Canadian Interiors: January/February 2010 Edition

January/February 2010

House special 3 sensational spaces Best new bathroom products

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January/February 2010

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COVER — 21 Montreal-based Wetstyle’s new M suite, in walnut veneer.

Contents

18

HIDEOUT – 44 Dubbeldam Design Architects transforms an attic into a sanctuary.

By Karolina Olechnowicz DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES INSIDE — 10

House Special

WHAT’S UP — 13

TWO SOLITUDES — 29 In Ottawa, architect Jim Colizza creates a light-filled duplex whose back-to-back halves – each with its own personality – are equally refined.

By Rhys Phillips

THE GOODS — 21 On tap New bathroom products sure to make a splash.

By Erin Donnelly and Michael Totzke

MATERIAL ISSUE — 38 A plethora of wood and stone, along with ample glazing, makes for a spacious yet cozy mountain home with stunning views.

By Janet Collins

WHO’S WHO — 46 LAST WORD — 50 Once upon a village

By Erin Donnelly

21

January/February 2010 VOL.47 NO.1

Publisher

Martin Spreer Editor

Michael Totzke Managing Editor

Erin Donnelly Associate Editors

Janet Collins, David Lasker, Rhys Phillips, Leslie C. Smith Contributing Writer

Karolina Olechnowicz Art Direction/Design

Ellie Robinson, Lisa Zambri Advertising Sales

416-510-6766 Circulation Manager

Beata Olechnowicz 416-442-5600, ext. 3543 Reader Services

Liz Callaghan Production

Jessica Jubb 416-510-5194 Senior Publisher

Tom Arkell Vice President of Canadian Publishing

Alex Papanou President of Business Information Group

Bruce Creighton Head Office

12 Concorde Place, Suite 800 Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 Telephone 416-442-5600 Facsimile 416-510-5140 Canadian Interiors magazine is published by Business Information Group, a division of BIG magazines LP, Tel: 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-6875 e-mail: info@canadianinteriors.com website: www.canadianinteriors.com Canadian Interiors publishes seven issues, plus a source guide, per year.

Printed in Canada. The content of this publication is the property of Canadian Interiors and cannot be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

Subscription rates Canada $36.95 per year; plastic wrapped $39.95 per year (plus taxes) U.S.A. $69.95 US per year, Overseas $95.00 US per year.

Back issues Back copies are available for $10 for delivery in Canada, $15 US for delivery in U.S.A. and $20 overseas. Please send payment to Canadian Interiors, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 or order online www.canadianinteriors.com For subscription and back issues inquiries please call 416-442-5600 ext.3543, e-mail: circulation@canadianinteriors.com, or go to our website at: www.canadianinteriors.com Newsstands For information on Canadian Interiors on ­newsstands in Canada, call 905-619-6565 Canadian Interiors is indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia ProQuest Company, Toronto (www.micromedia.com) and National Archive Publishing Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan (www.napubco.com).

Member of Canadian Business Press Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations

ISSN 0008-3887 G.S.T.#890939689RT0001 Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. Customer Number: 2014319 Canada Post Sales Product Agreement No. 40069240

Head Office and Showroom Location: 170 Esna Park Dr., #7, Markham, ON (905) 475-5460 • (416) 491-2275 Out of Town: 1-888-PERMAWD

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program towards our mailing costs.

PAP Registration No. 11092

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Inside

A fresh start Happy New Year. And while I’m at it, Happy New Decade.

I think I can safely say that few of us were sorry to see 2009 come to an end, what with the financial turmoil changing the landscape all around us, sometimes uncomfortably close to home. We can only hope that the great recession is well and truly over, as various banks and governments have been promising us as early as last July. It does feel like we’ve turned a corner, but a slow recovery seems certain.

In the spirit of “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” Canadian Interiors, though leaner last year, introduced two new annual publications. First up was the Product Source Guide, covering everything from accessories and architectural products to wallcoverings and window treatments. Next was Best of Canada, previously a special section in the July/ August issue, now its own separate publication. Both did well. We’ll publish the 2010 Product Source Guide in the spring, and Best of Canada – featuring the winners of our 13th annual Design Awards – in the fall.

First comes the Best of Canada Design Competition and its spring deadline for entries, of course, and now is the time for you to consider entering. Visit www.canadianinteriors.com to get information and updates (we’re in the process of making some exciting changes to the Best of Canada celebration in September).

Any time is the right time to submit a project to the magazine – we’re always looking for innovative new work to feature in our pages. It’s easy, too. Just e-mail a short description of the project, along with low-res images (for now), to me or to managing editor Erin Donnelly (edonnelly@canadianinteriors.com). And don’t rule out a project you plan to enter in Best of Canada: submitting to the magazine, and perhaps appearing in our pages, neither harms nor helps your chances of winning a Best of Canada Design Award.

A note about images. They have to be magazine-ready, and that means – almost exclusively, we’ve found – taken by a professional photographer who’s mastered the tricky art of shooting interiors. Hiring an expert is a good investment. Whether a project is published or not, you’ll have a bright, shining record of work well done – for all time.

Here’s to a promising 2010. c I

an IntFeb2010_Canadian Interiors SPARK 1/5/10 1:42 PM Page 1

Michael Totzke mtotzke@canadianinteriors.com

Round cture Inc. | Photo: Patrick Burke, Tony Eels Lake Cottage | Architect: Altius Archite

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10 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

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What’s Up

JAN./FEB. Saskatchewan winners In the words of the Design Council of Saskatchewan (DCS): “Design is all around us. From our homes to the buildings where we work, from product brochures to billboards, from public parks to roads and bridges, the world around us has been shaped and molded for both function and beauty.

