liked contemporary design with a traditional edge to it, while she loved feminine, French spaces—tarnished mirrors, brass rails, lots of curves. Add in the twist that the condo itself had developer restrictions for some of the interior finishing (“They said you’ve got to pick the light palette or the dark palette,” says Hamilton), and the negotiations had the potential to be complicated. The team brought in accents to work in with the existing materials, the most dramatic of which is the separation between the dining area and main living space, and an office and media room: an Art Nouveau-style set of framed-glass doors in black steel are highlighted with brass, creating that European vibe without getting fussy.

It’s work that puts the client front and centre, but shows deft skill in creating a clear design story from room to room. Judge Mitchell Freedland of Mitchell Freedland Design noted that “each project executes a level of sophistication and professional competence, and exquisite material selection.” And judge Paul

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Lavoie of Paul Lavoie Interior Design agreed: “Well done! Fashion and interiors as one.”

Of course, Hamilton is not one to just see design as a top-down affair, and so the naturally outgoing designer has been creating spaces to talk about design, too. A monthly speaker series from her studio pivoted to online during the pandemic, but, as of September, the rebranded Hard Bar Fridays—cocktails and design conversations—will return to their offices. She’s also got plans in the works to offer her library to interior design students for an initiative she’s named Office Hours. “Ultimately, they’d have access to our finishes and materials in our design library—to see what it’s like to be in a studio, and have access to really high-quality finishes and materials,” Hamilton says. “You don’t always get access to the great material in school libraries.”

Yes, she loves the potential that new faces bring to the office, but it’s more than that. “I feel I have a social responsibility to the design community within my city, and at large,” she says. “Really, first and foremost I try to give back to the community by creating an interesting space for people to hang out.”

Just as her work does for the countless clients who’ve trusted her to apply that thoughtful approach to design on their own homes.

Joel Klassen

Hamilton was brought in to renovate this family getaway in Canmore. The original yellowed tongue-and-groove ceiling was whitewashed, and the upper floor was opened up to allow for an airier master bedroom. And, on the main floor, a pretty-in-blue powder room (right).

but how ?

that’s how

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2021 CHARTING A NEW COURSE

Architect Kevin Vallely is all about going on a journey with his clients. by neal m c lennan portrait by tanya goehring

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Ema Peter

arthur erickson memorial award

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The Climb

The staircase in the Bridge House acts as a visual spine: an extension of the bridge that connects the upper level with the backyard on the sloped site.

A typical architect profile might take an interesting tidbit from the subject’s past—say, they worked at Dairy Queen growing up—and extrapolate it into an ongoing thread in the story. For example: “As a young man crafting Blizzards, so-and-so learned the importance of both customization and stability...” But what to make of Kevin Vallely, who, when asked about his extracurricular interests, reluctantly offers that he’s an internationally recognized explorer who once set a record for the fastest trek across Antarctica. He doesn’t include that he’s also part of the first team to ski the Iditarod Trail or that he has written a book about rowing through the Northwest Passage. It’s abundantly clear we’re not in Peanut Buster Parfait territory here.

But a flip through the portfolio of this year’s Arthur Erickson Memorial Award winner illustrates that this

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Hang Time

is a body of work stemming from an individual who definitely marches (or skis, or rows, or drafts) to the beat of his own drum.

The Montreal native graduated at the top of his class at McGill’s School of Architecture and, after a semester at Cambridge and a series of jobs at architectural firms in Quebec, a vacation out in B.C. changed everything. “I recall hiking up Black Tusk and just looking around and thinking, ‘Oh my god, I have to move here,’” he says. Whereas many would hem and haw and fret about giving up a steady architect’s job, Vallely simply made the change—a decisiveness that threads through all of his work and, for that matter, his life. He worked with a number of firms but early on knew that it was always with an eye to going out on his own: “I’ve always wanted to chart my own course,” he says.

There are sacrifices that flow from this sort of focus, of course.

For starters, he acknowledges with a laugh, he’s an architect in his 50s who is winning an award for emerging talent. But the road bumps have been a small price to pay for someone who candidly rejects the idea that practicing architecture with a combination of single-minded focus and crazy hours is what results in the best environment for tapping into creativity. For Vallely, nothing compares to the clear mind and inspiration he feels when he returns

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westernliving.ca

to the office after one of his challenging explorations.

It’s the sort of passion that birthed Wingspan, a low-budget, high-concept wonder that Vallely designed for a pair of close friends. The challenges of the site were many, chief among them an odd reverse-pie shape that was closely flanked by the neighbouring houses in a setting where the homeowners were wanting to feel alone and to capture the beautiful lake views. Vallely hit upon both by narrowing and highlighting the view ahead.

But while the concept (and execution) may be high-level, Vallely prides himself on flexibility as well: here, budget meant that the ceilings are made of simple plywood, stained and wearing the utility proudly. The homeowners got involved in staining the siding themselves, using a unique mixture of steel wool dissolved in vinegar to help achieve a beautiful patina right out of the gate. It’s a high-low symphony that impressed judge Omar Gandhi of Omar Gandhi Architect: “The Wingspan project is a brilliant composition of natural light, materiality and texture through both the architecture and landscape.”

His Deep Cove House was also an exercise in intense cooperation with the owner, who was the builder as well. Here, the project started with a meditation on the rainforest: what were

Bridge House: Ema Peter; Wingspan House: Grant Harder

Vallely’s Bridge House features many of the architect’s favourite motifs: a love of steel tempered with the warmth of wood, a design that emphasizes the natural surroundings and a close relationship with the owners, who put their faith in him to pull off such an ambitious design.

arthur erickson memorial award

Open Arms

The companion ”arms” of the Wingspan House create an ultra-private courtyard, but also serve to highlight the stunning view over Skaha Lake. The house itself channels an easygoing vibe, with raw steel and plywood being used in their natural forms.

Q&A

WITH KEVIN VALLELY

What’s your go-to material of choice?

Wood! It’s beautiful, sustainable and natural. It’s contextually relevant, too. Wood is the defining building material of British Columbia.

If you weren’t a designer, what job would you be doing?

I’d be an explorer—actually, I kind of am. Over the last couple of decades, I have routinely stepped away from the design space for short stints to undertake major expeditions around the world: among other journeys, I skied across Alaska in 2000, attempted a first-ever row of the Northwest Passage in 2013 and, with two teammates, broke the world record for skiing to the South Pole in 2009.

Exploration is a second career for me. Sometimes I need to reset my mind to get a creative boost and I do this by travelling to the remotest places on the planet. It helps my creativity.

What books are on your nightstand right now?

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. It explores the concept of an adaptive unconsciousness that helps us make split-second decisions. I’m intrigued by that notion and how it pertains to design—both good and bad. Also, A History of Canada in Ten Maps by Adam Shoalts. I love the history of exploration, hence my “other” career.

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2021 its strengths, weaknesses; what materials were well-suited for thriving in such an environment. As with Wingspan, Vallely began with siting, in this instance crafting an L-shaped design that embraces the surrounding forest and makes the residence feel like “it’s a million miles away from civilization.” For rainforest-durable material, Vallely hit upon corrugated metal, which envelops the entire structure in a protective embrace. But what could be an exercise in utility is transformed by the little touches that are sprinkled throughout— beautiful wooden windows set off by the industrial nature of the metal, unexpected canting of walls, a showstopping spiral staircase that anchors the two floors.

That love affair with steel is expanded with the Bridge House, an engineering marvel in North Vancouver’s Pemberton Heights. Again, the explorer was presented with a challenge to conquer: a steep slope that was causing the two levels to feel disconnected from each other. The solution: a bridge that both physically and visually connects the upper level of the house with the rear yard. But Vallely wasn’t finished— he continued the bridge inside the house, where it transforms into the central staircase, creating a spine that runs through and supports the entire building. And while visually disparate, all three homes share some Vallely hallmarks: a mix of hard and soft materials, a purpose-driven set of compelling moments and a deep collaboration with the homeowners. It’s the last of those that drives the architect: “If you convince the client to align with your visions, there’s nothing holding you back in residential architecture.”

It’s a view that Gandhi sees paying dividends in the future of the one-man firm: “The architectural accolades and accomplishments will come—I have absolutely no doubt.”

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Namesake

Introducing NAMESAKE, a bespoke luxury furniture collaboration

by Victoria McKenney of Enviable Designs and Once A Tree Furniture Designed and Made in Canada

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UA L N th A N

Designers Year2021 of the

Western Canada’s premier design celebration Thursday, September 23rd, 2021 - 5:30PM - 7:30PM at The Vancouver Club Celebrate along with our winners as this year’s Designers of the Year awards event is live-streamed from the rooftop of the Vancouver Club!

Visit westernliving.ca for details, or follow us on Facebook (@westernlivingmagazine) or Instagram (@westernliving) PRESENTI N G SPO NSOR

AWA RD SPO NSORS

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robert ledingham memorial award

2021

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Robert Ledingham Memorial Award winner Amanda Evans brings glam and global inspiration to the West Coast.

by Stacey M c Lachlan portrait by tanya goehring

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Moving on Up

2021

In a world of West Coast modernism, Amanda Evans is a woman of the world, stirring in European and East Coast influence into her luxurious, layered spaces. “I know it’s cliché, but travel is a huge inspiration,” says the winner of the Robert Ledingham Memorial Award for an emerging designer. “It just exposes you to so much more than what’s in your city—different cultures, materials, textures, colours. It’s fun to try to be a bit different from what you see here all the time.”

But though the Vancouver-based designer’s work skews toward global glamour and elegance, there’s a grounded warmth at play with her eponymous firm even in the most luxurious of

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penthouses. And, as a mother of two, she’s discovered a personal passion for storage solutions and for creating upscale homes that still function with family in mind.

This savvy mix of layered luxury and practicality wowed our judges. “Different, wonderful, love love love!” praised Paul Lavoie of Paul Lavoie Interior Design. Mitchell Freedland (principal of his own eponymous interior design firm) agreed, citing Evans’s “fresh and mature approach to her projects’ design language—she shows a great sensitivity to the built environment.” (And we’re not the only one lauding Evans’s work: last year, the B.C. Chapter of the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association named her their top designer.)

Provoke Studios

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Designer Amanda Evans dropped the ceiling two inches in this condo renovation (a unit in the Vancouver House building) to install LED fixtures that would sufficiently light up the space. The kitchen and living area were reconfigured to maximize the views (and create a better flow for entertaining); a smoked mirror backsplash reflects the North Shore mountains.

