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Bring in the New Year Smart Renovations, Great Designs and More
$5.99 Western Living Winter 2021
Two Lofts Become One in This Falken Reynolds Renovation
Trends 2021
From Sustainable Looks to Playful Pieces
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PLUS The New Ingredients That Will Transform Your Cooking in 2021
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Trade Secrets
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Tanja Hinder of Marrimor and Neil Harper of Frits de Vries Architects let in the sunshine through a sweeping skylight.
FEATURES
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Shopping
Our favourite woven grocery bags, home office essentials and speakeasy-esque lighting in stores this season.
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Layer by Layer
There’s inspiration in every corner of Amanda Lwanga’s maximalist designs.
Ones to Watch
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PLUS
Great Spaces
Fires, wires and trash-turned-treasure fuel this restaurant reno by Formed 4 Design.
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Way Back WL
Our trip down memory lane starts with a 2003 reno by Todd MacAllen and Stephanie Forsythe—who would go on to form the award-winning industrial design company Molo.
New Year, New Ingredients
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Top chefs from the West turn underserved ingredients into delicious dishes.
B.C. & ALBERTA L VOLUME 50 L NUMBER 1
CONTENTS 2021 /
Uplifting Design
2021 trends call in playfulness, optimism and hope for the future.
The duo from Falken Reynolds peel back a historic condo to reveal beautiful opportunity.
FOOD
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COVER: Ema Peter; this page: Amanda Lwanga: Romy Young; mackerel: Tracey Kusiewicz; Straight & Marrow: Adam Blasberg; Falken Reynolds kitchen: Ema Peter
HOMES + DESIGN
Vancouver Penticton
Kamloops Edmonton
Calgary Saskatoon
Winnipeg Bath Brandon
Burlington Toronto
WESTERN LIVING editorial publisher Samantha Legge, MBA editorial director Anicka Quin art director Jenny Reed travel editor Neal McLennan assistant editor Alyssa Hirose editor at large Stacey McLachlan contributing editors Amanda Ross,
Nicole Sjรถstedt, Barb Sligl, Julie Van Rosendaal city editors Karen Ashbee (Calgary), Julia Dilworth (Victoria) editorial intern Sydney Bartos email mail@westernliving.ca
westernliving.ca senior production manager Kristina Borys (on leave) production support technician Ina Bowerbank production coordinator/ad design Nadine Gieseler digital ad coordinator Kim McLane project coordinator Landon Spenrath head office web westernliving.ca tel 604-299-7311 email sales@canadawide.com
sales representation
director of sales Brianne Harper (on leave) sales manager Anna Lee senior account executives Johnny Alviar, Charie G. Ilon,
Amy LaJambe, Jessica McBean, Joan McGrogan, Sheri Stubel address Suite 230, 4321 Still Creek Drive, Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6S7 tel 604-299-7311
u.s. sales representation, hayes media sales tel 602-432-4868 email lesley@hayesmediasales.com
european sales representation, s&r media sales manager Sylvie Durlach tel +33 1 44 18 06 62 email srmedia@club-internet.fr
Suite 230, 4321 Still Creek Drive, Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6S7 tel 604-299-7311 fax 604-299-9188
chairman & ceo Peter Legge, OBC, LLD (HON) president Samantha Legge, MBA vp of hr/admin Joy Ginete-Cockle vp of finance Sonia Roxburgh, CPA, CGA executive creative director Rick Thibert creative director Cathy Mullaly director of circulation Tracy McRitchie marketing lead Chris Hinton accounting Terri Mason, Eileen Gajowski circulation Katie Gajowski, Kelly Kalirai office manager/sales coordinator Lori North executive assistant to the ceo Charie G. Ilon
PRIVACY POLICY From time to time, other organizations ask us if they may send some of our subscribers information about products and services that might be of interest. If you prefer that we not provide your name and address, please contact us at the address listed above. You can review our complete Privacy Policy at westernliving.ca. WESTERN LIVING MAGAZINE is published 8 times a year by Canada Wide Media Limited, Suite
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EDITOR'S NOTE
q& A
Barb Sligl, "Uplifting Design" page 23
Follow Anicka on Instagram @aniqua
It’s around this time of year that I usually dig into Apartment Therapy’s January Cure—a daily email that gets me into decluttering, organizing, hanging art, deep cleaning and generally refreshing my space in these dark winter days. But as our editorial team has been working from home since March—and how very lucky we are to be able to do so—I’d say, this year, my January Cure has been more of an ongoing pandemic project that started last spring. As I’m sure many of you have experienced, my live-work situation means I’m more focused than ever on creating a home environment that functions the way I need it to. I’ve finally carved out a space for a work station that I can walk away from at the end of the day, complete with—thanks to a friend who went through a similar home refresh—a very comfortable Aeron chair (which my back is grateful for). So many of my friends have embraced the great home revision of 2020; just last night I received a text from one who was asking me to help her decide between a couple of shades of blue for a new chair she’s bringing home. In this issue, we’re spotlighting both the design trends to expect in 2021 (the optimism of “New London Fabulous” and the of-the-moment “Off-Kilter” are both personal favourites), as well as a gorgeous double-loft reno that the design duo at Falken Reynolds took on for a client. It’s a stunning space—that perfect convergence of historic elements with modern design—but what struck me most was how deeply personal the design was for the homeowners, how very just-for-them it was created to be. “When we’re working in condos, people always have a life expectancy of their time in the condo,” says designer Chad Falkenberg. “So we’re always trying to design with a little bit of an eye to resale.” But these clients, he says, were clear that this was their forever home. “So then it’s all about what they love.” This winter finds us in precarious times: stuck between imminent access to new vaccines (yes!) and the ongoing need to keep our frontline workers and loved ones safe. That makes our homes more important now than they’ve ever been—along with the need to bring out what we love most in them. I hope these pages help you in that mission.