Much of what we see in the world has been created by applied design professionals. Design Week has been established to illustrate the importance and impact of applied design in our daily lives.”

To cap off its Design Week ’09, the DCS presented the Premier’s Design Awards, in Saskatoon, on Oct. 30. A single winner was announced in each of six categories: Architecture, Community Planning, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and Collaborative.

It turned out to be “Stantec night in Saskatchewan.”

Stantec Architecture claimed half of the six awards: for The Lantern, at the Regina Early Learning Centre, a multi-purpose space for art and learning that makes good use of coloured glass (Architecture); Mano’s Restaurant & Lounge in Saskatoon, a renovation integrating the elements of earth, rain and fire in an intriguing way (Interior Design); and Zu, a colourful and clutterfree environment for a websolution provider in Saskatoon (Collaborative), with Stantec Consulting. Stantec Consulting also won for Market Square,

an evocative public space that provides a gateway to Saskatoon’s Riversdale Community (Landscape Architecture).

Rounding out the awards: the city of Saskatoon won for Pleasant Hill Village, a dynamic revitalization of Saskatoon’s Pleasant Hill neighbourhood (Community Planning); and Confident Communications won for its dramatic cover design for Paul Derry’s Treacherous, an account of his life as an RCMP agent among the Hells Angels (Graphic Design).

Clockwise from top Zu, a clutter-free and colourful environment for a web-solution provider; Mano’s Restaurant & Lounge, which integrates the elements of earth, rain and fire; The Lantern, a multi-purpose space for art and learning at the Regina Early Learning Centre; Book jacket for Treacherous, Paul Derry’s account of life as an RCMP agent among the Hell’s Angels.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 13

Excellence at the DX This past November, the Design Exchange in Toronto presented its annual national awards, which celebrate projects – in 12 categories – that balance function, aesthetics and economic success. Ranging from architecture and engineering to fashion design and visual communication, the 12 categories include three devoted to interior design.

Burdifilek took home the Gold in Interior Design: Commercial, for the multiple-awardwinning W Hotel Downtown Atlanta – a modern interpretation of a park oasis in the centre of Atlanta’s financial district.

As noted by the judges, “Scale and proportions play off one another in the double-height ground-floor space; clean lines are complemented by sumptuous textures and rich tones, accented by sculptural elements throughout.”

The Gold for Interior Design: Residential went to Perkins Eastman Black Architects, for Shelf Life – a condo reno that employs five unique coloured boxes to divide the space. “The structure of concrete columns in this 1980s development eliminated the need for shear walls and permitted demolition to open up the 1,800-squarefoot space,” the judges write.

Above and far right Shelf Life, a condo renovation that employs five unique coloured boxes to divide the space. Right W Hotel Downtown Atlanta, an oasis in the city’s financial district.

Below Lippincott Living, a model suite featuring thoughtful design elements.

“It was a chance to fill the ‘shelf’ with only the most meaningful objects.”

Cecconi Simone won Gold in Interior Design: Temporary or Portable, for Lippincott Living – a model suite with thoughtful design elements to enhance living and storage. “In smaller projects of this size, it is unheard of to build a model suite because the associated cost is amoritized over so few units,” note the judges. “In this

case, however, the showroom contributed to its profitability.”

Burdifilek also received a Honourable Mention (Interior Design: Commercial), for Murale, a retail concept for Shoppers Drug Mart; and Cecconi Simone also received a Bronze (Interior Design: Commercial), for the Sub-Zero/Wolf Showroom.

For a full list of winners, visit www.dx.org. An exhibition is on display at the Design Exchange through Feb. 21.

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In November, Teknion officially opened its revamped New York City showroom. San Francisco– based Vanderbyl Design, a long-time collaborator with the company, created the design.

The space features innovative new items from Teknion’s integrated product portfolio that support new ways of work while creating healthy, productive environments.

Says Maxine Mann, president of Teknion’s U.S. operations, “Our New York showroom was planned to show architects and designers our latest workplace design sensibilities and best applications of Teknion products as they relate to today’s emerging workplace trends.” She describes the showroom as making a strong design statement, with minimal environmental impact.

The 22,000-square-foot second-story loft’s original exterior walls were left in place, while most perimeter walls have been replaced with Teknion’s Altos and Optos architectural products, allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the space. The main open area of the showroom is defined by large, suspended, black-and-white photographic panels depicting a natural birch forest and houses series of workstations typical of today’s open and collaborative workplaces.

The furniture is displayed in various combinations of Storm White and Dark Olive veneer finishes, with glass, anodized aluminum and Platinum accents, creating a dramatic but restrained look.

Teknion’s newly redesigned New York showroom features a generous main display area defined by large, suspended blackand-white photographic panels depicting a natural birch forest. Throughout the 22,000-square-foot loft space clients can view designs from Teknion’s integrated product portfolio.

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A decade of design The Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, in New York, is celebrating the accomplishment of winners honoured during the first 10 years of its prestigious National Design Awards. A comprehensive exhibition – entitled Design USA: Contemporary Innovation – features the work of more than 75 award winners for outstanding achievements in design (interior, product, communication, landscape, corporate, interaction, architecture and fashion).

“Design USA features objects from a pivotal moment in American design,” says CooperHewitt curatorial director Cara McCarty, “a renaissance in which designers expanded beyond traditional boundaries as witnessed by the explosion of digital technology, material

innovations and interdisciplinary collaborations.” This is the first time an exhibition has been devoted exclusively to National Design Awards winners.

On view in Cooper-Hewitt’s first-floor galleries, Design USA: Contemporary Innovation continues through Apr. 4.

