NOW_suitelife 2015-03-19

03.15 What I desIgned Erin Marshall-TurnEr, lux DEsign inc.

By SABRINA MADDEAUX

Sarjoun Faour

A creative approach to condo design

With limited square footage, odd nooks and tricky layouts, condos can be a design nightmare. Sometimes it’s simply best to learn from the pros. We picked the brain of Erin Marshall-Turner, an interior designer with Lux Design Inc. (luxdesign.ca), to find out how she turned this 970-square-foot one-bedroom-plus-den suite in Fashion House (Freed Developments) into an elegant bachelor pad. continued on page 2 œ

SuiteLife WHAT I DESIGNED œcontinued from page 1

Client’s wish list: “He wanted an element of worldliness and travel, an interesting place to put his bike and a feature wall that grabs you as soon as you walk in,” says Marshall-Turner. “He also liked the idea of reclaimed wood and a cleaner twist on Canadian rustic.”

Design inspiration: The client showed Marshall-Turner some sentimental items that they used as inspiration for newer pieces and the overall design.

A place to work and play: “As he works from home quite a bit, we created a custom chalkboard map area that wraps the two walls in the office area. The feature wall separates the office from the rest of the condo as a designated work space, but is also a beautiful custom artwork that marks off the geographical locations he has conquered so far.”

Design challenges: The biggest challenge was the long, narrow living space. “The client wanted to be able to lounge on a large sectional sofa, but sizing and layout were a challenge. Our solution was an extra-long sofa that was still wide enough for maximum comfort,” says Marshall-Turner.

“Instead of a traditional coffee table, we opted for three organic stump stools that, when locked together, create a long coffee table but are able to be moved around the room when the client entertains.”

Time commitment: The design process took two and a half months from start to finish.

Sarjoun Faour

Design advice: “Sometimes clients fall in love with furniture pieces that don’t fall within their budget. In this case, our client really wanted a classic Eames lounger but wasn’t ready to commit financially. We were able to bring in bar stools that mimic that look for a smaller financial outlay,” says Marshall-Turner. “We encourage condo owners to think outside the box to achieve the look they want and to look beyond a literal translation of the design.”

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2015-03-13 10:59 AM

SuiteLife

Can Condos ever house families?

Units have to be flexible if groups other than students can ever move in

By FRASER ABE It’s no secret to anyone house hunting that prices in Toronto are high.

The most recent figures from the Toronto Real Estate Board puts detached houses in the 416 area at an average price of $1,040,018. So what’s a young family to do?

A detached home is a pipe dream for the typical buyer. Those same figures indicate that even semi-detached homes in T.O. are too pricey, at an average of $702,035.

Condos are becoming the only option for many families that want to stay in the city.

Trinity-Spadina MP Adam Vaughan has long been a champion of the three-bedroom condo as an urban option for a young family of four or more.

But builders are often reluctant to include three-bedroom units, Vaughan says, because they’re much more difficult to pre-sell.

“You can’t sell a three-bedroom pre-sale, which is how developers make money. A project may not be ready for one, two or three years, which is not much of a problem for singles, but when there are kids involved, you need a home for them.”

Functionality also comes into question.

Many three-bedroom units are listed as 2+1 bedrooms, which typically means two bedrooms with windows and one windowless room listed as an office or den that could double as a third bedroom. That may work for an infant or toddler, but older kids (or adults) might feel claustrophobic in a space like that.

New condominiums have to be looked at like Toronto’s older Victorian houses, says Vaughan.

“It could have started as a duplex, then became a rooming house, then someone turned it into a single-family dwelling.”

Condos need to have a longer life cycle than a few years (or decades).

Even if families aren’t the first occupants of three-bedroom units (many owners opt to rent them out to students), Vaughan believes that eventually, as prices come down, families will move in.

The ability to knock down interior walls to build bigger units will also come into play. But new condo developments need more than a great sushi place around the corner – they need infrastructure like schools and TTC service, he says.

Families will always find a way to remain in the city if that’s where they prefer to raise their children, but there are still a lot of issues to address.

Housing prices, the most pressing issue, are predicted to remain high. According to a report by TD Economics, the plunge in oil prices, which has lowered the Canadian dollar, will be a boon to manufacturing provinces like Ontario. This, along with foreign investors, will keep the Toronto housing market hot for the foreseeable future.

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NOW SUITE LIFE CONDO LIVING

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*Prices and availability subject to change or be withdrawn without notice and do not include taxes. E&O.E.

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Enigma on the Park is now over 50% sold. Construction has started, and the Presentation Centre will be moving to Bloor Street by Spring 2015. Enigma represents more than a subtle shift in urban planning and architectural design practices. It’s a revolution that begins with these 86 parkside loft style condos and townhomes located in the heart of the connected

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SuiteLife

got grill!

Developers know that condos need barbies, whether private or shared By KEVIN RICHIE

The SouThwood

The Kip diSTricT condoS

harlowe condoS

(Streetcar Developments) thesouthwood.com

(Concert Properties) thekipdistrict.com

(Lamb Development Corp) theharlowe.com

Location Corner of Kingston and Southwood in the Upper Beach Starting price $300,000 Unit styles One bedroom to two bedroom plus den (544 to 1,680 square feet) BBQ cred A gas hookup is a holy grail feature for many condo buyers, which is perhaps why this six-storey building aimed at young families has included one on every balcony and terrace.

Sales centre 663 Kingston, 416-750-7506. Monday to Thursday 1 to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm.

Location On the corner of Kipling and Dundas West in Etobicoke Starting price Low $200,000s Unit styles One to two bedrooms plus den (500 to 952 square feet) BBQ cred The ground-floor public area for this massive fivetower development includes an outdoor terrace designed for neighbourly interaction around barbecues.

