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DECKED OUT
Written by NESSA PULLMAN : Photographed by JULIE ROW
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT. Case in point: the gradual but steady rise of designers Aleem Kassam and Phyllis Lui, copartners in Vancouver firm Kalu Interiors. They launched Kalu in 2007 and grew it thoughtfully as they completed design-education projects and worked for other firms. “We knew our success wasn’t going to happen overnight, and we also didn’t want to pretend to know it all right at the start,” explains Kassam. In a brilliant profile-raising move, over the past few years they’ve immersed themselves in the design community by creating installations for Interior Design Show Vancouver and Dinner by Design and sponsoring and collaborating on charitable events such as the Little Black Dress Gala. It worked. Since the end of 2016, the pair has at last been devoted full-time to Kalu projects, and there’s a slew of them happening in and near Vancouver. The roster includes eight condo interiors, five home renovations, four new builds, two spec homes, and one multifamily dwelling consisting of six abodes. Displaying a keen eye for dramatic moments and sleek, tonal layers, the team that’s long been on our radar is now firmly on the map. ❈
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7/13/17 6:45 PM