Picture House
Slyly named for our client’s collection of works by women artists, this project is a study in how interior design can be leveraged to complement and emphasize original artworks and vintage objects.
Project description
Picture House was an exercise in using original artworks and objects as prompts to guide our design process. From tailor-made storage units and custom fireplace surrounds to feature light fixtures and new windows, every intervention sought to satisfy practical objectives while enhancing opportunities for display and illumination.
The redesign of the living room sought to emphasize its verticality by eliminating the previous datum, allowing our client to imagine the space above the fireplace as a backdrop for a feature painting by Canadian artist Ambera Wellmann. Beneath the artwork is a gently curved custom fireplace surround that was hand-finished in plaster to harmonize with the bleached oak millwork and lightly textured large-format porcelain tile we used to wrap the bench.
-
Soft colours and plush materials inspire ease and lightness throughout the house, simultaneously serving as a neutral backdrop against which the artworks “pop.” Practical and aesthetic accent moments, like a set of floating white-oak drawers with built-in charging ports, offer an inconspicuous place to stow and plug in a device while also creating a subtle framing device that helps accentuate an artwork by Judy Chicago above.
The main kitchen run and island face the family room, with a breakfast dining nook nestled into a new bay window that opens up the kitchen area to the backyard.