My resolution is to carve out a dedicated corner (in my wee Vancouver condo!) for meditation practice. Part of my ongoing search for some semblance of zen, I want a spot for meaningful tchotchkes and talismans (like my tupilak from Greenland) that becomes a space in which to be in the moment. #Gratitude!
Sydney Bartos, Editorial Intern I’m very into collecting vintage glassware, knickknacks and other homeware, so my New Year’s resolution for my home space is to take that even further and to find a few vintage furniture pieces (I’m thinking the first will be dining room chairs). It definitely takes me a little longer to decorate a space, but the vintage search is thrilling and every find feels very special-to-me.
BEHIND THE SCENES
This month, top chefs Andrea Carlson, Frank Pabst and Blair Lebsack created recipes for us using unusual ingredients as their star. Photographer Tracey Kusiewicz translated those recipes into the gorgeous photos that start on page 41: here she adjusts an unruly scallion for Pabst’s Grilled Mackerel with Chunky Romesco Sauce and Scallions recipe.
VISIT
anick a quin, editorial director anick a.quin@westernliving.ca
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FOLLOW US ON
Anicka Quin portrait: Evaan Kheraj; styling by Luisa Rino, stylist assistant Araceli Ogrinc; makeup by Melanie Neufeld; outfit courtesy Holt Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com; photographed at the Polygon Gallery
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
This month we asked our contributors, What’s your New Year’s resolution for your home space?
Thank you to our loyal and valued clients for support through Covid. Wishing us all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2021. WD Western Designers Furnishings Ltd. 604-255-3200 | 110 - 611 Alexander Street, Vancouver www.wdwesterndesigners.com | www.solobyallanswitzer.com
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The Look: Sweeping Skylight
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For a tall client, the drop ceiling in this kitchen in Tsawwassen, B.C., felt particularly cramped, so designer Tanja Hinder teamed up with architecture firm Frits de Vries to expand the original skylight to the length of the room. “We wanted to create a connection between the modern house and nature that is ever-present,” says Hinder. Three panels now connect seamlessly in a frame that’s flush with the ceiling; the updated skylight also addresses previous drainage issues and improves the UV protection. Natural light streams in from above— amplified further by the high-gloss Dekton countertops (installed by Precision Stone Works) and polished concrete floors—to create a space that’s bright and functional enough to carry the handsome dark finishes of the Fusion Woodwork cabinetry.