The homeowners are avid art collectors, so Evans incorporated paintings

by Bobbie Burgers, Carla Tak, Pamela Masik and other local artists throughout the space.

Christina Faminoff Photography

robert ledingham memorial award

Evans grew up on a steady diet of decorating shows, and when she found herself in career-exploration mode at age 18—ending up as the only teenager in a continuing studies interior design course full of “lovely older women”—something clicked. “I just fell in love,” she says. She powered through BCIT’s interior design programs and landed a dream job at a firm right away... only to watch it go under in the 2008 crash. “The whole industry kind of crumbled,” Evans recalls. And so, at 25, she decided to launch a firm of her own. “It was a little premature,” she laughs, “but I made it work.”

For the first five years, Amanda Evans Interiors was more of a side project, but as Evans’s own personal life evolved—getting married, becoming a parent—so too did her commitment to the business. “In growing up, it changes the perspective on how you like to live in a home,” she says. “You also realize: if I’m going to be away from my kids, it

Fresh Take

The renovation of a 6,800-square-foot West Vancouver home also involved a reconfigured kitchen, complete with a 13-foot island and custom cabinets that conceal everyday countertop appliances. A wood-panelled office was lacquered in a rich blue—a nod to Ralph Lauren.

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Q&A

WITH AMANDA EVANS

What was your first design project?

Designing my mom’s friend’s living room in 2008.

I looked back at the pictures just recently, and let’s just say I’ve learned a thing or two since then!

Who’s a Western Canadian designer everyone should follow?

Nam Dang-Mitchell. Hands down, my favourite designer!

What’s your go-to material of choice?

Marble. It is absolutely timeless in any setting.

It brings that perfect amount of visual interest and drama to a space.

What’s your dream project?

Anything in NYC. I would love to design a brownstone. Locally, I would love to design a more traditional home using lots of colour.

comfortable luxury is about having a space that’s fully complete, all the details thought through.” It’s about the little things: investing in beautiful sheets and pillows to make a bedroom a sanctuary, for instance.

Her favourite thing about design, though, isn’t a material or a great linen duvet: it’s opening a homeowner’s eyes to what’s possible. Like the time she proposed a splurge-y, sculptural light fixture to an art-loving client. “It was the cost of a car,” she admits. “But I educated him on why I chose it, and why it’s such a showstopper, and who the designer was, and he came around.”

Now, it’s one of his favourite parts of the home. “I love to surprise someone with what they didn’t know they wanted,” she says. And really, her body of work—breaking Vancouver’s minimalist mould, surprising and delighting our editors and judges—does just that.

Portrait: Tanya Goehring; Vancouver House: Provoke Studios

better be damn worth it.” Her firm now employs three others. Time also helped hone her own design preferences, crystallizing her eye for colour and texture into a distinct aesthetic: one that’s transitional and sophisticated, layering modern details with traditional fabrics, mixed metallics and plenty of thoughtful touches, no matter the scope of the project: condo suites and mansions each get the glam treatment.

For instance, Evans and team recently tackled the design of a unit in the swanky Vancouver House building, armed with both bold ideas and the trust of the client. “That relationship made such a difference to the outcome,” she says. “The fact they were willing to take chances, that they listened to what our vision was and valued our expertise—that changes everything.”

Evans went all out with a custom-millwork dressing room, designing every detail down to the leather drawer inserts. Wallpaper wraps the entire condo; lush drapery covers the bedrooms; a wet bar went in off of the kitchen to accommodate the owners’ busy social schedule.

Elsewhere, a full gut job over in West Vancouver offered Evans the chance to go big and bold—though under a compressed timeline. In just nine months, the 6,800-square-foot home was rebuilt from the studs and finished with bold grasscloth wallpaper, brushed gold fixtures and rich Statuario marble.

But for all the luxurious looks Evans has brought into the world, comfort always comes first. “The materials are on the higher end, but it’s still approachable.

It’s not so precious,” she says. The test for each space: can your friends put their feet up on the coffee table or move the pillows around on the sofa, and make themselves at home?

For Evans, finding that balance often means leaning toward materials and textures that are natural... and perfectly imperfect. Rift-cut oak instead of laminate, marble instead of quartz. These are products that are going to patina and weather with elegance over time. “I talk until I’m blue in the face about marble. It’s not going to look perfect, but the whole point is to live in it and enjoy it.”

The element of livability has been particularly important to Evans post-lockdown. “Luxury has always been subjective, and COVID has certainly changed that definition for me,” she says. “To me,

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fashion

2021

Built Different

The Rift collection (above and below) challenges the very definition of the word “ring.” Church water basins were Chan’s inspiration for the Basin collection (bottom).

RING LEADER

Jewellery designer Becki Chan’s twisting career path comes full circle in meticulous, mindful pieces. by alyssa hirose portrait by tanya goehring

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WITH BECKI CHAN

What’s your go-to material of choice?

Jewellery wax. I use a lost wax casting method to cast both silver and gold jewellery.

Details, Details

The textured form of Chan’s Facet ring (right) is both bold and restrained, while her custom chain necklace (top right) was a playful experiment inspired by hardware design.

If you weren’t a designer, what job would you be doing?

A watchmaker, to make and to repair. I love the logic behind it. Everything needs to work perfectly together in order to achieve one single function, to tell time. Most watches are machine made. It would be amazing to learn the art before it is lost.

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Who do you admire most as a designer?

Oki Sato, founder of Nendo. Sato creates minimal yet whimsical functional objects, and he has the ability to apply his minimal design aesthetic in all his projects through different media.

Is there a famous project or object you wish you’d designed ?

Lego.

Fashion designer Becki Chan’s zigzag career path has danced across many of our Designers of the Year categories. She has a bachelor of arts in sculpture from the University of Calgary and she also studied architecture at the University of British Columbia. For 15 years, her work involved large public art exhibitions, interior projects and brand activations. “I loved every single project, but part of me was missing the hands-on work,” says Chan. Often, her designs went from sketch to computer to fabricator—but she really missed being a maker.

Chan was grinding it out in Toronto, mostly on commercial projects, and doing a little retail therapy to keep herself sane (“Some people do yoga, I shopped,” she laughs) when she came across a jewellery workshop at a local store. And just like that, she started to connect the dots. Her background

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in sculpture gave her experience in welding and wax casting, and she’d made plenty of small-scale conceptual models in architectural school. She was a natural.

After taking every class the store offered, Chan moved back to Vancouver and opened her own studio. Perhaps surprisingly, it was her years of working on large projects that actually informed the design of her tiniest pieces. Her Facet collection, for example, was inspired by the shapes and forms of building facades, with rough, tactile edges meant to catch the light in the same way an angular building does. In the Basin collection, a gemstone is held tightly by cylindrical metal that is open on either side—like a water basin one might find in a church. “Usually, we kind of hide gemstones in the way we frame them,” says Chan. “This is a peek into how deep and how beautiful the stone is.”

Judge Satu Maaranen, head designer of ready-to-wear, bags and accessories at Marimekko, called Chan’s work “timeless and modern,” while judge Gaby Bayona of Truvelle applauded how wearable the pieces are. Chan’s architecturally sensitive design eye is not lost on her clients, many of whom are interior designers and architects themselves. But she has a lighthearted take on her work, too: she compares her jewellery design to playing with Lego.

We have to agree—it’s simple geometry assembled with innovation, and a lot of heart.

one to watch: fashion

MISHEO

Designer in the Rough

In the Basin collection (top), “the gemstone is set in a thick bezel seat with an opening on each side to reveal the depth and the cut of the gemstone,” explains Chan. The Facet bracelet (above) is one of her many designs that gives a nod to architecture.

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“I’m very inspired by nature’s biodiversity,” says Vancouver-based designer Michelle Pang. “I feel like the possibilities seem endless, which is why I’m always learning about each new species and their characteristics.” That endless learning translated into Misheo, her line of silk scarves featuring elegant hand-illustrated arrangements of natural motifs. Launched in 2016 by the Rhode Island School of Design graduate, Misheo merges art, fashion and Pang’s passion for the environment.

Each scarf begins as a pencil and ink drawing of rare wildlife and flora, which is worked and reworked until Pang is satisfied with every detail.

She converts the art to a digital format, where she plays with colour to create the harmonious combinations that you’ll find in pieces like the Sumatran Reflections—one of Pang’s favourite designs—which depicts a Sumatran tiger, orangutan, elephant and rhino framed by meticulously drawn banana plant leaves. Her focus on at-risk species is more than just the artwork, too: the digital print on the natural fabrics saves water, minimizes waste and reduces the amount of chemicals used. This year, Pang is planting a tree for every scarf sold and donating a percentage of Misheo’s net profits to support wildlife conservation. —Bridget Stringer-Holden

ART / F LO O R C OV E R I N G S / LIGHTING / FURNITURE / ACCESSORIES 1805 Fir St. Vancouver, BC T 604.632.0095 @provide_home providehome.com

DO TY

2021 EASY BEING GREEN Ryan Donohoe of Donohoe Living Landscapes fostered a childhood passion for gardening into a multidisciplinary firm ready to take on anything. by alyssa hirose portrait by tanya goehring

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Good Sense

Cory Stevens

The West Vancouver Multi-Sensory Residence (above and below) was one of Donohoe’s first. “I was freshly out of school, I had so much passion—I was so inspired to just take it all the way,” he remembers.

Mission accomplished.

On the opposite page, Ryan Donohoe is photographed at the Shaughnessy Residence, an unusually traditional project for the firm.

Most 11-year-old kids aren’t begging to get into the plant business. But by that age, Ryan Donohoe was determined to score a job sweeping floors at his local plant nursery. “My father was big into gardening and so were my grandparents, so I grew up in a green thumb family, basically,” he jokes. He ended up working at that nursery into his late teens, straying from his roots only after he had completed high school. He spent two years globetrotting, and put in plenty of ocean time working for the Coast Guard.

But no matter how far he travelled, those roots kept tugging at him. Finding his way back to the world of plants, Donohoe enrolled in Capilano University’s horticulture and landscape construction program, then started his own landscape design and construction company. It was a 2010 trip to London’s Chelsea Flower Show—one of the world’s largest horticultural events—that truly inspired him to dive headfirst into design. “The displays were so architecturally strong, and so beautifully laid out—it was incredible,” he remembers. “I had never seen anything like it before.” He enrolled in England’s Inchbald School of Design and graduated with double distinction in garden design.

