life.style.etc. CHRISSY COTTRELL, INTERIOR ARCHITECT
“Staying true to who I am and to what sets my heart on fire has been the cornerstone to my happiness.” WORDS + PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE
I meet Chrissy at her stunning Yaletown condo to chat life and style and where they intersect. The condo is like nothing I have seen before; it’s so clear in its aesthetic that the elegance, sexiness and sophistication is more of a full-body experience than something you can visually put your finger on. Chrissy grew up in the design industry, but in an attempt to rebel against the family business pursued a career in art therapy. “I naively thought it would be a more purposeful line of work. My inner philanthropist wanted to help people heal, but after years spent towards a PhD in art psychology I was fatigued with a never-ending stream of Freudian theories. I was aching for something more tactile and real so I decided to get an internship at a design firm instead.” Both worlds merged when Chrissy realized—working with her first divorced client—how healing design can be. “There is a mending of the soul that happens when you create spaces that nurture and inspire a weary heart. Likewise, there is an incredible confidence and joy that people embody when living in a space that echoes who they are and who they wish to become. The truth is, I don’t see myself as a designer, I see myself as a lifestyle architect and visual audio biographer, helping people embody their full potential by creating spaces that enable them to live and dream in a bigger way.” A sense of authenticity to self is at the core of good style for Chrissy. 18
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