MODERN HOLIDAY GREETINGS

I'm inspired by the talent, compassion, hard work, motivation and positive energy of the special people like you. Each season of 2007 has brought me experiences and lessons I look forward to sharing with all those who appreciate modern design, authenticity, quality, passion for learning the value of sharing resources and most of all staying true to yourself with each of your choices. Whether you're buying a new sofa, to finding a talent that reflects your values or to understanding the design process that best fits your goals ... I look forward to sharing a new meaning for MODERN design for living. Tyson and I send our our love and smiles - HAPPY MODERN HOLIDAY WISHES TO ALL OF YOU! -

WELCOME - TANYA SCHOENROTH

I just wanted to send a warm welcome to a dear colleague and friend, Tanya Schoenroth, who recently launched her new website. I'm looking forward to collaborating with an amazing talent in the coming year to help bring fresh new modern ideas to a growing market of sophisticated buyers and home owners. Like me a modern dog lover, we send our best to all of you for the holidays!

MODERN ARCHITECT - VANCOUVER

A great example of modern residential design is the LeBlanc House which was the recipient of a 2007 Special Jury Award from the Architectural Institute of British Columbia.

Client: Jean Claude LeBlanc
Architect: Peter Cardew, David Scott, Angie Jim
Structural: Rob Smith
Contractor: John Mason and Associates; Peter Montgomery, Highliner Construction
Groun Floor Area: 2,961 ft2
Completion: December 2006




This house is now on the market, a perfect home for the sophisticated Vancouverite who appreciates a modern minimalist interior with the influence of west coast materials. To read more about this property visit realtor Jason Soprovich's website.

I love this beautifully executed renovation by Vancouver based design team Peter Cardew Architects. The interior has a sophisticated restraint of materials combining polished concrete floors, natural stone and a signature of BC architects - the subtle layer of maple seen in flush panel millwork. Each interior space is filled with natural light filtering through full height glazing throughout the home.

Our local 18karat recently highlighted their collection Gemma Spring/Summer 2008 in this perfect setting, a refreshing combination of earthy natural accessories and vessels. One of my favorite sources of inspiration is to look through 18 Karat's award winning styling and imagery. Photographs below 18 Karat.

MODERN VANCOUVER - GASTOWN PART I

Photography by Jonathan Cruz Photography

Geothermal building with a green roof - environmental details in addition to re-using, rebuilding and recreating an amazing interior space, Inform Interiors is a destination retail space and experience that every modern design enthusiast must see when visiting Vancouver.

Gastown is a cool and hip neighborhood filled with great little boutiques, restaurants and shops. None of the expected main stream big box stores ... rather a collection of unique retailers and eateries that set the tone of bringing upscale design to a the less obvious street scape. This little pocket of historic Vancouver offers a cutting edge to building character for the city. The cobblestone roads now meet a new wave of modern transformations which encompass the best of loft living and the design studios of creative minds behind recent face-lift exterior facades. Inform Interiors re-opened their showroom and will re-launch in spring'08 a new flagship B&B Italia and Boffi showroom in their previous location. (stay tuned - the Inform family is cleverly building local pedestrians and design lovers like me into modern addicts anxiously waiting for the big opening)





Images provided by Obakki
Architecture & Interiors by Mcfarlane Green + Biggar4
Historic Gastown is now the home to an A-list of must sees from a cool hip shop for modern mom and pops, visit Modern Kid which offers kid-friendly "easy on the eye" design for the modern novelist while fashion fronts like Obakki (tops as my favorite fashion retail interior for Vancouver) or Hunt & Gather bring a unique collection of one of a kind pieces made right in the store by costume designer atelier.




Images of Obakki above are through my eyes. Some of my favorite details include exposed concrete walls meeting seamlessly with polished concrete floors. The extension of corian meeting reclaimed fir to reverse beveled drywall details lit from behind to give a diffused wash of light to highlight the exposed brick walls. Love, love the architectural detailing. The interior reflects the quality and craftsmanship of the Obakki label right down to each detail.

MODERN FURNITURE: 2MODERN BLOG

I'm excited to be guest blogger for 2modern and share with readers design finds I come across while working on various projects, a growing collection of my favorite eye candy. There are many up and coming designers who are truly innovative in not only design, fabrication as well experimenting with fresh new materials and higher levels of impeccable quality. Here are a few of my furniture favorites:

MODERN FURNITURE - COOL SWIVEL CHAIRS (to see full article go to 2modern)

Luxy italy | big jim
31.5" wide x 32.28" high, seat height: 16.53"
for version with swivel auto return and polished aluminum base
$1,525.00 available through SPENCER INTERIORS

MODERN LOUNGE CHAIR re-inventing the bean bag chair


Available through Ligne Roset, Livingspace Interiors Vancouver

MODERN DAYBEDS - Frigerio Italy (to see full article go to 2modern)


Frigerio Italy | cooper wings daybed 90 cm
35.43" x 59.84" x 26.77"/34.25" high, seat height: 13.77"
$5,685.00 in fabric Cat Lusso available through SPENCER INTERIORS

MODERN FURNITURE - SPAIN (to see full article go to 2modern)

The "holy day" lounge chair from Vicarbe Spain designed by Jean-Marie Massaud is the perfect modern alternative to the the commonly used Barcelona Chair.
(27.5"W x 30.3"D x 26.4"H) $2,179.00 CAD from Spencer Interiors.

