4 minute read
CONDO LIVING
LIGHTEN UP BY ALEXIA WILKINSON-NAIDOO PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK HOLLERON
Scott Clark (pictured, right) and his partner, Dan MacDonald (pictured, left), purchased their Centretown two-storey condo 25 years ago and have since been inspired with some big ideas to make a space they call their “little treasure” uniquely their own.
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Despite having to work within a condo footprint, the couple leans toward larger furnishings to make a statement, including an oversized and multi-purpose sectional in the living room, and an entertainment-sized table, to lend gravitas to the dining area.
“The original dining table was a Le Corbusier glass tabletop with a classic steel base. But streaks were driving us crazy,” says Scott, “so we found this person just outside the city who does custom concrete work.” They commissioned Threshold Design to replace the original glass dining room tabletop with a concrete one. They wanted the exact same specifications which included it being only one inch thick.
Another custom piece is the banister between the first and second floors of the unit, which replaced the original railing. Again, the couple were able to locally source something special and contracted RIDALCO Industries Inc. to create a railing that lends a sleek line to the space.
The kitchen contrasts some of the weightier pieces. It was originally a classic two-sided galley that they redesigned into a horseshoe shape. This allows additional counter and storage space since both Dan and Scott enjoy cooking. The countertop is now grey Caesarstone with IKEA cabinetry in white glass on the upper cabinets, and grey laminate on the lower cabinets, keeping the space light and contemporary.
THIS PAGE ARTWORK LEFT TO RIGHT: ARTIST, ROBERT FRANCIS, NIKO BOTH FROM KOYMAN GALLERIES. ABSTRACT ABOVE SOFA BY NATALIE BRUVELS, FROM STUDIO SIXTY SIX
FACING PAGE KITCHEN CABINETS FROM IKEA
—SCOTT CLARK
Their most recent project is their brightest idea yet, inspired by the fact that their condo unit is located on the northeast side of the building, providing little natural light.
“When we bought the condo, we also had a chalet up in Edelweiss, so we’d be here during the week to work and weekends in the summer we’d be out in the country,” said Dan. “Then when I retired, we started going to Miami in the winter and we no longer needed Edelweiss as a break. At that point we realized that all the weekends we were spending out at Edelweiss we were missing all the great Ottawa events that were within walking distance. We wanted to rediscover Ottawa. When we decided to sell Edelweiss, we really started focusing on making our condo the way we always wanted it to be.”
“And the issue is, because we’re here now and haven’t been able to go away in the winter, is the darkness. It can be very gloomy,” said Scott. “Dan and I agreed we needed to do something to brighten up our Ottawa space.”
Their goal was to have a lighting system installed that could give them total flexibility not only with better lighting but also to create ambience in their home.
But a huge challenge was the cement ceilings wouldn’t allow for recessed lighting. Luckily, they were able to connect with contractors from the building who were very familiar with that challenge. To modernize and achieve the look they wanted, Scott and Dan worked with Cyrus Renovations Inc. and CEC Electrical Services to create a look that exceeded their expectations. In their living and dining area they installed a floating ceiling with recessed lighting complimented with LED lighting around the periphery.
“We did a larger drop ceiling with a space around, so it adds a beautiful
architectural element to the space and helps bring the condo to life again,” said Dan.
The frequency of the LED lighting around the periphery can be adjusted to a variety of hues. “We found with our paint colours that coral worked the best,” said Scott.
The lighting system provides them with the flexibility they wanted along with a practical way to beautifully highlight their art collection.
“Once we decided on pot lighting, the electrician worked on the placement. It was a joint effort to optimize the lighting for the art as well as for daytime, nighttime, and sunset so it works out in every aspect for us,” said Scott.
“At night-time we look into the downtown buildings and it’s absolutely gorgeous. We’ve got all these fabulous sunsets. We don’t get to see them directly but the light reflecting off the buildings is gorgeous,” said Dan.
BELOW THE KELLY GRACE PAINTING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS IS FROM WALLSPACE GALLERY RIGHT A CORBUSIER DINING TABLE ONCE HAD A GLASS TOP BUT WAS REMADE BY A CONCRETE ARTISAN AT THRESHOLD DESIGN
