Design
This condo is a pastel paradise
Photography, Patrick Biller. DESIGN, Jack Creasy Design. European oak FLOORS, Project Hardwood. WALL PAINT, All White 2005, Farrow & Ball. COF- FEE TABLES, COASTERS, CB2. ARMCHAIRS, Rove Concepts. SOFA, Structube. LAMPS, MFKTO. Small CUSHION, RUG, West Elm. Pink CUSHIONS, Elte.
Design
This condo is a pastel paradise
Designer Jack Creasy uses easy-on-the-eyes colour, texture and shape in the reno of an “in-between” home while the owners wait for their dream condo to be built.
Photography, Patrick Biller.
Designer Jack Creasy is often flooded with inspiration, but it was an actual flood that kickstarted the renovation of this 1,000-square-foot condo. “It was in long need of a refresh, but a leaking air conditioner was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he says. The watery catalyst damaged the dining room floor and prompted the owners to hire Jack for help. “Even though this wasn’t their forever home, it was the perfect time to refresh with paint and furnishings, strip the popcorn ceilings and completely redo the bathrooms,” says Jack. He channelled the owners’ love of clean California style and eclectic global influences to create an airy space layered with colour, pattern and textiles. “It’s bright and the uniqueness reflects the owners’ style, yet it still has timeless appeal for a future owner to love as much as they do.”
Sleek storage
Photography, Patrick Biller. Fluted CABINET, Sundays.
A white oak cabinet provides closed storage and a surface to display the owners’ vintage onyx tea set and crystal decanters. “The cabinet also acts as a serving area between the kitchen and dining room,” says Jack. “As they open, its slatted doors curve around the unit rather than swing out, so they don’t encroach on the traffic flow or floor space.” The artwork is a lattice of handwoven materials in a shadowbox.
Fresh style
Photography, Patrick Biller. FAUCET, Cesario & Co. CABINE- TRY HARDWARE, MYOH.
The kitchen’s existing cabinetry and backsplash were in good condition, so Jack opted to repaint rather than replace. A gutsy green revitalizes and packs a bold punch that’s perfectly complemented by new hardware. “I finished the kitchen with some jewellery, so to speak, by adding glorious, brass pulls,” says Jack. He styled the existing open shelves to be pretty and practical; they hold everyday items, like cookbooks and vases.
Green space
Photography, Patrick Biller. ACCENT WALL PAINT, Calke Green No. 34, Farrow & Ball. SIDEBOARD, Article. Kate Spade New York LIGHT FIXTURE, Elte. TABLE, LD Shoppe. CHAIRS, Rove Concepts. PLANT, Elte Mkt.
“The green arch is a simple paint trick that looks fantastic, helps denote the dining room in the open floor plan and balances out the green of the lower kitchen cabinetry,” says Jack. It can also easily be painted over or painted another colour by the next owner. The solid oak table was an investment piece that, along with the curved blush velvet chairs, can be moved to the owners’ next home. “They add a soothing yet luxurious feel that’s warm and inviting,” says Jack. The playful pendant light ties in with the brass finishes throughout the home.
Rethink pink
Photography, Patrick Biller. WALL PAINT, Queen Anne Pink HC-60, Benjamin Moore. WALLPAPER, Milton & King. BED, Home Société. BEDSIDE LAMPS, Aerin PENDANT LIGHT, Elte. BEDSIDE TABLES, (dark), CB2; (light), Article. CUSHIONS, VdeV. THROW, HomeSense. DRAPES, West Elm.
As an ode to his clients’ love of travel, Jack papered the primary bedroom in a whimsical heron-print pattern inspired by the beauty of the Amazon rainforest. Jack happily complemented it with pink walls. “I don’t believe in the stereotype that men don’t like pink,” he says. “We have many male clients who’ve agreed to all-pink rooms and love them!” Mismatched nightstands – one with drawers for extra storage, the other acts as a makeup table – are brought together with bedside lamps. “Their slope-shouldered silhouettes, reminiscent of Chinese plum vases, and the ivory linen shades link the two otherwise different nightstands,” says Jack. Textured cushions and bedding lend a relaxed boho feel.
Built-in bonus
Photography, Patrick Biller. BOOKCASES, West Elm. DESK CHAIR, CB2.