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HOMES + DESIGN SHOPPING Editor’s Pick Lights Out
Picture Perfect
In memoriam of that last-call glow at your neighbourhood bar, Flos has launched the Last Order lamp (from $695) by designer Michael Anastassiades. The wireless, rechargeable lamp comes in satin copper, brass, stainless steel and matte green, and is meant to invoke those closing-time warm fuzzies. informinteriors.com
You might recognize Tracey Ayton’s name from our photo credits—she’s been many local designers’ go-to interiors photographer for years. And her design eye really comes to life in her new home collection, which includes this woven market bag ($140) handmade by women from the Akamba tribe in Kenya. traceyaytonhome.com
Insert side table by Ferm Living, $1,055, vanspecial.com
Over on our Instagram (@westernliving), we recently featured a home designed by AK Design, and not only did people adore the space, they absolutely lost it for the side table that was in the foreground of the photo. I did too—and so, in fact, did our writer Barb Sligl when she was researching products for our 2021 Trends feature. Made of solid ash, this Insert side table from Ferm Living perfectly illustrates the “Off-Kilter” trend that Barb noted is coming on strong this year. No surprise there: as our Instagram followers can attest, we all want a little more of this balanced yet slightly askew look in our homes. —ANICKA QUIN, Editorial Director
For more editors’ picks visit westernliving.ca
NOTEWORTHY
New in stores across the West. BY A LY S S A H I R O S E
Soft Landing
Sarah Richardson’s furniture collab with Winnipegbased Palliser includes four new collections, including the Annex, which focuses on natural finishes and sleek silhouettes. We’re loving the Promenade sectional ($5,049), a modular sofa that has infinite configurations and is designed for maximum comfort. sarahrichardson.palliser.com
Desk Job
Sleek Study
The Gia desk ($1,624) makes an elegant focal point in any workspace: the waterfall-like walnut top cascades down the side, and the solid marble base keeps it grounded. roveconcepts.com
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We’re prioritizing pretty paperweights and pencil holders for 2021: the home office isn’t messing around anymore. The Lithic collection (from $13) from Oregon-based Studio Gorm has all the natural stone desktop accessories you’ll need (“lithos” is stone in Greek). eq3.com
Togo (from $3,478) was originally developed by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset in the ’70s, but we’re deeming the all-foam seat a relaxation necessity for 2021. Plus, this cult classic is available in plenty of modern colours for contemporary chillaxin. livingspace.com
Power Plant
It’s more important than ever to bring a little greenery indoors, and versatile designs like Modernica’s Diamond ceramic planter ($285) can transition outside for summer, too. This planter is made in California and comes in three neutral tones. fullhousemodern.com
Pop Art
Forget minimalism—the Uma side table ($1,695) by Arteriors adds some real modern pizazz to your living space. This unique take on geometrics is finished with a glossy peacock lacquer: fading into the background simply isn’t an option. robertsweep.com
ACCESSORIES / FURNITURE / FLOOR COVERINGS / ART
Rewind and Rest
1805 Fir Street in Vancouver’s Armoury District providehome.com
HOMES + DESIGN ONE TO WATCH
To the Max AMANDA LWANGA Creative Director, Linger Design Studio
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Bold and Beautiful
In this master suite (top), Lwanga used pops of forest green and dusty rose to create balance. Her playful concept for the 2019 Vignettes Design Festival (above) is meant to feel like stepping into a painting. Her Montreal condo project (left) features mixed metals, midnight brown walls and a gravity-defying island.
Portrait and middle photo: Romy Young; (top) bedroom: Adrienne Lwanga; (bottom) kitchen: Rogov Studio
An aptitude for math plus encouraging immigrant parents lined up Amanda Lwanga for a promising career as an engineer. But after 12 years of working in the environmental sector, she found herself with a creative itch that numbers just couldn’t scratch—at least not by themselves. A master’s degree in architectural studies helped her realize her ultimate goal of owning her own multidisciplinary firm. “I had built a foundation for problem solving,” says Lwanga, “but the biggest problem I needed to solve was how to create a professional design practice that encompassed engineering, architecture and interior design.” She calls her zigzag career path a blessing in disguise. Now, Lwanga is the owner and creative director of Linger Design Studio, an Edmonton-based firm that incorporates those three big loves. Linger Design Studio takes on both residential and commercial projects, and Lwanga is especially passionate about working with female professionals (because, of course, she is one). “I understand how place can shape someone’s trajectory, and how they view themselves,” says Lwanga, “so I create a sort of set for my client, to get into character of who they want to be.” Her projects are an eclectic mix of brutalist design and maximalist modernism, always reflecting her client’s rich history— and bright future.—Alyssa Hirose
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ONLY 11 HOMES REMAIN The Van Maren Group started construction of The Cottages on Osoyoos Lake in 2012. The vision was to create a one-of-a-kind retirement and vacation community of 285 homes with plenty of green space and resort style amenities, all connected by a beautiful private sandy beach on Osoyoos Lake. If you’ve been following our progress you’ll have to agree. We Cottages site 2012
delivered! With our continued reputation for high-quality homes, as well as a focus on customization, it’s not surprising we’re ALMOST SOLD OUT! 2021 will be your final opportunity to become part of this amazing community. We are currently offering several custom designed homes under construction. These homes are still at the stage where you can choose your own interior finishes to create your unique
Cottages site 2019
THEY’RE ALMOST GONE • 5 HILLSIDE/LAKEVIEW HOMES & 6 MERITAGE VIEW HOMES REMAIN! LMEADOW & LAKEFRONT HOME ARE SOLD OUT!
Act now to be part of the South Okanagan’s fastest selling residential community. Please contact Jody Curnow at 1.855.742.5555 to arrange a private viewing or visit our website for a full tour.
Visit our Display Homes » 2450 Radio Tower Road, Oliver, BC Open by Appointment Only
1.855.742.5555 osoyooscottages.com
home and obtain early occupancy.
HOMES + DESIGN GREAT SPACES
RISING FROM THE ASHES From concept to construction, Vancouver’s Straight and Marrow was a serious challenge.
