We are fortunate that often the spaces we are asked to design are iconic or simply exceptional. The Fairmont is one of these spaces. Extending over two floors —6,400 square feet of interior space (595 square metres) — plus a roof deck, this 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath penthouse has some of the most spectacular, panoramic views in a city known for celebrating its views.
Having worked with this client on two previous occasions — once with a mews residence in London, England, and again with a waterfront home in West Vancouver — we knew their travel-intensive schedule meant that they were looking for a sense of tranquility and calm in their property.
The views are almost overwhelming, so our challenge was to support them, rather than compete with them. To do so, we borrowed much of our colour palette from the surrounding vistas. The base of the interior finish palette is muted, with bleached white oak hardwood throughout the principle rooms, sand- and taupe-coloured stone for the bathrooms, and a tailored wool carpet for bedrooms in the same value as the oak. The walls are painted a luminous white.
We designed most of the furniture, allowing us to create both case and soft goods that are proportional to the rooms. The millwork cabinets are in natural walnut with a horizontal grain direction, while the doors, frames and mouldings are in the same material, but with a vertical grain direction. We chose hardware in brushed stainless steel or bronze, to complete the muted, calm feel.
By applying our vision and inspiration to both the design and the interior elements of this space, we were able to create pieces with heirloom craftsmanship, befitting a home of this calibre.