The interior of this 1990’s condo was gutted and completely reconfigured with a contemporary design that juxtaposes a refined palette of oak, stone and steel with the exposed raw concrete structure of the base building.
A one bedroom + den corner unit, the main living space has dramatic views onto Bay Street in downtown Toronto. The original configuration had an inefficient layout that had not been altered since the building was built, with an entry foyer and hallway at 45 degrees to the rest of the unit that created awkward angles between the different rooms.
The new design reconciles this odd geometry with two bold wood elements – a 21 foot long wall of frameless oak closet doors that extends along the corridor from the entry door to the living room; and an oak panelled wall in the living/dining room that incorporates blackened steel shelving, the TV and credenza. Each wall folds into a suspended oak ceiling, creating an “L” shaped composition that defines the two distinct spaces below. Over the dining table the wood ceiling panels change to open wood slats to delineate this area.
Elsewhere, the original gypsum board was removed to expose the structural concrete slab as well as the two concrete columns that frame an opening into the kitchen. Concealed lighting along the perimeter of both wood ceilings softly illuminates the dappled concrete surface.
The use of light coloured oak for all millwork and the wide plank oak flooring throughout create a calm, unified environment with a refined attention to detail – the frameless powder room door is concealed along the wood entry wall, and the kitchen millwork culminates in a built-in bench within the foyer. The master bedroom features an oak headboard and custom designed oak bed platform. The master bathroom also features the same oak millwork, juxtaposed with dark floor tile and marble mosaic walls.