As Genevieve Legg, founder and owner of Formed 4 Design, set out to transform a 108-year-old commercial space into a modern eatery and cocktail bar, chef Christopher Lam didn’t give her too much direction. “His main thing is nose-to-tail dining,” says Legg, “so I wanted to complement that concept visually... and the only other thing I got from him was ‘steampunk.’” Food and retrofuturism were her only guidelines. Beyond that, the restaurateur simply told her, “You know what I like.” It was an exciting—and earned—freedom: Straight and Marrow would be Legg’s fourth design project for Lam (over the past decade, she’s worked on Provence Mediterranean Grill, TWB–The Wine Bar and Lam’s own home). This restaurant would have its own, unprecedented challenges. First was the century-old floor that “went in about five different directions.” Second was the COVID-19 pandemic, of course. And third, while Legg was partway through the reno (painting the once-white walls a fresh, dark green) she got a call telling her that her condo was on fire. She lost everything. “All I had was my painting pants!” she remembers. Despite it all, Straight and Marrow was completed—and the restaurant is rich in furnishings and details that, in true 2020 fashion, have seen it all. For example: Legg and design colleague Leah Bradley “updated” the original mahogany tables by scorching them with a Tiger torch, then whipping them with chains and hammers.
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Green Is Gold
Painting a small space in a dark hue is often a design don’t, but Legg says that by covering the ceiling as well, the dark green colour actually had a lengthening effect on the space. “It’s visually not as choppy, and brings more height to the ceiling,” says the designer.
Wood panelling around the zinc bar top was switched out for a vintage metal wrap. The chairs were reupholstered in stitched, soft brown vinyl, and the spherical pendant lights were given a metal makeover with hand-bent copper that Legg and Bradley salvaged from a local scrapyard. Behind the zinc bar, old barn wood was jigsawed to create shelving. The scrap-metal and recycling yards also came in handy when bringing to life Lam’s steampunk dream. “I thought: what a great opportunity to complement Chris’s culinary focus by repurposing and reusing discarded items in a feature wall,” says Legg. She and Bradley searched for items that would look mechanical but polished, sometimes digging through mud to find the perfect piece. The 23-foot feature wall is artfully crafted with BX electrical cable, conveyor belt wheels, gears and cogs (all primed and painted gold) and geometric copper and bronze panelling. The end result is an elegant machine powered by recycled materials, resourceful thinking and a very resilient team. “We didn’t want it to be pretentious; it has a very cozy, warm feeling with a bit of whimsy thrown into it,” says Legg. “It’s not too serious, and extremely original.”
Adam Blasberg
—Alyssa Hirose
Your life, organized! Find more inspiring spaces at westernliving.ca
Solutions for your home, office, and garage. arbutus.com • 604-734-1949
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2021
FURNITURE TRENDS
UPLIFTING DESIGN With almost every major design show in 2020 put on hold (or taking place as a new-reality iteration online), designers are rethinking the status quo, searching for sustainable panaceas and bringing along beauty—and optimism—to the mix amid the turmoil. Terms like regeneration, responsibility and rewilding are part of today’s design vernacular, spurring the following four trends that ponder where the world’s at (yes, things are out of whack) and propose how to make things better (look to nature), but also celebrate (life is still fabulous!) and offer hope (always).
Gutter Credit
by barb sligl
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2021 FURNITURE TRENDS
New London Fabulous The rallying call to abandon the monochromatic and tooserious side of design has become a movement, known as New London Fabulous, that’s full of glee and vibrancy in its celebration of sensual beauty and cultural mash-ups. “It is an expression of urban pride, chromatic joy and architectural complexity,” says Adam Nathaniel Furman, the London-based Argentine-andJapanese artist and designer who coined the term. The trend is illustrated in the simple yet graphic pout of the Elysée settee from Ligne Roset, or the statement-making stance of the Jericho chair from Allan Switzer, which melds the styles of Biedermeier and Italian art deco into an exuberant (and goatskin-parchmentwrapped!) original.
Hay Bonbon shade in Ice Cream by Hay (US$475), hay.com
Jericho chair by Allan Switzer ($11,195), solobyallanswitzer.com
Miami Loft Circles mirror by Kare ($1,349), inspirationfurniture.ca Hot-pink container pot by Green Theory (starting at $275 for 20-inch square in fibreglass), greentheorydesign.com
Elysée settee by Pierre Paulin for Ligne Roset (from $6,410), livingspace.com
Time Piece side tables by Jaime Hayon for Sé Collection II (from $2,400), switzercultcreative.com Tres rug by Nanimarquina ($2,129), informinteriors.com
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THE DETAILS DETAILS OF OF REFINEMENT REFINEMENT THE Marble backsplash and island front, history in its veining. The artistry of Poliform cabinetry. Marble backsplash and island front, history in its veining. The artistry of Poliform cabinetry. The exceptional quality of Gaggenau appliances. A treasured existence. The exceptional quality of Gaggenau appliances. A treasured existence. WAT E R F R O N T C O L L E C T I O N S TA R T I N G F R O M $ 2 , 3 9 9, 9 0 0. WAT E R F R O N T C O L L E C T I O N S TA R T I N G F R O M $ 2 , 3 9 9, 9 0 0. N O W S H O W I N G BY P R I VAT E A P P O I N T M E N T N O W S H O W I N G BY P R I VAT E A P P O I N T M E N T
tesorobyconcert.com tesorobyconcert.com 速 速
This is not an offering for sale. Such offering may be made by Disclosure Statement only. October 2020 E.&O.E. This is not an offering for trademarks sale. Such offering mayProperties be made by Disclosure Statement only. October 2020 E.&O.E. 速 Registered of Concert Ltd., used under license where applicable. 速 Registered trademarks of Concert Properties Ltd., used under license where applicable.