Today, Donohoe Living Landscapes seamlessly weaves together a grid-like architectural structure with the wild playfulness of plant life. “It’s art first, function second,” says Donohoe. But a focus on the creative doesn’t mean his designs aren’t practical. Take the West Vancouver Multi-Sensory Residence, one of Donohoe’s first projects out of school. “We actually set up a weather station in the middle of the yard for a month to measure the amount of wind that came into the site so that we knew how heavy to make the wind chimes,” he explains. That same mindfulness is on display in the Deep Cove Woodland Residence, which features a gorgeous concrete staircase that wraps around a front wall, with native plants

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Stop and Stair

For the Deep Cove Woodland Residence (this page), Donohoe transformed a very narrow walkway into a sweeping staircase entrance. Plant life balances the concrete’s precise geometry. “It’s not a big design, but it’s very careful and well thought-out,” he says.

What was your first design project?

In 2008, I designed and built a quarter-acre landscape of a home in Deep Cove, B.C. With a two-person crew, we built it over a nine-month period. It was the first complete landscape renovation project that my firm had ever designed and then built. It was a very steep site and I honestly felt in over my head with trying to figure out the grading and the many retention details.

Thankfully, even though it took longer than expected, the client loved the result, and I learned to always understand the grading through the initial stages of a project’s concept development.

Luke Potter

Is there a famous project you wish you’d designed ?

The Alhambra. I spent three full days there, just walking around and marvelling at its beautiful landscape design.

What are your design pet peeves?

For landscape planning: freehand curves, tight curves in a small space and when a design lacks a consistent design language.

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The sho

N OW S E L L I N G

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DO TY

2021 Mountain Time

For the Whistler Chalet (right), the team at Donohoe Living Landscapes worked alongside North Vancouverbased Openspace Architecture to create a classically PNW oasis.

Yin and Yang

The Summerland Residence (left and above) embraces the Okanagan’s desert wilderness, while the Shaughnessy home (below) has more of an old-school garden vibe.

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adding whimsy to the staircase’s strict geometry. In the Whistler Chalet, lush native species blur the line between the home’s backyard and the forest beyond. “We let the landscape support the house instead of standing out—sometimes it’s not all about being showy,” says Donohoe.

The designer has a “right place, right plant” philosophy when it comes to greenery.

That mandate has become more complicated as climate change puts stress on the natural world. “We often select plants that can thrive in the harsher climate conditions we have been experiencing lately,” he says, adding that his plant palette is constantly changing. Now, he focuses on plants that are more droughtresistant and that support local biodiversity.

For the stunning Summerland Residence, Donohoe and his team had to rethink their strategy completely to deal with the challenging environment. They used local municipality guidelines and their own research to select plants that would naturally thrive. “The architecture is very linear and crisp, while the plants are very loose and wild and desertlike,” says Donohoe.

You could define the West Vancouver Residence as grand, almost temple-like, and the others as minimalist and modern—and in another category completely is the Shaughnessy home. The classic English garden design is different from the firm’s other projects, but right at home in the tony neighbourhood. Beautiful blooms in the spring inspire many folks to lean out their car windows and snap a photo.

Each one of Donohoe’s gorgeous greenscapes is constructed with an educated eye and refined artistic sensibility, but that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten his humble beginnings—that kid in the plant nursery who knows what’s really worth working for. So in addition to these dream house landscapes, the firm has started doing smaller projects pro bono. “These projects give our designers the chance to give back to the community, and to use their skills to create something that will benefit lots of people,” says Donohoe.

“It’s not about money, it’s about creating something great.”

Whistler Chalet and Summerland: Luke Potter; Shaughnessy: Cory Stevens

landscape design

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INFINITE LOOP For Industrial Designer of the Year Caine Heintzman, great design has no beginning, and no end.

G Stylist: Redia Soltis

by Stacey M c Lachlan portrait by jennifer latour

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industrial Planting Ideas

Pots, an adaptable surface-mounted planter system Heintzman designed using a 3D printer, is a return to his ceramic days (near left). Each pot can be moved up or down on the support wire without tools, creating a flexible arrangement for a living garden.

Though Heintzman released the first Pipeline light in 2013, the series, as he says, is “ongoing” (above Heintzman, left, and right). The linear LED light is infinite in its modularity, and has been used in a variety of creative applications, from a wall of mounted lights to a grand chandelier.

Pots series: Caine Heintzman Studio; Pipeline table and floor: ANDstudio Designs Inc.

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Q&A

WITH CAINE HEINTZMAN

What classic object is most in need of a redesign?

A lemon juicer.

Who do you admire most as a designer?

Konstantin Grcic. There are many others, of course, but I’ve been a longtime fan of his ability to make a very industrial formal language appealing.

Who’s a Western Canadian designer everyone should follow?

Calen Knauf.

You’re organizing a designer dinner party: which three designers, dead or alive, would you want there?

Enzo Mari, Mario Bellini and Achille Castiglioni.

Growing up in Whistler and Pemberton, industrial designer Caine Heintzman was practically raised on a snowboard. And while the mountain sport may not seem to have a direct connection to the world of art and design, Heintzman credits those hours out in the snow for helping shape his creative mind. “You use your environment as a place to play, for creative expression,” he says.

Though he has far less time for carving up the slopes these days, the pursuit of creativity continues for our 2021 Industrial Designer of the Year winner. Whether he’s crafting an ever-shifting series of modular lights or a so-simple-it’s-genius aluminum wall hook, design is both his ongoing drive and his enduring destination.

It’s been this way since he was a recent high school grad and heard a friend mention an interest in studying industrial design.

It was a field Heintzman hadn’t heard of before, but the mix of commercial and creative problem solving sparked something.

“I’m somewhat pragmatic, and the practical application of something that was also fun made sense to me,” he says.

So, Heintzman enrolled at Emily Carr University of Art and

Design, and dove into an intensive period of arts education, exploring painting, photography and drawing. Sculpture was the sweet spot, though. “Making things with volume, that were tactile, that occupied space: that was appealing,” he says. Ceramics, too, tickled him. He followed the design bug to some more schooling in Germany and into odd jobs with various Vancouverites and makers before simultaneously launching his own practice and teaming up with Matt Davis and past DOTY winner Lukas Peet to start the lighting-focused studio Andlight.

His first product wound up becoming his most enduring design: Pipeline, a simple, elegant linear LED lamp with a beautifully diffused glow... and, more importantly, a clever connector that allows for infinite combinations. Since 2013, the system has only gotten more creative, with multiple Pipeline lights being combined to form a grand chandelier, or mounted on walls or ceilings to create artful installations in both residential and commercial spaces.

“We didn’t know how big it was going to be,” Heintzman admits. “We put out a toolset, in a sense, and designers and

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architects can get really involved in the design of the light fixture. They become collaborators.”

That modularity is a common thread in Heintzman’s work: the Vale series (another LED light) also allows end users to mix and match panels to suit their needs; his Pots hanging planter system can be built out and arranged to fill any size or configuration of space. “The notion of modularity means you’re not really arriving at a final end; there’s room for scalability,” he says.

The goal—whether it’s a linear light fixture or a cheeky coat hanger or a 3D-printed indoor gardening system—isn’t explicitly to make something beautiful: it’s to make something useful. And, yet, there always seems to be a thoughtful poetry to be found in Heintzman’s designs. “Any new design should do something new or be better than its predecessor,” he says. “Well designed and engineered products built from quality materials and with good technique will last longer in the world.”

He starts with a problem to be solved; there’s no way to know at the beginning what the solution is going to look like at the end. Vigorous research into material and production processes sparks a landslide of possibilities. Sketching and modelling goes on and on, a throwback to his art school days.

Sustainability, he believes, comes from engineering timeless products, ones that will be desirable as trends come and go.

It’s this straightforward simplicity that caught the attention of our judging panel. “Although lighting is a common category for industrial designers to explore,” said judge Liana Thomson, product developer for EQ3, “Heintzman seems to have found the balance between function, quality and beauty.”

Part of creating something long-lasting, he knows, isn’t just to design with the right materials (or to create furniture that can be reupholstered and lights that can be repaired) but to design with an aesthetic that can withstand the test of time. “To a degree that I’ve got a signature of my own, it’s to try to veer away from being trendy,” he says. He tends to avoid bold finishes and colours, too: “One of the constraints is that a product can be used for a long time.”

Another constraint, of course, is time itself, the curse of any designer (or snowboarder in flow state). “When you’re a creative person, you’re always looking at the world through that lens,” he says. “You’re going to keep a notepad, take a sketch, always be on. The challenge is finding the hours to do everything we want to do.”

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Like Pipeline, Heintzman’s Vale lights (right) are limitless in their application, able to be mixed and matched and layered to the end user’s content. “The driving concept was to create a system based on a single unit that could easily be joined and repeated to create ‘tiled’ planes of light,” explains the designer.

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Curves Ahead

The HSS bench (right) is made from a simple steel tube, an exercise in streamlined manufacturing: the intention here is that a local welder could easily make this from an off-cut.

one to watch: industrial design

TAFUI Tafui McLean was just 10 years old when she realized art was her calling.

“It was my first week of this new elementary school,” she recalls, “and I wouldn’t stop crying, so the teacher gave me watercolours and told me to paint my feelings. I was hooked.” Her entrepreneurial journey began when she received a commission for her first three paintings from her landlord while at Concordia’s design program—and has since grown from a passion to a business, with the launch of Tafui Design and Art Studio in 2014. Her black-and-white, digitally printed textile designs reflect winter scenes, and are inspired by her research into the use of textiles to tell stories. “I particularly love Indigenous cultures,” she says. “The love for the environment, and the repurposing of things that we normally think are just mundane.” Judge Akanksha Deo Sharma, designer with Ikea, praised that focus in McLean’s work. “I love that the designer has a strong sustainability focus,” she noted, “and talks about the heritage and community in her work.”—Saphiya Zerrouk

Vale 2: Doug Lang/ANDstudio Designs Inc.; HSS series: Caine Heintzman Studio

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Thank you to Western Living for being selected as a finalist for Furniture Designer of the year

Vale 2: Doug Lang/ANDstudio Designs Inc.; HSS series: Caine Heintzman Studio

WD Western Designers Furnishings Ltd. 604-255-3200 • 110 - 611 Alexander Street, Vancouver

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SPONSORED REPORT

THE FUTURE IS PASSIVE

Design-build firm Blue Water Concepts brings Passive House principles to every build.

For the past four years, Blue Water Concepts has been on a mission: to bring environmentally sound, sustainable principles to custom home projects from West Vancouver to Whistler, whenever possible reaching for the Holy Grail in home construction—Passive House certification.