MODERN DAYBEDS - still sourcing (to see full article go to 2modern)

40.5"D x 80.5"W in category C fabric, includes 3 back cushions40.5"D x 80.5"W in category C fabric, includes 3 back cushions. Still in the process of sourcing a modern daybed that is comfortable to sleep on, timeless in style and at of good value to meeting our budget . A great option is the modern clean lines of the "BENSEN sleeper sofa" designed by Niels Bensen and available through INFORM INTERIORS.

MODERN ARCHITECTURE: JAPAN

Architecture by TEZUKA ARCHITECTS
Location: Japan
Specialty: Residential, Educational, Commercial
Project Highlights: Floating Roof House
Interior Photography: TEZUKA ARCHITECTS

To view more images of their work, see slideshow.

This home is an amazing example of architecture meets engineering as shown in the design of the cantilevered floating roof. A private residence located in Okoyama Prefecture, Japan brings the translation of walls into a new light. Now if only Vancouver didn't have 44 inches of rain each year, this home could be a great example of architecture for a water front vacation home to take in an ocean view.

MODERN FLOWERS

From bridal showers to weddings, from modern minimal to gothic chic floral couture, a collaboration of working with a great venue and working with the bride and wedding planner. To view photos of the floral concepts we came up with see slide show.

I am honored to share special moments with amazing friends ... a year filled of weddings. In helping a few friends with planning and styling ... I discovered a new passion in the art of floral design. What an amazing experience to work with such a beautiful medium. With a background in residential development designing display suites to private homes, organizing special events to styling private parties. Stay tuned as I find a way to turn my new found passion into as an extension of my work for 2008.

Floral design by JEFF LEATHAM, to see more of his work see website

Floral design by OLIVIER GUIGNI to see more of their work see website

Floral design by OVANDO to see more of their work see website
I learn so much working with an amazing team and find inspiration from talented New York based florists Banchet, Ovando to Olivier Guigni and Jeff Leatham. I admire the sculptural arrangements of Singapore based Sakul Intakul & Devehastin na Ayudhya, London based floral designer John Carter and LA based Krislyn Design. Flowers transform a room while providing a lasting impression and creates a signature feature in a room. Applying the rule of "less is more" to a floral arrangement allows the natural beauty of a bloom to stand alone, with a skill full eye and attention to details, choosing one single floral type or combinations of monochromatic arrangements give much more impact to a room. I find myself in pure bliss when making an arrangement. More so, I love the design process of creating a focal point where light, water and air meet the stem and petals of a bloom. I also love fully submerged flowers love to breath in water ... and when lit in the right way, you can see the bubbles collect around each petal ...
I share with you the amazing talents of those who have inspired me and the work that unfolded.

One of my favorite flower shops to see in New York is Blanchet located in the meatpacking district. They always have amazing window displays and a beautifully designed floral shop.

MODERN FIREPLACE - SOLUS DECOR

Custom Concrete fireplace installation by Solus Decor, photography provided by Solus

"Block" Concrete surround display at Solus Decor Studio on 3rd

It feels like just yesterday that I first met Khai Foo and Brad Carpenter at their studio on 3rd off Main street in Vancouver, BC. A modest exterior entrance led to palette of sophisticated and refined concrete finishes. Four years ago, large format tiles had just started to be introduced to the residential market and Solus was already in production with a line of 12" x 24" floor tiles, showcased in their showroom in a perfect shade of charcoal. Examples of elegant fireplace mantels featured a new updated look to traditional crown profiles using simplified and well thought out use of scale and proportions. Also in their showroom - custom door surrounds for a dramatic entryway to a wine cellar. It's inspiring to see that within the last few years, Solus Decor has built a business model based on quality product and a belief in bringing excellent service to a growing market of sophisticated Vancouver buyers, as well international markets. A recent visit to Solus Decor's new location offered a sneak peek at behind the scenes efforts that go into each product from design process to careful production and packaging, Solus Decor is one of my favorite success stories and the best part is they are a great team to work with. To read more and view an inside story on Solus, see our collaborated effort at MODERN 604.COM where we feature all of Vancouver's talent and modern resources.

Concrete tile collection featured at current showroom location at 1445 Powell Street

New "Quadra" profile, a seamless single cast concrete surround that can be floor or wall mounted. I'm excited to see the collaboration between Solus Decor and Inform Interiors showcase this new concrete profile at the new Inform Interiors showroom located in Gastown.

MODERN INTERIOR DESIGN - AVROKO

Finley Residence

Architecture & Interiors by: Avroko
Location: New York, USA
Specialty: Restaurants, Hotels, Residential, Convept Development, Furniture
Project Highlights: Sapa, Quality Meats, European Union, Park Avenue Summer
Interior Photography: Avroko

It is a pleasant surprise to find out that one of my favorite New York based interior design firms Avroko who specializes in restaurant design, also has some great examples of residential interiors. Above are some images of their residential work. During my last visit in New York I had the treat and privilege to enjoy 3 fabulous meals in three amazing restaurants Sapa, Quality Meats and European Union. To read more about their work, check out a great blog article of images from my blog friend Andrew of BuildBlog or you can view collection of my favorite Avroko designs - see my slideshow.

Park Avenue Summer