From top High Line, New York, NY, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro; Caper chair by Willam Stumpf for Herman Miller; Wind Facade, Technorama Science Center, Winterthur, Switzerland, by Ned Kahn; Nike Zoom Victory Spike.

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The Goods

On tap New bathroom products sure to make a splash.

—By Erin Donnelly and Michael Totzke

March of the faucets Fluid’s new Penguin suite is a collection of faucets that takes design cues straight from nature; the upright form, horizontal spout and streamlined silhouette make it easy to see where the product gets it name. Five faucet variations are available, as well as two showerheads and a full range of accessories. These products are fittingly green, too: the Burnaby, B.C.–based Fluid is part of the Sustainable Solutions International family of companies. fluidfaucets.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 21

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1-It’s a small world Mimo is a curvy new collection from Laufen, designed to maximize on bathroom space. The technically sophisticated series of sinks, toilets, bidets, furniture and tubs is designed in scaleddown sizes that will make the most of a smaller room and offer water savings.

With shimmering surfaces in pink, black, white and an exclusive circular pattern, a number of colour combinations are available with this reddot award–winning collection. laufen.com

22 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

2-Crafty Wetstyle’s new M Collection was born from the creation of built-in storage for its popular Cube line. The Japaneseinspired, minimalist and modular series is made up of five components, crafted from renewable hardwoods, which are hand selected and built. Available materials are walnut, oak veneer or lacquer with nine finish options. M is offered in a variety of sizes. wetstyle.ca

3-Star quality Inspired by the flash of light from an exploding star, Supernova is the newest faucet from Dornbracht. Sieger Design worked with the German faucet maker to create the planar shape and ethereal new finish available in the exclusive pale gold, 22-karat Champagne, as well as polished chrome and platinum. The line includes fittings for tubs (shown), sinks, lavatories and showers, as well as accessories, with the offerings of the line totalling over 60. dornbracht.com

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4-Curves ahead PuraVida is a new bathroom suite from Duravit, designed in collaboration with Phoenix Design and Hansgrohe. The washbasin’s interior is flat and gently bevelled. Consoles, vanity units and tall cabinets are gently rounded and feature a glossy finish. The bathtub features a rim that opens to reveal a white LED light shimmering through; or an alternative version offers a streak of red, black, ebony or aluminum, selected to complement furniture colour choice. duravit.com

5-Good as gold Kohler has introduced a new Vibrant Moderne Gold finish for bathroom faucets. More intense and vibrant than its previous offering, Vibrant French Gold, the new finish’s deep honey tone closely resembles real 24-karat gold. The finish is available in durable brushed and polished versions, on many of Kohler’s most popular faucets, such as Purist (shown). kohler.com

6-Taking refuge The Aquae bath collection from Bazzèo creates a zen-like environment. Cabinet boxes are made from 100-per-centrecycled, post-production wood waste.

Handle-free drawers, with horizontal details, are made from compressed wheatgrass and finished using a water-based, non-toxic tangerine lacquer; they open automatically with a touch of the finger.

Architectural wall panels are in oak ecoveneer, over a compressed wheatgrass core. bazzeo.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 23

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1-Hide and seek Contemplating what form the bathroom of the future might take, designer Matteo Thun envisioned one in which sink, shower and toilet are hidden away when not in use, serving as modern sculptures to rest on. For Rapsel, Thun has created modules of larch wood and stainless steel to bring his vision to life, in a new collection called One. rapsel.it

24 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

2-Fade to black Designed by architect Wiels Arets, dOt – the second addition to Alessi’s Ilbagnoalessi collection – was introduced two years ago. Part of a collaboration with Laufen and Oras, the name comes from the oblique shapes: nearly every piece includes a circle, or “dot,” in the design.

Now, the series of washbasins, bathtubs, sanitaryware furniture and accessories is being offered in matte black. alessi.com

3-Shell life Boffi’s newest design for the bathroom is the freestanding Iceland bathtub, designed by Pierro Lissoni. Molded in a white, non-porous, durable and recyclable composite material called Cristalplant, it features a smooth, matte finish.

Characterized by its graceful, shell-like shape, Iceland measures a roomy 18 by 70 by 35 inches. boffi.com

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The Goods

2

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1–On a pedestal The new Embossed freestanding basin from Vancouver-based Blu Bathworks was inspired by the first Victorian pedestal basins. The round basin is crafted from a resilient material the company developed. Called blu-stone, it’s a solid surface material – sourced mainly from recycled quartz – that is stain-, scratchand impact-resistant; it requires less energy to produce than either acrylic or ceramic products. The Embossed basin’s small footprint makes it an ideal piece for compact spaces. blubathworks.com

26 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

2–Water, water, everywhere…

Jaclo, the American manufacturer of decorative plumbing products and advanced shower solutions, offers a full line of sleek shower fixtures. Its Gosh Concerto reinterprets the traditional concept of the shower; featuring water jets from above, as well as two separate streams from length of the column, providing a thorough cleaning sensation.

Gosh Concerto can be customized with low flow capacity to save water, and also includes a handshower mounted at the side. jaclo.com

3–Ready for your close-up The clever Aluminum Series Mirror, by Spanish manufacturer Sonia, eliminates the need for a separate magnifying mirror. Here’s how it works: a magnet is placed on the pendulum behind the mirror glass and that magnet attracts another one, concealed inside the small, round magnifying mirror, allowing the user to slide it anywhere on the larger one. When not in use, the magnifying mirror can be pulled off the surface of and stored away. sonia-sa.com

Compass collection

time

for

a new

direction?

w w w. h a v a s e a t . c o m 1 . 8 0 0 . 8 8 1 . 3 9 2 8

House Special

Two solitudes In Ottawa, architects Jim Colizza and Anthony Bruni create a light-filled duplex whose back-to-back halves – each with its own personality – are equally refined.