“High-performance is definitely where our education and experience lie,” says company owner Mike Van Capelle, who is one of five on staff certified in Passive House construction.

The company designed and built Squamish, BC’s first residential Passive House, an 1,800-square-foot project that presented unique challenges, including a small lot and tight setbacks. These factors made it challenging to keep the interior air volume to exterior surface ratio in check, a key component of Passive House builds.

It is also in the flood zone, requiring the floor joists to be 12.5 feet off the ground, and the homeowner was on a tighter budget.

Despite the challenges, the team created a beautiful, efficient home that was certified in 2020 and continues to perform to the highest standards today.

“The highly efficient HRV system in the home worked beautifully during forest fires this year,” Van Capelle says. “The occupants added in the charcoal filters and were able to filter the smoke completely.”

The team used building information modelling (BIM) to pre-plan all interior services and control all exterior air barrier penetrations. The exterior is wrapped in three layers of Rockwool, coupled with a final air tightness of 0.19ach, and the home’s total heating and cooling bill for the year is around $145.

The project was an important milestone for the company and the beginning of a bright future in helping clients build for a better environment.

“Whether it is a major renovation or any kind of new construction, we do our best to include Passive House principles, because it makes sense.” Van Capelle says.

For example, the team thinks about thermal bridging and detailing the air barriers on every build, so the final product is as high performance as possible.

The team includes a large group of in-house, carpenters and project managers—each with an extensive background in multifamily home construction, high-end custom home building, major renovations and specialty work.

“We have built this team from the ground up,” Van Capelle says.

“My father, who I have trained under since I was eight, joined our team as a construction manager. We also choose our subtrades from a small pool of professionals with whom we have worked in the past and know produce solid work.”

“Passive House is so important for the future,” he adds. “Forty percent of green house gas emissions in North America are produced from heating and cooling buildings. Eliminating those is the low-hanging fruit for supporting sustainability and mitigating climate change.”

CONNECT: FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/BlueWaterConcepts INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/blue_water_concepts/ WEBSITE: www.bluewaterconcepts.ca

Created by the Western Living advertising department in partnership with Blue Water Concepts LTD.

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furniture

ORIGIN STORY

Our Furniture Designers of the Year explore the realm where high-tech design meets old-world technique. by anicka Quin portrait by tanya goehring

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Dynamic Duo

Kelsey Nilsen (left) and Deagan McDonald of Origins, photographed in their Vancouverbased studio.

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Architects are ultimately great puzzlers. It’s a field that’s both a process and a product, and one that sends passionate problem-solvers into a lifelong pursuit of finding creative solutions: the right elevation for a difficult lot, the perfect angle on a roofline to capture a singular view.

For Deagan McDonald and Kelsey Nilsen of Origins (who met studying for their masters of architecture at the University of Toronto back in 2012), that passion translated into another kind of problem solving, studying form and function on a much smaller scale with their experimental design and fabrication studio.

Our Furniture Designers of the Year bring together old-world techniques and high-tech design for their clean-lined, thoughtful furniture and accessories.

While Nilsen still practices as an intern architect by day—she’s just weeks away from registered architect status with HDR Architecture—McDonald ultimately decided that, after a stint working for a local firm, the field wasn’t for him. “I’d gone through the whole degree process, and I knew I needed to give architecture a fair shot,” he says. “It was a really positive experience, but I realized very quickly that I was going to be much happier self-employed and working in a workshop with my hands—and being able to test my ideas more quickly than architecture allows.”

Rather than the months and years it might take to see an architectural project come to fruition, he says, ideas for their designs in Origins can and do pivot quickly. “An idea might come to me in the morning, and by the end of the day I can have something physical in front of me, and see whether it’s working or not,” says McDonald.

The firm name also reflects the work the duo does both from a tech and a hands-on perspective. “It’s a reference to the technology we’re using,” says Nilsen.

“When we’re doing this type of digital design, everything is always referenced from a single point, an origin,” she explains. “But I think when you’re working in furniture, and putting these things into someone’s home, and helping them build their story, it’s a nice reference—it’s their origin point, too.”

And, along those same lines, origin stories are dominant throughout the collection itself. Both the Ómós

Flexible Design

Both the Ómós dining table (top), which is Gaelic for “tribute,” and the Trace coffee table (centre) take their inspiration from a pair of 40-year-old coffee tables that McDonald’s grandfather designed— the frame of the former, the solid stone top of the latter. The Beam bench (bottom) is designed to be flat-packed, for elevator-friendly moves.

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SPONSORED REPORT

TIMELESS ELEGANCE

Poliform’s 2021 collection tells the story of a new idea of style — softer, contemporary, sustainable.

The stunning new collection from Poliform is inspired by the universal will to share refinement, sensuality, culture, and quality.

Designer Jean-Marie Massaud reinterprets the living room as a domestic landscape made of organic shapes and curved lines: Sofas and armchairs where design and comfort find the perfect balance, coffee tables that stand out for their sculptural look, and where sustainability embodies consistent quality and good in the world.

The collection is designed by reinterpreting Poliform’s signature style as a lifestyle—between quality of design, harmony of shapes, excellence of materials, and know-how.

“It’s an adventure we write and an evolution we share,” Massaud says of his work with Poliform. “Poliform is first a human company.

It is a family, a team, a vision. It has a unique way of creating refined, timeless elegance.”

Inspired by organic forms that reinterpret the design of the 70s, Saint-Germain is a sofa system capable of transforming any space into a warm and intimate landscape, infusing a pleasant feeling of domestic comfort.

Soft and enveloping lines are present in all the elements of the collection, which includes diverse modules allowing users to create linear, angular or unconventional compositions, always characterized by an interplay of volumes and depths with welcoming appeal.

From the haute couture materiality of bouclé fabrics to the contemporary elegance of hide, the finishing enhances the voluptuous volumes of Saint-Germain, making it aesthetically versatile.

The Saint-Germain collection is completed with the new Koishi coffee tables. Designed to complement the sofa, they reflect its curved lines with a unique and essential elegance, expressed both in the organic shapes and in the choice of materials like metal, marble, stone and wood.

Designed as natural complements to the Saint-Germain sofa for their quiet elegance, the Koishi coffee tables add personality to any living space.

Le Club is Massaud’s new armchair, inspired by the archetypal leather-bound club chairs of the early 20th century and reinterpreted with a minimalist form.

Le Club has kept the rounded lines and incomparable comfort of the club’s armchairs that inspired it, but it has streamlined the volume giving it a more casual, contemporary elegance. The fabric or leather upholstery is not removable: adhering perfectly to the steel structure with flexible polyurethane molded seating, it is all-in-one with the armchair’s design.

Essential in shape and innovative in nature, the Orbit coffee table is made entirely of glass. Its simplicity hides a complex manufacturing process. The rounded top is welded to the conical bronzed glass base with a special UV technology, leaving no joint visible.

Visually light and minimal, yet with a sculptural look, the new coffee table stands out as a true element of surprise with its simple yet dazzling presence.

Experience Poliform’s 2021 collection at poliformvancouver.com.

CONNECT: INSTAGRAM POLIFORM VANCOUVER:

https://www.instagram.com/poliformvancouver/ FACEBOOK POLIFORM VANCOUVER: https://www.facebook.com/poliformvancouver/

Created by the Western Living advertising department in partnership with Poliform

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Q&A

WITH DEAGAN MCDONALD & KELSEY NILSEN

What was your first design project?

Texture Play

The patterning on the Flute bed, above, takes its inspiration from one of Origins’ smaller pieces: the Impact tray (right).

“Typically you see these patterns at a much smaller scale, remnants of the tooling that are then buffed out or sanded away,” says McDonald. “We intentionally take these patterns and exaggerate them at different scales as a way to sculpt a surface and celebrate the way the piece is shaped.”

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If you weren’t a designer, what job would you be doing?

D: Probably architectural rendering. That was always my favourite part of a project— bringing the design out of the rigid realm of CAD software and “seeing” it for the first time filled with people and light.

K: Pastry chef. I’d go all in and design myself a super minimal café/kitchen space and spend my days covered in flour.

What’s your dream project?

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westernliving.ca

Designing and building a little cabin in the woods somewhere, complete with all the furnishings. This may also be our final project, because we’d probably never leave.

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an

(Top Left) Urban Bonfire; (Top right) Lynx Grills; (bottom right) Kerrisdale Lumber Home

We initially started Origins as a platform to keep exploring conceptual architecture following our graduation. We were both missing the studio environment, where ideas are formulated and tested very rapidly, so we just started finding competitions online as an outlet for those ideas. Our first submission, Terra Firma, was for the Icelandic Trekking Cabins competition. We were honoured with a first-place selection, which just sparked more and more entries! Very shortly afterward our Tempo bookshelf was selected among the winners to be built for IIDEX Canada’s annual Woodshop event, which was our first exploration into furniture design.

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SPONSORED REPORT

EXPLORING OUTDOOR KITCHENS

As the home transforms into a multi-purpose, lifestyle space, an outdoor kitchen is the perfect way to bring family time, convenience, and connection together in one place.

(Top Left) Urban Bonfire; (Top right) Lynx Grills; (bottom right) Kerrisdale Lumber Home

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he contemporary home is changing—it is the restaurant, the workplace, the gym, the family zone all wrapped into one.

And with the return of entertaining, the longing for connection and a beautiful space in which to connect is stronger than ever.

“Over the past year, we’ve also seen peoples’ homes transform from a place to sleep into a safe haven, a sanctuary,” says Lyle Perry, President of Kerrisdale Lumber Home. “Of course, people will start to travel more and be at home a bit less than they have been, but having a home base be their ‘everything’ may be a trend we continue to see.”

More and more, homeowners and multi-family developments need their outdoor spaces to be as fully functional and beautiful as their indoor spaces, and as more multi-family developments spring up around Vancouver, families want to make the most of their spaces.

“We want to show customers that the outdoor kitchen is part of their home,” Perry says. “It is an extension of their living space and not a separate part of the home that should be forgotten about.”

Adding a small outdoor kitchen in a single-family home can increase the value of property for future selling purposes, and the options for replicating an indoor kitchen outdoors are nearly endless.

“Elements like outdoor fridges for hot summer nights and cozy fire tables for the chill in the fall evenings can transform your space and encourage more time outdoors in your extended kitchen,” Reza Mofakham, General Manager of Kerrisdale Lumber Home. “Our team of outdoor living experts have worked on hundreds of high-end custom

outdoor kitchen builds and can offer custom plans for nearly any space.”

