A minimalist living room makes a statement with modern furniture and a scenic outdoor view. Author: Janis Nicolay
This modern Vancouver condo’s crisp white walls and concrete floors are the perfect backdrop for showcasing an avid collector’s vintage classics.
Patti Redford has always been a minimalist at heart. Her previous 80-year-old urban country Vancouver home was uncluttered. Then, two years ago, when it came time to downsize their house after their two grown children moved out, she and her husband, Bill, purchased this loft-style condo and created an even more streamlined look.
Beyond the drastic purge, the couple undertook an eight-month renovation – a complete gut job – to get the modern aesthetic they wanted. Even though their dream home took three years to find, they didn’t mind the wait for this particular space, which happened upon them almost overnight. “We searched and searched but couldn’t find the right place,” says Patti. “And then this one came on the market, and we bought it and sold our house all in one week.”
The condo itself – a 1,200-square-foot corner unit in the Kitsilano area, with 12-foot-high ceilings and windows on all sides overlooking a park – is one of a kind. “It’s beautiful, and as soon as I walked in I knew I could do some really great stuff here,” she says.
That included getting rid of the popcorn ceiling, redesigning the kitchen and two bathrooms, adding built-ins, replacing the carpeting with concrete floors and painting all the walls a fresh, bright white.
Photo Gallery
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
The living room
The living room exemplifies the condo’s slightly industrial minimalist look, with its soaring 12-foot-high ceilings, bright white walls and concrete floors. Patti designed the simple yet impactful light fixture.
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
The living room
The living room exemplifies the condo’s slightly industrial minimalist look, with its soaring 12-foot-high ceilings, bright white walls and concrete floors. Patti designed the simple yet impactful light fixture.
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
After: Vintage white chair
Vintage Bauer and McCoy pots displayed on open shelving in the living room serve as art. “I didn’t want to hang a painting above the fireplace, so, to me, that grouping is like a piece of artwork that’s part of the fireplace wall,” says homeowner Patti Redford.
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
After: Pot display
Patti’s collection of Bauer and McCoy pots, housed on floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves in her office and the living room, adds both colour and interest. “I spread them out over two walls because I wanted them to look like they were continuing around the corner like an art installation,” says Patti.
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
After: Antique bench
The antique bench in Patti’s home office provides a spot for display and artwork. “I keep magazines and books there, and sometimes flowers and artwork like that little painting,” she says.
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
The office
In Patti’s office, a late-1800s desk is paired with a vintage Eames swivel chair. “It’s interesting how the two eras mix together so well,” she says. The office has a clean and organized look.
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
The kitchen
The kitchen design boasts a classic yet modern vibe with elements like the glass-panelled Shaker-style cabinetry, commercial-look range and range hood, square knobs, rectangular pulls, quartz countertops and concrete floors.
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
After: The dining area
The dining area’s Danish teak dining table, surrounded by a set of Eames chairs, can be extended to seat 12. “I was going to get a walnut table made, and then when I saw this vintage one, I thought, This is it. When you know, you just know,” says Patti.
House tour: Ultra-modern condo
After: The club chair
Patti turned an open alcove next to the kitchen into a china cabinet where she stores more dishware, including her beautiful collection of milk glass. In her husband’s home office down the hall, the club chair is one of the few items the couple has kept over the years. “We love its classic shape and colour, which becomes warmer and richer as it ages,” says Patti.
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