—By Rhys Phillips

Given the narrow width of the site, the duplex’s primary form starts as a simple three-storey vertical box at the back of the lot, with a second, moderately longer box grafted to the front.

Photography by Peter Fritz

Below In the front unit, entry stairs rise in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. The first tread and landing are designed as a bench for putting on/taking off shoes, and a place to sit and talk with guests. Top right Sculptural cabinets stretch along the kitchen wall, sinking down to act as a low commode as they pass the dining area, then morphing seamlessly into a raised hearth for a roomfocusing minimalist firebox. Bottom right South-facing windows flood the main living space with light. Sheets of transparent tempered glass separate the stairs (both entry and upper) and the kitchen, allowing even more light – from the third-floor skylight – to wash the walls and enliven the space.

30 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Ottawa’s Parkdale neigbourhood, despite its bucolic moniker, has had its fair share of problems over the last decade. A community of modest 19th-century workers’ houses interspersed with vestiges of light industry, it suffered from an infestation of street prostitution and a nasty drug trade. More recently, however, community mobilization and improved policing have had a positive effect. The area is now catching up with the revitalization of the rest of the lowscaled but urban landscape that stretches from the western base of Parliament Hill out along Wellington Street and Richmond Road. Around the small but long-running and much-loved Parkdale farmers market, the arrival of the Great Canadian Theatre Company’s new performance house, trendy bistros, converted lofts and new low-rises are having an impact.

Like all such transformations, there was a time when land prices did not reflect the community’s potential. This fortuitous anomaly allowed architect Jim Colizza (of James A. Colizza Architect) to purchase a modest side yard only two doors from the market. The objective, he tells me, was to design a duplex that would provide both his daughter Victoria and Anthony Bruni, an architect and soon to be a firm partner, affordable entries into the housing market.

The result is an animated, back-to-back double that, despite a narrow lot allowing no east-facing windows and only limited openings on the west, boasts spacious, light-filled residences.

Designing the units was a collaborative process that continued throughout the construction process. Not only did the two Carleton University architecture graduates (Colizza, ’76, and Bruni, ’99) work closely together, Victoria, a graduate of interior design studies in Florence, Italy, now working in IT, also had considerable input.

While each unit is resolutely modern, each also reflects both the preferences and even gender of its principle owner.

Given the narrow (25-foot) width of the site, the duplex’s primary form starts as a simple three-storey vertical box at the back of the lot, with a second, moderately longer box grafted to the front. While this street-facing volume is in theory larger, it has been eroded away at the ground level to accommodate parking and a separate access to the back unit. As a result, both units comprise a compact 1,200 square feet. But if the front box appears the most JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 31

dynamic on the outside, the roles are somewhat reversed inside.

With only an entry vestibule at the ground level, Bruni’s primary living area is a piano noble, a grand – if 500 square feet can be called grand – all-in-one space elevated above the street. But the fully glazed south wall opens onto a generous cantilevered terrace, thus sustaining a mediated contact with the street. Openness to the street is also signalled by the entry stairs, which rise and turn in front of a large, uncovered floorto-ceiling window. The fully open interior space is Bruni’s take on his family’s home in Sault St. Marie, where life rotated around a large kitchen–cum–gathering spot: “That is where our lives played out.”

This reference aside, Bruni’s environmental preference is for the minimal, “the understated but not necessarily the subdued,” he says. “I want space that is more restful and comfortable but also continuous and not compartmentalized.” The full kitchen merges without breaks with the dining area and the living room, forming a single, integrated public space. To increase the perception of space, the most bulky kitchen cupboard is tucked into a corner, there are no bulkheads, and the kitchen island is rotated to run parallel with the room’s length. Maple plywood cabinents are custom designed with the simplest of lines and stained a brown colour derived from hours of experimentation. These stretch along the walls, sinking down to act as a low commode as they pass the dining area, until they morph seamlessly into the raised hearth for a room-focusing minimalist fire-box. The absence of design clutter is necessary in small places, says Colizza, who has won multiple awards for the dynamic interior quality of his social-housing projects. “But,” he continues, “it is the time taken to integrate seamlessly all the services that is crucial to maximize small spaces.”

Both the hearth and its detail-free firebox have been stained with gun blue (a liquid used to treat metal gun parts), which has literally etched the surface with light rust. The raised hearth is a mottled brown-rust colour while the box appears brown-blue – the result of the former being hot-rolled steel and the latter-cold rolled. The opportunity to design as the house took shape, says Bruni, was one of the beauties of doing the project. For example: “As I saw how the sunlight hit the west wall. I was able to introduce 32 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Opposite As in the entry, the upper stair’s stringers are simple black I-beams, with maple steps attached using narrow metal fixtures that make each step appear to float. Used in lieu of railings, the stair’s tempered glass captures various reflections and subtle images.

Right In the back unit, all-maple stairs leading to the mezzanine (second) level and to the third floor are screened by a white metal grid.

Generous glazing ensures that the north-facing living-room loft is always full of natural light. As with the front unit, white walls provide a blank canvas for the play of light and shadow.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 33

west-facing punched windows, necessarily narrow but situated precisely to maximize the sun’s impact.” Afternoon light catches the glass panels screening the stairwell.

This stairwell is uncluttered by elaborate heavy balustrades. Instead, two floor-to-ceiling, transparent glass panels attached with discrete hardware separate the kitchen and stairs. The stairs’ stringers are simple black I-beams, with maple steps attached using narrow metal fixtures that make each step appear to float.