Whether you want to build a custom outdoor kitchen from scratch with lots of tailored details or a fast and easy set-up, visit Kerrisdale Lumber’s beautiful showroom in Kerrisdale to take a view products and accessories in real time to discuss your outdoor kitchen dreams with an expert.

Kerrisdale Lumber is celebrating its 100 years in business this year, a landmark victory the company attributes to its stellar team of experts.

“We can confidently say that our team has the expert knowledge that is needed to inform anything required from what type of lightbulb you need replaced to an extensive outdoor kitchen build,” Mofakham says. “We pride ourselves on our top-notch customer service, and as a neighbourhood joint, we wish to have our new home store space act as a place of gathering for DIY homeowners, designers, architects, and other creatives in the industry.”

CONNECT: KERRISDALE LUMBER HOME:

www.kerrisdalelumber.ca

FACEBOOK:

@Kerrisdale Lumber Home INSTAGRAM :

@KerrisdaleLumberHome 6365 West Boulevard, Vancouver BC | (604) 261-4274 ext. 2

Created by the Western Living advertising department in partnership with Kerrisdale Lumber Home

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furniture

2021 dining table (the Gaelic word for “tribute”) and Trace coffee table take their inspiration from a pair of 40-year-old coffee tables that McDonald’s grandfather designed—leading to the frame of the former, the solid stone top of the latter. In fact, the first design for Trace included the original top from that vintage coffee table, and the simple “x” subframe is designed to adapt to other found or salvaged materials. No fasteners are required between the slab and frame, and the construction method allows for the piece to be flatpacked and easily assembled on site.

In fact, many pieces in the collection are designed to be customized in their dimensions to fit any home, no matter the size.

Flat-packing of their solid wood, robust designs ensures that each legacy-worthy piece can travel safely through all stages of an owner’s life. “It makes it easier for someone in a condo, or a tight-quarters scenario, where you need to move the piece up a staircase or an elevator—these things can be really challenging when the pieces are larger,” says Nilsen. “It’s really trying to make sure these products are not reaching the end of their perceived life too early.”

The duo also brings a strong industrial design influence into the work—the idea of repeatable patterns you might find on something machine-made, but applied to organic materials like wood,

as in the design of their Flute headboard. “The patterning and sculptural effects that end up making their way into furniture starts in our product design,” says McDonald. “It’s easier to prototype and test ideas at a small scale, and you’ve got a little more artistic and creative capacity.”

The Flute bed finds its origin story in the Impact tray, with its intensely scalloped surface created by using a round tool to carve straight lines. In the headboard, that process is used again to create grooves along the surface, each with a randomized depth that collectively creates the appearance of a subtle gradient across the surface.

It’s a body of work applauded by our judges, particularly for the timeless, well-constructed appeal of Origins’ designs. “Every detail looks both soft and precise,” notes judge Jaye Buchbinder of Emeco. “The designers know their way around their materials with distinct execution.” And judge Sara Khodja of CB2 agrees.

“Very clean design, lovely finishes,” she says. “Lovely joinery details with the wood, and finishes are modern yet warm.”

Nilsen and McDonald continue to explore designing in both small and large scales—they’ve recently launched an online store for some of their “objects and artifacts,” like the Impact tray—and the work-from-home trend has seen them designing made-tomeasure desks in rooms that were once single-purpose as a living room, kitchen or bedroom. And it’s the play, the big experiment, that keeps them going. “I think we really get excited about patterns, prototypes and finishes,” says McDonald. “It’s like giving an artist a blank canvas.”

one to watch: furniture design

SAME OLD STUDIO Ryan Boechler and Han Huynh had put their previous effort—the critically acclaimed Studio Bup, a 2015 One to Watch in our Industrial Design category—on an extended hiatus when they moved to Brooklyn six years ago. But the West Coast called them back, and the resulting design break reinvigorated them for a furniture-focused, lighthearted new line as Same Old Studio (a name chosen, no doubt, fully tongue-in-cheek). In their new form, the duo expresses the same love for material, exploration and fun, along with an appreciation for simple and functional forms—a move applauded by judge Jaye Buchbinder of Emeco: “The intentionality behind materials chosen and the way those materials were used makes Same Old Studio stand out.” Their Bebop shelf, for example, designed for Vancouver tattoo shop Bebop Ink, has meticulously colour-coded frames meant to visualize each tattoo artist’s unique personality and style. “Once you start interacting with it,” Boechler explains, “you notice these playful and unexpected details that make it more special.”—Lisa Sammoh

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THE MASTER SCIENTIST

Sumer Singh of Mtharu conducts grand and wonderful experiments in materials and design—and the result is a thoughtful collection of furniture that marries art with function. by anicka quin portrait by britta kokemor

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Q&A

WITH SUMER SINGH

Bright Idea

The New Primitives lamp (this page) explores geometry and working with waste materials. Sumer Singh of Mtharu (opposite) is photographed in his Calgary shop; behind him is a privately commissioned outdoor sculpture that’s near completion.

New Primitives lamp: Hayden Pattullo

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What was your first design project?

The first-ever design I made was a simple rectangular hot-rolled steel table, which sold on Kijiji for $400 the day I made it, in 2013. That table is still part of my studio’s offering and is now called the Tabula Rasa table, meaning blank slate in Latin.

It isn’t $400 anymore.

Was there a childhood moment that hinted design was in your future?

I kept getting sent for multi-media art competitions by my school, even though I dropped out of art class. And, to my surprise, I was winning, although I didn’t think I was good. I must have been doing something right.

What do you think is the most perfectly designed object?

The creature from Ridley Scott’s Alien movies by Swiss artist H.R. Giger.

Excellent bio-structural design.

From outside of Sumer Singh’s home base in an industrial park in northeast Calgary, your first indication that This Is Not Your Average Machine Shop is the shingle hanging above the workspace reading “Mercedes and Singh”: CNC-laser cut from raw black steel and naturally patinated, it’s a modern beacon in amongst the autobody shops and car dealerships.

The shop is the custom-fabrication business that Singh and his wife, Karen Matharu, operate as the go-to spot for custom work in wood, metal and concrete for designers and architects across the city. It’s also home to Singh’s avenue for artistic expression paired with technological innovation: his furniture and accessories line, Mtharu.

You could say our Maker of the Year is a mad scientist type, but that makes it seem as though the experimental process behind his designs comes from chaotic, unplanned, lucky accidents. In fact, just about everything Singh does is measured, thoughtful and deeply immersed in a constant pursuit of study. He started his career as a mechanical engineer (and left that gig to focus on Mtharu in 2015), and that background means he innately understands the structural strength and design requirements for an oversized concrete table, for example. But he also holds a master’s in architecture from the University of Calgary, where he’s now a sessional instructor, and he’s in the process of completing a second master’s, this time in advanced computation for architecture and design from Barcelona’s prestigious Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia.

(He jumped on the rare opportunity to study there once instruction moved online during the pandemic.)

And when we speak in late June, he’s just wrapped up a stint with DigitalFutures, a program from USC and Tongji University in Shanghai, studying artificial intelligence in architectural design.

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Thoughtful Design

The focus on architecture may seem incongruous for a creator of functional art, but Singh sees the field as much larger than just building design. “Architecture as a discipline now is so undefined—if you ask new graduates coming out of architecture school, ‘What does architecture mean?’ they don’t have a simple answer,” he says. “It’s not just about buildings and spaces anymore.”

Architecture also speaks to his multifaceted interests, he explains. “I have this artistic side, but I have a very technical side as well—and I have an industrialist side that comes from my engineering background,” he says. “I want to be able to combine all of that.”

And so when artistry meets technical know-how, you find projects like his New Primitives lamp, the result of Singh’s experiments with materials research and an exploration of geometry. He hacked a 3D software program used in architectural modelling to fuse standard geometries—cones, spheres—into a new shape altogether. And from his custom fabrication shop, he gathered bags of aluminum dust (a waste material from the CNC machine) and started playing with mixing the dust first with concrete, then plaster and, finally, with a water-based sculpting material called Paverpol from Europe.

When the latter was combined with the dust and hand applied over a CNC-milled form of that sphere-cone—along with curving, inset LED lights—the result was a sparkling standing light fixture that’s unlike anything out there. As judge David Keeler of Provide noted, “At times Singh’s work appears to be somewhat straightforward, but under more scrutiny you discover that it has been created in a very technical and thoughtful way.” And each of the projects from Mtharu comes from the same thoughtful place: the Kamino lamp is made

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The Jouir bench is designed with a visible weld of melted bronze, celebrating the idea of ornamenting scars through the welding process.

from a proprietary material composed of cement, basalt fibre and latex; Prov, a sculptural coffee table, again plays with a mashup of geometries (an offset oversized sphere and a cone). For the latter, Singh studied the ancient Italian technique of scagliola—the creation of imitation marble—and developed a marble-like material composed of waste paint, cement and basalt fibre that took over a month to perfect.

Each piece moves beyond what might be thought possible for its standard function: floor lamp, coffee table, seat. As judge Jody Phillips of 1stPlace noted,

westernliving.ca

The Inventor

Many of Singh’s designs are constructed from materials of his own invention, including the Kamino lamp (far left), as well as the Plot and Prov tables (below).

“With material exploration at the centre of Mtharu’s design practice, it’s no wonder they are comfortable pushing techniques and processes to develop pieces like Prov and the Kamino lamp.”

Singh is now working on a home in Calgary, and the master scientist will bring his experiments in materiality to shape that space, too. “I think the biggest handicap for architects is not putting their hands on materials and tools,” he says. “You’re not designing to maximum potential without understanding how the materials will work.”

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Jouir bench: Hayden Pattullo; Kamino lamp and Prov: Caleb Salomons

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one to watch: maker

TRACEY CAMERON Tracey Cameron’s unique fabric “paintings” emanate from a rich personal history with the art of sewing: her mother loved to sew and her grandmother made quilts.

Her current body of work focuses on portraits of city birds like pigeons and magpies—the wildness of nature in the urban environment. “I feel most centred when I’m in nature or observing animals,” says Calgary-based Cameron, who holds a bachelor’s in design from the Alberta University of the Arts. “Bringing these pieces into my home helps along that feeling.” The work is rich with colour, simple shapes and deeply layered textiles. Cameron sources her materials from friends’ odds and ends and from thrift stores—she notes that using recycled textiles is an important part of her work, highlighting the trend of overconsumption and the environmental impact of that excess. And those thrift-store discoveries inspire each new project: her latest, a ’70s-era design, will soon transform into a vibrant peacock.—Monika Wodzianek

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SPONSORED REPORT

ART WITHIN YOUR COMFORT ZONE Any successful project begins with a team that can take a client’s dreams and transform them into reality. The group at Space 9 Interior Design Inc. is that team.