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2021 FURNITURE TRENDS
Arrangements light by Michael Anastassiades for Flos (from $2,230), livingspace.com
Off Kilter
Constantinople nesting tables by Autonomous Furniture ($7,500/set), switzercultcreative.com
Today’s uncertainty (from politics to pandemic) is played out in design that prods and pokes at the idea of perfection. In a kind of engineered wabisabi (the Japanese aesthetic that finds beauty in imperfection), these pieces appear off-balance and even celebrate asymmetry, whether in the innumerable configurations of the Camaleonda modular sofa system that could be a metaphor for creating one’s own equilibrium—gloriously haphazard and changeable—or the Provide x Lock and Mortice table that’s spectacularly askew. Seemingly incongruous forms fit together (like Autonomous’s Constantinople table) and quite literally hang in the balance (Flos’s Arrangements light). Lines tilt, and never meet in expected ways (see: the Ti table). And that’s the point.
Camaleonda modular sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia (price on request), informinteriors.com
Ti coffee table by Tonelli Design ($2,295), inspirationfurniture.ca
Kangaroo chair by Cassina (price on request), informinteriors.com
Dining table by Provide x Lock and Mortice ($8,750), providehome.com
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2021 FURNITURE TRENDS Perch by Umut Yamac for Moooi ($48,110), livingspace.com
Calder chair by Crate and Barrel ($1,599), crateandbarrel.ca
New Hope Design is also becoming more enfolding. We’re seeing a hopeful embrace in larger architectural structures, such as one architect’s proposal for a repurposed soccer stadium planted with 35,000 trees. It’s a way of stirring senses and memories, whether through spheres of light (Artemide’s Castore) that evoke the playful and youthful joy of blowing soap bubbles or the swoop of a sofa (Ligne Roset’s Pukka) that’s like a warm clasp—a kind of softened minimalism that’s zoomorphic and womb-like. Think plump and playful... something we could all use a bit more of these days.
Pukka collection by Yabu Pushelberg for Ligne Roset (armchairs from $2,680; sofas from $4,395), livingspace.com
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Qualicum High/Low Tide tables by Quake Studio (from $4,600), providehome.com
Princeton dining chair by BoConcept (from $619), boconcept.com
Castore Tavolo by Huub Ubbens and Michele De Lucchi for Artemide (starting from $380), robinsonlightingcentre.com
S H OWROO M B Y A P P O I N T M E N T: +1 . 7 7 8 . 3 4 0 . 7 5 2 2
2021 FURNITURE TRENDS
Nest cedar lounger by Brent Comber ($22,000), brentcomber.com
Rewilding We’re all wanting to escape outside into nature while also being moored inside the home— a dichotomy that’s pushing design to get “wilder”: greening living spaces and bringing the outdoors in. Sustainable furniture is taking the lead at design shows worldwide, with studios introducing pieces that use new and unexpected materials that go beyond recycling, to a type of technological biofabrication that transforms lobster shells and apple skins into “plastic” and “leather.” And designers themselves are campaigning to conserve forests while also championing wood as a renewable material. At home, this “rewilding” could mean stretching out on a Sengu sofa made of recovered ocean plastic or perching atop the sustainably sourced wood of the Nest lounger.
100-percent handknotted silk carpet by East India Carpets (8’x10’, $12,500), eastindiacarpets.com
Wild coffee table by Reduxwood ($5,000), reduxwood.com
Gather block/stool by Barter ($618), providehome.com
Lillåsen bamboo desk by Ikea ($179), ikea.ca
Sengu sofa by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina (price on request), informinteriors.com
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LAYER BY LAYER The team at Falken Reynolds strips away decades of bad renovations to create a space that celebrates both its history and its very modern future. by Anicka Quin // photographs by ema peter
Lofty Ambition
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The Le Corbusier lounge chair in cowhide sits in the spot where a wall once divided the two units. The couple has a collection of Bang and Olufsen electronics throughout the space. “In a lot of spaces we would try to hide the speakers, but here we were trying to celebrate them, with different speakers throughout,” says Falkenberg.
hen Chad Falkenberg and Kelly Reynolds of Falken Reynolds Interiors were approached to renovate this condo in Vancouver’s Yaletown neighbourhood, they had a bit of a home-team advantage: the duo had already renovated a different unit in the historic 1910 building a few years earlier. It also meant they knew there was interior design gold hidden under the drywalled, low-ceilinged cookie-cutter condo that stood before them. Board-form concrete walls, original brick—it all just needed to be revealed.