If Bruni’s unit has a studied calm with masculine overtones in its materials and details, Victoria Colizza’s unit is spatially more dynamic and richer in tone, giving the interior a somewhat more feminine aesthetic. This is not to say it is anything but robustly modern. Unlike the front unit, the main living spaces are stretched over two integrated floors. Entry is directly into the dining area, separated by a concretetopped counter from the galley kitchen.

The dining area is a northwest-facing, double-height corner space overlooked by the living-room loft.

“When you approach the unit,” says Colizza, “there is a transparency on the first level that lets you see right though the first floor, an idea taken from my first experience with Dutch urban housing.” The doubleheight, heavily glazed corner both accentuates and diffuses this axial view while ensuring this north- and backyard-facing house is full of natural light. “This sense of connection with the exterior includes the mezzanine-level living-room loft, centred on a fireplace with the same simple geometry as Bruni’s, but with a black melamine box on an extended concrete hearth.

The all-maple stairs connecting the three levels employs a double middle beam with cantilevered steps to produce a richly mellow spine rising through the house.

Instead of glass, however, the stairs are screened by a .5-by-3-inch white metal grid. “The idea derives from a veil,” says Colizza, “intended to mediate but not negate the relationship between spaces.”

When the sun hits the screen, including from a skylight over the stairwell, there is a play of shape and shadow, he adds.

The Bruni/Colizza residences demonstrate that careful attention to detail and light, as well as the avoidance of unnecessary clutter, can produce fine living spaces in even modest, tightly compacted urban dwellings. c I 34 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Top left The white metal screen, used in lieu of railings, creates an elegant veil in front of the stairs. Bottom left Entry to the unit is directly into the dining area, separated by a concrete-topped counter from the galley kitchen.

The living-room loft overlooks this northwest-facing, double-height corner space. A horizontal window (far left) provides a panoramic view of Ottawa’s much-loved Parkdale farmers market. Below The first and second levels were designed as one continuous, playful space, with visual connections and multiple vantage points. The fireplace has the same simple geometry as the front unit’s, but with a black melamine box on an extended concrete hearth.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 35

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House Special

Material issue A plethora of wood and stone, along with ample glazing, makes for a spacious yet cozy mountain home with stunning views. —By Janet Collins

By making the bathroom door part of a textured feature wall, designer Rosemary Carbonara ensured the wall and the glass and metal staircase would be the elements dominating the house’s main entry area.

38 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Photography by Stephanie Tracey

A domestic machine. That’s how Rosemary Carbonara, principal of Toronto-based ro Design, describes her Kelowna Cliffhouse, designed for friends who were relocating from T.O. to B.C. “It works easily, is easily maintained, and everything in it has a place,” she explains.

The three-level Cliffhouse is the home of a busy professional couple, and also their work space. It’s also the residence of six other family members: four dogs and two cats.

The 3,500-square-foot house is accessed at the lowest level. A guest room and bathroom are positioned here, along with an office, a mud room and the mechanical room. “We didn’t want the bathroom door to be the first thing you see when you enter the house,” says Carbonara, “but construction issues wouldn’t let us move that bathroom to another location. By cladding the door in the same reclaimed barn board as the surrounding feature wall, we were able to make the door all but disappear.”

The main activities of the home are centred around the second floor, where the kitchen, living room, powder room, laundry and second guest room are located.

The uppermost level boasts the master bedroom and ensuite. (The master bedroom and public spaces command the best 40 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

views.) A glass and metal staircase links all three levels.

Repetition of finishes also links the spaces. Caesarstone Quartz countertops crown the cantilevered cabinets in the kitchen and baths. Reconstructed teak veneer walls are found throughout the building. In the master bedroom, random sandstone floor tiles reference the sandstone used in the fireplace surround (the balance of the master suite floor is covered with engineered wood). Even the faucets throughout the bathrooms and kitchen are all from the same series, Natphil’s Pan collection.

Rugged elements, such as the reclaimed barn wood used on the feature walls, reference the orchards and farms found throughout the Okanagan region, while the pebble-covered accent wall in the master ensuite provides a nod to the nearby lakefront. The rough finish of those components also serves to highlight the modern finishes found throughout the home. The decision to spec a simple, wooden, picnicstyle table for the dining area is a playful acknowledgement of the popularity of outdoor activities in this part of the province, and perhaps a hope that some of the locally available produce, wine and cheese will find its way to the table.

This is very much a house with a view.

Ample glazing affords sweeping vistas of the outdoors, while playful elements, such as the opening in the fireplace wall, emphasize views throughout the house. Though the aesthetic is decidedly modern, the nature-influenced palette – wood, stone, natural patterns and colours – further eases the visual transition between the interior spaces and the surrounding environment.

It’s the variety of wood and stone that sets the tone of the house. Though the aesthetic is decidedly modern, the palette brings the outdoors in, easing the visual transition between the interior and the mountain terrain outside, very visible through ample glazing. “Contextually, it really fits in with the location, the topography,” says Carbonara. “When you’re there, you know where you are.” The materials also bring a sense of warmth and coziness to large, open spaces that could feel cold and somewhat severe with other finishes.

Custom solutions also abound in this residence. In some cases, they hide clutter, as with the sliding panel incorporated into the living room’s built-in bookcase, which can be positioned to tuck the 62-inch TV neatly out of sight. In other instances, as with the bathroom and kitchen counters and headboard in the master bedroom, the custom-designed millwork is cantilevered off the wall so that it appears to float above the floors – a characteristic that eases cleaning (so long, pet hair and dust bunnies!). Other features serve to create a division between the home’s sometimes competing demands.

“I’ve never been a fan of mixing work

with sleep,” Carbonara says. “To me, a bedroom should be a sanctuary not an office.”

The solution? Teak doors located in one of the guest rooms hide both the closet and a small desk area.