DUNBAR CUSTOM HOME

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PHOTO BY PROVOKESTUDIOS

PHOTO BY STEVEN CHEN

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ed by founder and lead designer Sha Wang, Space 9 Interior Design will always embody a reflection of each client’s style and tastes, delivered with comprehensive design services that are both friendly and approachable.

“I always draw my inspiration from my client’s vision and develop it tailored to that project,” Wang says. “Creating an upscale experience is not only about visual impact, but also, and more importantly, about embracing all of the senses, including instincts or a deep knowing.”

Clean, simple, and powerful lines are the foundation of Wang’s designs, and low-key luxury is a combination of functionality and reflecting the client’s individuality and vision.

“For me, clean lines create less distraction and more visual focus,” Wang says. “This allows people to appreciate the details of their lives.

My ultimate goal is to create spaces that are truly simple in form, but extravagant in the heart.”

The design process begins with a common palette of simple materials comprised of wood, natural stone and bronze. These elements are, on their own, subtle in their simplicity. Yet when combined, one can only marvel in how these contrasting tones and textures exhibit comfort and harmony resulting in artisanal craftsmanship.

Space 9 Interior Design specializes in single residential, multi-family and commercial projects.

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“In just three months, we were able to transform a 2,500 square shell to a beautiful sales center that highlighted the townhouse project,” says Wang.“It received accolades from West Oak’s marketing firm naming it ‘The Top of the Top’.”

Learn more about Space 9’s award winning West Oak Townhouse project located in Vancouver’s Oakridge area at https://www.westoakliving.com.

Ready to begin your design journey? Connect with Space 9 Interior Design today.

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Created by the Western Living advertising department in partnership with Space 9 Interior Design inc.

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judges Sara Khodja

2021

Sara Khodja leads the strategy, design and development of all furniture at CB2. Over the course of her 15-plus-year tenure, she has also helped evolve categories including textiles, decorative accessories and lighting.

Paul Lavoie

Anne-Marie Armstrong

Anne-Marie Armstrong is principal and co-founder of AAmp Studio, and is a licensed architect in California, Maine and Ontario. She received a master of architecture from Yale University, where she studied on a Fulbright scholarship. Prior to founding AAmp, she was a designer at Gehry Partners.

Gaby Bayona is a Vancouver-based business owner and fashion designer. Since 2013, she’s launched bridal brands Truvelle, Laudae, Aesling and Halseene, and has opened Lovenote Bride with locations in Vancouver and Calgary. In 2018, Bayona founded Stranger Agency, a modelling agency that aims to push diversity and inclusivity in the fashion industry.

Jaye Buchbinder, daughter of Emeco owner Gregg Buchbinder, grew up watching her dad flip over chairs at every restaurant and café they passed.

After an undergrad in sustainable design and engineering and a masters in engineering, both at Stanford University, she joined Emeco as a product developer in 2018.

Brent Comber is an artist and designer creating sculpted objects, functional pieces and designed environments. Ranging from residential to commercial installations, his aesthetic interpretation of the West Coast has been recognized both locally and globally, showing in Paris, London, Japan, Bora Bora and beyond.

Mitchell Freedland is principal of his namesake design studio, based in Vancouver. The studio specializes in custom crafted interiors for both private and commercial clients for local and international projects.

Omar Gandhi is principal of Omar Gandhi Architect, an architectural practice founded in 2010 with small teams in both Halifax and Toronto. The work of its two studios–OG Halifax and OGTO–has garnered much national and international attention in the young practice’s short history.

Michael Green, principal at Michael Green Architecture, is an award-winning architect known for his research, leadership and advocacy in promoting the use of wood, new technology and innovation in the built environment. He lectures internationally on the subject, including his TED talk, “Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers.”

David Keeler attended Parsons School of Design and founded Provide in 2007 with late partner Robert Quinnell out of a shared passion for travel.

The store has continued to be a place to fuel his love for design and allows him to travel the globe searching for new finds along the way.

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Satu Maaranen

Gaby Bayona

Treana Peake

Satu Maaranen, a graduate of Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, is an awardwinning designer specialized on sculptural shapes and hand-painted prints. She is Marimekko’s head designer of ready-to-wear, bags and accessories.

Treana Peake’s passion for travel and eye for design, combined with her lifelong dedication to making a difference in the world, inspired her to launch fashion brand Obakki in 2005. The Obakki Foundation, its philanthropic counterpart, followed shortly after.

Jody Phillips is a founding partner of 1stPlace. She champions design in the Pacific Northwest and nationally by connecting international and regional happenings in the world of design. Previously, Phillips was director of IDS Vancouver for six years prior to her national role as IDS brand director.

Jaye Buchbinder

Jody Phillips

Akanksha Deo Sharma is a designer for Ikea, specializing in textiles, where she translates the uniqueness and imperfection of handicrafts into a mass production set-up. In 2020, she was ranked number eight on the Forbes India 30 Under 30 list. She holds a bachelor of design from India’s National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Akanksha Deo Sharma

Marie Soliman, founder and creative director of Bergman Design House and Njord by Bergman, is an award-winning designer with 16 years of design experience in the hospitality, commercial and residential sectors. Soliman led the design process of top global interior design firm HBA prior to founding Bergman Design House in 2017.

Brent Comber

Mitchell Freedland

Marie Soliman

Omar Gandhi

Liana Thomson is EQ3’s accessories product developer, where she leads design for the brand’s tabletop, decorative and other accessories. She also leads the packaging task force, working to ensure EQ3’s packaging standards are eco-friendly and consciously created.

Liana Thomson

Nathan Williams is a Canadian creative director, author and entrepreneur. He was appointed chief creative officer of Indigo in 2019, responsible for Indigo’s creative studio, design studio and visual merchandising. He is the co-founder of Kinfolk magazine and the Ouur apparel homewares and accessories brand.

Nathan Williams

Fan Zhang founded her practice AwAwDe (Awesome Awesome Designs) in 2015. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor’s in applied science and engineering and a master’s in architecture. Before starting AwAwDe, Zhang worked in numerous architecture offices, including HWKN (New York), BIG (Copenhagen), MAD (Beijing) and B+H (Toronto).

Michael Green

David Keeler

westernliving.ca

Paul Lavoie is principal of Paul Lavoie Interior Design, a Calgary-based interior design firm specializing in residential design and one of the most published firms in Western Canada. Lavoie’s career has been documented by design magazines such as Architectural Digest and Luxe.

Fan Zhang

Bringing homes to life

robinsonco.ca Vancouver Penticton

Kamloops Edmonton

Calgary Saskatoon

Winnipeg Brandon

Burlington Toronto

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FINALISTS

2021

INTERIORS

Alykhan Velji Designs, Calgary Bidgood and Co., Victoria Falken Reynolds, Vancouver Gillian Segal Design, Vancouver Marieke Burgers, Burgers Architecture, West Vancouver Ministry of Interiors, Edmonton Rebecca St. John Design, Calgary Stephanie Brown Inc., Vancouver

ROBERT LEDINGHAM MEMORIAL AWARD FOR AN EMERGING INTERIOR DESIGNER

Lover Fighter

Gillian Segal Design, Vancouver Kaline Dickson, Coquitlam Ministry of Interiors, Edmonton Nako Design, Edmonton Rudy Winston Design, Vancouver Schédio Spaces, Vancouver Shift Interiors, Vancouver Studio Roslyn, Vancouver

FURNITURE

Autonomous Furniture, Victoria Ben Barber Studio, Vancouver Jay Miron Furniture, Vancouver New Format Studio, Vancouver Shipway Living Design, Vancouver Solo by Allan Switzer, Vancouver

Jay Miron Tuft and Paw

ARCHITECTURE

Alloy Homes, Calgary Architecture Building Culture, West Vancouver Frits de Vries Architects and Associates, Vancouver MA+HG Architects, Vancouver Measured Architecture, Vancouver One Seed Architecture and Interiors, Vancouver Synthesis Design, North Vancouver Vallely Architecture, North Vancouver

ARTHUR ERICKSON MEMORIAL AWARD FOR AN EMERGING ARCHITECT OR RESIDENTIAL DESIGNER Haeccity Studio Architecture, Vancouver Nick Bray Architecture, Vancouver Noble Architecture, Vancouver One Seed Architecture and Interiors, Vancouver

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INDUSTRIAL

Alykhan Velji Design, Calgary Mako Design, Winnipeg Origins, Vancouver Tuft and Paw, Vancouver Tantalus Design, North Vancouver Tomnuk, Edmonton

FASHION

EVStenroos, Calgary Lover Fighter, West Vancouver Poppy Barley, Edmonton Sonja Picard Fine Jewels, North Vancouver

MAKER

Barter Design, Sunshine Coast Bowyer and Toulson, Ladner Scandinavia Wolf Designs, Squamish

LANDSCAPE

Royal Pacific Landing, Burnaby

MA+HG Architects: Janis Nicolay

MA+HG Architects

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SPONSORED SPONSORED REPORT REPORT

“

Inside Inside and andOut Out

Samantha Samantha Legge’s Legge’s newnew Evalina Evalina Beauty Beauty collection collection is is all about all about enhancing enhancing what what really really makes makes women women beautiful: beautiful: self-acceptance. self-acceptance.

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2020

N A R A M ATA I N N R E V I VA L • R E C I P E S F R O M C H E F N E D B E L L • O K A N A G A N H O T S P O T S

Soaring High

Chris Stenberg

It’s been an up and down year for the Okanagan, but the West’s fave travel destination is emerging stronger than ever. This issue, we’re exploring all of the new spots that have opened in the last 18 months, including the awesomely over-the-top experience that is Phantom Creek Vineyards (pictured here). Read all about it on page 128.

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In G ood C ompany How a pair of confirmed urbanites found paradise in the idyllic confines of a century-old inn, right in the heart of the Okanagan.

by kurtis kolt // photographs by jon adrian

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It ’s

early evening on yet another sunny August day in Naramata, a small village perched on the east side of Lake Okanagan. A server is on the veranda of the 112-year-old Naramata Inn, opening a bottle of sparkling made at Bella, just up the hill, for some lucky guests who have settled in for a much-anticipated

Picture Perfect

Kate Colley and chef Ned Bell grace the lawn in front of their new home—the Naramata Inn.