That said, each unit within the building is a little bit different, and it wasn’t until they started peeling back the layers of renovations that the team could be truly delighted by what they were finding—like the 11 feet of height disguised by the low drop ceilings. “It was one of those things where you looked up as the ceiling was coming down,” explains Falkenberg, “and you thought, this is too good to be true.” The homeowners, a couple with four rambunctious dogs, had purchased a second unit in the building after living in their original space for a number of
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HOMES + DESIGN LAYER BY LAYER
Home Zones
The board-form concrete wall that lines the dining room (top left) is actually part of the elevator shaft, and was revealed during the renovation. The homeowners are avid collectors of Alessi, so Reynolds and Falkenberg created an open display in the kitchen to have space for them—including the Il Conico kettle on the shelf and the vintage Alessi coffee grinder on the counter (top right). The baby grand in the living area (below left) is a Steinway from the mid-1800s that’s been totally restored. The home bar (bottom right) was finished first, so the homeowners used it as a mini-kitchen while the rest of the renovation was underway.
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HOMES + DESIGN LAYER BY LAYER
Around the Corner
The “arcade” and adjacent home office are tucked behind the kitchen: that marble wall wraps around behind the refrigerator on the other side (above). The homeowners wanted just one large bedroom in the space, which also has its own airy ensuite (bottom left). The office is lined in teak (bottom right), and features artwork from Danny Singer.
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years, and they reached out to the Falken Reynolds team to combine both suites and create one great design that could showcase their extensive art collection. “They also knew there was a lot of history in the building—and they absolutely love it,” says Falkenberg, whose team worked with Lightfoot Contracting on the project. “Every layer that we peeled off, they got so excited,” says Reynolds. “It was almost like an archeological site.” That layered dig through the eras meant a shift in the design itself, too. “There was an initial design, and then we did the demolition, and everything changed as soon as we saw some of the opportunities in the building,” says Falkenberg. “Those buildings are just so structurally complicated. They were built one way in the early 20th century, and then a lot of them went through a big renovation in the ’40s and ’50s. It’s nothing you can really anticipate until you take the walls down—and once they’re down, it’s a whole new thing.” The open ceiling exposed two-foot concrete beams, which, while beautiful, created a bit of a cavernous effect in the space. The homeowners loved the look of the teak ceilings they’d seen in a hotel, and so the design team brought in teak boxes to recreate that look while also helping with sound baffling and disguising electrical and mechanical work. Each box is a different height and length, creating almost an “inverted coffered effect,” says Falkenberg. “It creates a rhythm, there’s a bit of play to it.” Exposed original brick lines the back wall of the kitchen, and the team was careful to protect it by hanging shelves and cabinetry from the ceiling, rather than directly onto the brickwork itself. Stainless steel counters in front of the wall also rise up into a low ledge, which levels out the uneven wall face and provides space for a toaster and planters for kitchen herbs. In the main living space, the original fireplace was a typical drywall box, but
HOMES + DESIGN LAYER BY LAYER
the team at Falken Reynolds wanted the new iteration to feel almost as if it was a freestanding piece of furniture. Its asymmetrical design of black-flamed granite, cold-rolled steel and travertine became the inspiration for a re-envisioning of the entire suite. From the nearby home bar and media centre to the kitchen and home theatre, each installation in the space is made to feel like its own standalone unit. The condo is quite long and deep, and because the main bedroom and bath is near the back, the team used frosted glass to separate it, allowing light to travel deep into the space. Meanwhile, in the guest bathroom, the small square footage made the extra-high ceiling feel a bit too vertical, so the team installed teak slats overhead to keep it open, but a little more contained. The result also makes the room feel as though it’s outdoors—with nothing but the sky above. And, of course, with four dogs in the home, a dedicated dog shower was a must. The team claimed a corner of the laundry room for just such a task. That kind of personalization is exactly what made this project such a thrill for Falkenberg and Reynolds. “The best part of this project was just how into the building the clients were,” says Falkenberg. “When we’re working in condos, people always have a life expectancy of their time in the condo—usually five or 10 years—so we’re always trying to design with a little bit of an eye to resale.” But these clients, he says, were clear that this was their forever home. “So then it’s all about what they love. It’s a really fun way to work—you just do what your client gets excited about.”
Happy Pup
The homeowners have four dogs, so the team at Falken Reynolds designed a dog-wash station in a corner of the laundry room.