“When you walk into any room in the house, you see the important things,” says Carbonara, citing the master bedroom as an example. “In that room you see the bed but not the closets behind the ‘tree’wallpaper-covered wall,” she explains. In a similar way, a playful element such as the opening in the fireplace wall is used to emphasize the importance of views throughout the house while also providing a visual barrier between the living room and kitchen.

Carbonara readily admits the Cliffhouse is completely different from anything ro Design has done before. “I had a hand in developing the architect’s concept,” she says, explaining how unfamiliar challenges also presented themselves.

“I wasn’t familiar with the local [Kelowna] climate, so I had a bit of a challenge when it came to selecting the most appropriate cladding materials,“ she continues. “Not everything would be able to stand up to the sun that hits the south

side. Fortunately, the front of the house is on the north-facing elevation, the side that receives the least amount of sun.” Consultations with the rest of the team resulted in the decision to use stucco for the main building finish, with the addition of dark Fibre C cladding next to the main entry.

Metal reveals in the stucco portion create some visual geometry while ipe wood was utilized for the vertical window mullions and slatted planters to add an element of warmth. c I

Custom solutions, such as the sliding cabinet panels in the living-room wall unit, help hide clutter, while other elements create a division between the home’s dual live/work functions.

In the master suite, the tranquil vibe is enhanced by the wallpaper-covered headboard wall that serves as a focal point for the space and also obscures the closets and dressing area behind.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 43

Tktk Tktk

Hideout Dubbeldam Design Architects transforms an attic into a sanctuary. —By Karolina Olechnowicz

44 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

A bathroom should be a sanctuary; a place to wash away the stress of the day and to begin anew. Dubbeldam Design Architects (DDA) created such a retreat as an extension of the master bedroom on the top floor of a residence in Toronto’s Cabbagetown neighbourhood.

The project, as a whole, was a contemporary renovation and addition to the narrow, 100-year-old, semi-detached house. The owners wanted an overall modern look that combined environmentally friendly features with an abundance of natural light.

The entire third floor was transformed from an attic into a modern master bedroom and ensuite bathroom with a walkout roof deck.

“It’s a pathway to the light,” explains Heather Dubbeldam, principal. The bathroom’s layout maximizes natural light intake, creating a zen-like feel while opening up the small 140-square-foot space.

The Maax Collection Zone tub is sunken to provide clean sight lines and encourage the sense of a bigger room. A main feature of the space, it’s equipped with whirlpool jets and a chromotherapy feature. The tub is filled by water flowing down from the ceiling like a waterfall, from a Kohler bath filler, from the Purist collection. Behind the tub, the multifunctional Blue Lagos limestone shower wall conceals the shower fixtures, holds an air diffuser, and has built-in heating coils to warm towels and bathrobes.

Translucent glass partitions and light-coloured materials within the space allow natural and interior light to bounce through the room, while the vanity, made of North American cherry, adds warmth.

The theme of openness is further emphasized by the lack of door or wall to divide the bath and bedroom. The space simply functions as a continuation of the master suite, with the ethereal fireplace acting as a transitional element. The environmentally sound gel fuel fireplace, framed by Rosal limestone, is open on three sides, to be enjoyed from both rooms.

DDA (along with Troke Contracting and K. H. Davis Consulting structural engineers) created not only a bathroom but also a special hideaway to cleanse the body and mind. “The clients love it,” says Dubbeldam.

“It’s almost like their tree house, it feels like a little house in the sky.” c I

Photography by Shai Gil

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 45

Who’s Who

Global at the Carlu Global Group invited the Toronto A&D community to the Carlu for a sneak preview of new office-furniture products for 2010, including Floorplay, Foundations and Princeton. They will officially launch at NeoCon in June and IIDEX/NeoCon in September.

Falling into winter

1—Ron Flam, CFO, Global Group; Julie Anne Smedley, president, and Gary Scholl, chairman and CEO, POI Business Interiors; and Gerry Hawkshaw, VP construction services, Brookfield Properties.

2—Global’s Ray Townsley, senior VP, government affairs and strategic markets; Toby Feldberg, wife of company founder and chairman Saul; and the couple’s son Joel, president and COO. 3—Vlad Muller, director of design, Global Group, and Oli Ullmann of MU Design.

4—Kimsha Horvath, sales rep at ReMax real estate, and Alan Dalquen, senior interior designer at Stantec.

5—Intercede Facility Management’s Blanca Rohn, librarian; and spouses Moises and Micheline Bartlett.

She is president and co-founder; he is relocation manager.

–by David Lasker

1 3

2

4

5

Leaders Breakfast Industrial-strength eye candy was on view at the Toronto Four Seasons Hotel’s Regency Ballroom for the ARIDO/IIDA 1 Leaders Breakfast, thanks to keynote speaker Edward Burtynsky, renowned for his artful photos of industry despoiling nature. The morning commenced with the presentation of the 2009 IIDA Leadership Award of Excellence to HOK’s Joe Pettipas.

1—Photographer and art-book producer Edward Burtynsky, keynote speaker, signing copies of his latest coffee-table book, Oil. 2—Deborah Sperry, associate, team leader, workplace solutions; and Joe Pettipas, VP, practice, leader, retail and hospitality at HOK, shortly before accepting the 2009 IIDA Leadership Award of Excellence.

3—The Design Exchange’s Cindy Grenke, director of development; Rosa Ricci (foreground), membership co-ordinator and community liaison; and Samantha Sannella, president and CEO. 4—At the HOK table: B.J. Davis, senior VP, director of studio operations; Lara Koretsky, VP, HR manager; Frances Ahamad, VP, operations leader, workplace solutions; Randa Tukan, VP, practice leader, commercial interiors.

