Holiday Wishes

To our wonderful clients and the many individuals whose contributions bring the design work of our studio to life.  Much appreciation for making 2014 another exceptional year.   

On your behalf we've made a gift to A Loving Spoonful.

With our thanks + very best regards to all.

Whistler Chalet in Western Living

Much appreciation to the amazing editorial group at Western Living Magazine, for the feature story on our Whistler Chalet.  Special thanks to Anicka Quin editor-in-chief, Paul Roelofs art director and Michael Harris writer; for all their great work.

Well Done

In addition to our Fairview penthouse, the autumn issue of Vancouver Home Magazine features a great piece on Opus Hotel ; " But it is the rooms themselves - bright, vibrant and bursting with personality - that really give this boutique hotel its character".  Many thanks to writer, Laura Beeston for her editorial and appreciation of our work.

Vancouver Home Magazine

painting by Tiko Kerr

Our Fairview project is featured in the Autumn issue of Vancouver Home Magazine.  Much appreciation to the editorial group; text by Laura Beeston and photography by Chris Rollett, for their great work.   And a very special thank you to our wonderful client, who is the personality behind the look.

Closing In

Images of living / dining areas with terrace + lower right study

At our Point Grey project most of the summer and early fall, have been consumed with installing all of the home's infrastructure.  So much of a projects success relies on getting the early work right.  We're lucky to have a great project team that is thoughtful about every detail, working through our ID construction documents to achieve all our design intentions.  Here are a few progress images with all the windows installed and wall board being applied; the interiors spaces are taking shape.   

Images of stair well, principle bath + bedroom

To achieve a visually clean (uncluttered) appearance within the interior architecture, requires planning and precision installations during the the rough in stages.  Every detail needs to be well considered both on it's own and in context of the whole.  Making spaces look simple and uncomplicated is a very involved process.       

Rear elevation

Seven Ayam

Delightful to receive a copy of this feature RBI editorial profile in 7 Ayam, the Egyptian weekly magazine.  Many thanks to Amira Soliman and the magazine for their considered appreciation.

Site Specific

The west coast tradition of modernism, is one of connecting architecture to it's environment and creating an indoor outdoor synergy.  One of our goals when designing this Point Grey residence was to take full advantage of it's situation. With numerous rooms opening on to exterior terraces, some with expansive views and others with more intimate garden outlooks, at each level we wanted the residence to embrace it's site .  

Working with Paul Sangha Landscape Architecture, to provide the exterior site design, their artistry is eveident in every aspect of the design work for this special property.  Paul and his accomplished group, have maximized the varied terrain creating many different experiences within gardens.  They've brought architecture into the landscape by creating structure that beautifully supports both plant and human life in a harmonious setting.  We're so looking forward to next spring and seeing our client's wonderful project come to fruition.      

entry garden 

spa pool + fire feature with reflecting pool

elevation at rear of residence + seasonal colour story

Homes + Living Magazine

Last September at IDS West I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle Van Der Merwe editor-in-chief of H+L magazine. We had a lively conversation about the importance of local design publications supporting the IDIBC and it's membership. I was delighted to learn earlier this year that H+L magazine's Designer Profiles, now reflects one aspect of their partnership with the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC). The magazine will be highlighting registered interior designer members (RIDs)  in all of their markets.  This recognition of our professional members and our organizations is great to see.

A registered interior designer is qualified through a rigorous process of education, certified professional experience and examination via the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ).

I'm extremely gratified to have the support of H + L magazine for our professional members and to be the featured Designer Profile in the Vancouver June/July issue. 

-'The Interior Design Institute of BC is committed to advancing our profession through accreditation, education, knowledge sharing, legal recognition and public outreach.  Our mandate is to serve the interests of both the interior design industry and the general public through the development of a recognized, respected professional association.'

H+L Magazine 

Gray Magazine

Gray Magazine Fresh Canvas

We're so pleased to have the work of our firm featured again (previously here + here) on the pages of Gray Magazine.  This time it is a Whistler townhouse retreat, for our dear friend + client and her young son.  Much appreciation to Jaime, Rachel and Gray Magazine for their interest in the work of our studio and great support of the design profession in the Pacific northwest.   Photographs Josh Dunford.

Gray the Elements issue

Home Work

sharing both space and function

The kind of trends I get excited about are lifestyle trends, how we behave, what is driving our behavior and how that translates into how we use space.   Home work and the spaces we work in are in the midst of change, expanding the possibilities of their meanings.

The concept and format of a study or home office, has evolved over the last few years.   Not so long ago our computers were relegated primarily to preform work tasks and for the most part fixed in a single (wired) location.   With the proliferation of lap tops, tablets and smart phones, we now work almost everywhere in our homes.  In addition our devises and connectivity are used for much more then work.   A great number of us now look to our devises and the Internet, for personal and business communications, entertainment, social networking and for hosting digital storage from music to photographs, and more.   Those whose primary work place is in the home may want a dedicated space or room.  But often these spaces are more elastic in their functional performance, bridging all our technological streams in a seamless manner.   

In our projects we address technology + place everyday.  Project photos here show both devoted and nomadic applications for home work.    

holiday house desk with room for two

sofa desk landing spot

spinning study

conventional desk with new work sofa 

inspiration at a glance collage white board

meeting both actual and virtual

Fully Framed

A few months have passed since my initial Point Grey project diary post.   The project has made good progress and is now fully framed, and ready for infrastructure + rough-in installations.   Although we've been visualizing the interior spaces and exterior form for some time now, it's wonderful to actually experience the interior, spatially and the exterior in context to it's situation.   We planned this home to connect to intimate garden spaces and remarkable out looks of Vancouver at large.  All of the views are beautifully framed by large picture windows, with many wrapping around corners to broaden these amazing vistas. I'll be posting more of our progress and project design material soon.    

cantilever roof with wrap around bay window

view from covered terrance across living room

living room picture window 

clerestory windows in powder room + at upper level stairwell

principal bedroom 

Bespoke Case Pieces

In our highly customized interiors we typically design much of the furniture to exacting dimensions. Finishes that are fully integrated into the interior design colour and material palette, create a refined layered harmony.   Beyond the aesthetic value of these pieces they are precisely suited to our clients functional needs and scaled to harmonize with the interior proportions of the space they occupy.  The bespoke case pieces we create for clients are one of a kind and of heirloom quality.   Pictured here are an assortment of RBI designed unique case pieces, which exhibit the luxury of craftsmanship and materiality. 

"My style is a constant search for simplicity, elegance and quality"

-Karl Springer.

Various case pieces photos above;  custom walnut tray table, whittled bedside chest with custom bronze hardware + legs, custom walnut sofa credenza with bronze top, custom sofa table/desk oak with leather wrapped top.  Various case piece photos below; all walnut, drawer chest, x-base table and console table.

Dark oak + Tabu veneer desk with bronze base + custom hardware

In an RBI London dining room whittled walnut credenzas + standing framed mirror 

Various case piece photos above; custom bedside chest Tabu veneers with tray top + custom nickel hardware, custom bleached oak dressing table + pivoting mirror, custom oak case highboy with leather wrapped doors + custom bronze pulls.  Various case piece photos below; custom white lacquer hall cabinet (after Neal Small), custom cocktail table Tabu veneer, custom dining table and storage cabinet black coffee oak.