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New Year, New Ingredients We can all agree that we're happy to see 2020 in our rear-view mirrors. But if this past year has had any benefits, it’s that it forced us to be more appreciative of the little things. So as we embark on this new annum, maybe it’s time to look to some lesser-loved ingredients that could use a bit more appreciation. We’ve enlisted three of the West’s top chefs to help us on our journey to sear, sauté and sing the praises of these hidden gems. recipes by Andrea Carlson, Blair Lebsack and Frank Pabst
photographs by tracey kusiewicz
E Chef Andrea Carlson´s Castelfranco Radicchio and Quince Salad with Stracciatella; recipe on page 48 westernliving.ca / w i n t e r
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FOOD NEW YEAR, NEW INGREDIENTS
At our new store, Butchery by Rge Rd, we’re showcasing whole animals from central Alberta game farms alongside the incredible beef and pork the Prairies are legendary for raising. This is pure, non-intervention farming and it allows these animals to develop their true natural flavours. Commonly known as venison, meat from elk or deer is very high in protein and low in fat, so once the prime cuts have been removed, we process the rest into sausage, pâté and terrines. During the fall and winter months, braising cuts like the shank and neck is the best way to prepare and serve this meat, as the depth of flavour goes off the charts. It’s just a great, cozy dish of comfort. This recipe for braised venison is super rich, and balanced with pickled vegetables, fromage blanc and the sweetness of winter squash. Pannekoek is a unique and unconventional vessel for carrying all of these flavours—I just really love the texture it brings to the dish.
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Braised Venison Pannekoek Venison 1½ to 2 kg venison shanks or neck 1 tbsp kosher salt 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 tbsp canola or grapeseed oil 1 litre beef or game stock
Pannekoek 2 eggs 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup 3.5% milk 2 tbsp melted butter 1 tsp kosher salt 1 small butternut squash, peeled and small diced Fresh chopped parsley or nasturtiums 2 apples, seeded and small diced Farmer cheese/fromage blanc (such as Lakeside Farmstead) Pickled onions and pickled cayennes (or hot peppers)
Blair Lebsack portrait: Rge Rd
Blair Lebsack, Rge Rd, Edmonton
Preheat oven to 300°F. Season venison with salt only. Heat oil over high heat in a Dutch oven or braising pot. Add venison and sear each side for 5 minutes, or until browned. Once meat is browned on all sides, add stock to pot. Cover and braise for 5 hours (or until fork tender), turning once. (This can be done up to two days in advance— store in the refrigerator, and reheat when ready to serve.) When braised, cut or pull the venison into chunks and return to cooking juices. Simmer on low, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the cooking juices have reduced by half. To make the pannekoek, mix together flour and eggs. Stir in milk, salt and melted butter and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Heat a crepe pan or frying pan to medium, spray or rub with oil and place ¼ cup of batter in pan. Tilt pan in a circular motion until batter is about 6 inches in diameter. Cook for about 2 minutes, flip, and cook other side until just light brown. Remove from pan and place on a plate. Repeat with remaining batter until it is all done. Stack crepes and wrap with cling film. Store at room temperature until ready for plating. About 45 minutes prior to serving, preheat oven to 425°F. Toss diced squash with 2 tsp of canola or grapeseed oil and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30 minutes or until fork tender. To assemble, place a pannekoek on a skillet over medium heat, flipping to warm both sides. Place on a plate and spread or crumble farmer cheese and put large dollops around the pannekoek. Place spoonfuls of braised venison with some of the braising liquid around the pannekoek, then sprinkle with roasted butternut squash. Garnish with pickled onions, pickled hot pepper, apples, parsley and a final sprinkle of salt (a Canadian sea salt if you have it!). Serves 4 to 6.
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FOOD NEW YEAR, NEW INGREDIENTS
Frank Pabst, Blue Water Cafe, vancouver
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I started the Unsung Hero menu at Blue Water Cafe 17 years ago. My goal was to promote different seafood options that I was familiar with in Europe but could not find on menus in Vancouver. This is when I began to shop in local Asian markets for seafood options I wasn’t coming across in my usual stores. Soon, my suppliers came to know that I was on the hunt for species like sea cucumber, jellyfish and slipper limpet. I was always happy to find species I was more familiar with, too—like periwinkles, sea urchin and crayfish.
It was also important that they were all sustainable ingredients, and that’s why the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise team became such a great source for me as well. With the Unsung Hero menu, I challenged myself to create dishes with these ingredients and make them approachable for my guests. That has helped me encourage people to try something that’s maybe out of their comfort zone.