46 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

2

4

3

3

DX Commotion Commotion, the Design Exchange’s fall fundraising gala, honoured Research in Motion’s design team with a cocktail party, followed by a dinner, followed by a buffet, dance and mingle affair.

1 1—Ryerson retail-management students Kristina Aaltonen and Jessica Miller flank DX art director Darren Finlay.

2—Madawaska Quartet violinist Sarah Fraser-Raff and her husband, architect Paul Raff, founder of Paul Raff Studio, flanking Raff designer Michael Shaw-Min Lam. 3—Taylor Smyth Architects partner Michael Taylor with novelist and Globe and Mail copy editor Sheree-Lee Olson.

4—Peter Smith, product manager at Scotiabank; and Laura Fuller, manager, communications and marketing services at Osram Sylvania.

5—Knoll’s Fabiana Stubrich, director of business development, and Susan Somers, national account manager.

6—Steven Levy, senior VP and general manager at Merchandise Mart Properties (Canada), which runs IIDEX/ NeoCon and owns the Interior Design Show; and Michelle De Los Santos, a director at CIBC.

2 5 6

4

2

1

& Co. Holiday party & Co. (formerly known as Sweeny Sterling Finlayson) held its annual client party at the Panorama lounge, high atop Toronto’s Manulife Centre. The room offers stunning views of the city skyline, which includes some of the firm’s projects, like the new RBC-Dexia tower.

3

4

1—Abel Branco, design manager, and Francine Smith, manager, project management, at Straticom; and Stephen MacPhail, president, CI Financial.

2—Host Dermot Sweeny; Heather Senst, executive creative director at Astral Media; and Jan Krizan, principal at private equity firm Bingley Capital.

3—Ontario College of Art and Design’s Peter Caldwell, VP finance and administration; and Jessica Kamphorst, executive director, development and alumni relations.

4—Barry Lyon, of his eponymous land-development consulting firm; Bronwyn Krog, VP land development and planning, Wittington Properties; architect Lynn of Lynn Appleby Designs; and party host Mark Sterling.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 47

The Global Group

modularArts, inc.

Viceversa Bridges – Versatile work tables form the basis for this collaborative collection designed to enhance communication. Linear table assemblies maintain work and data/power service support, while you define and facilitate your personal work style or space by selecting from a variety of side tables, storage, privacy screens and accessory items.

modularArts™ Interlocking-Rock utilizes a combination of raised and inset forms to create innovative 3-dimensional surfaces.

All designs repeat for continuous sculptural walls or ceilings of any size. The joints interlock for precise edge alignment and panel-to-panel continuity. Panel material is entirely non-combustible, lightweight, easily trimmed on-site and has a rock-hard, paintable surface. Design shown: dune™.

877 446-2251 www.globalcontract.com

206 788-4210 www.modularArts.com

InterfaceFLOR Tectonics™

Nienkämper

High tech turns high design with Tectonics.

Inspired by metals and metallic finishes, Tectonics incorporates linear patterns in mixed widths in an i2™ design that can be installed non directionally as patterns and colours blend easily during installation or replacement, saving time and creating less waste. Use one colour for a uniform look, or mix among the 16 available colours for a dramatic statement. This style also lends itself to pattern by tile designs that are limited only by your imagination.

800 267-2149

Building on the success of its previous collaborations with Karim Rashid, Nienkämper introduces Isola 8, the latest concept in lounge seating from the visionary designer of Wavelength®, Blob, and the Kloud® Collection.

800 668-9318 www.nienkamper.com

www.interfaceflor.ca

ISA International Hospitallity, contract, healthcare, library and store planning.

800 881-3928 www.havaseat.com

nora systems, Inc. norament® 925 serra is a high-performance floor covering inspired by the dramatic textures and colors of nature´s landscape, developed with input from architects and designers. The 3.5-millimeter product is suitable for high-traffic areas, offering durability and comfort underfoot. Like all nora flooring, norament 925 serra does not contain PVC. It is also GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® and contributes to healthier indoor air.

800 332-NORA

www.nora.com/us

Krug

Patio Palace

Artemis Casegoods – a collection of well priced, private office casegoods that will set a new standard in the marketplace for design and quality. Artemis has a sleek, modern aesthetic, and the quality of Krug´s higher priced casegoods – with handselected veneers, outstanding construction, fit and attention to detail, along with rich-looking and extremely durable Krug Enduraguard™ finish.

Canada´s largest selection of outdoor furniture – we specialize in cast aluminum and woven vinyl wicker patio furniture. We also distribute cushions and umbrellas in genuine Sunbrella fabric. We cater to gold clubs, hotels, restaurants and private residences. Delivery and set-up available.

877 252-8456 www.patiopalace.com

888 578-5784 www.krug.ca

professional directory 48 CANADIAN INTERIORS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Full Year (8 issues) $200 each • Single issue $350 To book your space in the Professional Directory please contact Martin Spreer at mspreer@canadianinteriors.com / 416-510-6766

The Rubinet Faucet Co. From the outset when it was established in 1982, the Rubinet Faucet Company has had one goal - to create products of impressive design and quality. Today Rubinet faucets grace some of the most revered hotels and can be found in some of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in North America.

Advertisers Index

Advertiser Page

Reader Info No.

ACO 16 www.QuARTzbyACO.com

115

Anthony Concrete Design 15 www.anthonyconcretedesign.com

114

Audi IFC www.audi.ca

101

Best of Canada 28 www.canadianinteriors.com

123

Brading Fabrication 17 www.bradingfabrication.com

118

Design Exchange 36 www.dx.org

124

Teknion Corporation

Earth Day Scholarship 17 www.earthday.ca/scholarship

117

District is a collection of cabinets, desks, walls and windows that reinterprets systems furniture. It encompasses the attributes and planning styles of casegoods and desking through to panel-based systems, creating compact yet comfortable open-plan and private work environments.