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meal at the Inn’s restaurant. Chef Ned Bell, a partner in this venture, is in the kitchen plating his hyper-local, seasonal fare. A resident peacock saunters by. I mean, it’s almost too perfect.

Except for the masks everyone is wearing.

It’s not exactly the scene anyone was imagining when news that popular chef Bell and his wife, public relations powerhouse Kate Colley, were packing up their Vancouver lives (including two young sons and a dog) to move to Naramata and take over this property. All of the attendant tasks that come with restoring a historic inn were just being finished when COVID hit, but it turns out that not even a pandemic could derail a dream long in the making.

It started around 2007. Colley was doing PR for Apple d’Or (now known as Bench d’Or), a luxury guesthouse set amid Naramata wineries and vineyards, when she scored a coup: a glowing piece in a big newspaper. In Vancouver, designer Maria Wiesner

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read the article and shared it with her husband, Paul Hollands, then CEO of A&W Canada. The couple had enjoyed vacations cycling some of the world’s most iconic wine regions, from Burgundy to Napa, and were immediately intrigued by the idea of doing the same in this fledgling region—and began spending an increasing amount of time here. They soon came to love it, and purchased a second home right in the village not long after the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

It was roughly around that time that Okanagan native Bell took the reins as executive chef of Vancouver’s Four Seasons Hotel.

The restaurant there was a magnet for the business crowd— including Hollands, who was a fan and then a friend of the chef.

But, as always, life marched on. That is, until one evening walk in Naramata years later, when Hollands and Wiesner walked past the Naramata Inn, which was then in its umpteenth incarnation

Country Cool

The vibe of the interiors is solidly farmhouse chic, with clean white linens and classic fixtures playing off of the gorgeous period wood furniture.

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Modern Love

The dining room, which has been drawing people from up and down the Valley, favours a more contemporary palette with rich textures and bold colours—to match the bold cooking of chef Ned Bell and his team.

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Grand Crew

Soon after Ned Bell decided to make the move to Naramata, he started assembling his dream team including chefs Stacy Johnston (left) and Minette Lotz (right) to assist in the kitchen.

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in a revolving door of culinary concepts.

A thought came up that Wiesner had been sitting on for a while. It was time to pipe up.

“What if we take a run at the Inn?” The discussion turned to what their mission would be: to create a restaurant, with rooms, that would bring in not only the local wines, but also the incredible Okanagan bounty offered by the artisans, farmers, foragers and fishermen of the region.

Hollands welcomed the idea: “I think I know the person we need.”

Plenty of stickhandling followed to bring Colley and Bell on board and negotiate the takeover of the Inn, but ultimately the lineup was set: they had a rockstar chef and a marketing pro and a seasoned CEO and an interior designer. Things moved fast, and within a short time they’d secured the property. Renovations began by refurbishing the rooms and installing a completely new dream kitchen for Bell (“I finally work at a station built for left-handers,” says the southpaw); the focus was on opening by early summer 2020. As the place came together, so did the team.

It’s no small feat to build a team of all-stars in a small village of just over 1,000 residents. There was luck, and there was coincidence. Emily Walker, the award-winning, tip-top wine director who worked with Bell and Colley at the Four Seasons, had relatively recently moved across the lake to Summerland.

So, as they say: the band got back together.

Bell approached Stacy Johnston, one of his former sous chefs, and her partner Minette Lotz, chef at the Garden in Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood, and both quickly committed to the wine country dream. And the growing buzz enabled them to siphon top-tier front-of-house staff off the bat, including veterans of Vancouver’s Savio Volpe and the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Everything was going perfectly.

And then the NBA cancelled their season.

And then Tom Hanks got the virus.

And then international travel was suspended.

As menus were tested and staff were trained, acrylic barriers were purchased for the front desk and the restaurant’s host stand. Hand sanitizer stations were put in place. Protocol was rejigged, and then rejigged and rejigged again. Seating occupancy was reduced. Masked-up staff were trained and retrained in the ever-evolving requirements.

And then they opened their doors, not knowing what the heck was going to happen. But despite all the uncertainty, people flocked to the place. Waiting lists for reservations grew, with the food-obsessed

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Bounty Hunter

Bell’s recipes draw heavily on the local produce found right in his new backyard.

See recipes starting on page 116.

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clamouring for dishes that sing from the plate, like the stone fruit and Great Bear scallops with Jerome’s kohlrabi, fennel cream and elderflower vinaigrette. And the beautifully modern farmhouse rooms that Wiesner created likewise got booked up solid all season long.

Oh yeah, there were COVID pivots all right. Each one, though, increased the team’s immersion in their village. When indoor dining was banned over the winter, “Naramata Inn at Home: Steakhouse Edition” was born, along with plenty of other initiatives, from retailing wine to offering Bell’s famous seafood chowder for takeout. Any energy left over was spent donating time and hot lunches to the Naramata Elementary School and other local community pursuits. The year was a deep dive into all things Naramata.

Now, local goodness continues to be plated and poured as we all navigate these current times. Rooms are readied, and peacocks still wander by. Both locals and visitors continue to “buy into the dream” too—the restaurant and the Inn are still the hardest reservations to snag in the Okanagan. It’s become that rare bird: a destination inn that’s still 100-percent local.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata and Tomato Vinaigrette Salad

Walnut dukkah

1½ cups perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes, halved 1 small zucchini, cut into ribbons 1 tbsp cold-pressed virgin canola oil 2 pinches sea salt ¼ tsp cracked black pepper

½ cup pumpkin seeds ½ cup walnuts ½ cup sunflower seeds 2 tsp whole coriander seeds 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp cracked pepper

Vinaigrette

To finish

½ cup tomato paste 1 cup Venturi-Schulze balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp kosher salt 1 tbsp cracked black pepper 2 tbsp dijon mustard 2 tbsp honey 2 cups canola oil (This will make much more than needed but it will keep in the fridge for weeks.)

½ cup high-quality bocconcini or burrata (we source from Tanto Latte in Kelowna) 5 leaves fresh basil

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Gently toss salad ingredients together in a bowl and allow to marinate at room temperature while making the dressing and garnishes.

Blend all vinaigrette ingredients together in a Vita-Prep or blender. Set aside. (Unused dressing will last for a few weeks and is delicious on burgers, roasted salmon, tofu and roasted or grilled vegetables.)

In a dry pan on medium-low heat, toast the nuts, seeds, coriander and pepper until fragrant and starting to turn golden brown. Let cool, add salt and pulse together in a food processor until just chopped. The dukkah should still have a crunchy texture—think the size of rice grains.

Use a slotted spoon to place marinated vegetables into a serving bowl.

(Use a fork to twirl the zucchini ribbons for aesthetics, if desired.) Top with a generous spoonful of the tomato vinaigrette, followed by your fresh Italian cheese of choice. Top the salad with the dukkah, using it as a seasoning for the cheese in particular. Using your hands, tear the basil leaves and scatter over the salad to finish.

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A bouti que vi rtual experi en ce A virtual celebration & auction Hosted by Gloria Macarenko & Fred Lee

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ned bell’s

Planked Wild Salmon with Nectarines, Thyme, Honey, Almonds and Ricotta Quintessentially West Coast, planking pays homage to the First Nations peoples of this region, whose communities have been cooking salmon on wood planks since long before Europeans arrived. It’s an ingenious way to impart earthy, smoky and even floral notes to the fish, depending on the type of wood you use. Although cedar is a classic choice, alder and oak work beautifully with salmon, too. You can find grilling planks at gourmet retailers, or go the DIY route with untreated wood from the hardware store. Look for 1-inch-thick and 8-inch-wide pieces, and have them cut 8 to 12 inches long. Just be sure to give them a good sanding first to remove splinters, and allow time to soak them before using. For this recipe, you’ll need two planks: one for the fish and one for the nectarines.

ALTERNATE METHOD If you don’t have a plank, you can grill your salmon directly on an oiled grill grate for 3 to 4 minutes per side, and roast the nectarines in a baking dish in a 400°F oven for 12 minutes.

JULIE PHO

1 skin-on wild salmon fillet (about 1½ lb), cut into 4 portions Extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper 4 sprigs thyme, leaves only, plus extra for garnish 4 nectarines or apricots, halved 2 tbsp honey Flaked sea salt ½ cup fresh whole-milk ricotta Sliced toasted almonds, for garnish Garden salad, to serve Soak wood planks in water for at least 30 minutes and up to a day before using.

Preheat grill to medium (about 350°F). Use paper towels to pat the fish dry. Rub all over with olive oil, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle thyme leaves over the salmon (leaving some for the nectarines and for the garnish), and press to adhere.

Put planks on your grill, directly over the flames.

Cover grill and allow planks to heat until starting to just smoke (about 2 minutes). Turn and repeat on the other side. Place fish skin side down on one plank.

Add nectarines, cut side up. Drizzle nectarines with honey, then sprinkle with most of the remaining thyme leaves and a little salt. Cover grill and cook for

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7 to 12 minutes, or until fish is almost opaque all the way through and flakes easily and the nectarines are caramelized and tender. (If a plank gets too hot and ignites, spritz with water from a spray bottle.)

To serve, add a couple tablespoons of ricotta over each piece of fish, and sprinkle with the almonds.

Garnish with thyme and serve with a garden salad.

Serves 4.

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JULIE LEPPER & ALICE MILNE PHOTO BY EASTCHERRY PRODUCTIONS

258 EAST FIRST STREET NORTH VANCOUVER, BC WWW.SYNTHESISDESIGN.CA 604.980.2087

FOOD + TRAVEL NARAMATA INN

Perfect Pairing

Before the move, Bell and Colley (showing off their cherry-spitting skills here) were fixtures in the Vancouver food scene.

Now, as they walk among the grapes and cherries, they can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Cocktail with Blossom Syrup.

See recipe on page 122.

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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE www.royalpl.com

604.338.5035 lu@royalpl.com

Landscape Architect and Founder, Lu Xu BCSLA. CSLA. MLA. BArch.

Royal Pacific Landing Ltd. (RPL) specializes in Executive Residential and Multi-family Landscape architecture design.

With an East meets West aesthetic, we create a harmonious balance to your outdoor living space that is grand, elegant and refined.