Sales centre 5143 Dundas West, 416-207-1919. Monday to Thursday noon to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

Location 604 Richmond West Starting price $293,900 Unit styles Junior one bedroom to three bedroom (489 to 1,535 square feet) BBQ cred All the loft-style units in this 14-storey brick building will have gas barbecue nozzles on the terraces and balconies – the smallest of which are 6 feet deep.

Sales centre 618 Richmond West, 416-363-1771. Monday to Wednesday noon to 6 pm, Thursday 3 to 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 pm.

enigma lofTS

50 aT welleSley STaTion condoS

(Aragon) aragon.ca

Location Facing MacGregor Playground, near Bloor and Lansdowne Starting price $233,900 Unit styles Studio to three bedroom plus den (422 to 1,567 square feet) BBQ cred Of the 38 homes (from one bedrooms to penthouses and townhouses) left for sale in this boutique building, 15 come with gas hookups. For the rest, there will be shared barbecues and fire pits on the fifth-floor common area.

Sales centre 138 St. Helens, 416-516-1551. Monday to Thursday noon to 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 pm.

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NOW SUITE LIFE CONDO LIVING

(Plaza Corp) pureplaza.com

Location 50 Wellesley East Starting price $284,500 Unit styles One bedroom to three-bedroom penthouse (462 to 1,283 square feet) BBQ cred This 37-storey tower is surrounded by downtown amenities, which residents can gaze upon while barbecuing from the rooftop patio.

Sales centre 50 Wellesley East, 416-862-0888. Monday to Thursday noon to 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

TeahouSe

(Lanterra) teahousecondos.com Location 501 Yonge, between Alexander and Maitland Starting price $199,900 Unit Styles Bachelor to three bedroom plus den (318 to more than 900 square feet) BBQ cred This downtown building’s Asian-inspired architecture is designed to create a sense of tranquility that extends to the sixth floor amenities area, where residents can fire up the barbie and then retire to the Zen garden.

Sales centre 11 Wellesley West, 416-861-1111, Monday to Thursday KEVIN RITCHIE noon to 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 pm.

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floor plan focus: art sHoppE A 882-SQUARE-FEET TWO BEDROOMS PLUS DEN

09

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2ND BEDROOM 9’-4” X 13’-9”

W.I.C.

LIVE/COOK/DINE 17’-9” X 21’-8”

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7,8,10,11

47 01

46

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45 44

40 SQ FT

43 42 41 Presentation 40 39 38 37 36 Centre:

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Register at artshoppecondos.com or 35 email sales@artshoppecondos.com.

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46 SQ FT 10,11 78 SQ FT

Holy balcony space! Both bedrooms lead onto outdoor spaces, enhancing the view and your tanning opportunities. Don’t be turned off by the smaller size of the one outside the second bedroom. That balcony faces two directions.

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NOW SUITE LIFE CONDO LIVING

Unit applies to floors 10-11

92 SQ FT FLOOR 6 TERRACE

A walk-in closet like this one in the master bedroom is a much coveted amenity.

MASTER BEDROOM 9’-1” X 11’-5”

40 SQ FT

07 05

DEN 8’-0” X 8’-1”

DW

8, 9, 10 10

W

This space is more the size of a small office than a den.

By the time you get any furniture in there, you may not be able to stretch your legs.

FR

87 SQ FT

11 13 12

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7,8

The living room/ dining room/kitchen area in this unit is bigger than a typical downtown bachelor. If there’s a downside to this set-up, it’s the paucity of wall space.

The upside? Instead of wall space, you get doors leading to a huge balcony.

L - 2C+D / 882 SQ.FT. (INTERIOR)

It boggles my mind that many condo developers don’t see the value of including retail space in their buildings. Shopping makes them instantly more livable and fosters community.

Art Shoppe (Freed Developments) gets it. The 28-storey building near Yonge and Eglinton will have 80,000 square feet of retail space spread over two floors. Other amenities include a fitness centre, rooftop lounge with a BBQ and dining area, a wine tasting room, an outdoor pool with poolside cabanas, a kids’ playroom and more.

Sound intriguing? Take a look inside at this floor plan for a two-bedroom-plus-den apartment. It’s definitely not one of those tiny boxes and boasts some distinguishing features. The unit starts at $609,900.

The second bedroom shares a bathroom with the main living area. That might sound like a problem to some people, but a second bathroom is a huge asset in any apartment.

loft collection / two bedroom + den

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SuiteLife

FUJIFILM X30 A little space goes a long way.

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Best of all? It’s compact enough to fit in your hand!

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NOW SUITE LIFE CONDO LIVING

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SuiteLife

Brothers Dressler Cut Ups light ($240, Drake General Store, 1144 Queen West, 416531-5042, and others, drakegeneralstore.ca)

touch wood

Few things warm up a big, empty condo quite like classic wood furniture. Here are five of our favourite designs from shops around town.

By SABRINA MADDEAUX

Noguchi coffee table ($2,211.25, EQ3, 51 Hanna, 416-533-9090, and other, eq3.com)

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NOW SUITE LIFE CONDO LIVING

Elixir mini-bar ($349, CB2, 651 Queen West, 416-366-2828, cb2.com)

Logan display shelf ($799, Urban Barn, 275 King East, 416-214-4970, and others, urbanbarn.com)

Three-drawer desk made with wood recycled from fishing boats ($990, Artemano, 698 Caledonia, 416-548-7818, artemano.ca)

NOW SUITE LIFE CONDO LIVING

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PREVIEW OPENING APRIL 11 !

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12 SIDE NOW SUITE LIFE CONDO LIVING 39144 NOW SUITE LIFE GLOSSY FP.indd

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2015-03-16 3:22 PM