District provides an alternative aesthetic to systems furniture, incorporating design details influenced by residential furniture.

ErthCoverings 12 www.erthcoverings.com

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EurOptimum Display 18 www.europtimum.com

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Global Contract OBC www.globalcontract.com

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Greenferd Construction 16 www.greenferd.com

116

ISA 27 www.havaseat.com

122

iSaloni - Salone Internazionale del Mobile 9 www.cosmit.it

108

Johnsonite 6 www.johnsonite.com

105

Umbrella Cabinetry

London Inc. 15 www.warmwindowcoverings.com

113

Custom cabinetry with a greener footprint.

Malaysian International Funiture Fair IBC www.miff.com.my

126

905-568-1665

modularArts 11 www.modulararts.com

110

Nienkämper 5 www.nienkamper.com

104

Nora Flooring 3 www.noracom/us

102

Osram Sylvainia 4 www.sylvania.com

103

Permawood 8 www.permawood.com

107

Rosehill Wine Cellars 8 www.rosehillwinecellars.com

106

Urban Mode

Rubinet Faucet Company 20 www.rubinet.com

120

The One Night Stand by Blu Dot is an exciting addition to Urban Mode.

A sleeper sofa that doesn´t look like one.

Blu Dot´s goal of bringing good design to as many people as possible matches that of Urban Mode´s: great design for small spaces.

Spark Modern Fires 10 www.sparkfires.com

109

Stacey Brandford Photography 37 www.staceybrandford.com

125

Thermador 25 www.thermador.ca

121

Urban Mode 12 www.urbanmode.com

112

Velux Canada 19 www.velux.ca

119

1-800-461-5901 www.rubinet.com

416 661-3370

www.teknion.com

416 591-8834 www.urbanmode.com

www.canadianinteriors.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 49

Last Word Woodland Sanctuary by Nikki Blustin and Oliver Heath, one of many bathroom displays at the Kohler Design Center.

Once upon a village –By Erin Donnelly When I first heard about the Village of Kohler, I started to get ideas. Maybe it’s just the word “village” that implies something quainter and cuter than a typical company town, but by the time I was able to visit the Wisconsin home of the kitchen and bath manufacturer this past fall, I had quite a picture painted in my mind. A town populated by Kohler workers, who were, of course, shiny little stainless steel OoompaLoompa types (also available in polished chrome?). These little faucet-makin’ fellas would cruise the streets of Kohler in bathtubs on wheels, under streetlights made from gigantic arc taps. The village would be run by Mr. Kohler, a tiny little man with a pointed beard and top hat.

When I finally got my golden ticket to Kohler, I was a bit disappointed to find that

there weren’t actually Oompa-Loompas there casting sinks. But I did get a factory tour where I got to see the pottery, iron and brass foundries where you can watch products being made with a variety of techniques, from traditional to the most technologically advanced. I also got to see the innovative Arts/Industry program (in which artists-in-residence collaborate with the company, creating works in the foundries), in action.

The tour is open to the public, as is the Kohler Design Center, where you can check thousands of in-production products in person. Most interesting, in the lower level of the design centre, is the Kohler museum, where you can see how design and trends have evolved and even repeated. Not a bad place for trendspotting – the retro lines

and minty green colour of the old school, cast iron “electric sink” (an early model residential dishwashers) would be at home in many modern designs. But the technology is just slightly outdated. The cardboard “Mom” dropping dishes into the sink is a nice touch, looking like she just popped out of one of the vintage Kohler ads that line the walls.

In the end, it wasn’t the Kohler-land fantasy world I had dreamt of, but throw in a trip to the award-winning Kohler Waters Spa and it’s a pretty good business trip. And there is a Chocolate Room of sorts: check out the Craverie, just a few doors from the Anne Sacks showroom. Plus, I came home with a great idea for a kid’s book, about a little girl who doesn’t like to wash; I’ll call it Farrah and the Faucet Factory. cI

Š 2009 All Rights Reserved. Global Design Center 09.0304 Shown in Biscotti (BTW) and Mocha (MCW) with Silver Glimmer base (SGR).

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O Design Dept in Hospitality and Corporate

O Home Decor

O Other (please specify) ____________________________________________ B. Job Function O Architect

O Engineer

O Landscape Designer/Architect

O Interior Designer

O Facility/Project Manager

O Owner/CEO/President/Partner

O Industrial Designer

O Purchasing/Manager

O Government/Building Official

O Decorator

O Financial Mgmt.

O Developer/Urban Planner

E. Size of company (by number of employees) O 1-9 O 10-19 O 20-49 O 50-99 O 100-249 O 250-499 O 500+

FOR FAST SERVICE, FAX THIS CARD TO (416) 510-6875

O Yes! I would like to subscribe/renew to Canadian Interiors O 1 year O 2 years O 3 years

$36.95 (+GST/HST/QST) $59.95 (+GST/HST/QST) $79.95 (+GST/HST/QST)

O 1 year US $69.95 (US funds)

O 1 years wrapped $39.95 (+GST/HST/QST) O 2 years wrapped $63.95 (+GST/HST/QST) O 3 years wrapped $84.95 (+GST/HST/QST) O 1 year Overseas $95.00 (US funds)

O Payment enclosed O Please charge my credit card account

CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE: CDA: 1-800-268-7742 ext. 3539 USA: 1-800-387-0273 ext. 3539 Email: lmalicdem@bizinfogroup.ca URL: www.canadianinteriors.com