Jack customized store-bought bookshelves by adding a built-in desktop between them. “The whole thing can be moved to the clients’ next home and even reimagined or resized to fit the new space down the road,” he says. “The bookcases have a clean, minimalistic bevel detail on their inside edge that I repeated through the edge of the desktop’s profile. Its V-shaped bevel adds the right amount of detail without being too fussy.” The pared-down piece exudes a Scandinavian simplicity that feels almost vintage.
Pretty primary
Photography, Patrick Biller. CABINETRY, Niico Millwork Group. Visual Comfort SCONCE, Elte. FAUCET, SHOWER FIXTURES, TOWEL RING, TOWEL BAR, TILES, Cesario & Co. CABINETRY HARDWARE, MYOH. Antolini Tech Porcelain COUNTERTOP, Select Surfaces Corp. Pink BATHMAT, Crate and Barrel.
The footprint of the owners’ ensuite bathroom couldn’t be changed, given the condo’s layout, so Jack gave it a proper makeover. “I replaced the builder-grade, basic cupboards with custom built-in cabinetry fit wall to wall to maximize storage efficiently,” he says. A tall, shallow wall cabinet to the right of the sink stores cosmetics, vitamins and other everyday items, while U-shaped drawers under the sink offer even more storage. “They allow you to see everything you have versus the blackhole-effect under most vanity sinks.” The cabinetry looks like rift-cut white oak but is actually laminate; the sconce’s placement on the mirror makes the space feel brighter and bespoke.
Tile stories
Photography, Patrick Biller.
The shower features easy-to-clean porcelain tiles with the look of real veined marble in a matte finish. “They have the elegance of natural stone, where light and shadows, veining and colour meld together,” says Jack. “They also add visual texture and depth to the space.” Brass fixtures were chosen for continuity and warmth, and pink accessories aren’t only a warm complement to the cabinetry, they’re also fun. “The nubby plush bathmat is fabulous and all the pink provides pops of colour and texture.” The happy hue also echoes and connects to the primary bedroom’s soft palette.
Double duty
Photography, Patrick Biller. SCONCE, Elte. TILES, FAUCETS, FIXTURES, Cesario & Co. Antolini Tech Porcelain COUNTERTOP, Select Surfaces Corp.
The condo’s main bathroom also serves as the powder room, so it had to be hardworking and stylish. Jack chose glossy shower tiles in shades of white; their varying tones parlay a handmade artisanal quality that’s calm and soothing. The position of the less-than-30-inch-wide shower stall couldn’t be changed, but moving the handheld faucet to the left wall, versus keeping it with the main controls, prevented the small space from feeling cluttered with shower heads. The mustard towel lends some edge to the warm wood tones.
Find your niche
Photography, Patrick Biller.
The tiled niche design evokes a sense of old-world simplicity and the feeling that it was always there. “It wasn’t!” says Jack. “This shower used to be oddly connected to the primary ensuite with a second shower door. We filled in that door with a tiled wall and that left the opportunity to add a much-needed shower niche, something a lot of condos lack.” The niche’s silhouette introduces curves among all the straight lines and taps into the global style the owners love – it feels like it could be in Marrakesh – and connects to the dining room’s accent wall and furnishings throughout.
On point
Photography, Patrick Biller. WALLPAPER, Milton & King. DESK, West Elm. DESK CHAIR, CB2.
What little boy wouldn’t love such a cool, graphic bedroom? Jack says, “We fully enveloped the son’s bedroom with this fun, geometric wallpaper to keep the space playful yet minimalistic. The print adds a big dose of vibrancy and movement and – like falling rain – these triangles are heavy at the top and reduce to a light fall at the bottom.” Teal blue-grey works well with the black and white and is a neat departure from the blush tones elsewhere in the condo, while still being complementary.
Desk work
Photography, Patrick Biller. NIGHTSTAND, EQ3. BEDDING, Crate and Barrel.
A simple desk with storage drawers provides a practical surface for drawing and crafts. It gets a stylish accompaniment with a showstopper chair. “The chair was designed by Jannis Ellenberger and its caning and bouclé not only add texture, they elevate the room with a little bit of glam.” It works perfectly in the space and its timeless aesthetic means it can easily be repurposed in any room or, down the road, in the owners’ new place.
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