Frank Pabst portrait: Leila Kwok
Grilled Mackerel with Chunky Romesco Sauce and Scallions; recipe on page 46
Anything but the ordinary
FOOD NEW YEAR, NEW INGREDIENTS
Grilled Mackerel with Chunky Romesco Sauce and Scallions Romesco sauce 4 red bell peppers 2 ripe Roma tomatoes 1 oz raw almonds 1 oz raw hazelnuts 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp focaccia breadcrumbs 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 shallot, minced 3 tbsp aged sherry vinegar 1 tbsp Spanish paprika 1 tsp espelette pepper 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
The romesco sauce is best made the day before serving. To make it, preheat grill to high. Place red bell peppers directly on grill and cook, turning occasionally, until skins are lightly charred on all sides. Remove from heat, place in a covered bowl and let cool. Using a sharp knife, remove and discard peel and seeds, then finely chop. Fill a bowl with ice water. Bring a small pot of water to a boil on high heat. Add tomatoes and blanch for 10 seconds, then plunge into the ice bath. Peel tomatoes, cut in half and discard seeds, then dice small.
Grilled mackerel
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, then rub with a kitchen towel to remove the loose skins. Roughly chop.
4 mackerel fillets, 4.5 oz each, skin-on and deboned 3 tbsp olive oil 1 lemon, in wedges 8 green onions, white and green parts 4 thin slices of focaccia bread 1 clove garlic
Heat olive oil in a small sauté pan on medium heat. Add bread crumbs and garlic and toast until golden and crispy (about 2 minutes). Add chopped nuts, bell peppers, tomatoes, shallot and vinegar. Season with paprika, salt and espelette pepper, then cook for 10 minutes,
stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a blender or food processor, purée 1/3 of this mixture, then add back into sauce. Add parsley and set aside to cool. To prepare the mackerel, preheat grill to high. Brush mackerel with ½ tbsp olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and grill, skin-side-down, for 2 minutes. Turn fish over and grill for 30 seconds more, then transfer to a plate and squeeze with fresh lemon juice. Brush green onions with ½ tbsp olive oil and grill until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. Add focaccia slices and pan-fry on both sides until golden brown and crunchy (about 2 minutes). Drain on paper towels, then rub with garlic. Place a mackerel fillet on each plate and arrange a slice of focaccia beside the fish. Top focaccia with 2 tbsp romesco sauce and 2 green onions. Serves 4.
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Andrea Carlson, Burdock and Co, vancouver For many, quince seems like one of the more exotic tree fruits out there, but the reality is, if you walk around Vancouver or Victoria in the fall, itʼs not that uncommon to see quince trees that are bearing fruit. Thereʼs a depth of fragance that quince gives off, and a magical transformation it undergoes from a rock-hard fruit when picked to a supple and richly flavoured treat after it's been poached. It is an absolute hidden treasure of an ingredient.
Castelfranco Radicchio and Quince Salad with Stracciatella 1 small head castelfranco radicchio (pink variety is ideal) 2 large quinces 1 cup sugar 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 bay leaves 4 black peppercorns 2 cups water 4 tbsp white wine vinegar 8 tbsp high-quality extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp salt 300 g stracciatella cheese (or substitute burrata, skyr yogurt or high-fat organic Greek yogurt)
Locally designed and handcrafted just for you.
Wash radicchio leaves, dry and set aside. Wash and peel quince, and cut cheeks off fruit. Set aside, saving the peel and core. Place peel and core into medium pot with spices, sugar and water. Bring syrup to a simmer and loosely cover. Cook at a low simmer for at least 1 hour, or until syrup turns bright red. Allow syrup to reduce by 25 percent. Strain.
Mix 4 tbsp of poaching liquid with the vinegar, olive oil and salt and set aside for dressing. Save remaining liquid for another use. When quince has cooled to room temperature, slice into ½-inch wedges. Cut radicchio lengthwise into 2-inch strips and divide onto 4 plates. Top with quince and the stracciatella. Drizzle vinaigrette overtop. Serves 4.
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Andrea Carlson portrait: Janis Nicolay
Add quince cheeks and submerge. Cook on lowest possible heat until fruit is just tender (about 15 minutes). Remove fruit and let cool.
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way back
Celebrating 50 Years
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All in the Family
Todd MacAllen, centre, designed this home with Stephanie Forsythe—the couple's first project out of school—for his parents, Phil and Marlene MacAllen. Todd and Stephanie would go on to form the celebrated Molo. Martin Tessler
Mining through 50 years of editorial archives is a trip, even for someone like myself, who’s been with the magazine in various capacities since 2003. I decided to start with the archives from that year, when I was still a junior editor, and see those spaces with new eyes—and I was immediately rewarded with this delightful discovery. Back then, budding architecture students Todd MacAllen and Stephanie Forsythe were praised by writer Trevor Boddy for their first project out of school—this lovely Galiano Island home they designed for MacA llen’s parents. It was an auspicious beginning for a duo that would go on that same year to form Molo, the famed industrial design company that has created, among other products, the softwall, which is now a part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.—Anicka Quin
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