FOOD + TRAVEL NARAMATA INN

Naramata Cherry “Ketchup”

Cocktail with Blossom Syrup Doesn’t a homemade elderflower blossom gin fizz feel like just the thing? Or maybe vanilla ice cream or cake topped with elderflower blossom syrup? Flower syrups add a hint of flavour to all kinds of dishes, and can be made with edible species such as roses, hibiscus, lavender and chamomile. At Naramata Inn, we’re inspired by eating great ingredients, sourced locally. This simple recipe will have you enjoying and sharing a “taste of your place,” as local as your own garden.

1 cup elderflower blossoms (or your choice of edible flowers) 1 cup water 1 cup granulated sugar Snip blossoms loose from the stem, and discard the rest. (If you’re using a larger flower, just use the petals.) Gently wash under cool water and set aside.

Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue stirring over heat until the liquid is thick, lightly coloured and bubbling around the edges.

Remove from heat, sprinkle flowers directly into the simple syrup, and let steep for a minimum of 30 minutes (and up to 24 hours). This is an ideal time to add other ingredients, like vanilla, cinnamon, rosemary, cardamom or citrus zest. Lemon is traditionally used with elderflowers.

Remove from heat, strain and allow mixture to cool. Syrup can be stored in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for a couple of weeks. To serve, add to cocktails, lemonade or ice tea, drizzle over ice cream or cake or use to flavour whipped cream.

Yields 1 ⅓ cups.

SAFETY TIPS • Make sure the flowers you are using are edible for humans, and that no pesticides have been used on them.

• Use only fresh flowers in good condition, with no signs of wilting, browning or disease.

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2 lb fresh cherries, pitted 1 cup honey 1 cup red wine vinegar 2 tbsp salt 2 tbsp cracked black pepper Combine cherries, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small pot over low/medium heat until ketchup becomes a jam-like texture. Remove from heat, taste and adjust by adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Spread generously on beef, salmon or halibut burgers. (Will last in fridge for 1 week.)

Your Oasis in the Sky

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FOOD + TRAVEL NARAMATA INN

A Wine List like No Other

Forget the best in the Okanagan—we’re wondering if Emily Walker’s wine list at the Naramata Inn is maybe the best list in the province?

Here are five points in support of that premise. by neal m c lennan

1. It’s awesomely obscure.

2. It has amazing back vintages of B.C. wine.

Seriously? Fox and Archer, Poppyshake, Plot, L-ST Projects. We had to google each one to make sure they were real wineries (they are, btw). And then there are the just normally obscure suspects, like Lunessence, Else, Amulet, 1 Mill Road. Wanna know what’s new and great in the Okanagan?

This is your first stop.

Do you want a bottle of 1982 Château Margaux?

No problem—you can get one on the internet by tomorrow if you have the bucks. But what’s really rare is a bottle like the 2007 Tantalus Old Vines Riesling ($133) or the 2008 La Stella Fortissimo ($125), both small production when made and both certified unicorns now (with a crazy low price).

3. It supports the little guy

4. Its non-B.C.

wines are on point.

If you’re going to do a major zag and order imported wine while visiting the Inn, you’re still in for a curated treat: riesling from New Zealand’s Felton Road, a Volnay from Jane Eyre, a trousseau from California’s Arnot-Roberts.

This is a who’s-who of producers beloved by wine cognoscenti the world over.

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5. It’s the perfect intro to natural wines.

It’s comforting to have a guide to the wild west that is natural wine. Here, Walker only brings in those producers whose wines are properly made: there’s a special piquette from Terravista, a wonderful tight little selection of orange wines and a cross-section of long sold-out bottles from Ursa Major, Rigour and Whimsy and Echo Bay.

Plot Neighbour: Gabriel Cabrera; Ursa Major Accustomed to the Dark: Ryan Grifone/Sorosoro Studio

(and a few big guys).

There are a lot of family businesses here: Lightning Rock, Roche, Bella, Kitsch, Synchromesh. But Walker isn’t afraid to bring in a few heavy hitters, too—like CedarCreek, Culmina or Martin’s Lane— when they make something that can’t be reproduced elsewhere.

westernliving.ca

ShimaJa

ELEGANT, SIMPLE DESIGNS YOU ARE BOUND TO LOVE Shima Javan is a Persian-Canadian interior architect and designer, as well as the founder and principal of Shima Javan Design in Vancouver. For nearly 10 years, she worked on numerous residential and commercial projects in Middle East before moving to Canada to start her journey of design in Vancouver. Her expertise landed her projects in downtown Vancouver’s most luxurious buildings and houses, from Three Harbour Green to stunning newly built developments in the Yaletown area.

The services she offers her clients are as diverse and far-reaching as her skills. Her firm offers everything from interior design, interior architecture and landscaping design, to renovations, decorating, procurement management and job site supervision. She also collaborates with architects on new-build projects in addition to providing services like art positioning and even minor cosmetic changes. With every project she takes on, Shima feels like she falls in love again and again. “I should have a close relationship with my designs and be very responsible for them,” she says.

To her, every project is an invitation to an enchanting journey. “My love for interior design is evident in my attention to detail and inherent sense of harmony. My passion for creation also led me to direct 6 short movies, two of which were screened at Cannes Film Festival.

I believe that the world is our workshop and not our home, so we must design and create as much as we can.

My clients are my soulmates. For them, I design with the same glamour and artistry as I do for my own. I believe that every one of my projects has a unique soul and must be exciting, timeless, and refined. I also believe that my clients should remain faithful to their own tastes because everyone’s home is a great definition of their character. I ask them to share that and leave the rest to me.”

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1. Crown and Thieves, Kelowna

Well, if you’ve seen one ruined medieval castle/winery you’ve seen them all right? Owner Jason Parkes (The Hatch) has created a new winery in West Kelowna that’s bonkers—part prohibition speakeasy, part castle ruin and seemingly made for the Instagram age. crownthieves.com

2. The Office, Kelowna

K-town has seen an explosion of craft breweries of late (see also: Lakesider, Bad Tattoo and the soon-to-open Unleashed) that has the town’s North End looking like Vancouver’s Powell Street. The Office is carving out a niche for hazy IPAs. officebrewery.ca

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Can’t-Miss Spots THAT HAVE OPENED SINCE YOU’VE LAST BEEN IN THE OKANAGAN

3. The Welton Arms, Kelowna

Chip Butty, anyone? Maybe some Eton Mess? This north-end spot is angling to be Kelowna’s best (and only) truly British eating hall, with a slew of UK-inspired craft beers on tap. weltonarms.com

4. Popolo, Oliver

Steeve Raye left North Vancouver’s Orto to bring the gift of fresh pasta to the South Okanagan, sliding into the former location of Medici’s and winning lots of local fans. popolocafe.com

by neal m c lennan

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Radiant.

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the Root and the Berry, Osoyoos

Truly, nothing has hit the Okanagan like the juggernaut that is Richter Bai’s Phantom Creek, the most expensive investment in the Okanagan wine industry to date. The winery is off-the-charts swanky, but it’s the (lunch only) restaurant, helmed by Sarah Fiore—last seen at NYC’s Estela—that’s wowing visitors. phantomcreekestates.com

It’s a new concept for chef Murray McDonald at Spirit Ridge Resort, one that dives deep into the eating culture of the Syilx People of the Okanagan Nation (the restaurant’s name refers to the four traditional Food Chiefs).

The deep talent in the kitchen here makes this one of the brightest lights in the South Okanagan. bearfishrootberry.com

9. Sensation Fall

6. District Wine Village,

Finale, Penticton

Oliver

The Okanagan’s first winery (and craft beer) cluster offers visitors a chance to hit six wineries (including Gustav Allander’s Wapiti Cellars and an outpost Nk’Mip) in close proximity and have a craft beer and bite in between. districtwinevillage.com

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It’s been a spell since there was a “thing,” but this event is currently a go for October 16 at the Penticton Lakeside Resort.

Simply put, it’s the biggest and best chance to sample the region’s wines in one spot. thewinefestivals.com

10. Tapas Gordito

7. 15 Park Bistro,

Osoyoos

at Black Hills Estate Winery, Oliver

Executive chef Nick Atkins’s re­imagined room at the Watermark Beach Resort is at the top of the elevated food chain in Osoyoos—which means they still have nachos, they’re just topped with lobster. 15parkbistro.com

Acclaimed chef Jeff Van Geest of Miradoro fame curates this selection of Spanish tapas, conservas and charcuterie as the perfect accompaniment to the Black Hills wine lineup. blackhillswinery.com

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The Bear, the Fish, the Root and the Berry: David McIlvride; 15 Park Bistro: Jon Adrian; Phantom Creek: Chris Stenberg

8. Phantom Creek, Oliver

5. The Bear, the Fish,

Celebrating 50 Years The precursor to our present-day Designers of the Year program was the Residential Design Awards, or RDAs, which focused exclusively on home design. And our second year of those awards featured a very cabin-heavy group of winners that, almost 20 years later, are a testament to the staying power of great design: they’re all places we’d still happily spend time in. The RDAs were categorized by size: Small (the cover star, a cabin in northern Ontario from Calgary architect Jeremy Sturgess); Medium (a Marcel Breuerinspired cabin, this one in Manitoba from DIN Projects and featured with the excellent headline “Gimli Shelter”); Large (a lovely post-and-beam in West Van from Lamoureux Architect: “Fully Fir-nished”); and “Fits All” (a rammedearth cabin in the Gulf Islands from Terra Firma Builders and designer Phillip Van Horn). And while the issue weighted heavily toward celebrating these winners, we should also note that, back in 2003, we called it: the Island would in fact become B.C.’s next great wine region.—Anicka Quin

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October 2003

Many of the winners in our 2003 Residential Design Awards celebrated simplicity, whether in design (an uncomplicated structure for a lakeside cabin) or materials (a fir post-and-beam home, and a rammed-earth Gulf Island cabin).

DIN Projects: Gerry Kopelow; Lamoureux Architect: Peter Powles; Terra Firma: John Yanyshyn; Cover/Sturgess Architecture: Martin Tessler

way back

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Photos by Michel Gibert and Baptiste Le Quiniou, for advertising purposes only. Zulma Editions. *Conditions apply, contact store for details.

This year, Roche Bobois is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Mah Jong sofa, designed in 1971 by Hans Hopfer.

To celebrate this milestone, the Mah Jong is dressed in new designer fabrics and set on elegant platforms that enhance its silhouette and comfort. True to the Mah Jong’s original identity, this new design makes the piece more modern than ever.

Fabrics by Fabrics by

Mah Jong. Modular sofa with elements, designed by Hans Hopfer. , Constellation collection.

Upholstered in Stained wooden bases, Alezan finish.

In-store interior design & 3D modeling services.*

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